What is the mission of the church? According to Scripture, the church has three primary missions.

The Church’s Mission Is to Worship God

The chief mission God has given the church is to praise and worship him. In 1 Peter 2:9, Peter said this to the church, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” In a world that is dark and ignores or denies God (Rom 1:21), the church is called to corporately praise his name and pray for others to do so. In the Lord’s Prayer, Christ taught believers to pray, “Hallowed be your name” (Matt 6:9 NIV). It is a petition for God to be worshiped throughout the earth.

God calling the church out of the world to worship him is very similar to God calling Israel to worship him, when most nations worshiped pagan deities. Through Moses, God said this to Pharaoh who had enslaved the Israelites, “Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness” (Ex 7:16 NIV).

In fact, in heaven, the angels and believers from all periods of history eternally worship God. Revelation 5:11-13 describes this:

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels in a circle around the throne, as well as the living creatures and the elders. Their number was ten thousand times ten thousand—thousands times thousands—all of whom were singing in a loud voice: “Worthy is the lamb who was killed to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature—in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea, and all that is in them—singing: “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power forever and ever!”

When churches gather to worship throughout the week, it foreshadows what will happen throughout eternity. The church worships as it sings psalms and hymns to the Lord (Eph 5:19), reads, proclaims, and obeys God’s Word (1 Tim 4:13, Jam 1:22), participates in the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Matt 28:19, 1 Cor 11:24-26), gives of its best to the Lord (2 Cor 9:7), and serves one another (Gal 6:10, Jam 1:27).

Characteristics of True Worship

In John 4:23-24, Christ gave general requirements for worship when speaking to the woman at the well, which should be observed both individually and corporately, as the church gathers for worship. He said:

But a time is coming—and now is here—when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

Worship that God accepts must be in spirit and in truth. There is some argument over whether “spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit. They are both true. Christian worship should be inspired and empowered by God’s Spirit. In Ephesians 5:18-20, Paul described one of the fruits of being filled and empowered by God’s Spirit as worship. He said,

And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

When the Spirit is really ruling in our lives, it leads us to worship—both corporately (speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs) and individually (making music in your hearts to the Lord).

With that said, when Christ says true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, “spirit” probably refers to the human spirit.¹ Typically, when referring to the Holy Spirit, an “article” is used to distinguish it from the human spirit or demonic spirits. John 4:23-24 lacks that article; therefore, Christ is distinguishing true worship from false worship by focusing on our hearts. Likewise, in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Paul described various types of worship which were displeasing to God because they lacked love—the right heart. He said:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit.

Also, the author of Hebrews said this: “Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb 11:6). If, as believers, we worship God apart from faith by doubting or not trusting God, it is not acceptable to him.

Furthermore, if we worship God while holding onto unrepentant sin, it hinders our worship as well. In Psalm 66:18, the Psalmist said, ^“If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” First Timothy 2:8 says, “So I want the men to pray in every place, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute.” Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

Christ lamented this lack of a right spirit—a right heart—in the Pharisees’ worship. In Matthew 15:8-9, he said, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” True worship approaches God with a right heart—a heart of love, faith, and purity.

In addition, Christ taught that true worship must be in “truth” (John 4:23-24). This means that we can’t worship God in any way we choose, even if we have right hearts. In the Old Testament, God gave meticulous details to Israel about how to approach him in worship. It included requirements for the types of offerings, clothing for the priests, specific dates, etc. Though we are in the New Covenant, God still gives requirements for worship according to his Word. For example, in public worship, Scripture calls us to read the Bible (1 Tim 4:13), preach the Bible (2 Tim 4:2), sing the Bible (Eph 5:19, Col 3:16), to pray according to the Bible (1 Tim 2:1-3), and to practice the sacraments, which symbolize the truths of God’s Word (Matt 28:19, 1 Cor 11:23-26). Everything in public worship must align with Scripture—with God’s truth.

For the reformers in the Great Reformation, they called this the regulative principle. In Catholic worship, which the reformers protested against, there were many elements not supported by Scripture—such as worshipping Mary, praying to saints, the belief in purgatory, and penance. These acts of worship failed the regulative principle—they did not agree with God’s Word. Likewise, the public worship of the church must teach God’s Word, align with it, and not contradict it. This applies to the singing of songs. Are they biblical? Do they teach truth? This applies to the preaching. Is the Word of God being proclaimed or the preacher’s life, politics, or sports? This applies to church traditions and customs. They must all align with the truth of God’s revealed Word.

In the same way God delivered Israel out of Egypt to worship him in the wilderness, God has called the church out of the world to worship him. We are to worship him not only in corporate gatherings, but in everything we do. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul said, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” Acceptable worship to God must be in spirit—aiming to love him with all of our hearts, approaching him in faith and in purity—and worship must be in truth—according to Scripture.

The Church’s Mission Is to Equip Believers

Another one of the primary missions God has given the church is to equip believers to grow and do God’s work. Ephesians 4:11-14 describes God’s plan for this:

It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God—a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature. So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.

God specifically gave gifted leaders, including pastors and teachers, to teach believers doctrine, to train them to serve, to help bring unity in the church, to protect them, and to help believers look more like Christ. Paul describes immature believers as spiritual children (4:11). As with little children who are prone to danger because of a lack of knowledge, wisdom, and experience, spiritual children are prone to the deception of false teaching (4:14), discord (1 Cor 3:1-3), idolatry (1 Cor 3:4), and even spiritual pride (1 Tim 3:6), which all lead to further sin (1 Tim 1:19) and, for some, even falling away from God (Heb 6:4-6). Therefore, one of the primary missions of the church is to spiritually equip believers to know Christ, be like him, and serve like him. This is done through the means of grace God gives the church—the preaching of God’s Word, reading it, singing it, and praying it, practicing the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, fellowshipping with the saints, serving, and practicing church discipline, among other things. In Colossians 1:28-29, Paul succinctly summarizes this mission:

We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ. Toward this goal I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me.

Maturing and equipping believers must be the church’s goal today as well.

Church Discipline

As mentioned, church discipline is one of the ways believers are equipped for the work of ministry. The goal of church discipline is to restore a sinning brother, warn other believers who might be compromising in sin or tempted to compromise (1 Tim 5:20), and therefore maintain the purity and witness of the church before God and the world (Eph 5:27, cf. 1 Tim 3:7). In Matthew 18:15-20, Christ describes the process of church discipline:

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector. “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”

In Christ’s four-step church discipline process, (1) the sinning believer should first be approached one on one (Matt 18:15). This means people should not gossip about this person or spread rumors; he should be approached privately. This is especially important because there could be some misunderstanding, and even if the person is in sin, gossiping about him may unnecessarily close his heart to rebuke. If an unrepentant person repents when approached privately, then the discipline process ends. (2) If the sinning believer does not repent, then two or three people should confront him (Matt 18:16). The hope is that because of increased pressure, the erring person may recognize the seriousness of his sin and repent. In addition, the extra person (or persons) provides witnesses if there is no repentance. (3) If the sinning believer still will not repent, his situation should be brought before the church (Matt 18:17). Practically, this implies that this person’s situation is probably brought before the elders, and then the elders will carefully investigate before bringing it before the congregation. This sin is brought publicly before the congregation, in part, so that the congregation is warned and reminded of the seriousness of sin. In 1 Timothy 5:20, Paul said this about an unrepentant elder: “Those guilty of sin must be rebuked before all, as a warning to the rest.” But, the erring person’s sin is primarily brought before the church so that they can reach out to that erring member in hopes of repentance (1 Tim 1:20, 1 Cor 5:5). (4) If the sinning believer still does not repent, the church members should exclude him from church fellowship, including not eating or fellowshipping with him (Matt 18:17, 2 Thess 3:6, 11-15). In 1 Corinthians 5:11-13, Paul said this in the context of church discipline:

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Are you not to judge those inside? But God will judge those outside. Remove the evil person from among you.

Being excluded from the fellowship of the church is not a punishment but a continuing attempt to help this person repent by returning to God and his people (1 Tim 1:20, 1 Cor 5:5). This loving accountability aims to not only protect the individual from sin and its consequences but also the church. In 1 Corinthians 5:6, Paul said: “Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough?” In using yeast as a metaphor for sin and a batch of dough for the church, Paul was saying that sin left unchecked will spread throughout the church. Therefore, church discipline is a form of accountability from church members to preserve the holiness and the witness of the church (Heb 12:15, 1 Cor 6:6, Eph 5:27, 1 Tim 3:7).

Not all sins require church discipline, since no one in the church is perfect. It would be hard to discipline somebody for pride or unforgiveness, though those sins should certainly be addressed. However, overt, unrepentant sins such as sexual immorality, idolatry, false teaching, divisiveness, verbal abuse, drunkenness, theft, and the like, as mentioned by Paul in various places (1 Cor 5:11, Titus 1:10-11, 3:8-11), must be disciplined. Wayne Grudem’s comments on the sins disciplined by churches in the New Testament are helpful:

all sins that were explicitly disciplined in the New Testament were publicly known or outwardly evident sins, and many of them had continued over a period of time. The fact that the sins were publicly known meant that reproach was being brought on the church, Christ was being dishonored, and there was a real possibility that others would be encouraged to follow the wrongful patterns of life that were being publicly tolerated.²

After giving instructions on church discipline in Matthew 18, Christ says, “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven” (v. 18). His words simply mean that when the church disciplines in accordance with Christ’s instructions, they have God’s authoritative approval. As John MacArthur aptly said: “Church discipline is therefore an earthly expression of heaven’s holiness.”³

Along with studying God’s Word, prayer, corporate worship, the Lord’s Supper, fellowship, and other means of grace, church discipline also equips the saints to do the work of ministry as it protects them from sin (and Satan), which can destroy the witness and fruitfulness of individual believers and the church as a whole.

The Church’s Mission Is to Minister to Unbelievers

There are two primary ways in which the church ministers to unbelievers and that is through evangelism and mercy ministries.⁴ In Matthew 28:19-20, Christ gave the great commission to his disciples when he said:

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Believers should pray for the lost (1 Tim 2:1-3) and share the gospel with them (1 Cor 15:1-4, 2 Tim 4:5)—the message that all people are sinners under the wrath of a righteous God, that Christ died to pay the penalty of their sins and rose again from the dead, and that people must repent of their sins and believe in Christ as their Lord and Savior to be saved (Rom 3:23, 6:23, 10:9-10). With that said, the great commission is not simply to make converts, but disciples. This includes baptizing new believers, connecting them with a Bible-preaching church, and training them there.

However, though the church’s primary hope for unbelievers is that they become disciples of Christ, believers should demonstrate God’s love and care to them, even if they reject Christ. When Christ was on the earth, he not only shared the good news with the lost but fed the hungry, healed the sick, and healed the demonically oppressed, among other things. He cared for both their spiritual and physical needs. Believers should do the same, as they seek to reflect Christ. In Luke 6:35-36, Christ said:

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

We are to be merciful, like God, even to those who reject him. In James 1:27, James said, “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” Widows and orphans were the poorest and most commonly taken advantage of people in society, and God expects believers to love and care for them—no doubt, as a bridge for them to ultimately accept Christ, if they haven’t already.

Sometimes the church argues over whether Christians should focus on mercy ministries and social justice at all, as though it might minimize the priority of spreading the gospel; however, it is very clear from Scripture that God wants believers to both share the gospel and care for the temporal needs of a hurting world, even as Christ did. Certainly, the gospel must be the priority, as we practically show God’s love to a broken and needy world. Wayne Grudem’s comments on this are helpful:

Such ministries of mercy to the world may also include participation in civic activities or attempting to influence governmental policies to make them more consistent with biblical moral principles. In areas where there is systematic injustice manifested in the treatment of the poor and/or ethnic or religious minorities, the church should also pray and—as it has opportunity—speak against such injustice. All of these are ways in which the church can supplement its evangelistic ministry to the world and indeed adorn the gospel that it professes. But such ministries of mercy to the world should never become a substitute for genuine evangelism or for the other areas of ministry to God and to believers mentioned above.⁵

The mission of the church is to worship God, equip believers, and minister to unbelievers by sharing the gospel with them and serving them.

Reflection

1. What stood out most and why?
2. What are the three missions of the church?
3. How does the church accomplish the mission of worshipping God?
4. How does the church accomplish the mission of equipping believers?
5. How does the church accomplish the mission of ministering to unbelievers?
6. Why has there at times been controversy over the church’s ministry of evangelizing unbelievers and showing mercy to them? Why are they commonly pitted against one another?
7. What other questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.

Leading a small group using the Bible Teacher’s Guide can be done in various ways. One format for leading a small group is the “study group” model, where each member prepares and shares in the teaching. This appendix will cover tips for facilitating a weekly study group.

1. Each week the members of the study group will read through a select chapter of the guide, answer the reflection questions (see Appendix 2), and come prepared to share in the group.
2. Prior to each meeting, a different member can be selected to lead the group and share Question 1 of the reflection questions, which is to give a short summary of the chapter read. This section of the gathering could last from five to fifteen minutes. This way, each member can develop their gift of teaching. It also will make them study harder during the week. Or, each week the same person could share the summary.
3. After the summary has been given, the leader for that week will facilitate discussions through the rest of the reflection questions and also ask select review questions from the chapter.
4. After discussion, the group will share prayer requests and pray for one another.

The strength of the study group is the fact that the members will be required to prepare their responses before the meeting, which will allow for easier discussion. In addition, each member will be given the opportunity to teach, which will further equip their ministry skills. The study group model has distinct advantages.

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

How can a person be saved? From what is he saved? How can someone have eternal life? Scripture teaches that after death each person will spend eternity either in heaven or hell. How can a person go to heaven?

Paul said this to Timothy:

You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know who taught you and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:14-15

One of the reasons God gave us Scripture is to make us wise for salvation. This means that without it, nobody can know how to be saved.

Well then, how can a people be saved and what are they being saved from? A common method of sharing the good news of salvation is through the Romans Road. One of the great themes, not only of the Bible, but specifically of the book of Romans is salvation. In Romans, the author, Paul, clearly details the steps we must take in order to be saved.

How can we be saved? What steps must we take?

Step One: We Must Accept That We Are Sinners

Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” What does it mean to sin? The word sin means “to miss the mark.” The mark we missed is reflecting God’s image. When God created mankind in the Genesis narrative, he created man in the “image of God” (1:27). The “image of God” means many things, but probably, most importantly it means we were made to be holy just as he is holy. Man was made moral. We were meant to reflect God’s holiness in every way: the way we think, the way we talk, and the way we act. And any time we miss the mark in these areas, we commit sin.

Furthermore, we do not only sin when we commit a sinful act such as lying, stealing, or cheating. Again, we sin anytime we have a wrong heart motive. The greatest commandments in Scripture are to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:36-40, paraphrase). Whenever we don’t love God supremely and love others as ourselves, we sin and fall short of the glory of God. For this reason, man is always in a state of sinning. Sadly, even if our actions are good, our heart is bad. I have never loved God with my whole heart, mind, and soul, and neither has anybody else. Therefore, we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). We have all missed the mark of God’s holiness and we must accept this.

What’s the next step?

Step Two: We Must Understand We Are Under The Judgment Of God

Why are we under the judgment of God? It is because of our sins. Scripture teaches that God is not only a loving God, but he is also a just God. And his justice requires judgment for each of our sins. Romans 6:23 says, “For the payoff of sin is death.”

A payoff or wage is something we earn. Every time we sin, we earn the wage of death. What is death? Death really means separation. In physical death, the body is separated from the spirit, but in spiritual death, man is separated from God. Man currently lives in a state of spiritual death (cf. Eph 2:1-3). We do not love God, obey him, or know him as we should. Therefore, man is in a state of death.

Moreover, one day at our physical death, if we have not been saved, we will spend eternity separated from God in a very real hell. In hell, we will pay the wage for each of our sins. Therefore, in hell people will experience various degrees of punishment (cf. Lk 12:47-48). This places man in a very dangerous predicament—unholy and therefore under the judgment of God.

How should we respond to this? This leads us to our third step.

Step Three: We Must Recognize God Has Invited All To Accept His Free Gift Of Salvation

Romans 6:23 does not stop at the wages of sin being death. It says, “For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Because God loved everybody on the earth, he offered the free gift of eternal life, which anyone can receive through Jesus Christ.

Because it is a gift, it cannot be earned. We cannot work for it. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.”

Going to church, being baptized, giving to the poor, or doing any other righteous work does not save. Salvation is a gift that must be received from God. It is a gift that has been prepared by his effort alone.

How do we receive this free gift?

Step Four: We Must Believe Jesus Christ Died For Our Sins And Rose From The Dead

If we are going to receive this free gift, we must believe in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Because God loved us, cared for us, and didn’t want us to be separated from him eternally, he sent his Son to die for our sins. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Similarly, John 3:16 says, “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” God so loved us that he gave his only Son for our sins.

Jesus Christ was a real, historical person who lived 2,000 years ago. He was born of a virgin. He lived a perfect life. He was put to death by the Romans and the Jews. And after he was buried, he rose again on the third day. In his death, he took our sins and God’s wrath for them and gave us his perfect righteousness so we could be accepted by God. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” God did all this so we could be saved from his wrath.

Christ’s death satisfied the just anger of God over our sins. When God looked at Jesus on the cross, he saw us and our sins and therefore judged Jesus. And now, when God sees those who are saved, he sees his righteous Son and accepts us. In salvation, we have become the righteousness of God.

If we are going to be saved, if we are going to receive this free gift of salvation, we must believe in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for our sins (cf. 1 Cor 15:3-5, Rom 10:9-10). Do you believe?

Step Five: We Must Confess Christ As Lord Of Our Lives

Romans 10:9-10 says,

Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.

Not only must we believe, but we must confess Christ as Lord of our lives. It is one thing to believe in Christ but another to follow Christ. Simple belief does not save. Christ must be our Lord. James said this: “…Even the demons believe that – and tremble with fear” (James 2:19), but the demons are not saved—Christ is not their Lord.

Another aspect of making Christ Lord is repentance. Repentance really means a change of mind that leads to a change of direction. Before we met Christ, we were living our own life and following our own sinful desires. But when we get saved, our mind and direction change. We start to follow Christ as Lord.

How do we make this commitment to the lordship of Christ so we can be saved? Paul said we must confess with our mouth “Jesus is Lord” as we believe in him. Romans 10:13 says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

If you admit that you are a sinner and understand you are under God’s wrath because of it; if you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he died on the cross for your sins, and rose from the dead for your salvation; if you are ready to turn from your sin and cling to Christ as Lord, you can be saved.

If this is your heart, then you can pray this prayer and commit to following Christ as your Lord.

Dear heavenly Father, I confess I am a sinner and have fallen short of your glory, what you made me for. I believe Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins and rose from the dead so I can have eternal life. I am turning away from my sin and accepting you as my Lord and Savior. Come into my life and change me. Thank you for your gift of salvation.

Scripture teaches that if you truly accepted Christ as your Lord, then you are a new creation. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away – look, what is new has come!” God has forgiven your sins (1 John 1:9), he has given you his Holy Spirit (Rom 8:15), and he is going to disciple you and make you into the image of his Son (cf. Rom 8:29). He will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb 13:5), and he will complete the work he has begun in your life (Phil 1:6). In heaven, angels and saints are rejoicing because of your commitment to Christ (Lk 15:7).

Praise God for his great salvation! May God keep you in his hand, empower you through the Holy Spirit, train you through mature believers, and use you to build his kingdom! “He who calls you is trustworthy, and he will in fact do this” (1 Thess 5:24). God bless you!

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.

Last words can be so memorable and powerful. Joshua said: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15). Jesus said seven last words from the cross, including: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”(Lk. 23:24). In this article, we look at the last words of two men of the O.T., a father and a son, and what a contrast between them! This is the tenth and final message in my series on the life of Joseph. Our subject is: “The end of two contrasting lives.” In this study we learn that how our lives end often reflects how we lived.

Finally the day arrives when the restoration of fellowship between Joseph and his brothers is complete and they convince their father, Jacob, to move with them to Egypt (45:27-28). Having recovered from the stunning news that Joseph is alive, Jacob and his entourage leave Canaan for their new life in Egypt. When they come to Beersheba, they offer sacrifices to God (46:1) and, once more, God speaks to Jacob in a dream at night (46:2; cf. Gen. 28:13; 32:27f.). Beersheba is an important place for it was here that Abraham and Isaac had lived years ago. It was here that Abraham had called upon God. It was here that Abraham died. Now God appears here once more – this time to Jacob.

It’s always a faith-boosting experience when, after having made a decision, God confirms it. Here He confirms Jacob’s decision to move to Egypt with this wonderful affirmation of who He is and the trustworthiness of his word.

First, God assures Jacob about going to Egypt. “² That night God spoke to Israel in a vision: ‘Jacob, Jacob!’ he said. And Jacob replied, ‘Here I am.’ ³ God said, ‘I am God, the God of your father’” (46:2-3a). This reminds us of Jacob’s last personal encounters with God at Bethel (Gen. 28:13) and then at the river Jabbok (32:24-32), doesn’t it? Let there be no mistake about it, this was God speaking, the God of Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, and his father, Isaac. This same God is Jacob’s God, who now affirms to him the course of action he is about to take.

“Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt” (46:3b). God is saying, “Don’t be nervous about leaving Canaan or about what your sons have told you - it’s the right thing to do.” God assures Jacob that He will fulfill his promise to Abraham: (1) His promise concerning Israel as a nation - “I will make you into a great nation there” (46:3c); and (2) His promise concerning the land of Canaan – “I will go down with you to Egypt and I will also surely bring you back” (46:4a). In other words, God will bring Israel back to Canaan and they will once again occupy the land that He had promised Jacob’s forefathers.

And so the whole family and their possessions move from Canaan to Egypt (46:5-27). You may wonder why God would affirm their move from Canaan to Egypt when Canaan was the land that God had promised to them. Why would they leave it? Well, God says it’s just a temporary move. Eventually He would bring them back again to Canaan. There may be twists and turns in the road, but God always keeps his word - His promises do not fail.

Second, God comforts Jacob that Joseph is alive. “Joseph’s hand shall close your eye” (46:4b). In other words, not only is this divine confirmation that Joseph is alive but, more than that, Joseph himself will personally attend Jacob when he dies. So, there you have it. We have a God who assures and comforts us. We have a God who is absolutely trustworthy – he keeps his promises. We have a God who sees, who hears, and who acts.

So, Jacob’s sons take charge of the move. They carry their father, children and wives in the carts that Joseph had given them, along with their livestock and possessions. And the entire family moves from Canaan to Egypt. No one is left behind (46:8-25) - 70 persons in all (46:27).

When they arrive in Goshen, Joseph is ready for a family reunion. Joseph “fell on (Jacob’s) neck and wept a good while” (46:29). Seeing his father again has been the longing of Joseph’s heart. Seeing his long lost son is beyond Jacob’s wildest dreams. Everything is put in order again – the family is reunited. Now at 130 years old, Jacob is ready to die (46:30). But in fact he lives for 17 more years (47:28), the exact age of Joseph when he disappeared those many years before.

Upon their arrival in Egypt, what a reunion it must have been between Jacob and his favorite son (46:28-34). It had been many years since they had seen each other. No wonder Joseph “fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while” (46:29). And then, of course, Joseph introduces them to Pharaoh, who not only offers them “the best of the land” (the land of Goshen) to live in, but also offers them employment looking after his flocks (46:3-10). And Joseph settles them in their new home in Goshen (47:11-12).

And so Jacob’s sunset years begin (47:13-50:3). In Egypt the famine had just reached its peak – “there was no bread in all the land” (47:13). So bad was the economy that the people ran out of money and Joseph began to trade their livestock for bread. The next year, the people have no money and no livestock, only their bodies and their land. So, Joseph acquires all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh and in exchange he gives the people seed for them to grow grain, of which they are to give back 20% to Pharaoh. And the people said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh (47:25).

But it was not so among the Israelites in Goshen. There, they had food, possessions, and lots of children. Despite the desperate economic conditions and famine in Egypt and Canaan (47:13-26), Israel prospered - “Israel gained possessions in it and were fruitful and multiplied greatly” (47:27). How faithful is our God to his word and his people!

In this protected and prosperous community, Jacob’s life ends. Never had he dreamed that he would see his favorite son again. And yet, not only does he spend 17 more years with him, but he also gets to see Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

The section we are studying breaks down into two parts each dealing with the last words and deaths of these two great men. First...

I. Jacob’s Last Words And Death (47:28-50:21)

Jacob’s deathbed scene is very touching and instructive. Last words are important for they often affect subsequent generations.

1. Jacob Secures His Burial Site (47:29-31)

Jacob makes Joseph promise to not bury him in Egypt but to bury him with his forefathers in Canaan (47:29-31). This was the land which once again would be the permanent home of the Israelites as promised to them by God and Jacob would return there for his final resting place. This was the same place where Abraham and Sarah and Isaac and Rebekah were buried and where Jacob had buried his wife, Leah (cf. 49:29-32). Though he despised Leah during her lifetime, he chose to be buried beside her in his death. We can understand why he wanted to be buried on the family burial ground – but why specifically where he buried Leah? Perhaps he now regretted how he had treated Leah and perhaps he wanted to honor her as his first wife.

Unrestored relationships can cause so much regret. Isn’t it often the case that after someone has died, we regret the way we treated them when they were alive? So many people live with regrets saying, “If only .... If only I had known, I would have gone and seen them and put things right. If only we had had one more chance to talk.” Some children and parents are divided and never reconcile, ending up sometimes living a lifetime of regret. Friends sometimes squabble and fall out over something and never make things right. Some Christians fight over differences (often minor) and never speak to one another again. These broken relationships leave scars that sometimes never heal because they’re never put right. Perhaps that was Jacob’s motivation here. Perhaps he finally realized that Leah was not to blame – she had done nothing wrong. She hadn’t deceived him, Laban had. She hadn’t forced him to marry her. She had been embarrassed just as much as Jacob. She was just as much the subject of Laban’s scheming and deception as Jacob was.

So often, we make decisions we later regret. We treat people badly and never put it right. We act in unloving ways towards them. We shun them while showing favoritism to others. That is so hurtful and so wrong. Let’s make sure that if we have perpetrated a broken relationship that we go and get right with the other person. And even if we are the one who has been ill-treated, let’s make sure that we act like Joseph and bend over backwards to reconcile with those who have wronged us.

2. Jacob Utters His Last Words (48:1-49:27)

This scene is reminiscent of years before when Jacob came to his old, blind father’s side (27:18-29). When he hears that his father is ill, Joseph hurries to his bedside, taking with him his two sons (48:1). Evidently, Joseph wanted his sons to connect with their grandfather one last time and to receive his all-important blessing. Energized by their presence and the imminence of his death, Jacob utters last words that will have an impact on the twelve tribes long after his demise.

a) Jacob repeats God’s promise to Joseph (48:1-4) that “I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land (Canaan) to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession” (48:3-4). This is the same promise that God had made previously to Abraham and Isaac (cf. 12:1-3; 15:18-21; 26:2-4) and to Jacob (cf. 28:10-19; 35:6-13). God does not go back on his word nor fail to carry it out.

b) Jacob blesses Joseph’s two sons (48:5-20). “Your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh...are mine, as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine” (48:5). This is a surprising twist at the end of this story, one that is loaded with pathos, a touching scene by all accounts.

First, Jacob effectively adopts Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons on an equal basis with his own two oldest sons, Reuben and Simeon (48:5). Thus, Jacob’s next-to-youngest son, Joseph, receives a greater share of the estate than his eldest son, Reuben, as the custom of the day required.

Second, Jacob blesses Ephraim, Joseph’s younger son, with a larger portion than Manasseh, the older son (48:8-20), pointing to a day in the future when the tribe of Ephraim would be the dominant tribe in the northern kingdom of Israel (cf. 48:19).

It’s touching, isn’t it, how Jacob’s thoughts go back to Rachel who died in Canaan (48:7). Rachel was the love of his life and Joseph was her firstborn son. Because of that, Joseph’s two sons would receive the same inheritance as a firstborn son and, by so doing, Joseph would received a double portion.

Third, in this scene, Jacob tenderly says to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring” (48:11).

c) Jacob blesses Joseph himself (48:21-22). First, he blesses Joseph with God’s presence and God’s promise: “God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your father” (48:21). Then, he blesses Joseph, “as one above his brothers” with an extra portion of land, the land of Shechem (48:22).

d) Finally, Jacob utters his last words to his others sons (49:1-27), whom he gathers around him in order to “tell you what shall happen to you in days to come” (49:1). Here Jacob conducts a comprehensive and final assessment of each son’s life, uttering words of blessing, assigning appropriate rewards, and, where necessary rebuking them.

One by one Jacob addresses his twelve sons. It’s sad, isn’t it, that Jacob cannot unreservedly bless them all. It’s sad that he has such bad memories.

For Reuben, his firstborn son who should have been his father’s delight, the one he had hoped would carry on his legacy, turned out to have a serious character flaw - he was “unstable as water” (49:4a). He was unpredictable, undisciplined, erratic. In addition, Reuben had a serious moral failure: “You went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it” (49:4b), when he committed incest with Bilhah, Rachel’s maid and Jacob’s concubine (Gen. 35:22). Because of his character flaw and moral failure, Reuben would not “excel / have preeminence” (49:4a). Reuben was soundly disqualified for a position of leadership.

For Simeon and Levi he has words of condemnation for their murder of the men of Shechem (cf. 34:26) and for their self-will (49:5-7).

For Judah he has words of praise. Evidently, Judah had repented of the wrongs he had done in his life and put things right. Thus, Jacob sees Judah’s life marked by kingship: “The scepter shall not depart out of Judah… until Shiloh comes (49:10). Here, Jacob not only foresees the rise of Judah to kingship in Israel, but also (1) the rise of the Davidic kingship, and (2) the ultimate advent of the King of kings, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Messiah himself, great David’s greater Son (49:11-12).

After reviewing Zebulun (49:13), Issachar, (49:14-15), Dan (49:16-18), Gad (49:19), Asher (49:20), and Naphtali (49:21), for Joseph he has words of prosperity and blessing, “a fruitful bow by a well whose branches run over the wall” (49:22-26). And finally, Benjamin (49:27).

3. Jacob Dies (49:28-50:14)

“When Jacob had finished giving charges to his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people. Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him” (49:33-50:1). He was “gathered to his people,” a wonderful inference that for believers, death is not the end: for believers, we are united with our loved ones at death, at home with the Lord.

As the attentive son, Joseph weeps over his dead father (50:1). Undoubtedly, these were tears of grief over his father’s death. Undoubtedly, they were tears of respect, borne out of his deep love and reverence for his father. And undoubtedly, they were also tears of joy, that though he had been separated from his father at the young age of 17 he now had spent another 17 years with him before he died – another double blessing, one he had never anticipated. In effect, the years that the locust had eaten (Joel 2:25) were restored.

Joseph takes care of all the funeral arrangements (50:2-13). He has Jacob’s body embalmed and then carries out his father’s last request to be buried in Canaan. Such was Pharaoh’s respect for Joseph, that he grants Joseph’s father a royal send off, accompanied by “a very great gathering” of Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, together with all of Jacob’s household (except the little ones and their livestock) who carried Jacob’s body back to Canaan and buried him in the cave of Machpelah “which Abraham bought…as a burying place” (50:4-13).

What a royal send off for Jacob! How this must have made Joseph feel proud of his dear old dad. And what a testimony to Joseph’s faithfulness, abilities, and success that Pharaoh displayed. So great was this funeral procession that even the Canaanites marveled (50:11).

So ends the life of a great patriarch, one in whose life God overruled to ultimately bring good out of evil. Then...

II. Joseph’s Last Words And Death (50:15-26)

1. His Last Words Of Forgiveness And Promise To His Brothers (50:15-21)

While Joseph mourns for his father (50:10b) his brothers are thinking about their own future (50:15-17a). With their father dead, they fear that perhaps now Joseph would “repay (them) for all the evil they did to him” (50:15). Even though reconciliation had taken place, their guilt remains. Though Joseph had bent over backwards to show his genuine love and forgiveness and had provided for them wonderfully in Goshen, yet they still feared reprisal now that Jacob was dead. They must have thought that while Jacob was alive, Joseph held back his revenge just waiting until the old man was dead.

Memory can be absolutely tormenting, can’t it? Though we have been fully forgiven by Christ, the memory of sins we have committed still can haunt us. Sometimes I think that we just don't grasp the reality and the extent of God’s grace and forgiveness. Somehow we don't believe that it is really true, that we are fully forgiven and restored. In our relationships with other people, even though we may have been reconciled with someone we have wronged, yet we still think there is a barrier and we walk on eggshells every time we’re around them.

Joseph’s brothers just couldn’t accept the fact that Joseph could and had fully and genuinely forgiven them. Such love was beyond their comprehension. They evidently interpreted everything that Joseph had done for them as something he had done for his father from which they derived the benefit as long as their father was alive. But now that Jacob was dead, their protective shield was gone.

So, in the name of their father they send a message to Joseph through mediators (50:16a), begging Joseph to forgive them (50:16b-17a), making up a story that before his death their father had requested that Joseph do so.

Joseph had absolutely no thought of retaliation (50:17b-18). In fact, so far was it from his mind that “Joseph wept when they spoke to him” (50:17b). It is incomprehensible to him how they could even think that. That was then and this is now. The old has passed and the new has come as far as Joseph is concerned. He doesn’t want to go back over the past again nor does he want his brothers to continue living with this unwarranted fear.

As soon as they are assured that Joseph’s previous forgiveness was genuine and unconditional, his brothers come to him face to face and “fell down before his face and said, ‘Behold we are your servants’” (50:18). This was the farthest thing from Joseph’s mind. Had he not treated them beyond anything they could ask or think? Apparently, they wanted to try to repay him by serving him.

This is the way so many Christians think and act. After they have committed sin and been forgiven and reconciled to God, they live under this canopy of servitude that somehow they have to regain God’s favor. But God’s forgiveness is rooted in his sovereign grace, not in our works or merit. We cannot earn his forgiveness, not when we are first saved and not when we sin as Christians – it’s all of grace. We can’t somehow pay God back for the wrong we have done, to try to do so is evidence that we never really understood God’s grace to start with.

Now notice the nature of Joseph’s last words...

Joseph’s last recorded words are comforting words (50:19). “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?” (50:19). These must have been comforting words to his brothers. Joseph’s attitude hasn’t changed. Revenge is not part of his thinking or character. He would not judge them – that is God’s sovereign work. Nor are they his servants to worship him as God. They are his brothers. They have nothing to fear. “Don’t be afraid” must be some of the most comforting words anyone could ever hear, especially Joseph’s brothers. Joseph’s last words are comforting words. And…

Joseph’s last words are spiritual words (50:20). “But as for you, you meant it for evil against me but God meant it for good in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (50:20). Joseph’s attitude hasn’t changed nor has his theology. All that had happened was according to God’s providence. God had overruled in all his circumstances to ensure that the Egyptians and his own family would be preserved throughout the massive famine to fulfill the vision Joseph had had those many years before - dreams do come true. God had been true to his word, albeit in ways that Joseph had never anticipated. Joseph stood firm in the understanding that all that had happened was under God’s providential care and control.

What do we mean by the term providence? My definition is that the word “providence” means taking care of something in advance, making provision for something beforehand. God’s providence, then, refers to his sovereign preservation and sustenance of all things with a view to achieving his divine purposes. Divine providence is that aspect of the sovereignty of God which has to do with his care and control of all things, which, of course, is possible because God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.

Joseph had told his brothers before about God’s providence, that all that had happened was under God’s providential care and control (45:5-8), and he repeats it again to them now. Back then, he hadn’t mentioned their part, that “you meant evil against me,” only that “God meant it for good.” But now, it appears that Joseph knew that his brothers needed their sin to be named so that it was all out in the open and so that it could be put aside once and for all. That’s a principle of forgiveness and reconciliation - the sin needs to be named and confessed. And though his brothers didn't seem able to do it themselves, Joseph knew that that was what they needed.

So, Joseph’s last words are comforting words and spiritual words and…

Joseph’s last words are kind words (50:21). “So, do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones. Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (50:21). His brothers words to him and about him those many years before had been words of vindictiveness and contempt and hatred. But Joseph’s last words to them are words of comfort and kindness. They did not need to be afraid of him or of the consequences of how that had treated him. No, in return Joseph would take care of them – their younger brother becomes their guardian and caregiver.

Surely, this is a reflection of the heart of God. This is the teaching of Jesus being lived out before them – to love your enemies and do good to those who hate you (Matt. 3:44; Lk. 6:27).

Lastly, Joseph’s last words are assuring words (50:24-26). “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob” (50:24). The promise of God stands firm and Joseph passes it on to his brothers. They will inhabit once more the land that God had promised to Abraham. And just as Jacob made Joseph vow to bury him in Canaan, so Joseph makes his brothers vow to bury him there as well (50:25). “So, Joseph died, being 110 years old, They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt” (50:26). Thus ends the life of a great man of God.

Final Remarks

What a contrast between Joseph’s life and his father Jacob’s. What a difference in their last words. On the one hand, Jacob’s last words are words of blessing mixed with words of regret, sorrow, and bad memories. But Joseph’s last words are gracious, kind, and full of hope.

Joseph is a beautiful type our Lord Jesus Christ. Some people don’t think Joseph is a type of Christ because nowhere does the Bible explicitly state that. But neither does it explicitly state that David was a type of Christ. Yes, I understand that technically a “type” is an event, thing or person that points forward to something to come, and that often the Bible states that such event or person is, in fact, a type. But surely, when we say that someone, like Joseph or David is a type, we are merely saying that they are typical of Christ in character and / or conduct. Surely, when you read that Joseph was his father’s beloved son, who was rejected by his brothers, cast into a pit and sold for 20 pieces of silver, who was falsely accused and unjustly condemned, and who was ultimately raised to the supreme position over all the land - surely, when you read that, it doesn’t take a PhD to figure out what the writer is trying to tell us – Joseph is a type of Christ. In all his rejection and false accusations and imprisonment not once is there a hint of malice, or revenge against his enemies. Is this not a beautiful reflection of the One who “when he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Pet. 2:23)?

Joseph is an example to us of to how to live for God, even under appallingly adverse circumstances both at home and at work. He is the example of one who fully understood and trusted the providence of God. Remember: Joseph’s God is our God, a God who is absolutely trustworthy and a God who works providentially in our lives to bring good out of evil. Joseph knew that truth and he lived it. Despite and out of all the cruelty and discouragements Joseph had suffered in his lifetime, God had providentially worked all things together for good.

This story does not explain evil and unjust suffering. It explains how to respond to evil and unjust suffering, (1) by seeing it from God’s perspective and submitting to God’s purposes in it; (2) by demonstrating the grace of God to those who have wronged us – grace that is beyond human comprehension; (3) by drawing others to the God of grace for forgiveness. Seeing things from this perspective helps us to endure. When we look around us at ground level all we see are the circumstances and the evil and we begin to get all tied up with ourselves. But when we see it from God’s overall plan (not just for our lives but for the blessing of others), then it helps us to endure it.

Gene Getz tells the story of Dr. Victor Frankl when he was taken prisoner by the Nazis and confined to a concentration camp. Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist. Because he was in good health, rather than being ushered off to the gas chamber he had to work long hours in the field. People working alongside Frankl were dying everyday. By his own confession, he too was rapidly losing hope. His body grew weaker day by day and his ability to cope deteriorated rapidly. One morning when the guards came to arouse all the prisoners, he could hardly drag himself from his cot. Once on the edge of his bed, he tied his clothes on with bits of wire and tied his shoes on his feet with string. His guards gave him a crust of bread as he joined the other prisoners and plodded across the frozen ground, heading for the mine fields. As he walked, Frankl felt he was going to fall over and die. During that dark moment that seemed like hours, he mustered enough mental and emotional energy to think about his approach to helping others cope with suffering.

Over the years, Frankl had developed a philosophy of counselling that he called “logotherapy.” This therapy was designed by Frankl to help others “see meaning” in pain and suffering. But, what meaning could Frankl possibly see in what was happening to him? As they trudged along, struggling between life and death, he pictured himself lecturing in an auditorium filled with people. In his mind, he was speaking on the subject of logotherapy and how he had survived a Nazi concentration camp by practicing the principles embodied in this approach to enduring incredible weakness and pain and by not giving up when every fiber in your mind and body is crying out to do so! The only meaning he could think of that time was to be able to stand before this crowd of people and share with them that his therapy worked. By processing in his mind this possibility Frankl gained enough courage and strength to make it through the day. He then made it through another day and another until the war was over and he was released.

Getz goes on to say, “I love to tell the rest of the story. A number of years ago, my wife and I attended a lecture at the University of Dallas. The guest speaker was none other than Victor Frankl. Though I had read the account of his experience earlier in one of his books, what a moment of awe to hear him share the story from his own lips. What he had seen in his mind’s eye – which gave him strength to endure the suffering – was being lived out before our very eyes. There he stood, lecturing on the subject of how he endured the ravages of a Nazi concentration camp by seeing this particular meaning in his suffering – the opportunity to tell us about it. As I sat and listened to Dr. Frankl, my heart was deeply moved. Here was a man who at the dark moment in his life did not claim to embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ – that He was Messiah. However, he discovered a very important principle that Jesus taught – a principle that worked even for him. He was able to believe that “good” could come from this terrible experience precipitated by the very embodiment of evil – Hitler himself” (Gene Getz, “Joseph” in Men of Character, 194-195).

Victor Frankl did not have a divine perspective and yet he survived by practicing the principle that what others intended for evil could somehow be turned to good ends. How much better that we have a divine perspective, not manipulating our minds in order to survive the adversities of life but trusting God that he is in control and that in the end, though we may not understand how, he can use evil circumstances for good.

Remember our thesis: How our lives end often reflects how we lived.