Look at the Book

The gospel did not abolish slavery immediately, but it did radically reform the master-slave relationship by making both brothers.

When Paul addresses Christian slaves, he calls them to obey even unbelieving masters. Why?

When discerning whether a man should be an elder, be cautious, testing thoroughly, but don’t be paralyzed by fear of choosing imperfectly.

Sometimes, Christians pit doctors and divine healing against one another, as if relying on natural remedies reveals a lack of faith. Does Scripture support that assumption?

Choosing elders is a serious business. Paul charges us to do so knowing we are in the presence of God, Jesus Christ, and the elect angels.

When accusations arise, Paul would have churches refuse to let elders be destroyed by liars — and refuse to let lying elders destroy sheep.

Paul sees a connection between hardworking pastors and oxen laboring in the field. Both deserve to be rewarded for their work.

Pastors deserve to be paid for their labor. They spend themselves to edify the flock, so the flock should spend to provide for them.

The grace of God is not an excuse for laziness. It gives not only pardon for sin but power for Christ-honoring work.

When Paul instructs Timothy to care for widows in the church, he tells him not to enroll younger widows in the support network. Why?

Older women who are seasoned in service, devoted to good works, chaste, courageous, and humble deserve special honor in the church.

When Paul says that professing believers who do not provide for their relatives deny the faith, what does he mean?

God shows special care for the most destitute among his people, such as widows without living relatives. How might local churches follow his example?

Paul had no notion of godliness without fruit. Real godliness shows itself in the overflow of good works, especially to the neediest.

God gives children as a reward to parents. In both the joy they bring and the long-term provision they give, godly children bless their father and mother.

Men and women, old and young are not the same — nor do they call for the same kind of pastoral care. Mature pastors exhort each one appropriately.

We ought to honor the elderly; the Bible makes that clear. But why? Do we honor the aged because they are often wiser, or does the reason go deeper?

Why is it so important for elders to attend to their own souls? Because as the elders go, so goes the church.

If salvation is a gift, why does Paul place such emphasis on pursuing godliness? Because godliness confirms that faith is real.

Keeping your body fit provides some benefits. But training yourself to be godly is immeasurably better — better now and better in the life to come.

Many of us say that we want to be more godly. But what is godliness in the first place?

Healthy pastors not only communicate the word of God — they love it. They both serve the meal and eat it. They are coworkers in joy.

The alternative to demonic asceticism is to receive God’s good gifts in ways that show his worth and lead us into deeper enjoyment of him.

False teachers forsake godliness as the goal of knowledge. And when that happens, consciences are seared and people swerve from the truth.

The New Testament makes it clear that the end times will become increasingly bleak. But God is not caught off guard; his great plan holds true.

When Paul steps back to assess the truth about all that God is for us in Jesus, truth that the church upholds, his response is to say, “Great indeed!”

Buildings do not make a church — people do. And God has established his people to proclaim his truth to a world that desperately needs it.

How do godly deacons gain great confidence in Christ? By serving in the strength God supplies, they repeatedly prove his willingness to equip where he calls.

What are the qualifications to serve as a deacon in the church, and how do those qualifications match the office?

Paul presents the qualifications for deacons in 1 Timothy 3, but what exactly do deacons do? And does the office include women?

If a man cannot lead his family well and gain the respect of his neighbors, he is not fit for the office of elder.

What is the main virtue displayed by elders in the church? Self-control. They are not ruled by anything other than God and his word.

Any man who would be a leader in Christ’s church must be above reproach. But what does “above reproach” mean?

What kind of desire sends men into ministry and keeps them there? Durable desire, servant-hearted desire, holy desire, informed desire, mature desire.

Do you honor your pastors? If they are doing what God calls them to do, they are doing good work, worthy work, work you should be thankful for.

When Paul says women “will be saved through childbearing,” what does he mean?

The God-appointed callings of men and women are not arbitrary. They find their foundation in the very beginning, grounded in how God created us.

When Paul encourages women to be quiet, what does he mean? Not total silence, but the kind of submissive speech that does not contradict the calling of men to lead.

When we dress to get attention, we signal our neediness. But the godly have their deepest needs already met, and they dress accordingly.

Men and women may wrestle with different kinds of temptations, but the end goal for both remains the same: holiness adorned with good works.

Why did God appoint Paul to be a herald, an apostle, and a teacher? So that the offer of Christ’s ransom might be taken to the ends of the earth.

In what sense is Jesus the ransom “for all,” as Paul says, if many are never reconciled to God?

If God desires all to be saved, but many are not saved, does God have a deeper desire that governs his desire for universal salvation?

What does a life of godliness and dignity look like? Such a life is marked by God-directed reverence, serious joy grounded in weighty truth, and settled maturity.

Paul encourages Christians to pray for kings and rulers, but to what end? What should we ask God to do in and through those who hold power?

In this world, Christians live as sojourners and exiles, citizens of heaven under the lordship of Christ. So, how should we relate to earthly rulers?

Our prayers should exclude no one. Kings and laymen, enemies and friends, rich and needy, wicked and righteous, near and far — we should pray for all kinds of people.

In the sovereignty of God, even Satan can serve as a means of sanctification. But when is it right to surrender egregious sinners into his hand?

When someone silences the voice of conscience and repeatedly prefers sin over the glory of the blessed God, faith ends up shipwrecked.

What images does the New Testament use to depict leaders in the church? Paul gives us several in the Pastoral Epistles, and they are all needed.