The following essay is the transcript used in a recent Seder that I conducted with some friends. With a little imagination, you can see how it was implemented.

This evening we will be celebrating the Passover as it was celebrated in the first century A.D. Our records are scanty in some places, but the majority of aspects of the evening are certifiable as authentic at that time. We will not eat gifilta fish, nor have a boiled egg or a bare lamb shank bone on our plates, since this practice does not date back to the time of Jesus.¹ The meal itself will be simple: hors d’oeuvres, lamb, unleavened bread, and wine; the symbolic significance of the meal, however, will be rich and complex. The Passover was a festive occasion—a celebration of the nation’s release from Egyptian bondage. We should celebrate it tonight as Jesus’ disciples did, for only later did they realize the irony of this joyous occasion that pointed to the death of the Messiah.

As we replicate what the Jews of Israel did at the time of Jesus, try to reflect on what may have been going through the disciples’ minds as well as our Lord’s, as we partake of that last Passover before his death. At certain points we will punctuate the ceremony with references to that Thursday evening of April 2, A. D. 33.² At the end of the Passover, we will briefly look at Matthew 26:17-30, 36-45 and a few other verses.

* * *

Preliminaries:

• Nisan 10—Selection of a lamb: A one-year-old unblemished male lamb is chosen for the Passover by a member of the household. (In A. D. 33, Nisan 10 fell on ‘Palm Monday,’ the day Jesus made his untriumphal entry into Jerusalem. It is evident that he was presenting himself as the unblemished sacrifice for the nation on that day.) The slaughter of the lambs would not take place until Nisan 14, the day Jesus was crucified (Friday, April 3, A. D. 33).³
• Nisan 13—Searching for leaven: Usually the evening before the Passover meal was eaten, the paterfamilias led his family through the house by candlelight, looking in nooks and crannies for any leaven in the house. No leaven was supposed to be in the home at that time. (Not infrequently, Jews would sell their leaven to their Gentile neighbors and buy it back after the eight days of unleavened bread!)

At the end of the search the father says, “All leaven that is in my possession, that which I have seen and that which I have not seen, be it null, be it accounted as the dust of the earth.”⁴

• Nisan 14—Footwashing: As guests and family members entered the home to celebrate Passover, a servant or slave would often be there to wash their feet. This was the task of the lowest class of people. (That Jesus did this in John 13, even though he was the paterfamilias or head of the family, both symbolizes what he would later do for his disciples [cf. Mark 10:45—“The Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many”] and embodies his principle that “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all” [Mark 9:35; cf. also John 13:15].)⁵
• Non-ritual wine: Before we partake of the ritual wine, we are permitted to drink wine that has no religious significance. This non-ritual wine is also allowed between the first and second cups of ritual wine, and between the second and third cups.
• First hand-washing: Once all the guests arrive, we will perform the ritual hand-washing that Jews, from antiquity, have done before every meal.⁶
• Table setting: in front of each seat—four glasses for ritual wine, labeled as such (the non-ritual wine glass should not be on the table, but should be given to guests after they arrive and after their feet are washed); one plate, cutlery, napkin. Several candles on the table. Seating labels in place. Charoseth, unleavened bread, vegetables, and vinegar (karpas) should all be on the table. As well, representative bottles of wine should be there too, all labeled.
• Reclining at table: The ancient near eastern custom of total relaxation was not too far from our modern “couch potato with remote control” motif. They would relax around a low table (about 18” off the ground), sprawled out on pillows, being served by the help. So, take your shoes off, and prepare to have a good time!
  
  Seating at Passover is assigned: beginning with the head of the family at one end, the guests are to wrap around the table either from the oldest to youngest, or the most important to the least important. Some of you have place names for where you should sit; the rest may sit where they please.
• First cup: Four ritual cups of wine are used for the Passover. The Mishnah says that even the poorest man in Israel must drink the four ritual cups, even if it means selling all his possessions! The wine used was red and warm, a custom we are continuing this evening. A prayer is uttered over each cup, and the four verbs of Exodus 6:6-7 are recited, one over each cup.

After we are seated casually, the first prayer (the kiddush, or prayer of sanctification) is uttered by the paterfamilias.

... ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העלמ  בורא פרי הגפנ

“Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine. . . . And you, O Lord our God, have given us festival days for joy, this feast of the unleavened bread, the time of our deliverance in remembrance of the departure from Egypt. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to enjoy this season.”

The kiddush: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, . . . who has created the fruit of the vine. . . . Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to enjoy this season.”

Then the first cup of ritual wine is poured and the first verb of Exodus 6:6-7 is recited by the father:

אני יהוה והוצאתי אתכמ מתחת סבלת מצרימ

“I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.”

The wine may now be drunk. (After this cup, you may now drink non-ritual wine until the second cup is served. The non-ritual wine may be any of the previously mentioned non-ritual wines, or it may be the wine used for the first cup.)

• The Karpas (bitter herbs and the first dipping): The head of the house dips bitter herbs (traditionally lettuce or celery) into salt water or vinegar. He dips herb together with the chief guest of honor (the person on his right), and then the bitter herbs are passed on down the table.
• After all partake of the karpas, all food is removed from the table. This heightens the interest of the evening, prompting the questions from the youngest son.
• Second Cup: poured, but not yet drunk.
• Questions from the youngest son/least significant person:

Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights we eat leavened or unleavened bread, but this night only unleavened bread.

On all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but this night only bitter herbs. Why do we dip the herbs twice?

On all other nights we eat meat roasted, stewed, or boiled, but on this night why only roasted meat?

• Answer by the father (recounting the history of Israel from Abraham till Moses and the giving of the Law)⁷:

Acts 7:2-38 (with some lacunae) is read. It is interesting that Stephen’s speech so closely parallels the kinds of things that the paterfamilias would say at the Passover (though with some interesting twists to it) that one wonders if this was indeed the message that Stephen, as head of his own home, would recite at Passover (for at 7:39 Stephen goes beyond what was to be recited and begins to pronounce his indictment against the religious leaders).

• All food and wine is returned to the table, including the lamb.
• Father now explains the significance of the lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread.
• Singing of the first half of the Hallel Psalms: Psalms 113-114.

Done in one of two ways: father singing the lines with the family saying “Hallelujah” after each verse, or all singing the psalms together. We will do the latter. [NIV]

Psa. 113:1   Praise the LORD. Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.
Psa. 113:2 Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore.
Psa. 113:3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.
Psa. 113:4 The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens.
Psa. 113:5 Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high,
Psa. 113:6 who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?
Psa. 113:7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
Psa. 113:8 he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people.
Psa. 113:9 He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD.

Psa. 114:1 When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,
Psa. 114:2 Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
Psa. 114:3 The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back;
Psa. 114:4 the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.
Psa. 114:5 Why was it, O sea, that you fled, O Jordan, that you turned back,
Psa. 114:6 you mountains, that you skipped like rams, you hills, like lambs?
Psa. 114:7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,
Psa. 114:8 who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.

• Prayer over the Second Cup:

ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העולמ בורא פרי הגפנ

“Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine. . . .

Exodus 6:6b: “I will deliver you from their bondage”

• והצלתי אתכמ מעבדתמ
• Second hand-washing: This hand-washing is done out of respect for the unleavened bread that is about to be eaten.
• The Paschal Lamb, charoseth with vegetables, and two of the unleavened bread wafers are served.
• Prayer over the bread (by the father):

“Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the univese, who brings forth bread from the earth. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments, and commanded us to eat unleavened bread.”

• Breaking of the bread:

The host breaks the guest of honor’s bread and they dip it together in the charoseth and bitter herbs. The guest in turn breaks his neighbor’s bread and they dip it together, and so on down the line.

• The meal may now be eaten.

After drinking the second cup of wine, any wine that has already been drunk may now be drunk non-ritually.

• The Third Cup: Prayer and consumption

After the meal, the third cup is poured. The last of the unleavened bread wafers is blessed, broken, and eaten:

“Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments, and commanded us to eat unleavened bread.”

All participants recite the post-meal grace together, and then the prayer over the wine.

“The name of the Lord be blessed from now until eternity. Let us bless him of whose gifts we have partaken: Blessed be our God of whose gifts we have partaken, and by whose goodness we exist.”

“Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine. . . .

Then the father recites the third verb from Exodus 6:6:

“I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.”

וגאלתי אתכמ בזרוע נ טימ גדלימ

Then the wine is drunk.

*No non-ritual wine may be drunk between the third and the fourth cup.

• The Fourth Cup and the final Hallel Psalms:

The fourth cup of wine is poured and blessed by all:

“Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine. . . .

Then the father recites the fourth verb from Exodus 6:6-7:

“Then I will take you as my people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”

Psalms 115-118 are now sung as a closing hymn [NIV, slightly modified]

Psa. 115:1  Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.
Psa. 115:2 Why do the nations say,  “Where is their God?”
Psa. 115:3 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.
Psa. 115:4 But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.
Psa. 115:5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see;
Psa. 115:6 they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell;
Psa. 115:7 they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
Psa. 115:8 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
Psa. 115:9 O house of Israel, trust in the LORD — he is their help and shield.
Psa. 115:10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD — he is their help and shield.
Psa. 115:11 You who fear him, trust in the LORD — he is their help and shield.
Psa. 115:12 The LORD remembers us and will bless us: He will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron,
Psa. 115:13 he will bless those who fear the LORD — small and great alike.
Psa. 115:14 May the LORD make you increase, both you and your children.
Psa. 115:15 May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psa. 115:16 The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man.
Psa. 115:17 It is not the dead who praise the LORD, those who go down to silence;
Psa. 115:18 it is we who extol the LORD, both now and forevermore. Praise the LORD.

Psa. 116:1  I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
Psa. 116:2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
Psa. 116:3 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
Psa. 116:4 Then I called on the name of the LORD:  “O LORD, save me!”
Psa. 116:5 The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
Psa. 116:6 The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.
Psa. 116:7 Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
Psa. 116:8 For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,
Psa. 116:9 that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
Psa. 116:10 I believed; therefore I said,  “I am greatly afflicted.”
Psa. 116:11 And in my dismay I said,  “All men are liars.”
Psa. 116:12 How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?
Psa. 116:13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
Psa. 116:14 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
Psa. 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
Psa. 116:16 O LORD, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant;
ou have freed me from my chains.
Psa. 116:17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.
Psa. 116:18 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,
Psa. 116:19 in the courts of the house of the LORD — in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.

Psa. 117:1  Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.
Psa. 117:2 For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.

Psa. 118:1  Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psa. 118:2 Let Israel say:  “His love endures forever.”
Psa. 118:3 Let the house of Aaron say:  “His love endures forever.”
Psa. 118:4 Let those who fear the LORD say:  “His love endures forever.”
Psa. 118:5 In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.
Psa. 118:6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Psa. 118:7 The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.
Psa. 118:8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
Psa. 118:9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.
Psa. 118:10 All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
Psa. 118:11 They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
Psa. 118:12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they died out as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
Psa. 118:13 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me.
Psa. 118:14 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
Psa. 118:15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous:  “The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!
Psa. 118:16 The LORD’s right hand is lifted high; the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!”
Psa. 118:17 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.
Psa. 118:18 The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
Psa. 118:19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.
Psa. 118:20 This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter.
Psa. 118:21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.
Psa. 118:22 The stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone;
Psa. 118:23 the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Psa. 118:24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psa. 118:25 O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success.
Psa. 118:26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.
Psa. 118:27 The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.
Psa. 118:28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.
Psa. 118:29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

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¹ The basic source for the ancient Passover ceremony is the tractate Pesachim  (from which the Greek word pascha is derived and which is translated as ‘paschal’ in the RSV of 1 Cor 5:7, ‘passover’ in most other modern translations) in the Mishnah, a document that was written down in c. A. D. 200 by Rabbi Judah ha-Nassi. Judah had received it via oral tradition dating back to the great Rabbi Hillel, who lived in the century before Christ.

² The date I follow has been argued for by Harold Hoehner in his Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ.

³ Passover lambs were slain between noon and 3 p.m. on Nisan 14 (recall that there were three hours of darkness, from approximately noon to 3 p.m., when Jesus was on the cross [Mark 15:33]. When Jesus died, the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom [Mark 15:38]—right when the last of the lambs would be on the altar in front of the sanctuary!). In A. D. 70, the last year that the temple was still standing, 270,000 lambs were slain.

When the lambs were slain, the Levites would chant the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-118) repeatedly.

⁴This practice apparently stems from a rabbinic interpretation of Zephaniah 1:12—“I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent.’” Since leaven often represents sin, Paul makes the tie between the leaven of the Passover and our commitment to Christ in 1 Cor 5:7 (“Get rid of the old leaven that you may be a new batch without leaven—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”)

⁵The footwashing was not a part of the Passover per se, but was the custom in Israel when one entered a home to eat a meal.

⁶ There is some dispute about when the first handwashing was performed. In modern times, it is done prior to the meal and before sitting down. In ancient times it may have been done once all reclined at table and after the first cup of wine was poured.

Cf. Matt 15:1-20 (Jesus refutes this tradition as merely “the precepts of the men,” noting that the Pharisees and scribes had abandoned the commandments of God for such traditions.)

⁷ The command to recount Israel’s history is recorded in Exod 10:2; 12:26-27; and 13:8.

Answer

Dear *****,

This is a very good question.

We have to take into account that in the New Testament baptism came almost immediately after a person’s profession of faith. This is particularly evident in the Book of Acts. One must conclude that being this young in the faith the new believer should not be expected to be a theologian, or even to understand all of the implications of baptism. (Paul spells these out in Romans 6 and 1 Corinthians 6). But what should be clear is a simple, uncomplicated, grasp of the gospel, which is what baptism symbolically depicts.

• Thus, one must understand that they are a sinner, rightly under divine condemnation (Romans 3).
• They must understand that they are helpless to earn God’s favor, or to save themselves, by good works and efforts to please God (Romans 3; Ephesians 2:1-3).
• They must understand that Jesus Christ is God’s only solution for sin, and for salvation (John 14:6).
• They must understand that by faith in Jesus and His death, burial, and resurrection we die to sin and are raised to newness of life in Him (Romans 6).
• They should understand that trusting in Jesus for salvation means that they become a new person, and thus our old way of thinking and acting is to be put off, and that thinking and acting like Jesus is our new identity (Ephesians 4:17ff.).

It is not a bad idea to inform the one being baptized that publicly identifying with Christ in baptism may lead to rejection by friends or family, and possibly persecution as well (1 Thessalonians 1; 1 Peter 4).

One way to go about baptism is to distill the above essentials to three or four questions:

1. Do you acknowledge that you are a sinner, deserving of eternal punishment, and that you can do nothing to earn God’s favor by your own efforts?

2. Do you acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God’s one and only remedy for your sin, and the only provision for your salvation?

3. Do you acknowledge that by your identification with Christ by faith you died to sin and were raised to newness of life in Him?

4. Is it your intention to live a different kind of life because of your trust in Jesus and the new life He has given you?

“On the basis of your profession of faith in Jesus Christ, it is my privilege to baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

The baptism of young children is a matter of concern for me, because they may be doing this to please their parents, or to follow their friends, yet without really experiencing the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin or grasping the essence of the gospel. In asking questions which only require a “Yes” response it makes it fairly easy for a child to appear to be a believer. Over the years I have re-baptized a number of adults who made childhood professions of faith (followed by baptism), when they did not really understand the gospel.

I believe that an impartial interview (not by a parent, but by an elder or Sunday School teacher, or small group leader) should always precede a baptism, so that one’s grasp of the gospel can be evaluated. It has become popular in some circles for the father to baptize his child. When I look at Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:12-17 it appears that caution should be exercised so that the baptizer does not have too important a role in the mind of the one being baptized.

Overall, my preference would be for the one being baptized to give their testimony, expressing the essentials mentioned above, but in their own words.

I have entertained the possibility of videotaping the testimony of the one being baptized, so that stage fright might not occur as easily, and (if such should prove to be the case) one could be encouraged to “wait” until certain truths are more clearly grasped if the need becomes evident.

Let me add that I think we need to be very careful about the terms we use for conversion. I know of an occasion where a friend had the sons of a well-known Christian in his Sunday School class. One of them confessed that he had “asked Jesus into his heart.” When my friend asked how He got there, the boy pondered the question for a bit and then replied, “I guess through the hole in my sock.” Seriously, this really happened.

In John 16:7-11 Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would convict men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. It would be good for the one seeking baptism to give testimony to these things.

I hope this helps,

Bob Deffinbaugh

For most people the pursuit of wisdom begins with life in the family. Thus Solomon, the author of Proverbs portrays a father’s instruction to his son:

Listen my son, accept what I say,
And the years of your life will be many
I guide you in the way of wisdom
And lead you along straight paths.
…….
Hold on to instruction; do not let it go;
Guard it well, for it is your life. (Prov. 4:10-11, 13).

When this is done, the son acquires the ability to begin to discern wisdom (cf. Prov. 1:5; 6:20-22)

As life goes on, he learns that the true source of wisdom for good living is found in God. Accordingly, he seeks the Lord for proper instruction:

Show me your ways, O LORD,
Teach me your paths;
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
For you are God my savior,
And my hope is in you all day long. (Ps. 25:4-5)

This is especially true in times of danger, as a psalmist says later:

Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to rescue me,
Be my rock of rescue,
a strong fortress to save me. (Ps. 31:2-3)

As Alexander points out, the psalmist declares, “God is his protector, and must therefore, of necessity, protect him, not only for the sufferer’s sake, but for the honor of his own name or manifested nature.”¹ Indeed, the psalmist is petitioning God not only for protection but for the Lord’s wise leadership in his daily life.

This he could and must do, for by so doing he gains both wisdom and fellowship with God (Ps. 42:3-5). For he learns that God himself is available to all, for his guidance and leadership are limitless and extend everywhere (Pss. 48:14; 139:8-10). Indeed, the Lord is mankind’s ultimate guide (Pss. 23:3b; 67:4), now and forever.

You guide me with your counsel
And afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you. (Ps. 73:24-25).

As Fanny Crosby declares

All the way my Saviour leads me,
Oh the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed, immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day.
This my song through endless ages
Jesus led me all the way.²

May we all learn to lean on the Lord for His guidance. May we approach him and appeal to him in true humility. For the Lord, “Guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way” (Ps. 25:9). Those who do so gain integrity of heart: “With humility comes wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them” (Prov. 11:2b-3). So equipped the humble, righteous person can give sound advice to others: “A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promise instruction. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Prov. 16:23-24). Such a person is able to give advice because the Holy Spirit dwells in him. Accordingly, as Jesus promised his disciples, “When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth” (Jn. 16:13).

It is no less true today, for as the hymn writer pleads: “Holy Spirit, be my Guide, Holy Spirit, my door’s opened wide.”³ George Croly adds: “Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh; teach me the struggles of the soul to bear, to check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh; teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.”⁴

Even in times of testing a committed believer can be assured of God’s presence and strength including the need for necessary physical strength (Ps. 18:1-2). For in our weakness we can find God’s strength to be our sufficiency for each day’s challenges (2 Cor. 12:9-11; cf. Pss. 27:14; 31:24; 46:1).⁵

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¹ Joseph A. Alexander, Commentary on Psalms (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1991) 140-41.

² Fanny J. Crosby, “All the Way My Saviour Leads.”

³ Mildred Cope, “Holy Spirit, Be My Guide”.

⁴ George Croly, “Spirit of God, Descend.”

⁵ Richard D. Patterson, “The Source of True Strength,” (Biblical Studies Press, 2013), 10.

Answer

Dear Friend,

The first thing I must ask is whether you have ever placed your trust in Jesus Christ for salvation? I don’t mean just believing that there is a God, or even that Jesus is God. Do you believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which I will attempt to summarize below:

You are a sinner, rightly deserving God’s eternal punishment:

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

There is no way that you can overcome sin and become righteous in God’s sight by your own efforts:

6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
And all of us wither like a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isaiah 64:6

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:1-9

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7

Jesus Christ came to the earth and lived a sinless life so that He could become God’s only provision for man’s salvation. Jesus did not need to die for any sin He had done, and thus He could die in our place, bearing the penalty for our sins and giving us His righteousness so that we might have fellowship with God:

46 “Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? John 8:46

29 The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, John 1:12

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. 21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. 31 Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. Romans 3:19-31

10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:10-13

9 . . . if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” Romans 10:9-11

If you have not yet trusted in Jesus Christ for your forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation, then Jesus says His Spirit will convict (convince) you of this, prompting you to trust in Jesus and be saved:

7 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. John 16:7-11

I would ask you to give serious thought to whether or not you have trusted in Jesus Christ. If so, then move on to what I write below.

Assuming that you have come to trust in Jesus Christ for your salvation, I would ask you to consider these questions?

What does Jesus say about how secure the Christian is? Does He ever suggest that some failure or sin on your part will result in you losing your salvation?

27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 “I and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30

31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; 32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32

What does Paul say about our security as Christians?

6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39

Do you believe that Satan wants you to be confident about being saved forever, or that he desires to create doubt in your mind that keeps you constantly agonizing about your being good enough to stay saved?

44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44

9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. Revelation 12:9-11

On the basis of these passages, where do you think your fears come from . . . Jesus, or the Devil? You need to be spending more time in God’s Word, and reflecting on His character (love, faithfulness, grace). I would start with Psalm 91:

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
3 For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
5 You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
7 A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
8 You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked. Psalm 91:1-8

Salvation comes when we know we are sinners, unworthy of God’s presence, and when we put our complete trust in what Jesus has done (died, buried, raised from the dead, ascended into heaven) to save us.

Sanctification (growing to maturity in Christ) comes when we acknowledge our inability to live up to God’s standards for us as Christians (Romans 7), and when we rely, again, on the work Jesus has done, not only to save us, but to make us holy:

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. . . . 9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— Romans 8:1-4, 9-12

Blessings in Christ,

Bob Deffinbaugh