Ligonier Ministries Blog

1. The Arminian Challenge and the Reformed Response

   As the Reformation spread throughout Europe, it was regularly beset by various controversies. One of the most significant such controversies arose at the end of the sixteenth century. It centered on the teachings of the Dutch theologian Jacob Arminius (1560–1609) and his students. The impact of this controversy continues to be felt to this day. Who Was Jacob Arminius? Arminius was educated in Reformed universities. He studied, for example, in Geneva under Theodore Beza and was considered by Beza to be an outstanding student. He was ordained in the Reformed Church in the Netherlands, which meant he was to teach according to the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism. He served as a pastor in Amsterdam for many years before assuming a teaching position at Leiden. During his time as a pastor, questions were raised about his theology as he preached through Romans. Questions continued to be raised during his time as a professor. An investigation into Arminius’ theology was initiated, and at the request of the magistrates, Arminius wrote his Declaration of Sentiments in 1608. The theological focus of this work is the doctrine of predestination. Arminius’ colleague at Leiden was Franciscus Gomarus (1563–1641). Gomarus’ doctrine of predestination was supralapsarian, meaning that he believed God’s decree of election came logically prior to His decree of the fall, and Arminius had strong objections to this view. The debate between Gomarus and Arminius was cut short when Arminius died of tuberculosis in October 1609. The controversy, however, did not end there, as Arminius’ students picked up where he left off. The Arminian Articles In January 1610, under the leadership of Johannes Uytenbogaert (1557–1644), forty-three Dutch ministers met and drew up a public petition. This Remonstrance contained the Arminian Articles, five articles in which the Remonstrants discussed the points of doctrine on which they differed with the Reformed confessions. The first article presents the doctrine of conditional election. The second article teaches unlimited atonement. The third article states the Remonstrants’ view of the fall and grace. The fourth article teaches the doctrine of resistible grace. Finally, the fifth article raises doubts about the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. The controversy continued to intensify, and in 1619, the Synod of Dordt was called to deal with the matter. Most of the delegates were Dutch, but there were also many from the Reformed churches in surrounding nations. The leader of the Remonstrants at the synod was Simon Episcopus (1583–1643). The Synod requested, and the Remonstrants eventually submitted, a statement of their views. The Opinions of the Remonstrants is a much more detailed document than the 1610 Arminian Articles. It is also much more clearly opposed to the confessions of the Dutch Reformed Church. Article 1 deals with predestination and asserts: > God has not decided to elect anyone to eternal life, or to reject anyone from the same, prior to the decree to create him, without any consideration of preceding obedience or disobedience, according to His good pleasure, for the demonstration of the glory of His mercy and justice, or of His absolute power and dominion. It continues: “The election of particular persons is decisive, out of consideration of faith in Jesus Christ and of perseverance; not, however, apart from a consideration of faith and perseverance in the true faith, as a condition prerequisite for electing.” In other words, election is conditional. God elects those whom He foresees will believe and persevere. In Article 2, the Remonstrants unambiguously assert the doctrine of unlimited atonement, saying: > The price of redemption which Christ offered to God the Father is not only in itself and by itself sufficient for the redemption of the whole human race but has also been paid for all men and for every man, according to the decree, will, and the grace of God the Father; therefore no one is absolutely excluded from participation in the fruits of Christ’s death by an absolute and antecedent decree of God. The document combines articles 3 and 4 on God’s grace and man’s conversion. The main ideas found here are the doctrine of prevenient grace and the denial of irresistible grace. We read, for example: > The efficacious grace by which anyone is converted is not irresistible; and though God so influences the will by the word and the internal operation of His Spirit that he both confers the strength to believe or supernatural powers, and actually causes man to believe, yet man is able of himself to despise that grace and not to believe, and therefore to perish through his own fault. In Article 5, the Remonstrants no longer raise doubts about perseverance. They now completely deny it: “True believers are able to fall through their own fault into shameful and atrocious deeds, to persevere and to die in them; and therefore finally to fall and to perish.” With regard to assurance, the Remonstrants teach that believers can be assured of their present salvation, but they cannot be assured that they will never fall away. The Synod of Dordt The Synod of Dordt responded to the Remonstrant doctrines in the Canons of Dordt. One of the first things to notice about this is that the Synod of Dordt was not called to provide a summary of Reformed doctrine or a summary of “Calvinism.” The Remonstrants set forth their doctrine in five articles, and the Synod responded to those five articles. As Daniel Hyde explains in his book on the doctrines of the Synod of Dordt, “What Reformed churches in the Dutch tradition believe is most fully confessed in the thirty-seven articles of the Belgic Confession and 129 questions and answers of the Heidelberg Catechism.” In other words, there are far more than five points of Calvinism. The so-called five points of Calvinism are specific responses to specific criticisms on certain doctrines related to soteriology. The Canons of Dordt respond to the Remonstrant teachings point by point. Under each head of doctrine, several articles expound the biblical doctrine. This is then followed by a rejection of various errors related to the doctrine in question. The first head of doctrine, for example, discusses predestination. Eighteen articles are devoted to a positive biblical explanation of the doctrine. This is followed by a rejection of nine errors. The first head of doctrine teaches unconditional election: > Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, He hath out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of His own will, chosen, from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault from their primitive state of rectitude into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom He from eternity appointed the Mediator and Head of the elect, and the foundation of salvation. (First Head, Art. 7). The Second Head of Doctrine outlines the doctrine of definite atonement. The Synod first observes the value of the death of Christ in Article 3: “The death of the Son of God is the only and most perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for sin, and is of infinite worth and value, abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world.” In Article 8, the Canons explain the specific purpose of the death of Christ: > For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of His Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation: that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby He confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation and given to Him by the Father; that He should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, He purchased for them by His death; should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing; and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in His own presence forever. The Third and Fourth Head of Doctrine explain the doctrines of total depravity and God’s grace. Article 3 states concerning the state of fallen man: > Therefore all men are conceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath, incapable of saving good, prone to evil, dead in sin, and in bondage thereto, and without the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit, they are neither able nor willing to return to God, to reform the depravity of their nature, or to dispose themselves to reformation. This is why irresistible grace is necessary, as Article 12 explains, “so that all in whose heart God works in this marvelous manner are certainly, infallibly, and effectually regenerated, and do actually believe.” Finally, the Fifth Head of Doctrine reaffirms the confessional Reformed doctrine of perseverance of the saints. As Article 8 explains: > Thus, it is not in consequence of their own merits or strength, but of God’s free mercy, that they do not totally fall from faith and grace, nor continue and perish finally in their backslidings; which, with respect to themselves, is not only possible, but would undoubtedly happen; but with respect to God, it is utterly impossible, since His counsel cannot be changed nor His promise fail, neither can the call according to His purpose be revoked, nor the merit, intercession and preservation of Christ be rendered ineffectual, nor the sealing of the Holy Spirit be frustrated or obliterated. Historical Impact The Arminian challenge to the doctrine and practice of the Reformed Churches was far-reaching and long-lasting. Although the Synod of Dordt rejected the Remonstrant doctrines, the teachings survived in various ecclesiastical settings. Some Arminians continued to develop the doctrines in a more and more Pelagian direction. Others developed the doctrines along more evangelical lines. We see this, for example, in Wesleyan theology. Twentieth-century dispensationalists often referred to themselves as four-point Calvinists because they accepted one of the points of Arminianism—namely, unlimited atonement. All of this started as a result of Arminius’ difficulties with predestination and his suggestion that election is conditional upon foreseen faith. Often, in contemporary debates, one will hear this idea expressed in these words: “God looks down the corridors of time and elects those whom He foresees will believe in Jesus.” A moment’s consideration, however, will reveal the serious problems with this idea. What exactly are “the corridors of time” that God is looking down, and where did these corridors come from? For God’s election to be truly as unconditional as Arminians desire, these “corridors” would have to exist independently of God. That, however, would lead us outside of biblical Christianity altogether. But if the “corridors” and all that is going on within them are not independent of God, then neither can election be conditional in the Arminian sense of the term. In other words, as the Synod of Dordt understood, if God is God, Arminian doctrine is ruled out.

2. What Does the Bible Teach About Sexuality?

   More than fifteen hundred years have passed since the fall of the Roman Empire, yet the moral decay and indulgence that contributed to its collapse continue to echo through Western civilization today. The Roman statesman and orator Cicero once proclaimed, “History is the teacher of life” (Historia magistra vitae est). While proponents of so-called “progressive” lifestyles celebrate their cause, history reminds us that what is labeled as progressive is often regressive. This regression, though troubling, is not entirely surprising. What is truly alarming, however, is the eagerness of the visible church to adopt secular ideas about sexuality, even celebrating them as virtuous. Ordaining “gay pastors” was once thought to be confined to mainline denominations—surely, a Reformed church would never host an LGBTQ-affirming conference. Or would it? In the midst of such widespread confusion, God’s light shines in the darkness. To understand biblical sexuality, it’s essential to consider both the biblical proscriptions—God’s “no”—and the biblical prescriptions—God’s “yes.” A comprehensive understanding of what the Bible teaches about sexuality requires a well-rounded and thoughtful theology on the subject. At its core, a proper theology of sexuality must begin with the foundation of marriage. In fact, one of the most compelling defenses of biblical sexuality is presented by Jesus Himself in the gospel of Mark. From the beginning of creation: > “God made them male and female.” “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. (Mark 10:6–9) Jesus responds with a sharp rebuke, condemning the practice of ending marriages for trivial reasons and exposing the hardness of their hearts (Mark 10:5). Rather than drawing from the many passages that affirm the lifelong nature of the marriage covenant, He points to the foundational example—the union of Adam and Eve. This Edenic prototype underscores the sacred and covenantal essence of marriage as God intended. Marriage is a sacred institution created by God, making Him the One who unites man and woman as one. The command “Let not man separate” reminds us that divorce contradicts God’s design and intentions “from the beginning.” It is not for humans to undo what God has joined together. To intentionally forsake the marriage bond without biblical grounds is, in essence, an act of defiance and an attempt to usurp God. If Jesus’ sole intention was to reaffirm the unity of marriage, referencing “one flesh” from Genesis 2:24 would have sufficed. Yet, He deliberately includes the binary distinction of “male and female” from Genesis 1:27—a detail that may initially seem unrelated. However, it is deeply relevant: the institution of marriage is inseparable from the biblical framework of male and female. Jesus tethers the creation of “male and female” (Gen. 1:27) to the creation of the “one flesh” marital union (Gen. 2:24). This beautifully illustrates that God both differentiates male and female at creation and unites one male and one female in marriage. Thus, when God made male and female, He already had in mind the marital union that followed. Genesis 1:27 carries profound implications for marriage and humanity that cannot be overlooked. This verse not only establishes the reality of sexual differentiation but, more importantly, serves as the foundation for the doctrine of the imago Dei. Thus, Jesus’ words in Mark 10:6–8 teach us not only that male and female are essential to marriage but also that marriage points to the image of God—thus bringing together both the nature of marriage and the nature of humanity. Marriage, therefore, is not a basic human or civil right but a sacred covenant designed by God. As Christians, we do not claim rights of our own; our only identity and purpose are found in Christ. Furthermore, sex is not about personal freedom or what individuals choose to do with their bodies. “From the beginning,” God’s design for marriage is a lifelong covenant between male and female, intended to reflect His own nature and character. Any distortion of marriage—including adultery, premarital sex, or same-sex unions—not only violates God’s will but also dishonors the image of God that marriage is designed to reflect. The confusion surrounding sexuality today is not just a cultural issue—it’s a spiritual one. When we distort marriage and sexuality, we are distorting the very image of God. But Christ, the perfect image of God (Col. 1:15), came to restore what was broken. He calls us not to conform to the world’s shifting definitions but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2). True freedom is not found in redefining sexuality but in surrendering to the One who created it.

3. Instruct One Another

   When you hear the word “instruction” mentioned in the context of the church, you probably think of the pastor(s) or elder(s) in your congregation—and you would be right to do so. An elder should be “able to teach” (1 Tim. 3:2). The Scriptures teach us that “\[an elder\] must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine” (Titus 1:9). But the Bible also teaches that all believers are to instruct one another. In Romans 15:14 Paul writes, “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.” Likewise, he exhorts the Colossians to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom” (Col. 3:16). We have the record of numerous believers in the New Testament who instructed others even though they were not pastors or elders. For instance, Stephen, the deacon, gave costly instruction to the unbelieving Jewish leaders about Jesus (Acts 7). Philip (also a deacon) instructed the Ethiopian eunuch about the meaning of Isaiah 53 and then went and “preached the gospel to all the \[nearby\] towns” (Acts 8:26–40). Priscilla and Aquila, a husband and wife, instructed Apollos concerning “the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26). The Apostle Paul charged older men and women to instruct younger men and women, respectively (Titus 2:1–6). Additionally, he commanded parents to instruct their children (Eph. 6:4). Every believer is called to “speak the truth with his neighbor” (Eph. 4:25) and to “exhort one another“ on a daily basis (Heb. 3:13). This doesn’t mean that everyone is called to hold the office of elder or deacon; God has reserved those offices for men who meet the biblical qualifications (see Acts 6:3; 1 Tim. 2:12; 1 Tim. 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9). But it does mean that—in whatever situation we find ourselves—we are to instruct one another according to the truths of Scripture. The several Greek words that scholars have translated as “instruct” in our English versions of the New Testament can mean “teach,” “admonish,” “counsel,” “prove,” or even “warn.” The principle of “instruction” is rather broad. Even though the context of each specific passage determines the meaning, the idea of “instruction” includes a variety of God-honoring, truth-seeking, and humility-infused words and actions. Consider the following three ways in which all believers are called to instruct one another: First, we are called to show our brother or sister the “speck” in his or her eye—after, of course, we first recognize the log in our own. This takes shape when we “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15) or admonish others by humbly pointing out areas of inconsistency in their walk with Christ and warning them of potential dangers. Second, we can teach others to know and love sound doctrine. In our day, many in the church are running from a robust study of doctrine to embrace more pragmatic methods of Christian growth. This is not the biblical pattern. Paul exhorted Timothy to be “trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:6). If you are a small-group leader, you must move beyond mere facilitating to be able to explain and defend such important doctrines as justification and sanctification. This means that we need to set aside time to learn and meditate on the truths of Scripture so that we will be adequately equipped to teach others. Seeking out resources from knowledgeable pastors can prove to be a great help to this end. Third, the Lord commands His people to instruct others in how to fulfill their life-callings in a variety of ways. Seasoned saints are called to bring along younger believers. Older women in the faith can have an effective ministry of instructing younger wives and mothers in how they may love their husbands and children (Titus 2:3–5). Fathers have the great privilege and responsibility of bringing up their children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). In various seasons and life stages, we all need the loving guidance of those who have walked the path before us to teach us how to make wise decisions and faithfully fulfill God’s leading in our lives. As a member of the body of Christ you have been given various gifts for the building up of that body to maturity. In God’s kind providence, He has seen fit to establish mutual instruction as one integral component toward this end. May God show you ways in which you may humbly and diligently instruct others, for His glory, your joy, and the benefit of other believers.

4. Announcing Our Dedicated-Language Website in Vietnamese

   By God’s grace, Ligonier has launched its online outreach in Vietnamese. Thanks to the generous support of ministry friends such as you, vi.ligonier.org is Ligonier’s twentieth dedicated-language website, providing a new online library of biblical teaching and discipleship materials for nearly 100 million Vietnamese-speaking people worldwide. Vietnamese is one of the most spoken languages in the world. As the national language of Vietnam, it is primarily used in Southeast Asia, but large Vietnamese-speaking communities also exist in Cambodia, the United States, and beyond. Less than 2% of the people in Vietnam profess faith in Christ, with many evangelical Christians belonging to the H’mong, Zao, and Jarai minority tribal groups. Professing Christians in this region have long faced opposition, from Buddhist resistance in past centuries to Communist repression in recent decades. In 2018, the Law on Belief and Religion provided the Vietnamese government with additional authority to restrict or prevent religious gatherings that have not been registered. Every church must apply for registration, but approval is often denied. As a result, many congregations have experienced increased hostility and persecution, penalized for meeting after being denied registration. Often, believers in tribal minority groups face severe persecution from both government officials and family members. Despite fierce opposition, reports of God’s people proclaiming His Word continue. This new Vietnamese website offers an online library of trusted teaching from Dr. R.C. Sproul and other gifted teachers, including translated articles on topics relating to the Christian life, the Ligonier Statement on Christology, and historic Christian creeds. All these resources will be dispersed broadly through Ligonier’s new Vietnamese Facebook and Instagram pages. Please join us in praying that this outreach will strengthen the church throughout Southeast Asia as Vietnamese-speaking Christians are equipped to stand firm in the gospel when faced with hostility. With the launch of vi.ligonier.org, Ligonier is now sustaining active ministry in seventeen of the top twenty languages of the world. This online outreach also contributes to Ligonier’s aim of developing the world’s most extensive library of discipleship resources that are true to the historic Christian faith. This global gospel outreach depends on the prayers and generosity of donors such as you. Thank you for helping to make it possible to translate, publish, and distribute trusted teaching in Vietnamese so that people in Vietnam, across Southeast Asia, and worldwide may know the holiness of God.

5. Will He Find You Faithful?

   Imagine that you went out to dinner and ordered your meal, and the server said to you, “That’s a fine selection. Unfortunately, we are running a little bit behind in the kitchen right now, but if you’ll be patient, we’ll have your dinner prepared to your liking sometime within the next three hours.” I don’t think you would be too happy with that. No one likes to wait forever for their food when they go out to eat. We are accustomed to waiting ten to twenty minutes for a meal, but if our wait time approaches an hour or so, even at a nice restaurant, we might ask the manager if there is a problem. If we are left waiting for our food any longer than that, we’d know for certain that something was wrong. Someone is not doing his job. The concept of doing one’s duty is an important theme as we continue to examine the Olivet Discourse. As He concludes the discourse, Jesus speaks of the faithful servant, who executes his duties well and in a timely fashion, and the wicked servant, who does not. Jesus has been warning His disciples to diligently to watch for His return. Let’s consider the rest of the chapter. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, “My master is delayed,” and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 24:45–51) When I was in seminary, one of the professors was Dr. Markus Barth, son of the famous Swiss theologian Karl Barth. I remember being astonished when Markus Barth produced a two-hundred-page academic paper on the first few words of Paul’s letter to the Romans: “Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ.” Many weighty tomes have been written about the words Jesus Christ, but what amazed me was that the whole focus of Barth’s manuscript was on the single word slave. The word that Jesus uses that is translated as “servant” is sometimes translated as “slave.” People have a negative reaction to that word, but the great irony of the New Testament teaching is that no one ever becomes truly free until they become a slave of Jesus Christ. All of us are slaves of one sort or another. We’re either slaves of Christ or slaves of sin. There’s no other option for humanity. One of Paul’s favorite metaphors for the Christian’s status in Christ is, “You are not your own” (1 Cor. 6:19). What does he mean by that? Paul’s point is that Christians can never consider themselves autonomous. He goes on to explain that we are not our own because we’ve been bought with a price (v. 20). Jesus paid the asking price of our salvation. Paul’s metaphor is vital to the Christian life. Jesus asks, “Who then is the faithful and wise servant?” (Matt. 24:45-46) This is a question of fidelity. Who is a faithful servant? It’s a strange term to use regarding a servant who is under the complete ownership of another. But the simplest meaning of a faithful servant is one who is full of faith, who can be trusted, and who is consistent in allegiance to his owner. Jesus goes on to say in verse 45, “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?” (Matt. 24:45). The master went on a journey and called one of his servants to be the steward of the house while he is away. This master put his servant in charge of all of the affairs of the house. We notice that Jesus emphasizes that timeliness is important. Jesus spoke of the faithful servant who was responsible not only to provide the food, but also to provide it on time. He said that this servant would be blessed if the master found him doing his job when he returned. The good servant, the faithful and wise servant, is the one who does what his master calls him to do. Jesus says in verse 47, “Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions” (Matt. 24:47). The master will give the servant even more responsibility and esteem because he has been faithful in the things given to him. This echoes Jesus’ words in Luke 16:10 that he who wants to be given more responsibility in the kingdom must first be faithful in little things. Jesus then describes the wicked servant in verses 48–51: > But if that wicked servant says to himself, “My master is delayed,” and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 24:48–51) Here the wicked servant is having an internal dialogue. He thinks, “My master’s gone. Who knows when he’s coming back? Who knows if he’s ever coming back? It’s time to party! My master is delayed and I can do what I want.” You may not relate to the wicked servant entirely, but most of us have jobs and employers. How do you work when no one is looking? Are you on task? Are you committed to the responsibility that has been given to you? Or, when there is no supervisor to watch you, do you take advantage of the gap in oversight and do whatever you want? Why is it that our behavior changes when no one is watching? Why do businesses have clocks where workers have to punch in every day? Why can’t we just expect people to come to work and leave when they’re supposed to? It’s because of sin. It’s because we have a tendency to behave in one way when we are being watched and act differently when we’re free of supervision. Consider the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11–32. Isn’t it interesting that the son took his father’s inheritance to a far-off country to squander it? He did this because nobody knew him in the foreign land. Nobody was watching. He could be free from all restraint. The wicked servant is neither faithful nor wise. He is like the fool in Psalm 53:1 who says in his heart, “There is no God.” The most serious and fatal self-delusion of the wicked is their belief that God will not judge them. The Bible tells us that God is long-suffering and patient. The reason for this kindness and mercy is to give us time to repent and turn to Christ. But we should never assume that God’s gracious patience means that He won’t call us to account. Many are tempted to think this way. In this passage, Jesus is addressing those who assume that the Master will never return. They think this gives them license to do whatever they want. No supervision. No faithfulness. No trust. No wisdom. The master of the servant will come on a day when the servant isn’t looking for him, and at an hour of which he is unaware. And the master will say to the faithful servant, “I left you with responsibility. I blessed you. I gave you an elevated status in my kingdom and increased responsibility.” But to the wicked slave there will be nothing but judgment and separation from the house of the master. The response of the wicked slave will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have you ever seen a person weep and gnash their teeth? I once knew a man who was caught in a very serious sin. He began to cry, wail, and sob. Nothing could comfort him. As his weeping was drawing to an end he said, “How could I have done this? Why did I do this?” This is going to be the scene of those who have ignored their master. So the obvious question is, What will you be doing when He comes? Will He find you faithful? Not casually or occasionally, but all the time? Christ has bought us for Himself, and He has given us a task to perform whether we can physically see Him or not. May He find us faithful when He comes.