Was it out of love that Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees when he pronounced seven woes to them? Was it out of a temper tantrum? Why was Jesus so harsh and critical? If Jesus publicly rebuked the scribes and Pharisees in contemporary culture, many of us would assume that it would be unloving because His rebuke is simply harsh and critical. Many would assume that the public rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees would not be wise because it was not first sought out in private conversation. Many would assume that Jesus is too quick to judge. What does Jesus–the God-man in His early thirties–know that the Pharisees do not? Although the scribes and Pharisees were supposed to lead God’s people by example, they had implemented their own traditions in equivalence to the Word of God and lived a life that was contrary to what they had preached when it came to God’s Word. Jesus was aware of how dangerous the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees was. Jesus was aware that it affected not only the scribes and the Pharisees but also the crowds that fell under their teachings. Jesus loved the scribes and Pharisees in such a way that he publicly rebukes them, proclaims the truth, and calls them (and others under their teaching) to know Him. Before I explain the love of Jesus for the scribes and Pharisees, I want to explore the seven woes that Jesus pronounced to them in Matthew 23:13-36. The seven woes were specifically stated for the ultimate purpose of saving souls. If Jesus had not made kingly pronouncements to the scribes and Pharisees (and crowds), we would not fully understand why the scribes and Pharisees were in the wrong. The Seven Woes The First Woe that Jesus pronounces is this: “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in” (Mt. 23:13). The Pharisees struggled with a kind of pride that sought to establish a righteousness of their own. Their system was ultimately rooted in legalism and self-righteousness, obscuring the narrow gate through which everyone must enter the kingdom. The Second Woe : “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves” (v.15). The Pharisees had made Gentile converts but taught them the same hypocrisy that the Pharisees had practiced–a religion of works that was not based on true righteousness. Jesus states that the Pharisees had converted people to Judaism with their own hypocrisy that may eventually destine them and their converts to hell. The Third Woe : “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath’” (v. 16). The scribes and Pharisees had made this arbitrary distinction for lying with such impunity. Jesus called them “blind fools” for not recognizing that swearing by such things was virtually the same as swearing by God. Such oaths ought not to be taken lightly whether sworn by the objects of creation or God (vv.17-22; cf. 5:33-35). The Fourth Woe : “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others” (v.23). Jesus was not condemning the scribes and Pharisees for their practice of the Law in this matter, but rather, their neglect of the “weightier matters of the law” which are justice, mercy, and faithfulness. The Pharisees were merely focused on external matters of the Law rather than the spiritual. The Fifth Woe : “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence” (v.25). Jesus was addressing an issue where the scribes and Pharisees had lived as if external appearance was more important than internal reality. The Pharisees were rather indulged in this kind of living where their behavior was the heart of their hypocrisy, and we see that Jesus rebukes them repeatedly regarding this. The Sixth Woe : “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (vv.27-28). Jesus pronounced this woe to point out the defilement of sin. Because the scribes and Pharisees had relied on external works of the Law to appear righteous before others, Jesus points out that they were defiled on the inside. Looks can be deceiving! The Seventh Woe : “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets’” (vv.29-30; cf. vv.31-36). Jesus addressed the self-righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. The Pharisees had professed that they would never partake in martyring prophets as their traditional fathers did but were so blinded by their own self-righteousness that they did not even recognize their own plotting of the Messiah’s murder. The Scribes and the Pharisees Now that we understand the seven woes that Jesus pronounced to the scribes and Pharisees, we get somewhat a glance at who the scribes and Pharisees were. They were well-known legal experts who were ascribed to the “traditions of the fathers” rather than the Bible. Although they had converted proselytes, they had led them to believe in their own hypocrisy. They had taught the Law of Moses but did not practice it and laid heavy burdens upon others by adding to the Law their own traditions (v.4; Mk. 7:6-9). They sought honor in high places and desired to be called rabbi (vv.6-7). The scribes and Pharisees relied on the external works of the Law and their lifestyle and behavior ultimately reflected hypocrisy to what they had taught. The scribes and Pharisees taught the Law of Moses to the crowds. This was to be commended. However, the only downfall was that their lifestyle and behavior had not reflected what they had taught from God’s Word. Jesus commanded His disciples (and the crowds that lingered) to respect the scribes and Pharisees due to their position of authority by observing and obeying what they had taught insofar as it accords with the Word of God (v.2). Out of Love for All Did Jesus pronounce the seven woes in love? How was it done in love? If Jesus were simply pronouncing these woes as an effort to ridicule them, humiliate them, or make himself look superior to them, he indeed would have been unloving. But this is not the case. The tonality and verbiage that Jesus used should be understood as a love-motivated attempt to bring them to the realization of their dire situation, like a parent who screams to get their child’s attention to keep them from danger. His words seem harsh because there was so much at stake. The scribes, Pharisees, and their followers were being kept from truly following God. Jesus had spoken boldly against Satan’s deception out of a desire for people to know the truth and find life in him. Jesus was driven by a deep, sincere passion for the people to know the truth of God and to live for the God of the truth. Following the seven woes, we see Jesus with such profound sorrow over the people of Jerusalem. His only desire had always been to gather His children and protect them like a hen does its chicks, yet, the scribes, Pharisees, and their followers were unwilling (vv.37-38). Despite their unwillingness, Jesus knew that the scribes and Pharisees needed to hear the truth, too. He shared God’s love with them by providing a glimmer of hope, saying, “For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’” (v.39). Not only that, but He also freely offered up His life on the cross for all sinners— including the scribes and Pharisees, who are saved by putting their faith in him ultimately (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 3:24-25, 10:10-13, Eph. 2:8-9). Jesus loved the scribes and Pharisees by pointing out the dangers that they were living in and calling them to repentance. Just as a parent would to a child in harm’s way, Jesus had warned them of the dangers that were nearing. Jesus had let them (and His disciples) be aware of such dangerous doctrine and called for them to hear the truth that saves. Jesus has left us a mandate and a model to call out false teachers, as it honors God and saves listeners from falling into the deception of deadly doctrine. Follow the Example of Jesus Here is my challenge for believers today. If we are called to be like Christ, we are called to love (cf. Mt. 22:39; Lk. 6:27-31). Although Jesus corrected the scribes and Pharisees, it was out of pure love, not because he desired to be right or better, but because he loved them enough to tell them the liberating truth that frees them from Satan’s deception. Therefore, we must love God and His word enough to lovingly point others to the truth of the gospel rather than compromising it, for souls are at stake. Let me say that again: souls are at stake . And by doing so, let us not grow in pride, but rather, in humility with a spirit of gentleness. We must stand firm in the truth and speak against false doctrine as Jesus did (cf. Mk. 7:6-23; Mt. 9:9-13). Let us love others in the same way that God loves us: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Let us, believers, walk in the truth in love (cf. Eph. 5:2). For those who feel like they have been living a pharisaical life, the invitation of the Gospel is open for you. There is still hope. I have been there. As we grow in the Word, let us not be puffed up with such conceit. Such knowledge of the Word is only good if it edifies the church and glorifies God. As we increase in our theology that is rooted (hopefully) in the Word, let our doxology also increase. This is how we can genuinely love God and others with the knowledge received from God’s Word. If there is pride or shame in us, may we recognize it and come to full repentance at the Lord’s feet. His forgiveness is open to you. Trust in the saving grace of God and let Him renew you. Keep in step with the Spirit and be restored to Christ. May the Holy Spirit sanctify you and draw you near to the Father. His love bears it all, as His yoke is easy. "For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace" (Jn. 1:16).

Abstract The Mosaic Law was never for one to attain their own righteousness or justification.[ 1 ] The Law had convicted God’s people of their sins, magnified the grace of God, and served as a testimony of faith.[ 2 ] Although it served such purposes, it ultimately brought sin and death, for it did not have the power to give life but rather increased one’s trespasses against the Holy God. The Law was widely misunderstood by first-century Jews as a way of attaining one’s own righteousness and justification.[ 3 ] This kind of approach to the Law would also breed faulty interpretations of Paul’s theology of the Law in Romans like that of the New Perspective on Paul, in which justification is based on works of the Law. With a right view of Paul’s theology of the Law in Romans, believers realize that their justification is not a means of their obedience to the Mosaic Law, but rather, their faith in Christ and His work for justification. Christians who have put their faith in Christ are released from the Law that brought sin and death and now uphold the Law, not in the old code of the letter, but in the new code of the Spirit-powered life of love for God and others.[ 4 ] Introduction Since the dawn of the Reformation, the doctrine of justification has been the major focus in the reading and interpretation of Romans. The Christian’s relationship to the Mosaic Law is in question. Or rather, the requirement of the Christian’s obedience to the Mosaic Law is in question. Has the Law passed away since Christ has come? Is the Law still authoritative today over Christians? Is justification by faith or works of the Law? Without a proper understanding of the Mosaic Law—that is, the Old Covenant—there can be no proper understanding of the new law in Christ—the New Covenant. Through my study of the Book of Romans in particular, I will (1) define the Mosaic Law and discuss its very purpose for the people of God, (2) discuss whether obedience to the Mosaic Law is a different way of salvation for believers today, and (3) explore the Christian’s relationship to the Mosaic Law in this two-part series. Before I define the Mosaic Law and its purpose, the context of Romans must be visited for proper understanding and reflection. The Letter to the Romans is no doubt of Pauline authorship since it was widely accepted in the historical church tradition. The Apostle Paul had written to the Christian church in Rome while he was in Corinth in the middle 50s to explain the spiritual failure of both the Jews and Gentiles, the meaning of life in Christ, the salvation of Israel in light of Christ, and the Christian’s moral conduct in the new manner of the Spirit.[ 5 ] The Law and its Purpose When Paul writes to the Christian church in Rome, his major concern is regarding the Law (Greek: nomos ; lit. law, divine law). Paul uses nomos several times in the letter to the Romans but more specifically regarding the Mosaic Law—the Torah. John Piper, a Reformed teacher and pastor, gives a proper definition of the Mosaic Law: “The Law, in its narrow, short-term design, demands perfectly doing the 613 commandments of the Pentateuch to have life (Gal. 3:10, 12; 5:3; 6:13; Rom. 4:2; 10:5). This is not a kind of legal arrangement that excludes reliance on God for enabling power. There is no thought in this arrangement of man being required to give to God what he has not first given to man (Rom. 11:35–36). This narrow, short-term design of the law holds up an absolute standard of childlike, humble, God-reliant, God-exalting perfection, and thus provides the moral backdrop without which the sin-atoning provisions of the Pentateuch and the work of Christ would make no sense.”[ 6 ] The Mosaic Law was never meant to be long-term. It demanded perfect obedience from the people of God for eternal life. Through the enabling of God’s very power, God’s people were able to achieve what the Law demanded through their obedience in faith, although not perfectly. The Law was also given by God to His people ( Romans 9:4 ; Exodus 19-24 ). Since the Law ultimately reflects the character of God, the Law is therefore holy, righteous, and good ( Romans 7:12 ). In other words, the Law is not sin ( Romans 7:7 ). Rather, it is the standard of righteousness that stems from God’s eternal and holy character ( Romans 3:19 ; Deut 4:8 ; Lev 19:2 ). The purpose of the Law had three main reasons given in Romans. Firstly, it was to mainly convict people of their inability to keep the Law and point them to their need for Jesus Christ as Savior ( Romans 3:19-20 ; 5:20 ; 7:7-9 ; 9:31-32 ; 10:1-4 , 16 ; Deut 31:26-27 ). Paul makes it clear that the Jews and Gentiles had fallen short of the glory of God whether they had the Law or not because of their sins ( Romans 3:23 ). Reverend David E. Holwerda, former New Testament professor at Calvin Theological Seminary, states: “The Law itself cannot release from sin; in fact, it can only increase sin and stand in judgment over the sinner.”[ 7 ] It is through the Law, then, that one comes to the knowledge of their sins and recognizes their need for a Savior. Secondly, the Law was to magnify the glory and grace of God ( Romans 9:22 ; 11:5 , 12 , 15 , 25 ). Because of mankind’s sin, a gracious atonement needed to be made. That atonement was prepared for us and made available through the Person and work of Jesus Christ. As Dr. Brad Eastman, former Greek lecturer, puts it, it is “through Christ’s righteous acts of obedience [that] believers will be made righteous, and so shall live.”[ 8 ] It is, therefore, not through our acts of obedience to the Law but Christ’s. Christ accomplishes what we cannot for ourselves: perfect, sinless obedience to the Law. Thirdly, the Law was to serve as a testimony of faith ( Romans 3:26 , 31 ; 7:9 ). The Law had testified that all are sinners who cannot make up for the glory of God. It had testified that God is truly the One who is righteous and just. It had testified that God’s righteous decrees must be upheld by His people to set them apart from the world. The Law Misunderstood: A Different Means of Justification? With this framework of the Law and its purpose, I will now discuss four common misunderstandings of the Mosaic Law. Firstly, the Mosaic Law was never a way of justification for Old Testament believers, namely, the Jews ( Romans 3:19 , 27-30 ; 4:3 , 11 ; 5:20 ; 7:7-8 ; 9:30-33 ; 10:3 ). Paul addresses the faith and obedience of Abraham in Romans 4:1-5 and explains that it was solely by his faith that he was justified. Since the topic of this article surrounds the Mosaic Law, it is worth noting that Abraham was in a time when the Mosaic Law had not yet existed. That is, Abraham came before Moses had given the Law to the people of God at Mount Sinai; Abraham was without the Mosaic Law. However, in his time, God made a covenant with Abraham which included the promise of a land if Abraham had obeyed and kept the rite of circumcision—the specific sign of the Abrahamic Covenant. This raises two questions: (1) Was it by circumcision that Abraham was justified, and (2) did obedience to God merely bring about spiritual redemption? Abraham did not just obey God’s command of circumcision because God told him to. He followed through in obedience because he had faith in God and His promises. Abraham’s obedience was a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith in God; His obedience was the product of the righteousness that he had received through faith in God. His faith in God had “counted to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3). It was by faith in God that Abraham obeyed God for righteousness. That is, Abraham had faith in God prior to his obedience and not the other way around, as some would argue that his obedience had brought upon his faith and justification. “No works of Abram were involved; the gracious work of God was the sole basis.”[ 9 ] If this were not the case, Paul would have mentioned Abraham’s justifying cause of circumcision. Paul wanted to emphasize that the “promises given to Abraham… were of far greater importance than the requirements of the Law.”[ 10 ] I am careful to say, then, that such promises could only be received by faith in God, not in one’s keeping of the commandments. I will explain this thought further in the section where I discuss the Christian’s relationship to the Mosaic Law. If any obedience (or rather, requirement) truly mattered, it would be the obedience of faith. Israel struggled with one primary disobedience: lack of faith ( Romans 10:14-21 ). Mohr Siebeck argues that the Jews “cannot gain, or even maintain, righteousness through the law.”[ 11 ] Human disobedience—that is, man’s lack of faith—can never be solved with mere moral obedience to the commandments. It is not man’s imperfect moral obedience to the commandments of God that achieves righteousness, rather, it is through the perfect and sinless Person and work of Christ. “If justification comes through faith in Christ alone, there is no room for human boasting.”[ 12 ] In Christ alone, there is justification and righteousness for the one who puts their faith in God. First-century Jews struggled with trying to attain righteousness through their works of the Law, especially in Greek culture. “No doubt the Greek tradition of understanding righteousness as giving everyone his due… could create serious obstacles.”[ 13 ] Many struggled to understand Paul’s message of justification in Romans because they had been so used to the concept of working and earning. Rather than relying on the Law and the works of the Law for their righteousness and justification, the first-century Jews needed faith in God not just as Creator and Deliverer but also as Savior. Secondly, the Mosaic Law cannot give life, but rather, brings death ( Romans 4:4 ; 5:10 ; 7:7-12 ; Gal 2:16 ; 3:21 ). Sin had taken the opportunity through the Law to arouse sin. The people of God had sinned countless times in their attempt to keep the Law. Unfortunately, this resulted in spiritual death. Although the Law has a “disastrous effect” on the people of God because of sin, Douglas Moo, a New Testament scholar, argues that “the fault was not the Law’s. The fault… is sin, which uses God’s good law to bring death.”[ 14 ] Though God’s Law is good, it could not give or bring life. John Piper would explain: “[The Law] could only kill, because it shut people up to sin and multiplied transgressions.”[ 15 ] The Law had multiplied sin. Attempting to merely obey the Mosaic Law brings about death. First-century Jews believed in the grace of God, however, such grace, they believed, “[placed them] in the position of attaining righteousness and salvation by doing what the law requires.”[ 16 ] However, in all their striving to attain righteousness by the means of the Law, they had fallen short because it couldn’t “result in fruit-bearing for God” but rather “fruit unto death.”[ 17 ] First-century Jews had attempted to fulfill the Law for justification through their works but stumbled at many points, resulting in their condemnation. In their attempt to meet the full requirement of perfect obedience to the Law, they could not keep all of the Law, rendering such obedience imperfect and undesirable before God. Thirdly, the Mosaic Law cannot sanctify a believer spiritually ( Romans 7:10-14 ; 8:3 ). A believer cannot be set apart in righteousness by the Mosaic Law. Since the Law demands absolute perfection of our obedience to the commandments, it “cannot produce in human conduct the righteousness that it demands.”[ 18 ] Externally conforming to the commandments of the Mosaic Law cannot separate a believer spiritually from an unbeliever if the believer has even one blemish in their outworking of the Law. The perfect must be set apart from the imperfect. However, truth be told, none are perfect in their own accord without the working power of the blood of Christ. That is, none are righteous even if they attempt to keep a perfect life of obedience to the Mosaic Law, for all fail even at one point. This ought to point us to our dire need for Christ since Christ is the only Perfect One. Through faith in Christ, one can be credited with the righteousness of Christ, being set apart from the world as God’s child. Lastly, the Mosaic Law was meant to be a guidepost for believers to look forward to Christ ( Romans 3:21-24 ; Gal 3:24-26 ). When the Law is falsely understood, believers will breed a pursuit of the Law by works and attempt to establish their own righteousness just as the Pharisees did. One will encounter moral and spiritual failures repeatedly as one seeks to have their own righteousness from their observance of the Law. However, their faulty Law-keeping ought to have pointed them to God, who is perfectly blameless, because they should have recognized that they cannot attain righteousness in their own will and strength. When the Law is rightly understood, believers will breed a pursuit of the Law by faith and submit to God’s righteousness that is theirs by faith. One can encounter the lovingkindness of God through the provision of Christ—the One who is our Righteousness. This is the end of the first portion of this article. I would highly recommend that you continue reading on in the second portion here: The Christian's Relationship to the Mosaic Law (Part II) References [1] Romans 3:27-30 [2] Romans 5:20 [3] Romans 2:17-29 [4] Romans 6:14-15 ; 7:4-6 ; 10:4 ; 13:8-10 [5] Brad Eastman, The Significance of Grace in the Letters of Paul (New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 1999) 113-114. [6] John Piper, The Future of Justification: A Response to N. T. Wright (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2007) 197. [7] David E. Holwerda, Jesus & Israel: One Covenant or Two? (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995) 161. [8] Eastman, Significance of Grace, 131. [9] Willem VanGemeren, et al., The Law, the Gospel, and the Modern Christian: Five Views (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993) 233. [10] Klaus Haacker, The Theology of Paul’s Letter to the Romans (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003) 125. [11] Mohr Siebeck. Participation, Justification, and Conversion (Tübingen: Laupp & Göbel, 2017) 214. [12] Eastman, Significance of Grace, 137. [13] Haacker, The Theology, 123. [14] Douglas J. Moo, The NIV Application Commentary: Romans (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000) 225. [15] Piper, The Future, 198. [16] Holwerda, Jesus, 159. [17] Jason C. Meyer, The End of the Law (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2009) 46. [18] Holwerda, Jesus, 160.

This is the second portion of the article. If you have not read the first portion yet, please do so here: The Christian's Relationship to the Mosaic Law (Part I) The Need for Freedom from the Law The curses of the Law are evident thus far. Although the Law is good, holy, and righteous, it cannot justify, give life, nor sanctify a believer spiritually. Jason C. Meyer puts it this way in his book The End of the Law: "The law under the sway of flesh can only incite humanity into further acts of sinful rebellion, the result of which is ‘fruit for death’… a dramatic shift has taken place in God’s economy of salvation that frees humanity from the grip of the law towards vice, with the result that they can serve in the newness that comes from the Spirit, as opposed to the oldness that proceeds from the letter.”[ 19 ] With this in mind, we are brought to see our need to be set free from our bondage to the Mosaic Law. To be released from the Law means that the believer, Meyer adds, “no longer serve[s] in the ‘oldness of the letter,’ but now in the ‘newness of the Spirit,’” and that believers are released from “sin and death.”[ 20 ] Our release from the Mosaic Law was accomplished through our death to the Law in the crucified body of Jesus Christ so that we might belong to Him ultimately ( Romans 7:4 ). The New Perspective on Paul This leads us to the question now: What is the Christian’s relationship to the Mosaic Law? This question is one that most cannot agree on because of the complexity of Paul’s usage of “law” in Romans. I will first discuss the New Perspective on Paul from two prominent advocates of the movement: James D. G. Dunn and N. T. Wright. Dunn argues that the works of the Law can be defined “more fully as what members of the covenant must do in order to attest their membership, to live their life as God’s people, to secure acquittal in the final judgment, and to ensure participation in the life of the age to come.”[ 21 ] Although this might sound theologically plausible, it is not the Gospel nor is it about the message of justification that the Apostle Paul explains in Romans. Dunn’s perspective of the Law in Romans is based on a concept that the advocates for the New Perspective on Paul call “covenant membership.”[ 22 ] This “covenant membership” is not, Dunn argues, where one “amass[es] merit for himself, but rather as that pattern of obedience by which ‘the righteous’ maintain their status.”[ 23 ] Dunn’s argument downplays Paul’s message of justification by faith and rather attributes such works of the Law as an obedience that marks one out as a member of the covenant. Also, Dunn admittedly argues that righteousness can be maintained by obedience to the Law. That is, one can lose their status of “righteousness” if they do not keep the Law. N. T. Wright, a New Testament scholar well-known for his contribution to the New Perspective on Paul, provides a similar feat to that of Dunn. Wright would add that the Mosaic Law is the “covenant boundary-marker” that was intended to give life. 24 He later expands on this thought and suggests that the “works of Torah were attempted not to earn salvation but to demonstrate one’s membership in the Sinaitic covenant.”[ 25 ] Wright would also argue that the gospel is not what most believers think it is. He argues that the gospel is not a message of justification by faith. “The gospel… reveals the righteousness, that is, the covenant faithfulness, of God.”[ 26 ] For Wright, “Faith… is never and in no way a qualification for getting into God’s family or for staying there once in.”[ 27 ] He would go on to assert, also, that Abraham’s faith was not what justified him because, instead, it was his “badge of covenant membership” that he had, and that “faith was not something Abraham ‘did’ in order to earn the right to be within the people of God.”[ 28 ] The tragedy within the New Perspective on Paul is that it undermines what Paul truly preached in Romans where he explains that Abraham was truly justified by faith in Romans 4:1-5 . New Perspective scholars and advocates tend to refer to the works of the Law as a “nationalistic pursuit… within the context of Jewish ethnic privileges… and dismisses the clear element of human striving and ‘works’ as generalized human activity, not the specific Jewish badges of identity.”[ 29 ] The New Perspective fails to recognize the very problem that the Apostle Paul had addressed, regarding works of the Law and righteousness by faith. The Mosaic Law: Are Christians Required to Obey? Contrary to the New Perspective on Paul, Christ is the ultimate end to the Mosaic Law. Since Christ is the culmination of the Mosaic law, “this fulfillment means that this Law is no longer a direct and immediate source of, or judge of, the conduct of God’s people.”[ 30 ] I would agree with this notion regarding Paul’s theology of the Law in Romans, as Christ truly is the end of the Law ( Romans 10:4 ). Historically, the Jews incorrectly sought a relationship with God by being more concerned with their works rather than faith. Each time they attempted to earn or establish righteousness, they fell short. “But in seeking to establish their own righteousness, they were also guilty of relying on their own works.”[ 31 ] However, there is no need to establish one’s own righteousness anymore, for Christ had reached the finish line (i.e., the demands of the Mosaic Law). Righteousness is made available through faith in the perfect and sinless Person and work of Jesus Christ ( Romans 3:21-26 ). Believers are set free from the “binding authority of the Mosaic Law” ( Rom a ns 6:14 ; 7:4-6 ).[ 32 ] I must also clarify that the Mosaic Law is not just limited to the Ten Commandments (which many Christians would assume). The Mosaic Law not only is about the Ten Commandments (also known as the moral laws) but also the ordinances and worship systems (commonly known as the civil and ceremonial laws). No mere commandment-keeping of any kind can make sinners more acceptable or approvable to God. If a Christian was required to obey the Mosaic Law, they must keep the whole Law and not falter even at one point, for if at one point they fail, they have failed to keep the Law as a whole ( Gal 5:3 ). “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it” ( Jas 2:10 ). A faulty view of the Torah—basing justification and righteousness on one’s merit or maintenance of the Mosaic Law—undermines the life and work of Christ. David E. Holwerda argues that “[Paul] cannot allow a view of Torah observance that has no place and no need of the crucified and resurrected Christ.”[ 33 ] Christian obedience to the law of faith (i.e., the New Covenant in Christ) excludes the boasting that comes from the works of the Mosaic Law. No one can boast in their works except the Person of Jesus Christ, for He is the only Perfect One. Author and professor Frank Thielman argues that some first-century Jews “believed that their own obedience to the law played a role in securing their salvation.”[ 34 ] The Jews had boasted in their own will and ability to keep the Law but failed to see that Christ’s obedience was better and was given as a free gift if they had believed ( Romans 10:10 , 17 ). The law of Christ is entirely gracious in character as opposed to the Mosaic Law which demanded total perfection. Believers in Christ are released from the Mosaic Law and its “temporary function of identifying, punishing, and increasing [of] sin.”[ 35 ] This would lead me to make my conclusion that Christians are not required to obey the Mosaic Law. Though Christians are not required to obey the Mosaic Law, it does not mean that the Mosaic Law is thrown out of the life of a believer. The commandments of the Mosaic Law are not done away with. I believe that Christians should continue to uphold the Mosaic Law in the new code—in the power of the Spirit through love ( Romans 3:31 ; 13:8 ; Lev 19:18 ). Believers are called to fulfill the Law through their love for their neighbors ( Romans 13:8-10 ). “When we love rightly, with the love that the Spirit inspires in us, we cannot help but obey whatever commandments God has given us.”[ 36 ] It is by the new code—the Spirit of Christ in us—that we can desire to fulfill the commands, not in our own strength but in His. The motivation for our observance of the Law is renewed and transformed in Christ. Obedience to the Law is based on the justification by faith in Christ, not a means to it. Obedience should not be seen as “any part of the basis of our justification, but strictly as the evidence and confirmation of our faith in Christ whose blood righteousness is the sole basis of our justification.”[ 37 ] Because of the perfect obedience of Christ, believers can have a righteousness—not one that can be attained, but rather, graciously given—that enables them for faithful obedience in the Spirit. All that the Mosaic Law had aimed for can be accomplished in its intended end by our faith in Christ as the Perfect Sin Offering and by our Spirit-powered love for God and others ( Romans 13:10 ; Matt 22:36-40 ; Heb 10:12 ). Conclusion The Law has come to an end. Or rather, the burden of the Law has. There is no more sin and death in the victories of Christ Jesus. There are no more curses. Christ is the ultimate culmination of the Mosaic Law and gives a better covenant—a law that is by the Spirit through love. Those who believe in Christ are justified and enabled by the Spirit to live a new life of love for God and others, fulfilling the Mosaic Law not as a requirement for justification or righteousness but as a response to the justification and righteousness received by faith in Christ. References [19] Meyer, The End, 47. [20] Meyer, The End, 49. [21] James D. G. Dunn, The New Perspective on Paul (revised edition; Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005) 461-462. [22] N. T. Wright, What Saint Paul Really Said: Was Paul of Tarsus the Real Founder of Christianity? (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997) 214. [23] Dunn, New Perspective, 150. [24] N. T. Wright, The Climax of the Covenant: Christ and the Law in Pauline Theology (Great Britain: T&T Clark Ltd, 1991) 214. [25] Wright, Climax, 214. [26] Wright, Saint Paul, 153. [27] Wright, Saint Paul, 192. [28] Wright, Saint Paul, 153-154. [29] Meyer, The End, 216. [30] VanGemeren, et al., The Law, 343. [31] Moo, Romans, 329. [32] Moo, Romans, 434. [33] Holwerda, Jesus, 163. [34] Frank Thielman, The Law and the New Testament (New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1999) 23. [35] Thielman, The Law and NT, 23. [36] Moo, Romans, 437. [37] Piper, The Future, 110.

Bible college is not what you think it is. At least, that’s what I would say to myself when I was 17. Your faith gets shaken to the core. Your theology gets sharpened. Your friendships change. Your search for a church is difficult. Your daily devotion is challenged. What are the most important things I would do again or try to do if I could start Bible college all over again? What if I started over with all the same circumstances in place? Well, I would do five things. 1. I would find and go to a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching, Bible-structured, Bible-obedient church. I would go to and serve at Armitage Baptist Church. The pastors there—Drew, Jeremy, and Steve—have all been a blessing to me and the church. I have grown so much because of their faithful handling of the Word and servant-hearted leadership. I also remember when an older couple, Kurt and Janice, invited me and my friends to their house for dinner to get to know one another. This showed me that the Armitage church members were true examples of Christ’s love and acceptance. Unity in Christ was also evident in the fact that the congregation consisted of more than 10 different nationalities. For me, worshipping the same God with believers from different nations at Armitage was truly a glimpse of Heaven. 2. I would set aside time every day to be in the presence of God. I would remember that reading the Bible for homework should not be a substitute for my daily devotion. I often thought that reading the Bible for class or homework was enough for me, but I was wrong. Most of the Bible knowledge went into the head and not the heart. I would strive to be alone with God whenever I can to remind and refresh myself of who He is and who I am in Him. To yearn for His presence is to know and love Jesus, not just theology. If theology doesn’t lead me to love Jesus more, it is dead theology. 3. I would rely on God above others. I would always run to God first before running to others. I often ran to my college community first rather than God. I depended on human love, which wasn’t altogether wrong. If the love of others is where my sole dependence is, I would see that that kind of love is prone to fail. However, I am also most definitely not saying that depending on the community is bad. I am saying that, unlike our love, God’s love is unfailing. Therefore, I would primarily rest my full assurance on God before others. 4. I would remind myself every single day why I am there. I would remember why God has called me, firstly , to a new life in Christ and, secondly , to pastoral ministry because they drive me to do all for the glory of the Lord. It is easy for me to be distracted by the whims of college life. However, I must take seriously my studies and remember why God called me so that I don’t lose sight of my calling and purpose for His glory. I would be diligently trained and equipped for the ministry by remembering these things. 5. I would surround myself with a God-fearing, Jesus-loving, Bible-believing community that keeps me accountable. I would remember that my daily battle with sin and temptation is real. The daily battle to be more like Jesus is real. Living with God-fearing people who genuinely care about me is vital to my spiritual growth. Instead of having people try to figure out why I am not acting like myself, I need to be honest with them about where I am spiritually and seek accountability from them. I need to realize that I cannot do it on my own. I was blessed to have several loving and caring communities, and there is nothing I would do to change who they were. I would do it all over again with the same beloved friends—my very own brothers and sisters in Christ—specifically, Joe Waite, Genna Laesch, Hannah Kim, and Andrea Maxwell. Conclusion If I could go back to the beginning of my Bible college years, I would do those five things. My experience at Moody Bible Institute was a blessing, and it brought so many valuable lessons for friends, faith, and life. I could not have done anything without God and others. I could not have grown without the grace of God. Soli Deo Gloria.

Seven Unfiltered Thoughts On January 25th, 2023, I wrote seven things in my journal entry titled, “My Thoughts Unfiltered.” Here are the seven things: I know that salvation is not based on feelings, but I don’t feel saved. I pray and read the Word and I don’t feel anything. I tend to have doubts and unbelief. I’ve been stressed and anxious. I’ve been angry, impatient, and unsatisfied. I don’t have joy. I’m not growing spiritually. I felt like I was unredeemable. I felt like I wasn’t saved. The problem was not that I wasn’t saved. It was rather how I forgot that my salvation is based on three things: (1) the grace of Jesus, (2) the work of Jesus, and, ultimately, (3) the Person of Jesus. The Grace of Jesus Is Enough Oftentimes in life, I leaned on my own understanding in any given circumstance. There is a problem, though. A lot of my understanding stemmed from how I presently felt in my circumstances. If I feel like I am not saved, I'll eventually start thinking that I am not saved. We must trust in the Lord that He has us in His hands rather than leaning on our present feelings in difficult circumstances ( Proverbs 3:5 ). Our present feelings do not dictate our past salvation. Nothing that we feel now can affect what Christ already did on the cross. It may feel like we’ve sinned so much that we can’t be saved, but it is in those very moments that Jesus reminds us of His sufficient grace. When Peter first met the Lord in Luke 5 , he cried these words: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Peter probably felt like he was unworthy to be in the presence of Jesus. Peter probably felt like he had made too many mistakes that he couldn’t be redeemed. But Jesus said to him, “Do not be afraid.” Even after the disciples denied Jesus and scattered, Jesus extended His grace to them. Several days after the resurrection in John 21 , Jesus made an appearance to His disciples and prepared breakfast. Yes, you read that right. The Lord Jesus prepared breakfast for the disciples even after they ran away from Him and denied Him. Despite our sins, mistakes, and failures—no matter how far we may have gone—Jesus still welcomes us to the table because of His grace. Accept the grace of Jesus, friends. You are saved by His grace through your faith ( Ephesians 2:8 ). His grace is sufficient for you even in your weakness ( 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ). The Work of Jesus Is Enough Because I felt completely unredeemable, I wanted to do things that made me feel like I was redeemed. I read the Bible more. I prayed more. I spent time alone with God more. I preached in my ministry to the homeless more. I prayed for others more. I served others more. I contributed to conversations in my Bible study group more. But at the end of the day, these things didn’t assure me of my salvation. Rather, they gave me a false assurance, causing me to think I was saved by doing all sorts of good things. When we don’t feel like we are saved, we most likely resort to doing “good works” so that we can begin feeling like we are saved. However, our works do not contribute to our salvation ( Isaiah 64:6 ; Ephesians 2:8-9 ; Romans 3:20 ). Our “obedience” to the Law will do no good for us since we will still fall short, either at one point or another. God demands perfection for salvation. As hard as we try to strive for it, we will never attain it. But there is One who has attained it for us: Jesus. God has gifted us with the ability to have faith in Jesus so that we can still be saved. We must place our faith in the sufficient work of Jesus. Such righteousness of His is credited to us as our own because of our faith in Him. He took our place on the cross so that we can take His in right standing before the Father. His righteousness is ours ( 2 Corinthians 5:21 ). Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” ( Matthew 11:28-30 ). Believe in the perfect and complete work of Jesus and be relieved from all burdens of striving ( John 5:36 ; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ; 2 Corinthians 5:21 ; Galatians 3:13 ). It is finished. The work is already finished! The Person of Jesus Is Enough One might seek to study and know God’s Word and still not (desire to) be saved. Consider Bart Ehrman , for example, who is an American New Testament scholar and an agnostic atheist . Ehrman knows Bible verses off the top of his head. Ehrman has an expert understanding of biblical culture. Yet, Ehrman does not believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. A Western culture of Christianity often promotes the study and knowledge of God’s Word. Now, there is nothing wrong with that at all. However, it becomes dangerous when we begin to make Scripture the source of our eternal life. It becomes dangerous when we study the totality of Scripture without Christ in view. The Jewish religious leaders knew the Old Testament page to page. They probably believed what they thought was “sound doctrine” and “solid theology” since they memorized the Word of God so well. Perhaps, we can say that they studied and knew the Word of God better than anyone else. In John 5:39-40 , Jesus said to the Jewish religious leaders, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” Although the Jewish religious leaders knew the Word of God so well, they could not even recognize that Jesus was the Messiah whom the Scriptures testified about. Eternal life cannot be found apart from the Person of Jesus. Jesus prayed these very words in the Garden of Gethsemane: “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent ” ( John 17:3 ). Notice how Jesus does not say: “And this is eternal life, that they know Scripture in and out and have all the right doctrine and theology. ” Scripture does not give us eternal life. Our “sound doctrine” does not give us eternal life. Our “solid theology” does not give us eternal life. Our study and knowledge of God’s Word do not save us! Dare I say that it is easy to fall in love with the words of a person more than the person themself? Let that not be the case for us in our pursuit of loving Jesus. The Word of God testifies about Jesus. The Word of God points us to Jesus. Therefore, it is the Person of Jesus who saves us ultimately! Know Jesus more today than yesterday. Be reminded to love the Person of Jesus above everyone and everything, even Scripture and theology ( Mark 12:30 ). Be reminded that eternal life can only come from the Person of Jesus. Read Scripture and study theology with Christ in view ! Three Reminders of Salvation When I feel unworthy, I must remember that salvation is based on the grace of Jesus—not on my feelings. When I attempt to earn salvation, I must remember that salvation is already made available through the perfect work of Jesus—not in my strivings of “good works.” When I study God’s Word and theology, I must remember that salvation is found only in the Person of Jesus—not in my knowledge of Scripture. Accept His grace today. Believe that the work is finished on the cross. Know and experience Jesus. In Jesus, we can have eternal security. In Jesus, we can have full assurance of our salvation. In Jesus, we can have joy and satisfaction. Jesus is our salvation!

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” ( Psalm 34:18 ). Father, I depend on You. I wait on the renewal of strength that only You can provide. In You, I know I will run and not be weary. You set me on eagles’ wings to soar above every circumstance of heartache. I lift my eyes to where my help comes from. I set my gaze on the unseen where every wrong will be made right. I unfocus on my present trials of suffering to meditate on Your goodness to me. I remember that You will finish the work You started in me. I trust that You mean this for my good. My God—my true living hope—I hope in You. Remind me of these very things, Father. Remind me that You take my shame and set me free from past sins and mistakes. Remind me that You extend Your righteous right arm to me, providing unconditional grace and love. Remind me that You are near my broken heart and bring eternal comfort to my restless soul. Remind me that You are my peace when the voices of the Enemy surround me. Remind me that You are never out of reach. Nothing that I face can ever separate me from Your love, Jesus. Even when I may not understand the hurt or have the answers, I know that You are never far from me. Draw me close and teach me to abide. Amen.

Certain things are worth losing to keep those that are worthy of keeping. As the end of my senior year at Moody Bible Institute was approaching, I dreaded what came in the post-grad life. That was because my life—for once, it seemed—had no roadmap. My long-thought plans fell through. I wasn’t going to become a pastoral resident anymore. I wasn’t going to move out of my hometown anymore. I wasn’t going to be a part of certain relationships anymore. I genuinely felt like I had suffered the worst of defeats in my life. With such a downhill moment in life, I knew I needed to be somewhere with someone. I knew I needed to be in a secret place with God. So, I went to the prayer rooms of Moody and got on my knees before the Lord. The thing was, though, I wasn’t going to pray. I was tired of praying. I was tired of waiting for the Lord when all I had received from Him was silence. This was probably my twentieth time consulting with the Lord in six weeks. I was always prone to leave feeling dry and empty. He wouldn’t speak to me. He wouldn’t answer my prayers. I was angry. I was upset. I was heartbroken. I was in total defeat. Just like Job, I brought my case to the Lord and argued my ways to His face. I mustered all my strength before Him and wrestled for days, nights, weeks, and months. I said to Him, “Why do You allow this to happen to me, God? Why do You take away everything that I’ve prayed for? Why do You let me suffer? Why do You sit in silence and not answer me? Why won’t You comfort me with Your voice? Why won’t You show me what You are doing in my life right now? Job was right! Although Your hands have fashioned me, You are destroying me altogether! If my head were even lifted up, You would hunt me like a lion and work wonders against me! I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.” Then, the Lord spoke to me. After a long drought of silence, He finally said to me, as He did to Job: “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to Me. Will you even put Me in the wrong? Will you condemn Me that you may be in the right? Who has first given to Me, that I should repay him?” I stood there speechless. God was right. Who am I? What am I doing? I am in no place to argue with Him. He has done nothing but good to me even though I didn’t even deserve the slightest bit of it. He owes me nothing! He wasn’t in the wrong; I was! I, like Job, had uttered what I did not understand. I had spoken of things far too wonderful for me to even comprehend. As I read the final verses in the book of Job, I was reminded that God restored Job’s fortunes, blessing him twofold. God made me realize that sometimes in life there are greater purposes for why we go through the things that we go through, and sometimes, we won’t get all the answers to our longing questions. I ceased my wrestle with the Lord. I laid myself down at His feet in total surrender. I stopped asking for clarity and submitted to His leading. I echoed the words of Job, saying, “I know that You can do all things and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” Then, by the Spirit, I was led to pray day in and day out for His will in my life to be revealed according to His timing. First, for an opportunity to serve Jesus through a Christian nonprofit organization by loving those who have experienced the world’s greatest injustices. This organization is known globally, especially in Chicagoland. I wanted to be a part of something purposeful for God’s kingdom before I entered the pastoral ministry, and I leaned heavily on the Lord for this post-grad opportunity. Second, for ministry connections and partners. Friends, co-workers, and professors at Moody referred me to churches and pastors. Although pastoral ministry is not something I feel the Lord is leading me into right now (but in the near future), He had graced me with such connections to mentor, affirm, and encourage me through pastors and ministers who have gone through similar life experiences as me. Third, for new lifelong Jesus-loving friends. These friends I met three months ago in April unexpectedly at a Good Friday evangelism event for Muslims in Chicago’s Little India. Such friends have continued to display to me what it means to be loved, seen, and known to this very day. Fourth, for an opportunity to be directly mentored under solid, faithful pastors. I was recently at an event where I did not expect to see one of the pastors that I wanted to be mentored by. Without even bringing up my desire to be mentored and spiritually trained for the pastoral ministry, this pastor shared with me an opportunity to be mentored and equipped through the church he was currently pastoring at, sharing how he and the other pastors were looking to invest in the next generation of young pastors for further church-planting. All four of these prayers were answered… not in my timing but in His. God had graciously granted all of these things to me in His perfect timing. A friend recently said to me, “Our 11:59 is different from God’s 11:59.” As cliché as it might sound to a college student, it’s as close to the truth as it gets. I may have lost great opportunities and relationships, but I kept what mattered most: Jesus. Even when there was no roadmap, He was my roadmap. Even when my plans failed, His didn’t. God is putting me in what I directly prayed for in far and unimaginable ways, and I am glad I placed my trust in Him during the most confusing time of my life. I am living in what I prayed for because Jesus is a good and gracious King.

I’m a terrible water drinker. There are days when I feel so dehydrated from water to the point where my mouth feels dry during the middle of the night. You know that feeling when you wake up randomly at 2 a.m., and it feels like you could choke from having a dry throat because of dehydration? Well, that can be me on the daily. It’s not that I intentionally want to deprive myself of water. It’s just that it’s something I don’t want to go out of my way to get. Instead of chugging water that quenches my thirst, I would find alternatives like orange juice to satisfy my dehydration. Sometimes other drinks seemed more fun, sweet, and better to drink than water. Drinking water is a physical need I know my body heavily depends on, yet sometimes I foolishly think that my body could function properly without water. It doesn’t though. The same can be said about our relationship with God. Our very being has been formed and created to be in relationship with our Creator. He is our living water ( John 7:37 ). We need Him to function the way we were created. Yet some days, we challenge ourselves to how many days we can starve or quench ourselves from God. We will go on for days without praying (this doesn’t include praying before we eat). We will go on for weeks and maybe even months without opening up our Bibles to let God transform our minds through His word. Maybe the only day we actually think about Him is at church. That could be six whole days of trying to live without the spiritual food and drink that our bodies crave. Spiritual Complacency Deprives Us How long have you been starving and quenching yourself from God? Does your body ever wake you up or show signals that it is dry and empty? Do you ever find yourself looking for orange juices and other things to satisfy this innate necessity of communing with the living God? The attitude of being content with your starvation from God is the definition of spiritual complacency —an attitude that plagues this generation of believers. Spiritual complacency is the uncritical confidence and satisfaction of your place in your current spiritual growth stage that causes a lack of desire to participate in the intentional growth towards God’s mission and plan. It’s the common saying of, “I know enough. I do enough. There’s nothing more I need to grow. I am comfortable where I am at.” For example, it’s like the feeling of contentment that your body is healthy and muscular enough even though you haven’t exercised for two years. It’s like the contentment of your singing voice even though you don’t do vocal warmups. It’s like the contentment you feel in your relationship even though you haven’t gone on a date for months. Spiritual complacency is feeling good about being mediocre in a faith that martyrs died for. Why is it that our burning passion for growing closer to God, being more like Jesus, and depending on the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, simmered down? How does spiritual complacency even happen? It could very well be a deep heart issue of lacking the desire for God and the things that come from loving Him. In all honesty, we can be people who don’t want Him, or even doubt that we can experience true joy in God. It could also stem from feeling content and lazy to put effort into this relationship with Him. Being in a relationship with anyone takes a lot of time, investment, and energy. That includes putting intentional time, investment, and energy into our relationship with God. Whatever the reason is, we lack eternal perspective and base our daily decisions on what is comfortable and instantly gratifying, instead of something that is long-lasting. We Will Never Graduate From God Maybe right now, you are struggling to find joy in the Creator, so then you try to make up excuses, find alternatives, or believe in lies that you don’t need to work hard in this relationship. It’s almost as if loving God is like a pathway to graduation, that it would one day reach completion here on earth during your lifetime. The attitude of feeling content in your relationship with Him is like saying that you graduated and don’t need to continue studying, reading, or turning in your homework. But we will never graduate our way out of this relationship with God. There is no end. Having this kind of mentality can distract us from pursuing God and striving towards Him. This should be the time for us to begin a long-lasting, eternal, and fulfilling joy in God. A joy that we must rediscover. If you resonate with any of this or are feeling in a rut in your relationship with God today, there is still time to do something about it. You have time to have a renewed sense of longing for Him. Here are a couple of ways how you can combat the sin of spiritual complacency. 1. Pray against your lack of desire for God. This may seem simple and odd… but have you ever considered praying and telling God about your lack of desire for Him? Wrestle with God, and pour out your frustrations, confusion, and indifference to the heavenly things—to Him. And then, pray for a sincere, deep longing for God. Pray this prayer every day and ask the Almighty God to help you desire Him more. 2. Commit to practicing the habit of spiritual disciplines even when you don’t feel like it. If we did things based on how we felt all the time, we would most likely do nothing at all. Our feelings and emotions are fleeting. There are days when I feel super happy and productive. Then there are days when I feel completely discouraged and lazy. But we must practice the spiritual disciplines of praying, meditating on Scripture, singing worship songs, and communing with other believers on days when we don’t feel like it. Our bodies are not used to craving for the heavenly things; therefore we must train for them. It’s like training our bodies to crave eating healthy things, or to train it to enjoy lifting weights, or running. These things don’t come naturally, but they are good and healthy for us. Train your body to crave and desire God. 3. Make your relationship with God special, unique, and personal. When someone loves another person, they would do anything they can to show the other person love. Sometimes it's baking cookies and giving it to them. Maybe it's going on an afternoon walk near the lake and talking about life with the person they love. We all love differently. I think this uniqueness that God has created in us is special. You receive and give love differently than how others would. Take the time to brainstorm new ways to refresh your love for God. Some of us are great, avid readers. It could be reading the Bible for thirty minutes a day. But maybe that’s difficult for you to do. Reading the Bible is still very important, but try to find ways to engage with God’s word differently. This could look like listening to soft instrumentals on YouTube while reading a small passage of Scripture, and then painting your expressions of how you felt reading that passage. Or it’s picking up an instrument and writing a love song to God. It could even be as simple as waking up, taking a walk outside in your neighborhood, and thanking Him for another day of life. Don’t overwhelm yourself by thinking about how you should act in your relationship with God. Don’t bombard yourself with too many unrealistic expectations of what you think spending time with God looks like. These expectations can scare us away or make us feel like failures when we can’t achieve them. But start off with small baby steps in refreshing your love for God. Do things you enjoy and include God in it. Don’t settle for contentment, but reach for a new longing. Pant for Living Water Though I’m terrible at drinking water, there have been many moments I remember the fulfilling and refreshing taste that only water can give. My body is rejuvenated after taking that gulp of water at 2 a.m. I feel like a whole new person. It’s time that we hydrate our bodies again. It's time we run to Jesus who is our living water. Just as the deer pants for flowing streams, let our souls never stop panting for God ( Psalm 42:1 ).

Was it all just a spiritual high? Remember that flame you had for Jesus at camp? The spiritual joy, peace, and rest you had experienced? And the utmost, uncontainable passion and excitement you had for God? All of these things were probably gone in a flash. All of these things were probably extinguished within not even a week (or two, if you’re lucky). Maybe you’re thinking to yourself: Was it all just a spiritual high? I’m sure that since that time, we’ve all fully readjusted to the realities of life, going back to work, school, or even just staying at home in our mundaneness. In a sense, you could say that our lives went “back to normal” after camp. As we transitioned back, many of us lost all the good things that camp brought upon us. All the good things we had heard, seen, experienced, and felt at camp were no longer enough to keep us satisfied in God. And here we are in the mundane of life again—just as we were before camp, or maybe even worse. In this blog, I want to articulate some practical implications and challenges for all of us—believing attendees, ministry leaders, and unbelieving attendees. Before we get there, however, I think there are two things that we all must fully agree on and acknowledge: (1) spiritual highs are real, and (2) genuine life transformations can happen at Christian camps and conferences. Fact 1: Spiritual highs are real. Yes, you read that right. Spiritual highs are very real. What are they exactly? Well, spiritual high is when one is all fired up for God and suddenly wants to “rededicate” their life to Him, but within a short period of time, the fire and passion for God all die down as one returns to their normal, everyday life. This is not uncommon to us at all. We must take heed of the truth of God and weigh it against all feelings and emotions we might have. We must bring our feelings and emotions to full examination before the Word of God. Notice that I’m not saying that having feelings and emotions is bad. Rather, I’m saying that we need to be careful of such things that are contingent on circumstances and are prone to change constantly. Our feelings and emotions are fleeting. Our feelings and emotions are constantly changing. We must evaluate and monitor all that is susceptible to change to that which is not: the Word of God. Some questions you can ask yourself to see if you are either dependent on your feelings/emotions or the Word of God: Do I only feel this way when we sing certain worship songs? Is the atmosphere promoting my emotional vulnerability (e.g., inspirational piano music in the background, a dark room with strobing lights, a hyped-up crowd, etc.)? Does hearing the preached Word of God excite and encourage me to live a God-glorifying and God-honoring life? What has God revealed to me in and through His Word that I feel this way? Fact 2: Genuine life transformations can happen at Christian camps and conferences. While spiritual highs are very real, we must also acknowledge that genuine Jesus encounters at camp are also very real. God can meet anyone anywhere at any time. God can choose to reveal Himself outside the bounds of human comprehension. Whether we expect God to meet us at camp or not, He will meet us as He pleases. But when He does so, lives will not be idly stagnant, but rather, genuinely changed for the glory of God in faithful submission and obedience to His Word. Not only will lives be changed; lives will be changing still . While good things can come from these Christian camps and conferences, they are merely meant to be supplemental to the local church, not replacements. Ongoing transformation mainly happens in the local church, therefore, we should not fully rely on such camps or conferences as our primary source of spiritual growth. Reality Check Do you acknowledge the reality of your spiritual high? Has your spiritual life been in constant decline since camp, despite your genuine encounter with Christ? Acknowledging these two things helps us to move forward with Godward implications and applications to help stir our hearts for God. Godward Implications and Applications: Believing Campers First, for the believing camper , be in your local church community . We are not created to live in isolation. We are not meant to live our faith in secret. Don’t just “attend” church, but rather, “be” the church. You do this by (1) worshipping Jesus with other believers, (2) fellowshipping with other believers, and (3) living life with other believers in Jesus. Playing volleyball every Saturday with your local church members does not count. Going to BTS concerts with your local church members does not count. Going out to car meets with your local church members does not count. Some might ask me if I think these things are bad or wrong. But I’d respond that the question is not whether these things are bad or wrong. The question is this: What does it mean for us to be the local church? Think with me for a second here. What did Jesus mean when He said we are not of the world just as He is not of this world? Grow in faithfulness and obedience together in Christ. Build one another up in Christ. Wrestle with sin together in Christ. Second , foster spiritual disciplines . Read the Word intentionally in your relationship with God. Reflect on what the Lord is speaking to you through His Word. Seek not just to know theology but also the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Pray to the Lord personally and intimately. Remind yourself of His promises daily. Pour all that you are before Him daily. Confess and repent of your sins daily. Accept His grace and love. Follow His commands not as a basis for salvation but as a response to the salvation you’ve already received. Third, if possible, seek discipleship . Find an older believer (preferably your same gender) in your local church to pour God’s truth and love into you as you walk through the journey of faith together. We all need one another to be encouraged and pointed to Christ daily. We must strive to be more like Jesus in His humility, faithfulness, and obedience to the Father. Godward Implications and Applications: Ministry Leaders For ministry leaders , have you ever thought to yourself why most of your young people only come out to camps or conferences and not your Bible studies or ministries? It could be because of the hype that these camps or conferences bring. But I think it's more than that, too, maybe. Apart from unbelief in God, they probably don't come to your Bible studies or ministries because they have no relational foundation with you. They don't feel like they matter. They don't feel like they are seen or understood. They don't feel loved. And if they don't feel these things from you—their shepherd or leader—what more will they feel these things from Jesus? Your young people seek belonging . Welcome them. Pursue them. Seek them out. Just as Jesus left the ninety-ninety to pursue the one lost sheep ( Luke 15:1-7 ), pursue those who come to church not just during service but outside of service as well. Your young people seek relief . If I must state the unobvious, the majority of your young people are suffering from mental health. These people feel the most neglected and misunderstood because such conversations of depression, anxiety, and stress are all either dismissed or minimized in the church. They do not feel seen. As their shepherd or leader, you must seek to understand their struggles. Validate their feelings (e.g., if they feel unloved, do not dismiss or excuse it, but rather, acknowledge that they truly feel unloved and seek to meet their needs by loving them better). And when time calls for it, don't hesitate to weep with them just as Jesus did when he was with Mary at the tomb of Lazarus ( John 11:33-35 ). Your young people seek love . Oftentimes, they are treated as if they aren't loved because of their past sins and mistakes. They all make mistakes. They all sin. They are not all that perfect just as you and I aren't. However, that does not mean that they should be defined by their sins, mistakes, or failures. That also does not mean that they should be dismissed for being different. Be sacrificial in all that you do for them and model your love after the heart of Jesus by truly grasping the glorious truth that, while we were still sinners, He died for us ( Romans 5:8 ). Greater love has no one than this, that Jesus laid down His life for us sinners—those whom He calls His friends ( John 15:13 )! All three of these things— belonging, relief, and love —can be found in the Person of Jesus! Meet your young people where they are at! Seek out your young people and bring them to Christ by pursuing them, comforting them, and loving them just as Jesus did. Point them to Jesus not only through your teaching and preaching but also through your Christ-like example! Walk life literally with them just as Jesus walks life with us. Godward Implications and Applications: Unbelieving Campers For unbelieving campers, challenge yourself to new beginnings with these three basic questions: What is so different about Christians that I admire so much that I keep going to these Christian events? Can I be certain that God does not exist even when history already affirms the existence of Jesus? What might I be fearful of if I choose to place my faith in Jesus? Behold Him! Friends, we crash after experiencing a spiritual high because Jesus may not have been our true and firm foundation. That is, Jesus may not have been the center of attention in our feelings and emotions at camp. Let us not be those who receive His Word with gladness and then fall away because He wasn’t our root ( Mark 4:16-17 ). And if we have truly experienced Christ at camp, let us take the initiative of our faith by wholeheartedly abiding in Him through His Word and the local church. Cultivate your joy and continue to produce the fruit of righteousness through these implications and applications. Let us see Jesus and behold Him as our glorious prize. Fan the flame for Jesus!

“These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do.” Exodus 35:1 The Players That Left In the game Among Us, you complete missions before getting attacked by the bad guys. You can either play as innocent crewmates or as an imposter who attacks those players. One day when I was playing this game with my nieces, I noticed a handful of people exiting the game in the very beginning. I was confused. Wasn’t the whole point of the game to play it? So then why were people leaving before it even started? I eventually found out that it was because they didn’t like  the character they were assigned. My nieces told me that many people liked being a special character, like the imposter, because it makes the game fun. But when they’re just ordinary crewmates completing missions, the game gets boring.  Do you ever feel like you’re unimportant or useless to God because you feel that you are more basic  and ordinary  than others? How many times have you wanted to quit because of that? Or have you already walked out of the game? We compare our lives, jobs, and skills with those around us. We have extreme ideas of what a holy and noble life might look like for God or what type of person He uses to help build His kingdom. So when your life doesn’t reflect that ideal expectation, then you want to call it quits. You want to leave the game before God can use you. But here’s good news if you’ve been feeling left out of God’s family: There are no ordinary people in the Kingdom of God because all believers have the same powerful calling to glorify God in accomplishing His plans. The Plan That Determines the Game’s Objective Every human being has the same  powerful calling to glorify God by partnering with Him in accomplishing His   plans. In the Old Testament, God had a marvelous plan to dwell with the Israelites through the Tabernacle and all of its other parts ( Exodus 35:4-29 ). His glory was going to manifest when His people gathered to worship Him. This Tabernacle was a physical and portable place of worship. So Moses, a spokesperson on behalf of God, speaks to the Israelites to make God’s plan known to them. Moses says, “This is the thing that the Lord has commanded … Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded: the Tabernacle…” ( Exodus 35:4-19 ).  The powerful call that God has invited all believers to partake in is the Great Commission ( Matthew 28:16-20 ).  The Great Commission is a command from Jesus, the God-man, to make disciples by teaching and training every nation and tongue to follow and lovingly obey Him until the coming of the new heaven and earth.   So, what does this mean for us? It means that our ultimate calling is to become a discipler who teaches others to know, love, and obey the triune God. This is life's “game” objective: To make disciples. The Great Commission is not just a suggestion for Christians to opt out of if they don’t want to do it. It is a command . It is a clear and distinct calling that’s bestowed on every single believer — a calling that we cannot abandon nor forget. God doesn’t only choose specific people like full-time pastors, missionaries, or Bible college students to fulfill the Great Commission. He extends this calling to every single believer despite where you are in life, what background you come from, what work you do, and what community you’re in. The 13-year-old middle schooler who encountered Jesus at Bible camp is called  to make disciples and share Jesus with their classmates. The stay-at-home mom is called  to make disciples and share Jesus with her newborn and toddler. The 9-5 full-time warehouse worker is called  to make disciples and share Jesus with his coworkers. The couple that farms and sells their crops at farmers' markets is called  to make disciples and share Jesus with their customers. Everything we do must contribute to this grand plan that God has commanded. Our main identity and calling is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ before anything else, which means that it’s not tied to our careers, job positions, or anything we try to amount our life to apart from God.  Don’t Forget the Game Maker and the Game’s Objective Games are fun when you play them the way they are intended to be played. The point of any game is essentially to accomplish what the game-maker has set out for the players to do. The whole objective of Among Us was never about focusing on your individual character or whether or not you were the imposter. It was to abide by the rules and finish the mission. This robbed people from truly enjoying the game. They were so caught up in their individual identity instead of the master plan. It was never about being the better preacher than the other. It was never about comparing the spiritual giftings of yours to others. It was never about the position (or lack of) that you hold in ministry. We all have different roles. We all play different characters who, in the grand scheme of things, contribute to the greater story of Jesus Christ. The secret to finding complete joy and satisfaction in your life is when you abandon making life all about you. The meaning of life is to worship the glorious triune God because He’s the Creator . So when we start living our life as if we're the creator who makes decisions and calls all the shots, then life will feel empty and purposeless because we weren’t designed to do that. We are merely creatures  who have been designed by the Creator to worship, obey, and enjoy Him. The Great Commission is a God-given plan to restore a reality of what human beings were originally created to do and become, and humans will find so much purpose and freedom in life when it aligns with this true identity of ours in our Creator. The next time you start feeling unimportant or unnecessary in God’s own family, remember that life has always been about the glory of the triune God. It was never about us. But in God’s glory, we will find ourselves fully joyful and satisfied because we remember our rightful position as creatures. Thank goodness God’s not picky or choosy with whom He wants to use in accomplishing His glorious plans. He invites every believer to be part of something greater than themselves and desires for all of us to extend the gospel to those who aren’t in His family yet ( Romans 1:16 ). So don’t get distracted by your own individual identity that you forget the Game Maker and the game’s objective. When you focus on these minuscule things, you will forget the whole purpose of the game — to make disciples of all nations. So, how are you going to start accomplishing this mission?

The temptation to abruptly steer the wheel left into the median crossed my mind as I drove home from work on the highway. My imagination took over. I envisioned my car flipping on the highway, hearing police sirens approaching, being found unconscious, and my family receiving the news of my death. Really? Had I really reached the point where I wanted to destroy the life that God gave me?   Worthless . Failure . Disappointment . Too far gone . These were the words I described myself during the spring of 2023. I wrestled with depression so much that I was stripped of who I was. I became angry, short-tempered, unkind, and sad. Many times, I covered everything up with happiness, but under everything, I was ready to give up.  Never a Day I struggled with taking online courses and excelling in my studies. I failed my family repeatedly with my anger. These things led me to feel like I was never enough for the Lord because all I could see were my failures and worthlessness. I often questioned why He chose to even love me–someone who always failed Him and doubted His love.  Though I was experiencing these emotions, I never expressed them to my friends, sisters, or parents. I didn’t want to talk about how dark and scary depression felt or show any vulnerability because I felt that the Devil would use my experience against them, too. So, I chose to bear it all myself.  I was lonely and had no one to turn to. I knew I could turn to the Lord, but I refused to. I chose to believe in the Devil’s lies that I was too far gone for the Lord to accept and forgive me. I wanted to give up, thinking that turning to God would interrupt my plans to leave the Christian faith. There was never a day where I wasn’t crying. And many times, I didn’t know why I was crying. I didn’t know why I was suffering. Day by day my suffering increased, and it strangled me. It strangled my relationship with my sisters, friends, the Lord Himself, and my own sense of self. I thought the Lord would reveal why I was suffering, but He never did.  I Didn’t Want to be a Christian Anymore In my journal, I wrote:  I’m stuck in darkness, with no hope, no joy, disappointment in myself, persuasion that the Devil has crept into my faith and that my faith has disappeared. I didn’t want to be a Christian anymore. I was tired. I didn’t want to fight anymore. I wanted to give up because, throughout everything, the Lord never revealed why I was suffering. I didn’t take any steps to seek God’s guidance, but, through His grace, He led me to slowly reach out to Him.  Count It All Joy Some people reached out to me, not knowing what I was going through. One night, my good, older brother at Moody Bible Institute casually reached out to me, and I told him what I was going through. One thing he told me that I will never forget was this: “It would grieve me so much if you were to take your own life.” When he spoke those words, I realized I had lost myself. I realized that I shouldn’t try to destroy the life that God gave me.  After that, a close friend urged me to email one of my professors so that they could also help support me. I took her advice and emailed him. My professor scheduled a call with me and prayed for me. Truly, if I hadn’t spoken with my professor that week, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me.  Through these individuals, God slowly made His presence known to me. I eventually began to reflect on Scripture again. One verse that brought me great comfort during this time was James 1:2-4 , which says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” I continued to reflect on this passage along with James 1:12 .  If I Hadn’t While suffering nearly pulled me away from God, I held onto the belief that my trials, suffering, and depression would ultimately strengthen my faith and produce steadfastness. Healing was a gradual process moving forward. Although I still experienced suffering, it lessened day by day to the point it fully disappeared. Now, as I look back on my experience with depression, I’m grateful for what I went through. If I hadn’t experienced depression, I wouldn’t have learned what it meant to trust in the Lord through my sufferings and trials as I do now.  My experience has taught me that the Lord never fails. He continues to hold me fast even in my sufferings and failures. He truly loves me with an everlasting love. Even if He never revealed why I suffered during that time, He had taught me to trust Him in blindness and cling to His truths.  There Is a Purpose My dear brothers and sisters, I don’t wish suffering upon any of you, but when the Lord sets a trial in your life, know that there is a purpose. In a way, I find peace in knowing that your suffering shows the Lord's refining work, shaping you into His likeness and bringing transformation. Like me, you won’t always know why you’re suffering, but you can know one truth: He will equip you with His strength to overcome your trials because His grace is sufficient.  And for those who haven’t sensed the Lord’s presence in your suffering, continue to walk in faith, and surround yourself with people who will pray for you. Trust Him and never give up. Please continue to fight. The Lord has already overcome your sufferings. The battle is won.

Introduction Breakups are undeniably painful whether we’re the ones initiating them or on the receiving end. Some of us cling to the hope that things might be restored, holding onto illusions that only prolong our suffering. But I’d like to remind you that true healing isn’t found in revisiting what was lost or imagining endless “what ifs”; true healing begins when we look to Jesus. The Pain of Love Lost Breakups can leave a profound emotional impact. They often bring feelings of grief, loneliness, and a deep sense of inadequacy. You might find yourself clinging to the fragments of what once was, trying to understand what went wrong, and wondering if things could have turned out differently. These feelings, while natural, can easily lead us into a cycle of clinging to false hope—a hope that keeps us tethered to a relationship that is no longer there. The Illusion of False Hope False hope gets us nowhere because it is built on uncertainty and wishful thinking. In these moments, I think it’s common for us to ask these questions: Did I make the right decision? Could I have done more? What if they change? Will I ever find someone else? Was I not enough? These questions, though tempting to dwell on, only keep you trapped in the past. They prevent you from genuinely healing and embracing the future God has planned for you.  Clinging to uncertainties is like carrying a blade by its edge—the tighter you grip, the deeper it cuts. Rather than fixating yourself on the uncertainties of the future, move forward by holding on to that which is already made certain. The Love of Jesus If there is one thing that’s certain, it’s the love of Jesus. Unlike human love that will always, always fail, Jesus’ love is constant. Do you know what God says about His love? “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” ( Romans 8:38-39 ). “Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds” ( Psalm 36:5 ).  “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” ( Deuteronomy 31:8 ).  Friend, the love of Jesus is never-ending. Nothing can separate you from His love. His love is never changing because that’s just who He is. God is love ( 1 John 4:16 ). The Lessons I've Learned I don’t doubt many of us have gone through a breakup before, but I’d like to share some insight from my own personal experience that can hopefully shed some light and wisdom for us all. There May Be a Sense of Love Our first serious relationships will probably carry a bittersweet feeling. Someone once told me that there would be a sense of love for our first, and I think they’re right. It’s not the kind of love that’s romantic anymore (though it can be), but rather the kind that genuinely cares for their life and well-being.  Why? Because they were the first to teach us valuable lessons about love, trust, patience, and vulnerability—lessons that will eventually shape how we navigate future relationships. Even though the romantic aspect may fade in some circumstances, the impact of their presence remains. Love Is More Than A Feeling Love is not just a feeling or a splurge of romantic words. It's not about having a “good chemistry” with the other person (although that’s really important). No, friend. Love is also an action. Love is self-less. Love is putting the other person’s needs above your own.  Love, in simplest terms, is an action of seeing someone emotionally and spiritually, serving them and their needs, and appreciating them and their victories. Love will make someone feel seen and known . That’s what love does.  I think Christ is the perfect example of love. He laid down His life for us even though we never deserved it. He did not count His equality with God a thing to be grasped. He didn’t hold His position, title, or place of reverence to His advantage. No. He laid those things aside and washed the feet of lowly sinners. He knew His disciples (and us) would sin and betray Him, yet He died for us and is preparing a place for us in the Father’s house ( Romans 5:8 ; John 14:3 ).  We ought to love as He has loved us ( 1 John 4:19 ). Not Yet Married I think it's worth noting here that dating is nowhere mentioned in the Bible, but that doesn’t mean that it’s prohibited. While we may not find direct principles regarding modern dating, we can draw wisdom and implications from the examples of singleness and marriage in Scripture. These examples can provide valuable insight on how to approach relationships with a focus on God’s design for love, commitment, and the sanctity of marriage. Let me first say that dating does not grant a person the privileges that are solely reserved for marriage. The most obvious is sex. However, for some people, actions even like kissing, handholding, or full hugs are not permissible in dating relationships. I might differ in some areas to an extent, but I can see why these things can be dangerous when done outside of wedlock.  Kissing, handholding, and full hugs can create a lingering emotional attachment. These actions are gradually cultivating a sense of oneness—a unity of two individuals. Now, what happens when the relationship doesn’t work out as we intended it to? Maybe due to irreconcilable differences, barriers of long distance, or a violation of trust and faithfulness?  Whatever the reason, when we fully invest ourselves emotionally in a dating relationship, and then experience a breakup, that lingering emotional attachment will be devastating . It will hurt deeply and leave scars that take a tremendous amount of time to heal.  The emotional bond we form can make letting go feel nearly impossible. And sometimes, it may indicate that we’ve crossed a boundary between God and ourselves—namely, that we’ve sinned .  Kelvin, what do you mean? I think we often treat dating relationships as an avenue towards marriage. Now, read carefully what I’m saying here because I’m not saying we shouldn’t aim for marriage in our dating. I think we’re missing the bigger picture. My friend once told me that her ultimate goal in dating was for God’s glory, not marriage. At first when I heard this, I was genuinely confused. It wasn’t the kind of rhetoric I was used to hearing. But when I thought about it more, it made sense. Marriage is not the ultimate goal of dating; God’s glory is.  Ask yourself: If your relationship wasn’t God-glorifying—maybe you touched each other inappropriately, traveled alone together, slept together, or lived together—what is truly your goal? Is marriage really your focus, and is God's glory your priority? Because what you’ve done might not be honoring to Him. Perhaps, you were already acting like you were married without the commitment, covenant, and responsibility that marriage entails. So, what makes us think God would bless a marriage that hasn’t sought to honor and glorify Him from the start? True commitment to one another begins with glorifying Jesus in every single aspect of the relationship, not just in the pursuit of marriage. Sometimes, to an extent, it might glorify God for us to get married as soon as possible if all we have is “burning passion” ( 1 Corinthians 7:9 ). And sometimes, it might even glorify Him for us to break up because we were not serving one another faithfully to be conformed into the image of Jesus.  The key of dating is not about our own desires or timelines, but whether our relationship reflects His will, glorifies His name, and aligns with His purpose for us as individuals. Our priority should always be to glorify God first. Pursuing Healing Maybe you're going through a breakup right now, looking for ways to move forward. It’s important to know that moving on is only done by moving through .  Process Everything When I share practical applications, I usually try to avoid starting with “don’t do this” or “don’t do that.” However, for this topic, I think it’s necessary. DON'T  check your former partner's social media to see what they’re up to. Refrain from asking the "what if" questions. They are no longer a part of your life. Each time you do these things, you’re only causing yourself more pain. We are not called to constant monitoring—it will only breed anxiety. DON'T  rush into another relationship. It’s not healthy for you or the other person involved. We often realize later—once fully healed—that we were never truly interested in the other person. They may have simply been a "rebound"—someone we leaned on to fill the aching hole of loneliness. The last thing you want is to hurt someone else while you’re still trying to heal. Rather, cry out to Jesus. Take the time to process with the Lord what you feel, allowing yourself to grieve and reflect on what worked and what didn’t in the relationship. Ask yourself what glorified God and what didn't. Process with Jesus in prayer. As you’re working through those emotions and reflections, cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you ( 1 Peter 5:7 ). Anxiety has no place here, friend. The God of all grace will restore you. He will confirm you. He will strengthen you. And He will establish you ( 1 Peter 5:10 ).  Find Community You can’t do this alone. If you’ve read my other blogs, I might sound like a broken record here, but I absolutely mean it. You can’t do this alone!  Find a community of Jesus-loving and Bible-believing friends. They will pray over you, support you, and encourage you in ways you may not expect. They will also speak truth into your life, even when it's not what you want to hear—but it will be good for your soul. Surrounding yourself with people who point you back to Jesus is essential for healing and growth. Seek Jesus Open His Word and listen to what He says to you. Yield yourself to what the Holy Spirit might be teaching you at this very moment. Reorient yourself to believe again that Jesus is your first love. He has not abandoned you. And He never will. Though you might not feel worthy of anything, our God so graciously calls you His own. He accepts you, embraces you, and understands you far better than you might think. Seek His face and remember who you are to Him, for He calls you beloved , friend , child of God , forgiven , and redeemed . ( Romans 9:25 ; John 15:15 ; 1 John 3:1 ; Psalm 103:12 ; Colossians 1:13-14 ). Friend, we find our worth in Jesus. We find our worth in Jesus. Conclusion You may not fully understand the pain you’re experiencing right now, but I want to assure you that God is not against you—He is for you. There will be days when the reasons behind what happened remain unclear, but everything serves a purpose. Often, it’s to remind us of something we tend to forget: Jesus is our true first love. He calls you back to Him because only He knows how to heal you. Only He understands you. As you move forward with the lessons learned from lost love, remember that it’s all for His glory—whether you’re in a relationship or not. Seek His glory, not your own desires or timelines. Seek His face, not your own temporary distractions. Let me leave you with a quote I heard at Passion 2025 from Jackie Hill Perry :  “As you wait, will you love Him? If He never removes the thorn, will you stay? If He does not answer the prayer you think you need, will you still hope in Him? … With misplaced hope, you will always miss God.”