In a nutshell, repentance is, according to Noah Webster, “..a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God.” Notice that Noah Webster saw the importance repentance has on the conversion process. He actually used the conversion as the definition for repentance. In the Strong’s Concordance, reference number 3340 in the Greek dictionary is for the word, metanoeo (met-an-o-eh’-o), which means, “to think differently or afterwards, i.e. Reconsider (morally, feel compunction) — repent.” These two definitions are exemplified quite well by Paul in 2nd Corinthians 7:10, which says, “For godly sorrow works penitence to salvation not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world works death.” Godly sorrow, or compunction (a picking of heart; poignant grief proceeding from a sense of guilt or consciousness of causing pain; the sting of conscience), leads to a true salvation which lacks any regret.

This form of repentance is often reflected in the gospel tracts of Ray Comfort’s ministry, The Way of the Master. These tracts all contain the phrase, “…repent (turn from sin) today and trust alone in Jesus…” in some form or another. Not only do these tracts use the word repentance and urge the reader to do so, but they even include the definition, which is consistent with Noah Webster’s definition and the Strong’s Concordance. In fact, reading much of Ray Comfort’s works, I have seen that he believes repentance is very key to a soul’s conversion (See, Hell’s Best Kept Secret, and True and False Conversions—listen to them for free at livingwaters.com).

The Scriptures refer to various forms of repentance throughout the Bible. What immediately comes to my mind is the first quote of Jesus Christ according to Mark’s gospel: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Also, at the beginning of the thirteenth chapter of Luke, Jesus rebuked some people who believed they were more righteous than some Galileans because of the sins committed by the Galileans by telling them, “…unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:1-5). In fact, He said that to them twice, each after giving an example to prove His point. He was trying to demonstrate to these people that they, as sinners, will also perish as the sinners from Galilee, if they do not repent of their sins. Finally, in the third chapter of Revelation, after Jesus rebukes the luke-warm church, he tells them, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent” (verse 19). If anyone should set the example for presenting the gospel it would be Jesus, and He did not withhold repentance from His preaching.

Elsewhere, the Scriptures even mention the role and importance of repentance in the conversion process. For instance, Isaiah 59:20 says, “And the Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob.” In other words, Christ will come to those who repent. In The Acts of the Apostles, Peter preached repentance as being necessary. In Acts 3:19, Peter was speaking to a group of people, and after preaching the Law’s telling of Christ and the need of faith in Him, he said to them, “Therefore repent, and be converted, so that your sins may be blotted out…” (Recall back to Noah Webster’s definition of repentance and see in this verse how it is consistent, and that repentance and conversion go hand in hand.) Also in The Acts of the Apostles, Paul gives light to the importance of repentance. In the seventeenth chapter, Paul is speaking on Mars-hill to some men of Athens who worship the “unknown god.” In verses 30 and 31, Paul drives the point home by saying, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because he has appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he has ordained, of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.” Notice that Paul says that God commands repentance. With these few scriptures as examples, it is clear that repentance is very necessary for a soul’s conversion. Not only is it essential for the conversion, but God also commands it.

Now, a possible argument that may arise is that people already know right from wrong and since they already know right from wrong, repentance doesn’t need to be stressed. This mindset is not only contrary to the examples given in the Scriptures, it’s also dangerous. The Scriptures are to be our guide and example, and if we claim this to be so, then the Scriptures show us the manner in which we are to preach. Isaiah preached repentance, Peter preached repentance, Paul preached repentance, and even Jesus Christ preached repentance—among many others in the Bible. They are our guides and examples; therefore, we should do as they have and preach repentance. I also mentioned that the argument is dangerous. To give an example, I will use the prophet Micah. In Micah 2:11, he speaks of false prophets coming and preaching “wine and strong drink.” (I have previously written commentary on this verse.) Micah is warning the people of the dangers of the preaching of these false prophets who preach what the people want to be preached. In other words, Micah is warning the people of those who come preaching to the satisfaction of the flesh, and that if they do not repent, they will have the reward of the false prophet. In reference, it says in Jeremiah 5:31, concerning the teaching of false prophesies, that, “…my people love to have it so…“ Matthew Henry, famous Biblical commentator, made a bold statement concerning the teachings of false prophets. He said, “False teachers encourage men to expect peace and salvation, without repentance, faith, conversion, and holiness of life.” Matthew Henry saw the importance of preaching repentance for the conversion of souls. Even though people have a sense of knowing right from wrong, that is no excuse for taking repentance lightly.

Now, I must explain the role of repentance in the conversion process. In a nutshell, in order to convert, a man must change, and repentance is that change of sinful ways to the godly lifestyle. Repentance can be better detailed than that. It begins with sin. Every person in the world is born into a sinful nature. It is at this point that a man is a spiritual corpse, or dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). If the course of his life remains as such, he will continue for all eternity as a spiritual corpse. Sin is the bondage which holds the man in his condition. It says in Jeremiah that, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Furthermore, the man remains in his condition because, “..men have loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). This applies to all of mankind and is given a term: Total Depravity. This can also be seen in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Man is in a desperate condition, and if things are to change, help must come. God has set in order the things to come throughout all of eternity, even those who are called to salvation. He has, in effect, unconditionally elected, or adopted (Ephesians 1:5) His children; moreover, He allows His adopted children to participate in the calling of His to-be-adopted children. But first, He had to pave a narrow way to salvation by offering His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross as the one sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:12). This offering was a universal act, but the gift is reserved for those who will believe, or the elect (John 3:16). This is known as the limited atonement. We are to preach this gospel to all the world (Mark 16:15) as the call to salvation to those who are chosen by God. It is through the hearing of this gospel of Christ that the Holy Spirit revives the spiritual corpse in a show of God’s grace (for it is by grace through faith that we are saved (Ephesians 2:8)), to give the man the power to become a son of God, not by his own will (not by free will), but by the will of God (John 1:12-13). This power is what overcomes the sinful resistance of man against God’s grace, which makes God’s grace irresistible. This power allows the man to put off the old, sinful corpse of a man, and put on Christ into eternal life (Ephesians 4:22-24), for Christ is his strength (Philippians 4:13). This is that turning point of repentance when the conversion takes place, which was preached. The man has converted from a corpse to a revived spirit. Now, God will forever hold the man in His hand (John 10:27-29) and he will persevere to the end with Christ.

The process of conversion is purely monergistic, meaning that it is completely from God alone (Jonah 2:9). Even though the conversion of a man’s soul is accomplished completely apart from his own works or the works of another man, repentance is still a critical aspect of that conversion, which must be preached. While the conversion is monergistic, repentance is still applied to the Christian walk as a response to God’s grace. The need for repentance is seen through the preaching of the Law, which is in place “so that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19). It is only through a thorough preaching of the Law that we may see that sin is “exceedingly sinful” (Romans 7:13), for “the Law was our school-master to bring us to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).

God gives us, as His children, the opportunity to participate in His plans of redemption for the souls of men. To have this honor is not to be taken lightly. It is a very serious and weighty matter, and it would be an injustice to the privilege we have been given if we were not to follow in His example, through Christ’s preaching of repentance.

You may purchase this book in print as a paperback ($14.99) or as an e-book ($5.99) from its Lulu Marketplace page.

I’m going to take a moment and do a little word study with this scripture. Recently, I read this verse and stopped for a moment to wonder why the word, situation, was used in this verse. To me, it seems to not fit since this is not how I normally use this word. Other translations use the word, elevation, in place of situation. Now, I’m using the Revised Common Version, which is a descendant of the King James Version, and the KJV uses the word, situation. So, how does situation fit in this scripture?

My first reaction was to consult a Strong’s Concordance. The Hebrew word used is noph, which is listed as having two meanings: elevation, and situation. The concordance also mentioned that this word came from another Hebrew word, nuph, which can mean, lift up, move, offer, perfume, send, shake, sift, strike, wave. Well, this really didn’t help me with understanding the thought behind this word; therefore, I turned to another valuable source: Noah Webster.

The 1913 edition of the Noah Webster dictionary gives the first definition of situation as, “Manner in which an object is placed; location, esp. as related to something else; position; locality site; as, a house in a pleasant situation.” I needed to look no further. This definition alone gives me some insight into what I was looking for. The key is in the first part of the definition. Situation, used in Psalm 48:2, refers to the manner in which Zion (also spelled as Sion from the Greek) is placed. Using Webster’s definition, I’ll expand this fragment of text from Psalm 48 to say this: “Beautiful for the manner in which it is placed…is mount Zion…” (Now, I know I’m removing a portion of the text there. I’ll get to that in a bit.) Zion’s placement is critical in understanding how this definition fits this word used in this scripture.

Psalm 48 gives some great information on the placement of Zion, which includes,

• the city of our God (verse 1)
• the mountain of his holiness (verse 1)
• the joy of the whole earth (verse 2)
• the city of the great King (verse 2)
• God is known in her palaces for a refuge (verse 3)
• the city of the LORD of hosts (verse 8)
• God will establish it forever (verse 8)

Now, Zion is represented in the Scriptures as a place for deliverance (Joel 2:32, Obadiah 1:17) and the dwelling place and holy mountain of God (Joel 3:17, 21). Psalm 125:1 also says that, “Those who trust in the LORD, shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abides forever.” Zion is often associated with salvation. In Romans 11:26, Paul quotes Isaiah as saying, “There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (Isaiah 59:20). Finally, referring back to the scripture of focus for this post, Psalm 48:2, we see that Zion is the city of the great King, namely, Jesus Christ.

Now this scripture, with the words used, makes perfect sense. We see that the situation, or the manner in which Zion is placed, is beautiful indeed, for it is forever placed as a symbol and hope of salvation, the dwelling place and city of the Deliverer, the King of kings and Lord of lords (1st Timothy 6:15, Revelation 19:16), Jesus Christ our Savior.

(A Guide to Christian Living (ISBN: 9781848710405) is part of Book 3 of The Institutes of the Christian Religion translated from the French edition of 1560 by Robert White. This portion of The Institutes is also published under the title, Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life, translated by Henry J. Van Andel.)

A Guide to Christian Living, by John Calvin

This book is bound with green leather with all lettering and design work stamped in the leather. It measures just under 4 inches (10cm) wide by just under 5 5/8 inches (14.2cm) tall by 1/2 inch (1.27cm) thick. The content spans 149 pages, including an index, with an 8-page introduction. Throughout the text, there are references to endnotes, which are at the end of the book, just prior to the index. This book consists of 5 chapters with each chapter containing several subsections.

Here is a list of the chapters, which give a good idea of the topics covered in this book:

1. Scriptural foundations for Christian living
2. Denying self: the key to Christian living
3. Living under the cross
4. The glory of the life to come
5. The blessings of this present life

This is one of those books I found very difficult to put down. I also find it difficult to believe that this text was written almost 500 years ago. The content of this book is still a very relevant work to read, and the teachings are still very applicable to the 21st century Christian life. Throughout the entire book, I found myself reading about issues the current church is dealing with. At times, one might get the impression that John Calvin is a contemporary author, not a man living half a millennia ago. Personally, I am drawn to the writings of John Calvin for their deep-rootedness in the Scriptures. I know that when I pick up a book containing the works of John Calvin, I am about to embark on a journey through the Scriptures in an honest, accurate, and truthful manner. Calvin is not known to dress up his writing to make it easier to handle or lighter for the senses. Rather, he tells it like it is and gets to the point, often at the expense of sounding harsh or offensive to those who don’t understand the weightiness of the Scriptures. This book, A Guide to Christian Living, is very consistent with with such elements of Calvin’s style. In it, he presents the subjects with a firm foundation of the Scriptures and then gracefully condemns the heretical views. Calvin covers a multitude of necessary aspects of the life every Christian should live. This book is an invaluable resource for any believer, and I highly recommend it to any Christian, whether new or seasoned in the faith.

A Guide to Christian Living may be purchased from MonergismBooks.com.

The first item to tackle in explaining James 2:17 is to clarify how a person is justified. Paul says that we are justified by faith. For instance, in Romans 3:28 Paul says, “Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (See also, Romans 5:1, Galatians 2:16, 3:11, 3:24.) When Paul said, “deeds of the law,” that can be seen as works. Paul was very clear that we are justified by faith. Now, James on the other hand, said in James 2:24, “You see then that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” Why would he say that? Is he trying to prove Paul wrong? Well, this scripture taken out of context looks like a clear contradiction; however, put in context, this scripture reveals a different meaning behind it.

The context of the second chapter of James’ letter reveals one critical element to its meaning: the audience. So, the scriptures in question, James 2:17 and James 2:24, have a different audience than the scriptures written by Paul. James was writing to Jews (James 1:1), while Paul was writing to Gentiles (1st Timothy 2:7). The Jews claimed to have faith, whereas the Gentiles did not have the faith. Paul was bringing the faith to the Gentiles, but James was questioning the faith of the Jews. If you read all of the second chapter of James’ letter, you will see three examples given by James.

The first example spans James 2:14-17. In this example James tells of a man claiming to have the faith. He comes across a person naked and destitute of daily food. Instead of meeting the person’s need, the man simply says, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled.” Now, James argues that the man claiming to have the faith did nothing good for the person. James said that in this manner, faith without works is dead. What he means is that faith, if it does not have works to prove itself, is dead, or was never alive to begin with. The point is this: true faith will show itself through works, but if no works are shown, the faith is false, or dead. It is the joy of every Christian to do good works for the glory of God (Matthew 5:16, Ephesians 2:10, Titus 3:14, 1st Peter 2:12). The second and third examples are examples of works through faith. The second example, given in James 2:21-23, tells how Abraham was justified by his works, through his faith, as he went to offer Isaac upon the alter. In verse 22, James gives his reasoning as to why he said that Abraham was justified by the works by asking the question, “Do you see how faith wrought with his works, and by works, faith was made perfect?” Abraham would not have purposed to offer his son if he did not have faith in God to handle the situation. As the story goes, Isaac was not offered, but rather God saw Abraham’s faith proven through his works and provided the offering and greatly blessed Abraham (Genesis 22). The third example given by James, in James 2:25, is that of Rahab the harlot receiving the messengers and providing them safe passage out of Jericho (Joshua 2). Because Rahab’s faith in God (Josua 2:9-11) was proven by her works (Joshua 2:4-7, 15), she and her household were saved in the destruction of Jericho (Joshua 6:15-25).

So, now you see that James did not contradict Paul. He was merely speaking to a different crowd. Paul was teaching to the faithless, to bring them to Jesus Christ. James was teaching to those who claimed to be faithful, to prove their faith in Jesus Christ. To put it in other words, in order for the works to justify, faith must first be present. James said that faith without works is dead a total of three times. Notice that he presents this statement each time by noting that faith is present before the works, and that each time he accompanies it with an example of faith showing the works. The works cannot justify without faith. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead” (James 2:26).

If you claim to have faith[1], let your faith be proven by your works. As is written in 1st John 3:18-19, John teaches on this by saying, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” Your faith should not be mere lip-service, but rather in deed (works) and truth, for in that you know that you are of truth and that you may have confidence before God. Let your faith be proven. True faith cannot die or be lost. All whom God chooses to bestow the gift of faith retain the faith until the very end. Jesus Christ said it best in John 10:27-29 by saying, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” True faith cannot, and will not die. God will not let it happen.

NOTES:
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1. John Calvin has an interesting word concerning those who claim to have the faith, but do not. He said, “Something should be said at this point to those who, having only the name of Christ, wish nevertheless to be known as Christians. How bold they are to glory in his holy name, seeing that none enjoy his friendship save those who rightly know him through the gospel! Paul, for his part, declares that a right knowledge of Christ is given only to those who have learned to put off the old man, consumed as he is by unruly appetites, and who have instead put on Christ (Ephesians 4:20-24). Clearly, when such people claim to know Christ, their claim is false. In the process they do him much wrong, however persuasively they prattle on about him.” (Taken from, “A Guide to Christian Living,” being part of Book 3 of The Institutes of the Christian Religion translated from the French edition of 1560 by Robert White. Pg. 11. ISBN: 9781848710405.)

One of the main recurring themes of John’s gospel is Christ’s identity. There are dozens of scriptures throughout the entirety of John’s gospel which clearly state who Christ is and what His purpose is. For instance, the first chapter of John’s gospel opens up with exactly this issue. It opens up, in the first verse, with this: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Now, who exactly is the Word? Look at verse 14, which says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.” Based on those two verses, the conclusion is that the Word is the only begotten Son of God the Father, namely, Jesus Christ. The most profound statement of Christ’s identity was Christ declaring it to the Jews in John 8:58. In that verse, Christ said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” That statement is extremely significant because Jesus is telling the Jews, who claim Abraham as their father (John 8:39), that He was before Abraham and that He was the “I AM” who spoke to Abraham (Exodus 3:14). An important aspect of Christ’s identity is who it was who sent Him. In John 8:42, Jesus explains who sent Him by saying, “For I proceeded forth and came from God, neither did I come of myself, but he sent me.” That statement alone bears two facts about Jesus: God fathered Him, and God sent Him. (There are many other scriptures in John’s gospel to support Christ’s identity, and they include, but are not limited to: John 1:1-3, 14, 17, 32-34; John 4:25-26, 42; John 5:17-18, 26-27, 36; John 6:32-33, 35, 48, 69; John 7:29, 33; John 8:12, 19, 42, 58; John 10:30; John 11:27; John 12:13; John 14:11; John 16:28; John 17:3, 8, 21; John 18:37; John 20:31.)

Another important theme of John’s gospel is a person’s path to salvation. This is where John’s gospel shines as the monergistic gospel. Christ came as the only way to salvation provided by God the Father. This is evident in three scriptures. The first is John 3:17, which says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him may be saved.” The second is John 12:47, which says, “And if any man hears my words, and does not believe, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” Finally, being the most obvious, is John 14:6, which says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father, but by me.” Christ is the only way to salvation, and that way can be explained using five points: man’s total depravity, God’s unconditional election of Christians, Christ’s limited atonement, God’s irresistible grace, and the perseverance of God’s elect. These five points form an acronym affectionately known as, T.U.L.I.P.

Total depravity is the idea that all of mankind is depraved (corrupt, immoral, sinful). This total is not of quality, meaning that man is as corrupt as he can be, but rather of quantity, meaning that every man is corrupt by nature. Paul made this clear in Romans 3:23, by saying, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” This is also made evident in John’s gospel. In John 3:19-20, it is written, “And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” Then, in John 7:7, it is written, “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I testify concerning it, that its works are evil.” In both of these passages, Jesus is explaining that, by nature, man is corrupt, loving the darkness rather than the light, and that man must have a mediator between himself and God to provide a way to salvation.

Unconditional election is the idea that God provides no conditions by which He chooses His elect, or Christians. This is a very weighty subject and is difficult for the flesh to accept because it states that God chooses the people He wishes to save, but not everyone is chosen. The teaching of election also implies that man can by no means do or say anything to become saved. After all, man is corrupt by nature and cannot hear the things of God. It must be an act by God alone, as told by the prophet Jonah in Jonah 2:9, saying, “Salvation is of the LORD.” Free will cannot save a man, and man cannot come to salvation by his self-warranted free will. Free will simply does not go in line with the Scriptures. John 1:12-13 (specifically verse 13) address this very issue by saying, “But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” Those who become the sons or daughters of God, do not do so by their own will, but by God. Jesus Himself clearly spoke of election in John 15:16, when He said, “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit…” In that, Christ is saying that no man chooses Christ, but rather He chooses the man. Christ also plainly states this fact in John 6:44, by saying, “No man can come to me, unless the Father who has sent me draws him. And I will raise him up at the last day.” That ties up the main idea of election: God draws a person to Christ, that person is chosen in Christ, Christ brings the person into salvation. There was no act on the person’s part; therefore the election is unconditional, meaning the person does not have to meet any special criteria in order for God to choose him to salvation. It could also be implied by that statement that no action of man can qualify, or even disqualify him from God’s election. God is no respecter of persons and He is just in His decision. (Here are some scriptures in John’s gospel on unconditional election: John 1:12-13; John 3:3, 27; John 6:37, 44-45, 64-65; John 10:2-3, 26; John 15:16; John 17:2, 6, 9.)

Limited atonement means that Christ’s death was a universal act, but the gift is for those who will believe, or the elect. This is another subject which is weighty and tough to grasp, but with the guidance of the scriptures, it can be understood. This point is best explained using the possibly most famous scripture in the whole Bible, John 3:16. This scripture says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him, should not perish, but have eternal life.” The universal act is that God loves the world and His Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for the forgiveness of sins, which are a result of the total depravity of man. The limit exists in those who would benefit from this universal act by receiving the gift of salvation and eternal life. The scripture says that whoever believes, receives eternal life. It does not imply that all of mankind will believe and receive eternal life. So, who believes? That is God’s choosing in His unconditional election. (Limited atonement can be found in the following scriptures of John’s gospel: John 3:16, 18, 36; John 5:24; John 6:40, 47, 53-58; John 8:12, 47; John 17:2.)

Irresistible grace means that, while God’s grace can be and is resisted, He is the one who overcomes that resistance to choose His elect. How is God’s grace irresistible if it can be resisted? Well, God’s grace can be resisted because of man’s total depravity. Man resists His grace because he loves the darkness and hates the light, because the light makes his evil deeds manifest. Now, God, being the Almighty and the Creator of the universe, chooses to overcome that resistance. When God breaks down that resistance, His gift of grace becomes irresistible, and the man cannot help but accept this grace. John’s gospel gives a good example of this. John 6:44 shows that God’s grace can be resisted, by saying, “No man can come to me, unless the Father who has sent me draws him.” In other words, no man is able (because of resistance) to come to Christ, unless God draws that man to Christ (by choosing to overcome that resistance). This is echoed in John 6:63-65, which says, “‘It is the spirit that revives. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who he was who would betray him. And he said, ‘Therefore I said to you, that no man can come to me, unless it were given to him by my Father.’”

Perseverance of God’s elect means that all whom God has chosen, He will forever keep, and they will endure to the end with Him. Perseverance of the elect cannot be better explained than by Christ’s words in John 10:27-29 when He said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” That is a very clear explanation. All whom God chooses to be His elect are forever kept with Him, they will never perish, and no one may take them away from His hand. God is greater than all, and He will never let go of His elect. (These are some scriptures in John’s gospel that point to this perseverance: John 6:39; John 10:27-29; John 17:11-12, 19.)

In closing, John’s gospel is a powerful writing. It is centered around the driving force of God’s plans for His people: Jesus Christ. John’s gospel immediately brings to task the identity of Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God, sent from the Father as the Father’s Word manifest in the flesh, to provide a way to salvation for God’s chosen ones. John’s gospel presents salvation in a monergistic way, meaning that God’s act of love for the world through the offering of His Son, Jesus, is the foundation upon which He displays His grace and saves His elect. With God as the central and originating cause, man’s salvation is outlined in the only way that gives all glory to the Almighty Father, creator of the universe. In that lies the purpose of God’s elect, which is to exalt Him and give the glory due to His holy name. Soli Deo gloria.

• Online – you may view the RCV in its most current edit online.
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• PDF – the PDF version will be made available soon (the formatting and book layout takes a while).

In the future, I will also be making available an in-print format of the RCV. It will most likely be a 6″ x 9″ paperback book at roughly 730 pages.

If you would like to download the RCV for yourself, please go to the RCV page or the Spices page and choose your preferred format. On the RCV page, you will need to scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the latest version.

If you are interested in seeing the types of changes I made to the 1833 Common Version by Noah Webster, I have made available a change log on the RCV page of this site. You will be able to see the progression of the different revisions and how the text evolved to its current and final revision.

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John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

The Protestant Reformation brought about a Latin phrase, “Sola scriptura,” which means, “by scripture alone.” This phrase is referring to the fact that the Scriptures are the sole, inerrant, inspired, authoritative word of God. The Bible is the only source for Christian doctrine. Anything beyond the Scriptures, that does not hinge upon the Scriptures, should be deemed as a heresy or even as apostate. That may sound harsh, but pay close attention to the last four words of the first verse in John’s gospel: “…the Word was God.” Also, Paul said in 1st Corinthians 3:11, “For no man can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” There is a connection between those two passages, which needs to be explained.

Now, in the context of John 1:1, “the Word” refers to Jesus Christ, and, in the 14th verse, notice that, “…the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.” By saying “the only begotten of the Father,” the Scriptures are pointing to Jesus Christ, as mentioned in John 3:16, which says, “…his only-begotten Son…” Therefore, make this connection: the Word existed with God in the beginning, the Word was manifest in the flesh as God’s only-begotten Son, the Word is Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh, the Word is God; in that, the essence of the Bible is God’s Word, which is an extension of God Himself. (If you do not make that connection, you will not understand the significance of the Bible, beyond that of an important book for Christians. That is not to say that the Bible deserves worship. Remember: the Bible is God’s Word, but the praise and worship is due to the Speaker of the Word.) This connection gives a strong emphasis to Paul’s statement in 1st Corinthians 3:11. That emphasis is this: anything that is not rooted in the Word, namely, Christ, is not of God.

Since Jesus Christ is the Word of God manifest in the flesh, it is imperative for all who are Christians to know both the Word and God. Given that the Word is God, as detailed by John 1:1, in order to know God, a Christian must know His Word. In the same way, in order for a Christian to know the Word, he must know God. One cannot be known without the other. So, this gives a very compelling reason for Christians to read the Bible. If a Christian does not read the Bible, and understand it, he does not know God. Absorbing God’s holy Word will bring a Christian to know Him, and in turn God will know, or acknowledge, the Christian. This is similar to what James wrote in James 4:8, saying, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you…” (Now, that passage in James was part of a call to repentance for sinners, but the principle holds true for everyone.)

Another compelling reason to read the Bible is for spiritual food, or sustenance. Why is spiritual sustenance necessary? In order for a spirit to remain alive, it must be sustained; therefore, sustenance of some kind is required. God’s Word gives life, as detailed in John 1:3-4, which says, “All things were made by him, and without him nothing was made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” With that in mind, notice the details of the creation outlined in the first chapter of Genesis. Immediately before each stage of creation, the Bible points out that, “And God said…” (You will find this in Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, and 26.) So, God created the universe with His Word. Then finally, after the universe was created, God created man with His Word. But that’s not all. Of all His creations, God chose to sustain man with His word. In Matthew 4:4, Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” (Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. This is also quoted in Luke 4:4.) However, God, knowing the depravity of mankind, provided the ultimate and eternal form of sustenance: His Son, Jesus Christ, the Word manifest in the flesh. This provision, this sustenance, was offered freely to all mankind, so that those who will believe (God’s chosen), may receive the gift of this eternal sustenance (John 3:16). Jesus proclaimed Himself as this eternal sustenance in John 6:47-51, by saying,

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me has everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, so that a man may eat of it, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eats of this bread, he shall live forever. And the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

In that, Jesus is declaring Himself, being the Word manifest in the flesh, as the ultimate, and only sustenance which gives life for all eternity with the Father in Heaven. Now, Christ is not literally speaking of eating His flesh. In fact, the Jews to whom He was speaking did not understand this (John 6:52), because He spoke this in a parable. Even His disciples thought of it as confusing, to which they asked Jesus in John 6:60, “This is a hard saying. Who can hear it?” Jesus’ response was very clear and concise, which contains the key to the parable He spoke. In John 6:63, Jesus said, “…The words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life.” It is the Holy Spirit, whom Christ sent from the Father (John 15:26), who helps, or enables God’s chosen ones to discern and, in a sense, digest, God’s Word (bread of life, living bread, flesh of Christ—Jesus Christ) for the nutrients which truly satisfy the soul.

The importance of the Bible for a Christian is not only a book which must be read, but it is also the means by which a Christian knows God, and the sustaining bread for the soul. No doctrine or prophecy can be measured against anything but the Word of God in the Bible. If a doctrine or prophecy is not rooted in the Word, it is not from God. If a Christian regularly reads the Bible without fail, he will have the ability to discern such things by knowing God and His will. Through seeking God’s desires, a Christian will obtain the necessary sustenance for his soul and thrive on the bread of life given by Jesus Christ as God’s holy Word manifest in the flesh. His words are spirit. His words are life.

The Lord’s Prayer is as follows:

Our Father who is in heaven, your name is hallowed.
May your kingdom come. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us for our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Our father who is in heaven… Jesus’ opening to this prayer is of humility. He is first and foremost acknowledging the person and authority of God the Father. It is important to recognize and acknowledge the Father for who He is. Begin your prayers with a humble heart, because the Scriptures say in Proverbs 3:34 that, “Surely he scorns the scorners, but he gives grace to the lowly.” Then, Jesus said in Matthew 23:12, “Whoever exalts himself, shall be abased, and he who humbles himself, shall be exalted.” Remember, you are praying to the Creator of Heaven and the earth.

Your name is hallowed… Noah Webster defined hallowed as, “Consecrated to a sacred use, or to religious exercises; treated as sacred; reverenced.” In this passage, Jesus is continuing the prayer with humility. In this passage, Jesus is giving high respect, or reverence, to God’s holy name. In this short statement, Jesus is paying worship to the Father. A key aspect of your prayer should be to worship the Father.

May your kingdom come… In this statement, Christ is showing you from where your prayers are answered. By asking for the Father’s kingdom to come, Christ is seeking the kingdom of Heaven and the place of God as a way of submitting to God’s terms. Later on in His sermon, Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” You must not get caught up in seeking the things you want or think you need. God provides in such a way that will render glory back to His holy name. By seeking the Father without thought of receiving any reward or expecting what you want, God will in turn provide that which you need.

May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven… In this statement, Christ is offering an ultimate form of submission to the Father. In this statement is the answer to all prayers. Jesus implies in this statement that no matter what you pray for, God will provide according to His will, and His will alone. You must be willing to pray to God, while expecting that it never be answered, unless He wills it to be done. You must come to God in prayer and supplication on His terms. When Christ was faced with the climax of His ministry, namely, His crucifixion, His prayer to the Father in Mark 14:36 was, “…Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take away this cup from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.” Christ is saying that despite what He wishes, He ultimately desires that the will of the Father be accomplished. This should be the very mindset of every prayer. If a prayer cannot be wholly offered and submitted to the will of God, it has no place in being made in His presence. You are to completely give it all to God and trust He does as He wills, and that what He wills is good. God is in control and you must apply your faith in Him.

Give us this day our daily bread… This statement can be seen with a two-fold meaning: bread for the body, and bread for the spirit. Either way, Christ is demonstrating that you should seek the Father for your daily provision, whether physical or spiritual. Notice how this part of the prayer is the first part which makes petition on behalf of the person praying. This is the part of the prayer where you present your request to God. Personal requests (bread for the body) include those which are made to seek help or favor from God for certain situations, such as guidance, healing, or intercession. Alternatively, requests may be made for bread for the spirit. A Christian’s spirit is fed through the Word of God, namely, the Scriptures. In Matthew 4:4—and also in Luke 4:4—Jesus said (quoting Deuteronomy 8:3), “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” You should seek the Father in your prayers to sustain you through His holy Word.

And forgive us for our debts, as we forgive our debtors… In saying this, Christ is showing that you must seek mercy from the Father for your sins and trespasses. He is also showing that you must in turn forgive those who trespass against you. Immediately following this prayer in Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus said, “For, if you forgive men for their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men for their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” This is one way in which a Christian may obey the new commandment given by Christ in John 13:34-35, when Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this all men shall know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.”

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil… Christ is not implying that God tempts His children to sin. Rather, He is teaching you to seek the Father’s protection from such tribulations. It is much like Psalm 19:13, when David said, “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Do not let them have dominion over me.” It is necessary for you to pray that God preserves you from the stumbling blocks of the devil, or to be delivered from evil. Peter had written in 1st Peter 5:8 concerning the devil, “…your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.” However, as said in Psalm 119:165, “Those who love your law have great peace, and nothing shall cause them to stumble.” Your prayers should seek the Lord’s protection through His Son, Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd who gives His life for His sheep (John 10:11).

For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen… This is the resolution to Christ’s prayer. He is rendering to God the praise and glory due to His name. Praising God is another function of a prayer. Your prayers should not always be making requests to God. Just prior to this prayer, in Matthew 6:8, Jesus said, “…For your Father knows what things you need before you ask him.” Then, in Psalm 34:15, the Scriptures say, “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry.” Then, in Proverbs 15:29, it is written, “The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” There is no need in repeating requests to the Lord; therefore take comfort in knowing that the Lord has heard your prayer and praise Him for what He has done. The word, forever, is an implication that the one praying desires this praise to be perpetually given to God. In fact, that is a chief desire for every Christian: to forever praise and give glory to the Lord. Finally, Christ concludes the prayer with the single word, amen. There is a significant application of this word in a prayer. Amen is a Hebrew word which translates to, “so be it.” In his definition, Noah Webster said of this word, “…it is a solemn asseveration of belief.” So when you say, “Amen,” when concluding your prayers, you are making a solemn asseveration, or sacred declaration, concerning that for which you are praying. In other words, you are earnestly asking God to make it happen, to make it sure, or to make it a truth.