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This Easter Sunday we had the privilege of hearing two sermons. Nate Hatting’s message reminded us about the reality of Christ’s life and death: He was rejected (as foretold in the Old Testament), He was delivered into the hands of men, and He was killed—all according to God’s definite plan. Pastor Danny then showed us from Matthew’s  resurrection narrative how the guards and the chief priests acknowledged the reality of Christ’s life but chose to reject it.

When both sermons are considered together, an underlying theme emerges, one that we all must come to grips with as we study Scripture: Doctrine, what Scripture says is true, and our response to it.  As we seek to properly interpret what Scripture says (for more on that, I would invite you to join us during our Sunday Bible Training Hour as we are studying the topic of Hermeneutics, which is how to interpret the Bible!), we are faced with a choice: will we believe that what God has said in His Word is true? Or will we, like the guards and chief priests, choose to reinterpret and reject the truthfulness of God’s Word?

To use myself as an example, I know and have believed (which is itself a response) that the shedding of Christ’s blood has covered for my sins (1 John 1:6-8), that God has graciously offered this gift to me (Ephesians 2:8-10), and that I am no longer condemned because I am in Christ (Romans 8:1). However, there are honestly days where Satan tempts me to say, “This one specific sin? God couldn’t forgive me for that!” In those moments I have a choice in how I respond, either to stand firm on what God has said is true or to believe Satan’s lie (a reinterpretation and rejection of the truthfulness of God’s Word). Praise the Lord that, even though there have been times when I listened to the lie, God’s Word always remains true no matter how much Satan wants me to think otherwise!

Here are some concrete, specific ways that I am seeking to apply these messages this week:

  • I will seek to faithfully spend time in God’s Word and with God’s people (my Anchor church Family) so that I am reminded to and reminded how I am to respond to it.
  • When I am tempted to doubt God’s sufficient grace in my life, I will humbly come before God and ask Him to help me grow my faith in His Word.
  • When I am tempted to believe that God does not cover certain sins, I will respond by trusting that He is faithful to His promises instead of believing that I must do any kind of “self-atoning” for my sins.