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Titles for God’s people: Believers and Christians

Not all of the titles we see in the Bible apply to God’s people today.

Core of the Bible podcast #125: Titles for God’s people – Believers and Christians

Over the next several weeks, I will be exploring the topic of titles used to describe God’s people throughout the Bible, but primarily titles used for his first century people in the writings of the New Testament. These terms do indeed all have significance and definitions are important, which is why I am taking the time to break down biblical terms so we can have a better grasp of how to apply them appropriately.

We will be looking at the following terms in some detail: believer and Christian, the Remnant and the Elect, the Church and the Body, and the Bride of Christ. These are all terms that by most accounts are considered synonymous and applicable to the people today who claim to believe in Messiah. However, I intend to look at scriptural reasons as to why I believe this is not the case, how most of those terms do not apply to God’s people today, and yet how God has worked within these various aspects of his people over the ages to accomplish specific things for the good of all.

As is usually the case, I began this as a single essay, but as I continued to delve into the particulars of these various designations I found that more and more details would present themselves for further study. Hopefully, breaking some of these up into smaller segments will be easier to grasp the essential points along with some relatively unusual perspectives for further study on your own.

Believers

Let’s begin with a basic term that is used to describe God’s people throughout the Bible: belief. You may notice that generally when I speak of those who follow Yahweh and Messiah Yeshua, I choose to use the term believers rather than Christians. This is the one term out of all of those previously mentioned which I believe does apply to God’s people today. This stems from the thrust of the biblical narrative and some particulars about the designation of Christian (which we will explore in a little bit).

All throughout the Bible there are people who are listed as those who believe and also those who do not believe.

Exodus 4:5 – “This will take place,” he continued, “so that they will believe that Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

Deuteronomy 9:23 – “When Yahweh sent you from Kadesh-barnea, he said, ‘Go up and possess the land I have given you’; you rebelled against the command of Yahweh your God. You did not believe or obey him.

2 Kings 17:14 – But they would not listen. Instead they became obstinate like their ancestors who did not believe Yahweh their God.

Psalm 78:32 – Despite all this, they kept sinning and did not believe his wondrous works.

Isaiah 43:10 – “You are my witnesses” — this is Yahweh’s declaration — “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. No god was formed before me, and there will be none after me.

An interesting facet to all of these belief passages in the Tanakh is that they are expressed within the context of Israel; as in, there are those who believe and who do not believe in Yahweh within the nation of Israel. It is not used as a phrase for those outside of the national identity. As we move through the discussion in the coming studies, you will see how that becomes an important understanding in terms of God’s dealings with his people, especially when we come to consider the terms “remnant” and “elect”.

In the New Testament, we find belief, especially a belief in Messiah (which is said to be an indication of receiving him) to be a core aspect of Messiah’s purpose:

John 1:11-12 – He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,

John 6:29 – Yeshua replied, “This is the work of God – that you believe in the one he has sent.”

John 14:1 – “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Followers of Messiah even used this type of descriptive terminology:

Acts 16:15 – After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me to be believing in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Acts 16:34 – He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.

The writer to the Hebrews makes it clear that faith is essential to pleasing God:

Hebrews 11:6 – Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

The apostle Paul emphasized that belief was the foundation of the collective group of those who were in Messiah:

Romans 3:22 – The righteousness of God is through faith in Yeshua Messiah to all who believe, since there is no distinction.

But then, in another passage, Paul draws a more specific distinction between those who were to be considered believers with those who were non-believers. In contrast with the Tanakh passages which seemed to focus on believers and non-believers within the nation of Israel, Paul appears to be discussing non-believers in the wider context of the general population of Corinth, known for its idolatry.

2 Corinthians 6:14-15 – Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What agreement does Messiah have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an non-believer?

Now, it could be argued that Paul was addressing those who claimed to be among the scattered Israelites in Corinth who gave lip service to Yahweh and yet were just as likely to be found among the idolatrous temples of the culture around them. In this passage, Paul uses this unusual term Belial, along with lawlessness and darkness, as contrasting terms to Messiah. Since this appears to be the only place this term Belial is used in the New Testament Greek, if we pursue this term back to its Hebrew root, we find it less of a proper name and more of a description of those who were considered wicked or worthless.

Deuteronomy 13:12-14 – “If you hear it said about one of your cities Yahweh your God is giving you to live in, “that wicked men have sprung up among you, led the inhabitants of their city astray, and said, ‘Let’s go and worship other gods,’ which you have not known, “you are to inquire, investigate, and interrogate thoroughly…

1 Samuel 2:12 – Eli’s sons were wicked men; they did not respect Yahweh

2 Samuel 23:6 – But all the wicked are like thorns raked aside; they can never be picked up by hand.

2 Chronicles 13:7 – “Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young, inexperienced, and unable to assert himself against them.

Proverbs 6:12 – A worthless person, a wicked man goes around speaking dishonestly,

Nahum 1:11 – One has gone out from you, who plots evil against Yahweh, and is a wicked counselor.

Sometimes the term used in these passages is the phrase ben belial, meaning “a son of wickedness/worthlessness”. It is from this Hebraism that the term could be considered as a proper name of some wicked entity, sometimes associated with Satan. But to be a “son of” something was to be considered the offspring of, or participant in, something larger than oneself.

Exodus 19:6 – and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

These sons of Israel weren’t just Jacob’s sons particularly, because there were also some Egyptians and others who had come out of Egypt with the Hebrews at that time, but it is here speaking of participants in the nation of Israel, much like we might say “sons of America” today.

Matthew 8:12 – “But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Here, Yeshua uses the same type of language regarding those who were considered to be participants within the Kingdom of God, yet were being rejected for their lack of faith.

To be a son in the most basic sense of the Hebrew is to be a builder, as in the builder of the family line or family name. In this sense, to be a son of the Kingdom is to be a builder of the Kingdom. To be a son of belial is to be a builder of wickedness and worthlessness. And in the passage of 2 Corinthians where Paul is drawing a distinction between those of Messiah and those of Belial, whether these individuals were simply wicked fellow citizens of their pagan culture or if they were lawless scattered Israelites, either way, these individuals are the ones whom Paul is warning believers in Messiah to stay away from.

In the Bible, it is also clear that belief is closely aligned with and only visible through actions and lifestyle. You may recall that the Tanakh passages we reviewed earlier use this phrase as a verb describing an action, believing and obeying or not believing and remaining obstinate or disobedient. In the New Testament writings, James defines this Hebraic way of understanding faith a little further:

James 2:17-18 – In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.

And this is one of the places where I get on my little hobby horse about English translations (and there are many!). In the 2 Corinthians 6 passage, Paul uses the term “non-believer” as a contrast to those who are in Messiah. Many English Bibles might phrase this statement by rendering it as “unbeliever”. While this is most likely just me splitting semantic hairs (please bear with me), this term “unbeliever” in English is a phrase which I greatly dislike because it seems imprecise when discussing this biblical concept. To me it is a nonsensical term; how can you un-believe something? You either believe it or you don’t. In the original Greek, non-believers are called apistos which literally means faithless, without demonstrating faith in Yahweh.

I think the phrase “unbeliever” bothers me because it appears to describe an inherent characteristic of unbelief, like it’s just some sort of opinion one holds. But we just saw how the Bible uses the term faith as a verb describing an action, not just a static state of being or an opinion. Those who do not believe are actively not believing, and their lifestyles and their actions show it. To say someone is apistos does not just mean they are unbelieving in opinion, they are literally without faithful actions. I know that unbeliever is an acceptable use of the term in English, but for some reason it just gets under my skin and seems inaccurate. To me, those who demonstrate by their actions that they do not believe are not “unbelievers”, they are more accurately without faithful actions and are, by default (whether knowingly or unknowingly), obstinately living in disobedience to God.

So as we begin this journey on titles used to describe God’s people, I would strongly argue that the concept of faith must be included. While biblical faith is used in the verb sense throughout the Bible, I am of the opinion that to call someone a believer in the noun sense still adequately describes who they are by what they do. My definition of a biblical believer is someone whose actions and lifestyle express their faith in Yahweh as the one true God, and in Yeshua as his Messiah, or Anointed One. A non-believer’s actions demonstrate that they have no faith in Yahweh as the one true God, or in Yeshua as the Messiah, even if they claim to be associated with believers.

Christians

While the term Christian has become an acceptable description of one who follows Christ, or the Messiah, in our present day it is actually a term that has come to mean anyone who believes a specific orthodoxy about the person of Messiah and the message of the Bible as a whole. To be a Christian today, one must affirm that they agree with a framework of stated beliefs in order to qualify as a Christian. Most congregations today even have a public “statement of faith” which defines how they choose to align with the major Christian propositions, such as the trinity, virgin birth of Messiah, and perspectives on eschatology like the end times. This is understandable, for to belong to any type of specific group one must have points of agreement in order to be in fellowship.

However, in point of fact, there is a scholarly perspective that the term Christian as it is actually used in the Bible was not a statement of belief but it was initially used as a pejorative term against the believers in the first century.

The term itself is used only in three New Testament passages:

Acts 11:26 – The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

Acts 26:28 – Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so quickly? “

1 Peter 4:14-16 – If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.

Now, most people who call themselves Christians today are not aware of the academic dispute about the actual phrase used in the Greek: was it christianoi meaning “anointed ones” or “those who follow the anointed” or was the term chrestianoi meaning “good ones” or “those who do good”? There is only one letter difference in the Greek between these two terms, and based on some convincing manuscript evidence (like the Codex Sinaiticus of the 4th century), some scholars think that chrestianoi is the original or preferred rendering. Someone who is a chrestianon is considered useful, pleasant, kind, or good. Believers living out the teachings of Messiah could certainly be classified as such, since they were instructed by Messiah not only to be kind to one another, but to extend that kindness even to their enemies. This would definitely be a distinctive characteristic worthy of some unique terminology.

The influential Biblical scholar of the last century, F.F. Bruce, wrote the following in his commentary on the book of Acts:

“Xrestus (“useful, kindly”) was a common slave-name in the Graeco-Roman world. It appears as a spelling variant for the unfamiliar Christus (Xristos). (In Greek the two words were pronounced alike.)” – F. F. Bruce, The Books of Acts, 368.

We can see how there was a close correlation between the two terms, and how the term chrestianoi could be applied to those who saw themselves as slaves to that which is good, because they would be known for always doing good to others. However, in a negative connotation, a chrestianon could also have been someone whom we might call today a “goody two-shoes”, or a “do-gooder”; as someone who is annoyingly righteous in what they say and do. And to be honest, this seems to me to be the way the term was employed in Scripture.

Notice, in the passages we just reviewed how if we substitute the negative connotation for the traditional rendering of Christian, it can apply equally as well as the positive.

Acts 11:26 – The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
- It could just as easily be said that the disciples were first called “do-gooders” at Antioch. This would mean that this would have been the first place that believers were recognized collectively as a group with characteristics of doing good that were unique enough to have earned the name.
Acts 26:28 – Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian in so little time?”
- Again, if we substitute the alternative, it could be that Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to becomea ‘do-gooder’ in so little time?” Agrippa, in context, is sarcastically accusing Paul of trying to convert him to become something he is not. If this “do-gooder” tag was a name that had been applied to the movement many years before, Agrippa, as a controversial politician at best, could easily be seen as conveying his unlikely conversion to being someone who is considered “doing good”.
1 Peter 4:16 – But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.
- Peter here is contrasting the believers with those who are murderers, thieves, evildoers and those who defraud others (v. 15). “But if anyone suffers as a “doer of good”, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name,” (v. 16). This rendering can be further substantiated by v. 19 which says, “So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.” Peter could easily be saying the “doer of good” term was used as a way of ridiculing those who had chosen to follow the Messiah, and he is encouraging them to not be ashamed of those who would use this term in a derogatory fashion. It’s as if Peter is saying, “Don’t stop doing good just because people are making fun of you for doing so.”

To me, this does not seem to be such a difficult perspective to hold, as even today, many believers are ridiculed for having integrity and doing what is right when peer pressure or cultural dictates are otherwise. If we are truly living according to the teachings of Yeshua, then exhibiting forgiveness to others and extending compassion when it is not customary to do so can certainly be considered abrasive amidst a culture that primarily promotes self-benefit in every aspect. Some things regarding human nature don’t appear to have changed in the millennia since Messiah walked the earth, but then again, as followers of Messiah and slaves to that which is good, we are still called to be the light of the world (that which illuminates) and the salt of the earth (that which heals and preserves).

SUMMARY

Let’s summarize what we have looked at so far in this study on titles for God’s people. We saw that faith was the primary distinction of those who followed the Messiah, so using the term believers seems appropriate and right, as long as the actions of those who claim to be believers bear out their testimony. However, we noted that the term “unbeliever” seems unusual when the actual phrase used in Scripture means one who is faithless or without faithful actions, and is actively living in disobedience. We also saw how there could be both believers and faithless within the group of those considered as God’s people at any given time, based on how they demonstrated their faith (or lack of it) by their ongoing actions.

We then considered how, in today’s usage, a Christian is typically defined as one who holds to a certain set of orthodox beliefs about Christ and the Bible worldview as a whole. However, from the passages where the term may have been used in Scripture, we then saw how the term (whether meaning slave of Christ or one who does good) was likely used in a derogatory way to malign those who were known for excessive acts of kindness and charity amidst a corrupt society. As “slaves” of Christ, according to Peter, believers were to consider that term a badge of honor rather than the term of derision that it was.

Well, as we wrap up for today, I hope there are at least a couple of concepts and ideas to encourage you to meditate on and to study out further on your own. Next time, we’ll be looking at the terms “remnant and elect”, so be sure to come back and visit for more perspectives on these titles of God’s people. But remember, if you have thoughts or comments that you would like to explore further with me, feel free to email me at coreofthebible@gmail.com.

The fruit of the heart

Our words and actions have real consequences in the world around us to influence for good or wickedness, to produce wisdom or foolishness.

Throughout the Proverbs are numerous references to the speech of the wise, and how a righteous person is known by what they say or profess. In just the tenth chapter alone are some select verses that indicate how important and influential is the speech of the wise.

11 – The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life
13 – Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning
20 – The tongue of the righteous is pure silver
21 – The lips of the righteous feed many
31 – The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom
32 – The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate

By contrast, the mouths of the wicked and the foolish demonstrate the results of their perversity and foolishness.

11 – the mouth of the wicked conceals violence
13 – a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense
20 – the heart of the wicked is of little value
21 – fools die for lack of sense
31 – a perverse tongue will be cut out
32 – the mouth of the wicked [speaks] only what is perverse

In just these few examples, it becomes readily apparent as to what are the benefits of righteous speech, and also the consequences of wicked and foolish chatter. This is especially relevant for those who claim to be followers of the Messiah, for he was very clear in teaching the importance of what people say.

Luke 6:45 – “A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.“

The issue then becomes not how wise or foolish an individual is, but what is in the heart. The things that we say illustrate outwardly what our heart is concealing inwardly. This principle is so basic as to be almost an embarrassment of childlike instruction. The context of this teaching of Yeshua is placed in the midst of this teaching on what he calls the “fruit” of the heart.

Luke 6:43-44 – “A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit…”

The flipside to this principle is carried forward in the continuing teaching of Yeshua in this passage, as the secondary aspect of this fruit of the heart is applied toward actions.

Luke 6:46-49 – “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great.”

So, the balance is not just what we say, but do our actions line up with our speech? Yeshua rightly questions the sincerity of those who claim with their lips to be obedient disciples, yet they do not carry out his teachings in their lifestyles: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say?”

This question of our Messiah and Lord leaps across the millennia to our day and age and into the relevance of our daily actions, as well. In the words of Solomon’s proverbs, could our speech be considered a fountain of life? Is it the pure silver of wisdom that satisfies the needs of those who hunger for truth? Is it appropriate at all times so that it produces wisdom in others?

Are these the things that are in our hearts and overflowing to all others, or something else? Either way, according to Yeshua, the things we say and do will reveal the true contents of our hearts for all others to see.

If you enjoy these daily articles, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.

Now also on YouTube, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.

Questions or comments? Feel free to email me at coreofthebible@gmail.com.

Cultivating godly leaders of integrity

The fruit of a life lived in harmony with God’s Word is beneficial to all.

Matthew 5:20 – “For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.”

With these words, Yeshua sets a contrast that he will continue to illustrate over and over in the gospels: the person of integrity will not simply follow outward rules but will be obedient to God from the heart. Through these contrasts which were on display by the majority of the religious establishment, Yeshua demonstrates that the opposite of integrity is not just lawlessness, but hypocrisy.

Matthew 23:2-3 – “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.”

Yeshua had warned about recognizing false teaching by evaluating the fruit of those who teach these things. If their lifestyles did not match what they were teaching about, then they could be ignored.

Matthew 7:15-17 – “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.”

The fruit of the religious leaders of Yeshua’s day had become so corrupt they no longer fairly represented Yahweh, and by their lifestyle they were judged by him as lawless. The third commandment of the Ten is to not take Yahweh’s name in vain, yet their entire religious lives centered on their vanity.

Matthew 23:27-28 – “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

His condemnation of the leaders was not just a rebellious act against authority, but a condemnation of their hypocrisy. Leaders, by the very nature of their responsibility, must be held to a higher standard.

James 3:1-2 – “Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.”

Maturity in a leader is that they will be consistent between what they say and what they do. As believers, we should all be striving for that level of integrity in everything, and as God sees fit, godly leaders will then rise to prominence among his people. The flashy charisma of hypocritical false leaders will be shown for what it is as the fruit of a life that is not truly yielded to God. However, the leaders of integrity will demonstrate a heart for truth and obedience to God’s Word. This is the goal of integrity for all believers: to harmonize truth with actions.

If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.

Now also on YouTube, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.

Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com

The tangible benefits of sincere faith

Both the spiritual and the natural realms harmonize in God.

The third chapter of the Proverbs of Solomon is known most popularly for its declaration of trust in Yahweh which will lead believers in truth.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

As I reviewed the entirety of this passage recently, I noticed that the first ten verses of this chapter are a collection of five different Hebrew parallelisms. In each one, an action is encouraged and then a benefit is described by following that action.

Proverbs 3:1-2
Action: My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands;
Benefit: for they will bring you many days, a full life, and well-being.

Proverbs 3:3-4
Action: Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Benefit: Then you will find favor and high regard with God and people.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Action: Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him,
Benefit: and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:7-8
Action: Don’t be wise in your own eyes; fear Yahweh and turn away from evil.
Benefit: This will be healing for your body and strengthening for your bones.

Proverbs 3:9-10
Action: Honor Yahweh with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest;
Benefit: then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

The Hebrew mindset all throughout the Bible is that trusting in Yahweh and patterning one’s life to honor him has a direct impact on the quality of life that one lives during our time here on earth. The Hebrew faith is not just one of pie-in-the-sky hope for eternity beyond this life, but for a lifestyle faith that has tangible benefits and rewards during this lifetime.

Our Western culture and mindset has separated the spiritual from the natural and stripped the Bible of its relevance for real world application in the process. If the Bible is only a book to guide us to some sort of spiritual bliss beyond this life, then it is only as beneficial as any other of the thousands of sacred traditions that promise similar utopian myths. By that logic, none of them can be demonstrated as valid, since the life is lived by the unseen faith of the individual with no real evidence of truth until after the individual dies and experiences whatever their utopian myths promise them.

To the contrary, the Bible is practical and impacts the lives of believers, and those around them, in this life. The Bible encourages positive behaviors that honor God and serve others in his name. This brings benefit to oneself and to those in need around them.

The extreme flipside of this ideal is when believers take all of the Bible benefits, plucking them from their contexts and seeking for them as being deserved or “owed” to them because they are claiming those for themselves. This “name it and claim it” mentality is the epitome of selfishness: giving to God only to get something in return, or providing some sort of lip-service to God to seek physical healing or benefit for oneself. It’s as if we suffer from a type of biblical schizophrenia and can’t maintain a consistent theology; either everything is spiritual or every earthly benefit can be selfishly claimed for ourselves.

But in reality, the Bible isn’t there to exploit for our own benefit, either spiritually or physically. It exists to point us to the Creator of all and to help us understand we exist in this world to represent him and his principles to others. We are encouraged to lay down our own lives and aspirations to serve him from the heart, and when we do so, our lives line up harmoniously with his universal spiritual principles which resonate within this physical realm. In the process, the natural benefits mentioned throughout the Bible are realized, not instantly or every time, but as a wave-form that becomes more settled and consistent over time as we pattern our lives after his will.

The walk of faith is one of consistent effort and growth as we continue to understand more of who God is and how he desires us to live our lives and interact with others. When we are faithfully following his spiritual principles of wisdom and service to others, our physical lives begin to radiate in tandem with the beneficial outcomes he provides. This is how the believing life is lived and demonstrated as real.

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Love unfeigned

It’s how we show true compassion for one another.

Romans 12:9-10 – “Let love be unfeigned. Abhor that which is evil; cling to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another…”

When love is encouraged in the NT writings, it is expressed with a Greek adjective sometimes translated in older versions of the Bible as unfeigned. While this can come across as an antiquated English word, the concept is a valid one. I think the word unfeigned captures it well and deserves much more use among believers today.

In ancient Greek culture, actors were called hypocrites because they would wear masks and pretend to be someone else. To feign can mean to impersonate someone else, or to act hypocritically, or to disguise one’s true intent. To feign is essentially to fake something. By contrast, if someone’s intent is unfeigned, it is therefore without hypocrisy; it is sincere, with no hidden agenda or misrepresentation.

Peter encouraged the believers to practice unfeigned love among themselves, saying it was an indication of pure souls who were following the truth of the Spirit of God.

1 Peter 1:22 – “Seeing you all have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that you all love one another with a pure heart fervently…”

Paul also encouraged compassion and love for one another that is real and without hypocrisy. It was not to be just for show or out of sense of compulsion, but it was to be genuine, sincere and from the heart. Paul stated this was characteristic of how the apostles operated within their physical service to the congregations:

2 Corinthians 6:3, 6 – “[We have given] no offence in any thing, that the ministry would not be blamed: … By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned…”

They had demonstrated all of their compassionate help and the sincerity of their ministry by providing shared resources and diligent teaching among the scattered believers through the most unimaginable difficulties of physical circumstances.

2 Corinthians 6:4-5 – “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchfulness, in fastings…”

All of these things, Paul says, were demonstrations of their unfeigned love for the brethren; this is what unfeigned love looks like in practice.

The apostle John also condemns love that is expressed as lip service only and juxtaposes that aberration to the ideal of biblical love.

1 John 3:18 – “Little children, let us not love in word or speech only, but in action and in truth.”

Peter, Paul, and John were all pointing believers toward true compassionate love for one another that actually produces fruitful actions on behalf of others. John especially gets right to the heart of the matter by stating that Yeshua set the standard by laying down his life as an act of the purest and most sincere love.

1 John 3:16-17 – “This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brethren. If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him – how does God’s love reside in him?”

According to these biblical principles, love unfeigned is a love that acts sincerely and through all difficulties to place the needs of others above ourselves. This should prompt us to thoughtfully and prayerfully consider the true level of our love and compassion for one another today.

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Our integrity has real consequence

What we do is who we are.

Job 35:5-8 – Look at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds high above you. If you sin, how does it affect God? If you multiply your transgressions, what does it do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give him, or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness affects a person like yourself, and your righteousness, a son of man.

One of the biggest cultural differences between Hebraic and Western thought has to do with worldview motivation. What I mean by this is that in Western thought, what one believes is what’s most important. In Hebraic thought, what one does is what’s most important. In fact, the biblical view is that what you believe is demonstrated by what you do. This is amply attested to by James in his famous passage:

James 2:17-18 – “In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.”

In the story of Job, Elihu illustrates this for Job by pointing to the clouds, imagery which is employed throughout the Bible as representing the over-arching presence of God.

Deuteronomy 33:26 – “There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid, the clouds in his majesty.”
Psalm 18:11 – “He made darkness his hiding place, dark storm clouds his canopy around him.”
Psalm 104:2-3 – “He wraps himself in light as if it were a robe, spreading out the sky like a canopy, laying the beams of his palace on the waters above, making the clouds his chariot, walking on the wings of the wind…”

Elihu establishes the idea that if Job thinks his righteous somehow affects God directly, or that wickedness of a person creates havoc in the realm where God exists, we misunderstand our sphere of influence. No, he argues, the clouds have no noticeable change due to our actions, good or bad. In like fashion, he states, God is unaffected by our specific actions. However, our actions, good or bad, righteous or wicked, do have an impact on others, and that is why we should be motivated to do what’s right.

This sounds a bit foreign to our Western sensibilities, since we are typically focused on believing what is right and rejecting what is wrong at all costs. This is certainly a significant aspect of our role: ensuring our doctrine is sound. However, what most times is lost in the culture shift between Hebraic and Western thought is the emphasis on our physical actions. These are many times downplayed at the expense of “right” beliefs.

The Bible tells a little bit different story, though. For example, Zacchaeus demonstrated the sincerity of his faith by what he did.

Luke 19:8-9 – “But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.” “Today salvation has come to this house,” Yeshua told him, because he too is a son of Abraham.”

Tabitha was recognized for the acts of kindness she performed in her life. The text doesn’t say what she believed, but what she did.

Acts 9:36 – “In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity.”

Yeshua was righteous because he went about doing good, not just teaching what was good.

Acts 10:38 – “how God anointed Yeshua of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the devil, because God was with him.”

Those who are affected by our actions are the very ones whom God desires we be positive examples to. If we truly desire to have an impact in this world for God, and if we are seeking righteousness and integrity, then our lives should be examples to those around us who can benefit from our righteous actions. God doesn’t receive a direct benefit from our righteousness, but others do.

The one benefit God receives is that when we act in righteous ways, his Name is honored among the nations, and the Kingdom has more opportunity to continue to grow.

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Identifying the bad fruit of false prophets

Actions speak louder than words.

Matthew 7:15-20 – Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.

Like many believers, I have always applied these verses as making sure I am staying away from false prophets and teachers by avoiding false doctrine. I have believed that false doctrine can lead you astray and is the evidence that a teacher is really a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

While that certainly is true, looking at the verse carefully does not reveal any indication of recognizing false prophets by bad teaching, but by bad fruit. I think, at least for me, in my mind I have always substituted the concept of teaching for fruit. However, in the Bible imagery, fruit always represents two things: actions and multiplication.

As for actions, the actions that are the result of truth should be actions of repentance. This is witnessed by some of the earliest teaching of John the baptizer.

Matthew 3:8 – “Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.
Luke 3:8 – “Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones.

Even the motive of Yeshua’s ministry was that the Israelites would repent of their sinful ways.

Luke 5:30-32 – But the Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? ” Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick. “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

One of Yeshua’s most well-known parables focuses a great deal on fruit.

Matthew 13:23 – “But the one sown on the good ground – this is one who hears and understands the word, who does produce fruit and yields: some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times what was sown.”
Luke 8:14-15 – “As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit. “But the seed in the good ground – these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.

In these two representations of the parable of the sower taught by Yeshua, look at the words that are used in describing the good soil: honest, good, enduring, producing fruit (actions) and large yields (multplication). These are the characteristics of those who are living repentant lives for God.

Ephesians 5:8-10 – For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light – for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth – testing what is pleasing to the Lord.

Here’s what Paul tells the Ephesians that the good fruit consists of: good actions, righteous actions, and actions based on truth.

Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

All of the fruit of the Spirit are words that are meant to be action words: love in action, joy in action, peace in action, patience in action, and so on. All of these are actions that demonstrate a repentant lifestyle, one that is no longer choosing to do what is wrong in God’s eyes.

For balance and clarity, Paul also provides lengthy lists of bad fruit (works):

Galatians 5:19-21 – Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things – as I warned you before – that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:8-10 – Instead, you yourselves do wrong and cheat – and you do this to brothers and sisters! Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.
Romans 8:7-8 – The mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

These are the works (actions) of the flesh (non-repentance), all types of bad fruit that Yeshua was warning about false prophets. None of these actions are pleasing to God. These are the fruits to be aware of when it comes to discerning the wolves from the true shepherds. If they, as individuals demonstrate these characteristics, or if their followers are being multiplied in these fruits (actions), then these are false teachers.

Paul reminds the Corinthians of how they have come out of those bad fruits into the power of the Spirit of God, being set apart by repentant actions.

1 Corinthians 6:11 – And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Yeshua Messiah and by the Spirit of our God.

While keeping an eye out for those destructive actions in our lives and the lives of others, we should focus vigilantly on maintaining repentant attitudes in all we do.

Colossians 1:10 – so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God,
John 15:8 – “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

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Bringing to life our highest purpose

We will not grow fruit for God if we are not performing the purpose for which we have been created in him.

1 John 3:16-18 – This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him – how does God’s love reside in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.

Messiah’s example should motivate us to think about and act on the needs of individuals in our community. The highest gift one can give to another is to lay down one’s life, symbolically or literally. This is the life-principle we are called to as followers of Messiah, and this is the example we should set for everyone around us. When we aid people in need at the sacrifice of our own comfort and resources, we are laying down our life, i.e., putting our own selfish needs aside to meet the needs of others. This is the essence of Yeshua’s appeal for compassion and kindness from his disciples.

Matthew 5:7 – Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

When we are obedient in this fashion, we open ourselves up to the same mercy to be shown to us by God and others.

Acts 9:36-41 – In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity. About that time she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who urged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.” Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. He called the saints and widows and presented her alive.

When this woman died, she was recognized for her deeds of kindness, producing and distributing clothing to those in need. Mercy was shown to her because of her merciful actions towards others.

Matthew 5:13 – “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

The aim of salt, according to Yeshua’s metaphor, is to fulfill a purpose; otherwise, it would be thrown aside as useless. We will not grow fruit for God if we are not performing the purpose for which we have been created in him, and we risk being thrown aside as idle vessels while he seeks others to work through.

We should not only declare that we believe in Messiah; instead, we should follow his example of laying down his life to aid others with whatever skills and abilities God has bestowed upon us.

1 John 3:18 – Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.

If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive at https://core-of-the-bible.simplecast.com/ or your favorite podcast streaming service.

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