Discernment and anti-denominational church ads

For several months an ad has persistently appeared in the Charlottesville Daily Progress newspaper that reads in part:

Several families from the Charlottesville area have fully dedicated themselves to worship and actively work as a congregation according to the teachings of Jesus Christ and His apostles. We fully believe that the only answer to the denominational spirit which exists among professed Christians is to let the Bible constitute our only creed and drop all denominational names, titles, creeds, and organizations.

We have no desire to "found" a new church, but through faith understand that the Lord adds the saved to the church which he purchased with his own blood (Acts 2:47, 20:28). Since God and his Son are owners, we are content to be known as belonging to the church of God or the church of Christ. We will not be ashamed to wear the name that brings glory to our Savior and be known individually as Christians.

The families mentioned above have no intention of making the bigoted claim of being "the only Christians", but we do seek to go back to the Bible for every practice and therefore to be only what men of the first century were; that is, "Christians only".

I read a copy of this ad to the three college men I meet with each Monday morning for systematic theology study and then asked them what theological/spiritual problems this statement raises.

Here are a few problems we discussed at that time, along with some added reflections:

1. The ad assumes that "denominations" are necessarily bad. For a contradiction, see the audio of my teaching "Are Denominations Bad?"

2. The ad disparages the clear declaration of one’s Biblical faith in Confessions or Creeds. Do these men affirm the classical orthodox creeds that are drawn from—while being subservient to— the witness of Scripture? Would they affirm the doctrine of the Trinity? The Chalcedonian definition of the nature of Christ? The New Hampshire Confession’s affirmation of Scripture as "truth without any mixture of error"? If not, why?

3. The ad reflects a "purity" movement that presumes to restore primitive Christianity without any reference to the historical reality of the Christian movement since the time of the apostles, including the Reformation.

4. While disparaging "denominations" and "organizations" this movement clearly has some denominated beliefs. In addition, someone had to "organize" the placement of these ads. I do not blame them for this. The organization of a church is Biblical. Is being disorganized a more godly and faithful approach? Was Paul in error, for example, when he told Timothy to "set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders" in the church (Titus 1:5). Is the disparagement of clearly confessed beliefs and Biblical organization more a reflection of ancient (Biblical practice) or modern egalitarian and anti-authoritarian sentiments?

A little web research revealed that the ads are being placed by a local Church of Christ congregation (see the full ad here). With some study, one will find that the sentiments expressed are clearly consistent with the "Church of Christ" "denomination" begun by Alexander Campbell. Campbellites have some very distinct doctrinal beliefs that not all Christians will affirm. For example, they believe that one must be physically baptized in water in order to be saved (a form of baptismal regeneration). Christians shaped by the Reformation (whether they be Baptist or Presbyterian) will reject this as an affront to the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith, not by any human work (including baptism) lest any man boast (see Ephesians 2:8-9).

I would not want to attend a church that is unwilling to declare forthrightly what it believes about the doctrines the Bible teaches. A clear confession of faith—again not above but under the authority of Scripture—is the best safeguard against doctrinal error. After all, both Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses will quickly tell you they fully believe in everything the Bible teaches (the Mormons even affirm the KJV English translation exclusively!), but their doctrines are heterodox.

Since the ads continue to run, I assume that some folk must be responding. Let us echo Paul’s prayer for discernment:

NKJV Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Exposition of Jude: Part 2 of 25

This series is an occasional, verse-by-verse commentary on the book of Jude.

Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you (Jude 1:2).

After identifying the sender and the recipient, most of the letters in the New Testament begin with some kind of blessing or prayer for those who will read the epistle. In Paul’s letter to the Roman church, for example, he writes: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 1:7b). Jude 1:2 is a similar blessing. Jude is asking God to give three particular things to those who will read this letter: mercy, peace, and love.

First, he asks for mercy. What is mercy? Someone has said that "grace" is when we do get something we do not deserve, and "mercy" is when we do not get something that we do deserve. Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Matthew 5:7). Jude is praying for his readers to be as merciful to each other as God in Christ has been to them.

Second, he asks for peace. The Greek word for "peace" is the root of our English word "irenic." Jude, likely a Jewish believer, would also have had in mind the Hebrew concept of shalom, wholeness and complete health. Jude is praying for his readers to avoid small-minded fractions and fissures and to be united.

Third, he asks for love. The word "love" is the great Christian word agape. It is the inclination of a Christian man towards his wife, rooted in the self-sacrificial, cruciform way that Christ loves the church (see Ephesians 5:25). It is the way God loves the world in Christ (John 3:16). Jude is praying for his readers to serve each other’s needs self-sacrificially, as God has loved us.

We should note that these blessings are directed to the whole body of believers, the called out ones (see v. 1). One of the tests of true Christian faith is whether or not we really want to bless the local body of believers to which we belong: "He who loves His brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in Him" (1 John 1:10).

Practical Application:

1. Have you been as merciful to someone whom you believe has wronged you as you would desire God to be toward you for the wrongs you have done against Him?
2. Have your words and actions contributed to peace among God’s people or division?
3. Have you put the needs of others (your family, your fellow church members, your fellow man) above your own?

JTR

Old Books and Interpreting History

I recently read J. A. Brendon’s The Ancient World (Glascow, Scotland: Blackie and Son, 1925). This popular-level work was written to teach British young people the basics of ancient history in the 1920s. I was struck by the presumption of and outright claim toward Christian and Western cultural superiority. Here are a few quotes:

1. On the ancient profundity of Mesopotamia in contrast to its contemporary poor agricultural condition:

"If the Tigris-Euphrates basin—Mesopotamia, "the land between the two rivers"—is now a desolate and barren country, that is because of the indolence of the Turks and Arabs, who have held it since the eleventh century of our era" (p. 17).

2. On the intellectual acumen of the ancient Greeks:

"Intellectually, however, the Greeks were supreme among the peoples of the ancient world, and to them we owe all, with the exception of Christianity, that is essential to our social and political life" (p. 117).

3. On the contrast between Greeks (West) and Turks (East):

"The Turks are a typical oriental people; and we have seen in our own times, wherever the Turk has ruled a blight has fallen on the land" (p. 117).

4. On the significance of the life of Jesus Christ in world history:

"In Judea, during the reign of Herod, occurred an event which has influenced human development more profoundly than any other event, before or since, in the history of mankind. That event was the birth of Jesus Christ" (p. 162).

Brendon’s The Ancient World is not a "Christian" text, but it flatly acknowledges the impact of Christianity. It would, no doubt, be dismissed today as imperial, colonial propaganda, but does it speak accurately about the impact of Christ and the difference he makes in the cultures he influences?

JTR

Paul Washer's Counsel for Young Men

This scene was typical last weekend at the end of each session with Paul Washer. A group of young men would gather around to ask questions about ministry, doctrine, and life.

Among some of the things Paul told these young men:

1. When you are young, do not worry so much about doing as about being. Work on developing your character. Spend time in disciplined reading of the Bible and good Christian books. The season of young manhood is one of preparation. Learn to be a man.

2. Submit yourself to membership in a local church. Find a church with a godly Pastor/Elders and sit under their shepherding.

3. Adolescence is a myth. Don’t try to prolong your childhood. Men don’t have time to play video games; they have to worry about paying the car insurance. Don’t engage in recreational dating. Don’t approach a girl about dating unless you intend marriage and are ready to be a man.

JTR

The Old Baptists, Revivals, and "the axe of discipline"

I’ve been reading through Robert Baylor Semple’s History of the Rise and Progress of the Baptists in Virginia (originally published in 1810; extended and revised by G. W. Beale in 1894).
I was struck by Semple’s description of what would happen in the aftermath of a season of spiritual revival or renewal among the early Baptists.

For example, of the October 13, 1792 meeting of the Dover Association at the Bruington meeting-house, Semple writes:

"By then it appeared that in the Dover District the harvest was past and the summer ended. Coldness and languor were generally complained of. The great revival had now subsided and the axe of discipline was laid at the root of the tree. Many barren and fruitless trees were already cut down. In many churches, the number excluded surpassed the number received. The Association, however, was full. Great crowds attended the preaching, and it was doubtless a happy season to God’s children" (p. 124).

In describing the history of the Grafton Church in York County, Semple explains:

"They had in the year 1805, under the united labors of Elders Gayle and Wood, one of the most heavenly revivals; not less than about 330 or 340 were baptized. After the revival they had a winnowing season. Many that seemed to be somewhat proved to be nothing. Yet there is still a large and respectable church" (p. 151).

The assumption seems to be that after a season of revival there would always be a season of "winnowing" or testing to see if the professions of faith were genuine. If there was no fruit, then "the axe of discipline was laid at the root of the tree." What can we learn about revivals and integrity from the old Baptists?

JTR

Washer Audio is Online

Wow! We just finished the weekend's series of meetings with Paul Washer and I feel both tired (physically) and refreshed (spiritually). In addition to our JPBC folk, we had out of town guests from Landover, Md; Greenville, NC; Dale City, Richmond, Newport News, and Lynchburg, VA.

We have the four audio sessions posted now on our sermonaudio site. Click here to listen. Warning: The audio on the first message ("I am under obligation") is a little distorted, but the problem is corrected in the other messages.

The message that stands out to me was Paul's gospel presentation on Saturday (click here).

JTR

The games people play

My friend Steve Hills was thoughful enough to send me this link, since he thought I might be interested in finding a new board game. I think I'll wait for the tv gameshow version....

JTR

Gospel Preaching Mission with Paul Washer

We are looking forward to this weekend's Gospel Preaching Mission at JPBC with Paul Washer of HeartCry Missionary Society. Paul will be here Friday-Saturday-Sunday (March 23-24-25). We had a few contacts from out of town folk who thought the evenings meetings were at 8:00 pm, as listed on the HeartCry website. The note has since been corrected. Paul will preach each evening at 6:00 pm and on Sunday morning at 10:45 am. We pray these meetings will be edifying to those in the faith and convicting to those outside.

JTR

Of Sabbaths and Spelling Bees

Below is our call to worship last Sunday (3/18/07) at JPBC:

When God listed the top ten principles for healthy human living, he included the command that we spend one day of seven with our focus on Him in worship. Exodus 20:8 says, "Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy."

The March 10, 2007 issue of World magazine had an article about Elliot Huck, a 14 year old 8th grader in Indiana (see the World blog post here). In 2005 and 2006 Huck went to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D. C. after winning the regional contest sponsored by the Bloomington Herald-Times. His friends took to calling him "Spelliot." He was an odds on favorite to go to D. C. again this year, until it was announced by the Herald-Times that their 2007 championship was schedule for Sunday, March 4th. Elliot made the difficult decision not to compete in his last year of eligibility.

Why did he do this? God commands Christians to keep the Sabbath holy. Huck commented: "If I make exceptions to following God’s rules, even if it is only once, there will be more exceptions that will follow."

He added, "My chief purpose in spelling is to glorify God. My chief purpose in not spelling will be to glorify God."

JTR

The diligent use of scriptural means

Another quote from Bishop J. C. Ryle's Holiness (read the whole book here):

Sanctification, again, is a thing which depends greatly on a diligent use of scriptural means. When we speak of ‘means,’ I have in view Bible reading, private prayer, regular attendance on public worship, regular hearing of God’s Word and regular reception of the Lord’s Supper. I lay it down as a simple matter of fact, that no one who is careless about such things must ever expect to make much progress in sanctification. I can find no record of any eminent saint who ever neglected them. They are the appointed channels through which the Holy Spirit conveys fresh supplies of grace to the soul, and strengthens the work which He has begun in the inner man. Let men call this legal doctrine if they please, but I will never shrink from declaring my belief that there are no ‘spiritual gains without pains.’ I should soon expect a farmer to prosper in business who contented himself with sowing his fields and never looking at them till harvest, as expect a believer to attain much holiness, who was not diligent about his Bible reading, his prayers, and his use of his Sundays. Our God is a God who works by means, and He will never bless the soul of that man who pretends to be so high and spiritual that he can get on without them.

JTR

The harvest truly is plentiful

I recently read an article that listed Albemarle County, Virginia as the 13th most unchurched county in Virginia with 64.4% of the population claiming no religious affiliation.

The data was drawn from the Association of Religious Data Archives. Here's the info for Virginia, for the Charlottesville Metro region, and for Albemarle County.

"Jesus then said to his disciples, 'The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest'" (Matthew 9:37-38).

JTR

Exposition of Jude: Part 1 of 25

Note: I am beginning an occasional verse by verse exposition of the book of Jude, the next to last book in the New Testament.

Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: (Jude 1:1).

Jude is a polemical work. It is written for the purpose of defending the faith (see v. 3). In form it is a letter or epistle. Ancient letters usually begin by identifying the sender and the recipient. Jude 1:1 follows this form.

Who is the sender? He is "Jude (Greek: Ioudas), a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James."

The name Jude (or Judas) was common among first century Jews, especially after the exploits of Judas Maccabaeus (d. 160 B.C.), a patriot who had fought against Israel’s enemies. Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, shared this name as did an early Christian prophet (see Acts 15:32). The name came from the tribe of Judah. It was a proud Hebrew name. The writer is a Jew.

Next, he calls himself "a bondservant (Greek: doulos) of Jesus Christ." He is a servant or slave of Jesus Christ. He is a man who has found true freedom by coming under the Lordship of Jesus. He has been saved, liberated from sin and eternal death. He has come to see Jesus of Nazareth as God’s Messiah (Christ). The writer is a Jewish Christian.

He also says he is "brother of James." Does he mean that James was his Christian brother, or his biological brother, or both? Who is James (Greek: Iakobos or "Jacob")? Most likely the James he refers to is the great leader of the early church in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:13; 21:18; Gal 2:9). This might also be the James who wrote the book by that name in the New Testament. Though direct reference is absent in the text itself, Christian tradition has suggested that not only were James and Jude biological brothers, but they were also the half-brothers of Jesus himself! In Matthew 13:55 the skeptics say of Jesus, "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James (Greek: Iakobos), Joses, Simon, and Judas (Greek: Ioudas)?" So, the sender is a Jewish Christian who may have been the half brother of Jesus himself.

Who are the recipients? No specific church or city is mentioned, but Jude writes to believers. He describes them as possessing three qualities. First, they are called. They have received an external call to believe in Jesus. They have responded to the effectual internal call to believe in Jesus as Lord. They are part of the ekklesia (church), the called-out ones. Second, they are sanctified by God the Father. They are in the process of being made holy or set apart by God. Third, they are preserved in Jesus Christ. They have the assurance that they will not ultimately fall away from the faith. Nothing can remove them from the Father’s hand (see John 10:29).

Practical application:

1. What does it say about Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah if even members of his own family recognized that claim as valid and became his bondservants?

2. Have you heard and responded to God’s call? Is he making you holy? Do you have the assurance that you are saved and that Jesus will preserve you in the faith?

Grace and peace, Pastor Jeff Riddle

(Evangel article 3/7/07)

Bart Campolo's "Modest Proposal"

As a younger, moderate evangelical I enjoyed the preaching/teaching of Tony Campolo. I even heard him preach when he came to my college (Wake Forest) once. As God worked on me and drew me back to more traditional theology, I began to see problems with Campolo's social gospel and his light hold on the doctrine of scripture. When some of his more recent permissive views on homosexuality were revealed, I saw where the moderate trajectory inevitably leads--to compromise with Biblical fidelity.

Well, all that to say I ran across the website the other day for Campolo's son, Bart, also in "evangelical" inner city ministry and a frequent speaker at Baptist and evangelical events (he did a weekend of speaking a few year's ago at my wife's home church in NC).

There I read his 2/17 post titled "A Modest Proposal" in which he advocates not having children in the name of "environmental sustainability." Here's a section from the post:

So then, here is my somewhat less Draconian proposal: We United States taxpayers should offer $100,000 cash to any and all childless men and women between the ages of 18 and 40 who freely volunteers to be permanently sterilized. While we are at it, we might offer $50,000 to those with one child, and $25,000 to those with two. Regardless, the main point is simple: If that kind of fast money is enough to convince someone to forgo parenthood, they probably shouldn’t be having kids – or more kids – in the first place.

I find this to be not only incredibly disappointing from one who claims to be in Christ but also incredibly offensive. It denies the dominion mandate of Gen 1:27-28; the sovereignty of God; and uncritically accepts wordly thinking on "overpopulation." This kind of thinking seems more in line with communist China and its one-child-policy than with Biblical faith that values children. One wonders how Bart would feel if his parents had traded him for $100,000. For a corrective to Campolo check out the QuiverFull ministry website.

JTR

Update on Elder/Deacon seminar with Sam Waldron

Brian Davis and I from JPBC went to the Elder/Deacon seminar at Covenant RBC in Warrenton on Saturday (3/3/07). Sam Waldron taught on the 1689 Baptist Confession.

Session I: Why the local church should use the 1689 confession.

Here Waldron shared his critique of Shawn Wright's 9 Marks Newsletter article discouraging the use of the 1689 as a local church confession. Waldron argued that full sbuscription is not needed for new and immature members in 1689 churches; however, full subscription is required for elders.

Session II: Current challenges to the 1689 confession.

Waldron adressed New Covenant theology and the New Perspective on Paul.

We enjoyed checking out the well put together Covenant bookshop while at the seminar and received gracious hospitality from Pastor Steve and his members.

JTR

Pastor Greg Barkman coming to 2007 Evangelical Forum

We have recently confirmed our second plenary speaker for the 2007 annual meeting of the Evangelical Forum which will be October 5-6, 2007 (Friday-Saturday) at JPBC. Joining Dr. Michael Haykin in addressing "Baptists and the Bible" will be Greg Barkman, Pastor of Beacon Baptist Church, an independent Baptist congregation in Burlington, NC (Listen to some of Pastor Barkman's preaching/teaching here). This is a strong line-up of speakers and we hope many of you will be able to join us.

JTR

Follow Up Thoughts on Unitarians and Neo-Pagans

A few follow-up points on the recent conversations here concerning Unitarianism, Neo-Paganism and Evangelical Christianity:

Lonnie, NatureSpirit leader and frequent contributor here, complained that the JPBC discussion on Unitarian-Universalism (sorry for just using the first U of the UU in previous posts!) falsely charged that all UUs were social liberals and were pro-abortion. He said:

I think you've rather blatantly misinterpreted Unitarian Universalist beliefs (note, I didn't say "Unitarian"). First of all, you assume that religiously liberal necessarily means politically liberal. That's not always true, even if it is often the case. For example, one of my close friends at the church is openly Pro Life.

Granted that all UUs do not believe the same thing. In defense, I would say I was going by what I read on the UU website. The UU has taken numerous pro-abortion stands through the years. See the women's rights page of the UU website which lists pro-abortion resolutions in 1963, 1968, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987. Furthermore, the 1987 clearly states:

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That we reaffirm the right to choose contraception and abortion as a legitimate expression of our constitutional rights.

Despite Lonnie's protest and his testimony of at least one Pro-Life UU member, the official position of that non-creedal body is clearly to support abortion. The research here can be applied to other social issues simply by searching the UU website. So, yes, liberal religion does necessarily lead to liberal politics.

Next, I think those reading the discussion will find Lonnie's post today (Are NeoPagans the New Transcendentalists?) on his blog to be of interest. For one thing it sounds like the whole flyer episode created some controversy in the local UU concerning the Neo-Pagan subgroup. Lonnie also acknowledges that Neo-Paganism in the UU is a bit tamer than in other quarters. He states:

Truth be told, most UU Pagans are far more moderate than many other outside groups. For example, it is not unusual for me to attend a Reclaiming event, and have it be clothing optional, but I think its rather clear you'd never see that sort of thing at a UU Pagan group. Nonetheless, the same ideas espoused by Walt Whitman and other Transcendentalists are still quite radical today, and while other UU's might find them interesting reading or philosophically worthwhile, they may not be willing to follow them as literally as many modern NeoPagans do. So while Whitman may have praised the merits of nudity, poly amory, and biocentric equality, you'll still find these ideas to be radical in practice within a UU Congregation. If that's not enough, UU Congregations have leaned increasingly Humanistic over recent years. Pagans are often not only theists but polytheists. We also don't make any appologies for anthropomorphizing nature, indeed we almost flaunt it.

Back in the day, well known Transcendentalists like Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Theodore Parker were kicked out of Unitarian Churches because of their radical ideas about abolition and women's rights. As a parallel, I've witnessed several CUUPS Chapters have a falling out with their parent congregation then disolve. Apparently, the problem is big enough that CUUPS even has a whole guide published on how to maintain a good relationship with your congregation. Our group, NatureSpirit, has done a reasonable job over the six years of our existence of avoiding conflict; however, our success has also made us more daring. I think now that some of our members are more willing to take on works of activism and publicly speak their views, I think life will get a little more challenging. Of course, I'm also learning that conflict isn't always something to be avoided. Sometimes it is only in conflict that we can be truly honest with each other. I can only hope that like our Transcendentalist ancestors that Neopagans can somehow find a way to maintain our connection to UU's, and that our fellow UU's will be patient with us until we figure out how our thealogy can be reconciled after all.

Hmmh? I wonder if our local public school officials knew that Neo-Paganism sometimes includes things like clothing optional "Reclaiming events," "poly-amory," and "biocentric equality" in its "thealogy"? I'll let my readers judge whether our discussion at JPBC on both Unitarianism and Neo-Paganism was accurate, as well as whether or not it makes any difference if the local school board allows Neo-Pagans equal access in sending home flyers in public schools alongside Baptists and Methodists in the name of religious tolerance and diversity.

JTR

What do you say to a Neo-Pagan?

Wednesday before last (2/21/07), I followed up my teaching on Unitarianism (see my blog post here) with an interactive teaching on Neo-Paganism (listen to the audio here). Below is the outline from our study:

What do you say to a Neo-Pagan?
JPBC February 21, 2007
Jeff Riddle

I. Definitions and Background:

II. Two main categories:

1. Reconstructionists: "Pre-Christian."

2. Modernists: "Post-Christian."

III. Historical Background:

1. Religion before the time of Christ.

2. The triumph of Christianity (see Acts 14:8-20; 17:22-34; 19:23-28; Letter of Pliny).

3. Julian the Apostate, ruled Rome 361-63.

4. The long slumber of Paganism.

5. American Primitivism.

a. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82).
b. Henry David Thoreau (1817-62).

6. British Romanticism.

7. The 1960s.

8. Living in a Post-Christian world.

IV. Beliefs:

1. Worship of Nature: Pantheism, Panentheism, Animism

2. Man is divine.

3. Presumed superiority of pre-Christian religions to Christianity.

V. What do you say to a Neo-Pagan?

1. If Paganism was such a superior religion/spirituality why do you think Christianity was able to spread so widely, so quickly in the ancient world?

2. Is modern Neo-Paganism anything like ancient paganism?

3. How do the capricious ancient gods compare with the God of the Bible?

4. If everyone creates his own gods, what happens to order in life and society?

5. What does the Bible say about stewardship of the earth?

VI. Closing thoughts:

1. The example of Athenagoras (c. 133-190) and his "Plea for Christians."

2. G. K. Chesterton: "When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing—they believe in anything."

Note: We only made it through point III the first night. I finished off the outline last night (2/28/07) but did not get it recorded. We got a little giddy in discussing some of the bizarre aspects of Neo-Paganism but tried to bring it around to the serious and sobering realities at the end. Last night we began our study by reading this humbling passage from Paul:

NKJ 1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

JTR