“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

Genesis 3:1

Revelation identifies Satan as “the great dragon… that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world” (Rev. 12:9; 20:2), connecting him to the serpent in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1). Does this mean Satan was a talking snake?

The Hebrew word translated “serpent” in Genesis, nachash (נחש), has a fascinating depth of meaning and web of associations. In ancient Hebrew, the vowels of a word can change its definition. Since Hebrew is a consonantal script, vowels are indicated by tiny marks above, below or inside the letters. Depending on those marks, nachash can mean either ‘serpent’ (when used as a noun, as in Gen. 3:1) or ‘divination’ (when used as a verb, as in Gen. 44:5), the act of gaining secret or forbidden knowledge through misleading and deceptive means. Therefore, because of its association with craftiness (Gen. 3:1) and divination, nachash can mean ‘deception.’ Lastly, because its root appears in contexts related to “bronze” (a related word, nechoshet), by extension, nachash sometimes carries connotations of luminosity or even burning (such as the burning sensation felt by a poisonous snake’s venom [Num. 21:1-9]).

Some scholars suggest that the author of Genesis may intend to combine all of these concepts with the serpent in Eden: he deceives with forbidden knowledge, poisoning our minds against God. But what about the aspect of brightness or burning?

In the Bible and other Ancient Near Eastern texts (ANE), spiritual beings are often linked with light or reflective polished bronze (Ezek. 1:7; Dan. 10:7; Rev. 1:15). For example, Isaiah 14:12-15 describes the fall of the king of Babylon as the falling of “helel ben shakhar,” probably the name for the morning star, Venus (or “Lucifer” in older versions). Other ANE literature describes the gods within pagan pantheons as stars and name “helel ben shakhar” as a minor god whose attempted coup on mount Zaphon failed. He was hurled to the underworld as punishment. Isaiah seems to be borrowing this language from Canaanite mythology and applying it to the king of Babylon. His delusions of grandeur led him to exalt himself “above the stars of God.” His pride caused him to be “brought down to Sheol” (the grave) instead. The fall of the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14 has long been viewed as a type of Satan’s fall from heaven. In response to the disciples’ victory over the forces of the devil, Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” (Lk. 10:18) Notice again, the concepts of light and debasement. Evidently, Satan (Hebrew for adversary) is a spiritual being who rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven. Now his will is bent on accusing (“devil” is Greek for slanderer) and deceiving humanity (see Job 1; 2; Mt. 4, etc.).

Consider too that angels are often associated with light (Lk. 2:9; Acts 12:7; Rev. 10:1) and Paul’s warning to the Corinthians makes sense. “I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ… Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” (2 Cor. 11:2, 14)

In Isaiah 6, when the prophet is taken in a visionary experience into the throne room of the universe, he sees the LORD upon his throne, high and exalted, flanked by two spiritual beings called “seraphim.” In Hebrew, “seraphim” literally means it burns and has a parallel Egyptian word which means snake. The seal or bulla (an impressed piece of clay) of Ashna, a courtier of King Ahaz (2 Kgs. 16:1-20), depicts the LORD as a crowned glowing disk surrounded by two serpentine seraphs. There are many other artifacts that depict these beings as winged snakes like those described in Isaiah 6. In addition to this, the intertestamental book of Enoch uses the words “serpent” and “seraphim” interchangeably.

Let’s bring all this information back to the snake in Genesis 3. Satan’s serpentine form evokes the concepts of deception, forbidden knowledge and may hint at his angelic origin. He appears as a snake, either taking the form of a snake or speaking through a snake, to deceive Adam and Eve by undermining their trust in God. As punishment, God curses the snake by pronouncing its humiliation and future destruction:

The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,
    cursed are you above all livestock
    and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
    and dust you shall eat
    all the days of your life.

I will put enmity between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
    and you shall bruise his heel.” (Gen. 3:14-15)

There is more at work here than God cursing actual snakes. Like the arrogant king of Babylon (Isa. 14), this serpent is cast down into the dust, or Sheol (Jon. 2:2; Job 14:13; Isa. 14:9, 11, 15; the Epic of Gilgamesh refers to the underworld as “the house of dust”). This serpent is doomed to crawl and eat dirt, poetic descriptions of his humiliation and divine punishment. God prophesied an ongoing hostility between his offspring and the woman’s. As the Genesis narrative unfolds, we see humanity diverging into two groups, those who succumb to the serpent’s temptation (his spiritual offspring [ex: Cain]) and those who resist his deception and try to live by faith (the woman’s offspring [ex: Abel]). Suddenly, and without explanation, the offspring of the woman, plural in 15a, becomes singular in 15b. One will come from the woman to crush the head of the serpent, but the serpent will bite him on the heel in the process. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross and triumphant resurrection are the beginning of the fulfillment of this prophecy in Genesis 3:15 (see also Rom. 16:20).

²¹ Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Matthew 7:21-23

Can you imagine anything more terrifying than hearing Jesus say, “I never knew you; depart from me”? In the conclusion of his sermon on the mount, Jesus pierces our hearts with this warning against self-deception. His words describe the person who believes he is right with God when he is not.

The Lord speaks of the danger of a merely verbal profession of faith. He describes those who base their salvation on a credal affirmation, on what they “say” to or about Christ. “Not everyone who says to me…” (21) “On that day many will say to me…” (22) Jesus wants us to understand that our final destiny will not rest on what we say to him but whether we do what we say.

Jesus calls those he rejects “workers of lawlessness,” yet notice all their positive attributes. They confess Jesus as “Lord,” a necessary part of our salvation (Rom. 10:9-10). The address of “Lord” is more than a respectful title. It was a divine title equated with Yahweh in the Old Testament. Notice, too, their fervency in the repetition of the title (“Lord, Lord”). There is a strength of zeal there. Finally, they claim to have done many good things in the name of Jesus. These were not closet Christians. They worked in public, claiming Christ’s authority was behind their works, even supernatural ones such as miracles, prophecy and exorcisms.

If they confessed him as Lord with fervency and worked in his name, why does Jesus shun them on the day of judgment? They are “workers of lawlessness.” Though they used his name freely, their name was unknown to him. When he says “I never knew you,” he does not mean that he was unaware of their existence but that he did not recognize them for who they claimed to be. In other words, their profession was a sham. They called him “Lord” but did not submit to his lordship (24; Lk. 6:46). So the vital difference is between saying and doing. They did evil (“workers of lawlessness”). Works are crucial as they complete and confirm our faith (Jas. 2:26), but it is not enough to be engaged in religious works (6:1ff; Col. 2:20-23; Titus 3:5). To be pleasing to God we must do the works he has prepared for us to do (Eph. 2:10). Their works violated God’s law.

Whether or not they succeeded in performing these miracles is not the issue. They at least thought they did. Even if they did, Paul warns us that possessing and exercising a spiritual gift was no guarantee of God’s approval (1 Cor. 12:27; 13:1-3). Jesus warned of false Christs and false prophets who arise to “perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect” (Mt. 24:24). Paul warns of false signs and wonders which the wicked use to deceive (2 Thess. 2:9-10).

There is no reason to doubt their sincerity either. The point is there is more to gaining a good standing with God than attaching Jesus’ name to what we do (even if those deeds are good; see for example, Acts 19:13-16). At the end of the day, their life testified against them. They worked lawlessness, despite what they said and despite wielding Jesus’ name. Taking Jesus’ name requires departing from iniquity (2 Tim. 2:19).

Jesus is not impressed with our pious words. The proof of our sincerity is in our practical obedience to him as Lord, which he goes on to explain in his conclusion: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:21-23 are not meant to cause paranoia in the elect. His purpose is to warn the self-deceived. There will be surprises on the day of judgment. How can Christians be confident in their salvation? (cf. 1 Jn. 5:13) Perfect obedience is impossible but saving faith will give evidence of itself (1 Jn. 1:6; 2:4; Jas. 1:22-25; 2:14-20). Christ is not looking for mere verbal professions but a life that is changed by grace.

¹⁸ So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him. ¹⁹ Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark. ²⁰ Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. ²¹ And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. ²² While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

Genesis 8:18-22

A new year provides an opportunity for a fresh start. But does it? Isn’t January 1 just another day? The problem with New Year’s resolutions is that we often lack the resolve to keep them. We inevitably ruin our new year with old habits. And if we believe all the new-year-means-a-new-me stuff, this makes us feel like we’ve blown our chance and the only option is to wait for another new beginning to roll around so we can start again.

There is such a thing as a fresh start and a new beginning but we have to avoid the myth that we must wait for some drastic event or a significant date on the calendar to make positive changes in our lives. Relapses happen but that doesn’t mean we have to scrap everything and start over. We just need to press on by God’s grace and take the next step.

Noah’s story illustrates this truth. If anyone had a fresh start it was Noah. He was a righteous man living in a world where “every intention of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5) Noah and his family were saved from the destructive flood waters by God’s grace through faith. When they stepped off the ark they stepped into a new world. You might say they had a fresh start.

Things began well when they disembarked. Noah built an altar to the Lord and honored him with a sacrifice. The Lord responded by promising he would never again destroy the world by water (Gen. 8:18-22). The reason for this promise comes in verse 21: “the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” Apparently the flood did not rid the human race of evil. God knew we had a heart problem that would continue to infect subsequent generations. Yet, despite our condition, God promised that the world would not get stuck in an endless loop of increasing evil, divine judgment and newness. Creation would continue until the very end (2 Pet. 3:1-13). “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (8:22). So the world’s future did not depend on man’s morality but on God’s mercy. This is why God gave us the sign of the rainbow, to remind us of the covenant he made between himself and “all flesh that is on the earth” (9:16-17).

The next chapter illustrates this. It tells of Noah’s drunkenness and Ham’s utter disdain for his father’s honor (9:18-25). The ink had barely dried on God’s covenant before the curse sunk its claws into creation again (cf. 3:14-19). At this point, Noah and his family had a choice. Will they say, “We’ve ruined this brand new world. We're doomed to be sinners so we might as well continue down this road of rebellion because it’s too late for us”? Or will they say, “God be merciful to us! Help us take the next step by faith and move forward by your grace”?

This text teaches us three practical lessons about fresh starts.

We take old weaknesses into our new beginnings — Whenever we make a fresh start, whether it is a new year, a new job, getting married or moving to a new area, we must understand there will be setbacks. Some of these will come from our bringing old failings into new situations. Knowing this humbles us before God. We cannot move forward in life by depending on “the flesh” because it is weak. When we rely on our own moral perfection and fail, we may think our fresh start is irrevocably ruined. But our progress does not depend on our perfection.

God’s mercy makes moral progress possible — Progress ultimately depends on God’s mercy. When we come to God with broken hearts, he can renew us through his forgiveness (Psa. 51:10). That mercy allows us to move forward. But grace is no get-out-of-jail free card, an excuse for sinners to sin. God wants to work within his forgiven people: “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13) Grace transforms us to serve him with divine strength (1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Tim. 2:1). Grace teaches us to progressively say no to sin and yes to God (Titus 2:11-14). Just as Noah moved forward by God’s mercy and covenant promise, we too can move past our sins.

When we fail, don’t wait for another fresh start — We don’t need a new year  or an outward change in our circumstance to tell us when to change. God’s “steadfast love never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (Lam. 3:22-24). If you want to start reading your bible every day but you skip a day or two, that doesn’t mean you should scrap your plan. Just pick it up the next day. If you want to stop losing your temper but you blow your top, don’t wait for another fresh start. Ask for forgiveness and move on.

The only real fresh start we are given is new birth in Christ (Jn. 3:5). This is where we find God’s steadfast love, evergreen mercy and strength to move forward. Peter says that our baptism corresponds to Noah’s story (1 Pet. 3:20-21). God can cleanse our conscience as he cleansed the world in Noah’s flood. And, like Noah, we can move forward based on God’s mercy and faithfulness.

⁶ For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:6-8

These verses are often referred to as Paul’s “Last Will and Testament.” The apostle knows his life has come to an end—he will be executed, probably that winter (4:9)—so he reflects on his life and looks confidently to his future reward with Christ. There is no boast in his claim, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” As always, Paul means to encourage others through his example. Timothy would have been brokenhearted to learn that his mentor’s death was imminent (“I am already being poured out… the time of my departure has come”). So Paul cheers his protégé with the knowledge that he meets death with the confident, joyful anticipation of receiving his crown. But he also challenges Timothy to persevere in the same spirit of faith after his death.

Note that Paul spells out his present (6), past (7) and future (8) in this passage.

Paul’s present: sacrifice (6) — The legal machinations that would lead to his execution were “already” at work. He is “being poured out as a drink offering,” a reference to an Old Testament ritual in which worshipers poured out a libation before the altar as a sacrifice. Paul’s life is like one of those drink offerings, given sacrificially to the Lord. And this was no epiphany that his impending execution brought about. Paul always viewed his life as a sacrifice. Consider his words to the Philippians (which he wrote from an earlier imprisonment he was released from), “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.” (Phil. 2:17) The same can be said about his view of death as a “departure.” His desire was always to “depart and be with Christ.” (Phil. 1:23) His death, shameful as it might have looked to others, was no defeat but a passage, literally a “loosing,” akin to sailors loosing a ship from its moorings. Paul views death as weighing anchor from this earthly life and setting sail for heavenly shores and the presence of the Lord.

Paul’s past: completion (7) — Paul reflects on his past with three verbs that share the concept of fulfillment. He records his spiritual legacy not to boast but to exhort Timothy (and us) to the same perseverance. In the Greek, Paul places the object first in each case to emphasize not what he has done but the fight, the race and the faith that are the Lord’s (each with the definite article “the” before it). It’s about what the Lord has accomplished through him in the fight, the race and the faith (1 Tim. 1:12-17; 2 Tim. 2:1). All three of the images he employs—the tough soldier who continues to fight (2:4; 1 Tim. 6:12), the single-minded athlete who competes according to the rules (2:5; 1 Tim. 6:12; cf. 1 Cor. 9:24-27) and the disciple who keeps the faith (1:13-14; 2:15, 22; 1 Tim. 6:14)—were used previously to encourage Timothy to persevere. It is not that Paul has won the race or that the battle is over, but rather that, by God’s grace, Paul has completed his part in them. This assurance allows him to face his “departure” with confidence.

Paul’s future: reward (8) — “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day.” Paul is not trumpeting his accomplishments or stating that he has earned this crown. His certainty lies not in his own achievements but in the Lord himself, that “righteous judge,” who will “award” him the crown. Paul assures Timothy that the same awaits him and “all who have loved his appearing.” This kind of certainty and self-confidence can only come from a humble recognition of the great power that enables them to be what they are: God’s grace (1 Cor. 15:10; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 4:13; 1 Tim. 1:12). Paul’s aim here is to encourage Timothy (and us) to share his confidence in receiving our eternal reward.

And what is that reward? Paul calls it a “crown of righteousness”. James and Jesus use the same image of a victory wreath but call it the “crown of life” (Jas. 1:12; Rev. 2:10). Therefore, the reward is eternal life and righteousness, both things saints already possess in this life (1 Jn. 5:13; Rom. 5:1). If we already possess them how can Paul say we will be awarded them “on that day”? Prior to the judgment (“that day”), we still “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Mt. 5:6) and still experience death, that final enemy yet to be eradicated (1 Cor. 15:26). Though we are already declared “righteous” in Christ and have “passed from death to life” (Jn. 5:24), we will not receive those gifts in their fullness until they are awarded to us “on that day” of judgment. Then death will be swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54) and we will live in “a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Pet. 3:13) God has this crown waiting for “all who have loved his appearing.” The ESV renders this in a way that suggests Paul is speaking of Jesus’ previous “appearance,” his first coming. But the context suggests he is referring to his second coming, when he will vindicate the faithful and punish the wicked (2 Thess. 1:5-12). It works either way. We show our love for his first coming and his second coming in the same way, by living a life of faithfulness and perseverance, the very thing Paul is encouraging in these verses.

Reflecting on these verses causes us to ask ourselves three questions. Are we presently living a life of sacrifice to God? (6) Can we look to our past with a sense of completion? (7) Are we confident in receiving a reward in the future? (8) If not, the words of the apostle motivate us to make any necessary changes.

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? ¹⁷ So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! ²⁰ Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; ²³ and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? ²⁶ For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James 2:14-26

The Great Reformation changed the way many people read and interpret Scripture, but not always for the better. Reformers like Martin Luther were reading Romans and Galatians in light of the perversions of the Roman Catholic Church. In those letters, Paul emphasizes that we are not justified by works but by faith in Christ. This seemed to contradict certain practices of the Catholic Church (e.g. the sale of indulgences, a practice that involved the purchase of a certificate to reduce or eliminate punishment for sins in purgatory [another erroneous concept]). Over time, this doctrine of sola fide (faith alone) became so engrained within the minds of those who held to the Reformed tradition that any mention of ‘works’ in connection with one’s salvation would be viewed as heretical.

However, James says in his letter that ‘a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.’ (Jas. 2:24) Are James and Paul at odds? Certainly not. Paul and James were battling two different problems and used similar language in different ways to suit their unique arguments. Like brothers in arms with their backs to each other fending off attacks from either side, they were both ‘fighting the good fight of faith.’ (1 Tim. 6:12) Let’s try to correct this apparent contradiction.

James’ style in this section (James 2:14-26) is called a ‘diatribe’; he introduces an imaginary objector who states his own viewpoint as a foil for James’ argument (18). He attacks the person holding that viewpoint as if he were present (‘you foolish person’, 20); and he appeals directly to his readers to judge the truth of what he is saying (‘you see’, 22, 24). This style strongly suggests that at least some of James’ readers held this incorrect view of faith—that they could be justified by their faith alone, apart from any works.

It is likely that James’ audience had heard Paul’s teaching on ‘justification by faith’ (in Romans and Galatians) but misunderstood it. Properly understood, James and Paul are united in their teaching of ‘faith’ and ‘works’ and their relationship to justification. Any appearance of a conflict is created for two reasons:

1. They are using the same term in different ways — ‘Works’ in Paul’s letters to the Romans and Galatians refers specifically to ‘works of the Law of Moses’ by which no one is justified (Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:16). ‘Works’ in James refers to works of obedience to God, something Paul taught as well (his mission, after all, was to bring about “the obedience of faith” Rom. 1:5; 16:26). These are two completely different things. Paul’s use of ‘works’ is very specific while James’ more generally refers to obedience to God.
2. They are seeking to correct different problems — Paul is correcting the view that one can be justified in God’s sight according to the Law of Moses. That is, that the way to be right with God is by keeping the stipulations of the Mosaic covenant (circumcision, kosher diet, rituals, feasts, etc.). But this is impossible, as Paul expertly shows, because no one is without sin and the Law made no provision for sin. James is correcting the view that a mere verbal profession of faith in Jesus is enough to be justified and saved. A faith that does not ‘work’ is bogus and good for nothing.

James argues that ‘faith without works is dead’ (17, 26) and ‘useless’ (20). It does not have the power to ‘save’ (14) or to ‘justify’ a person before God (24). True faith issues in ‘works’ (14, 17); faith works with active obedience and is ‘completed by works’ (22). It is the kind of faith demonstrated by Abraham (21-23) and Rahab (25). It is absolutely vital to understand that the main point of James’ argument, expressed four times (17, 20, 24, 26), is not that works are a kind of second, unrelated addition to faith but that genuine faith naturally works.

The practices of the Roman Catholic Church were wrong and Luther was right to criticize them. But his narrow interpretation of ‘works’ in Paul’s writing was unmerited. We should be careful that in our respect of such historical figures, we don’t become blind to their faults. In the Bible, faith in God and obedience to God go hand in hand. We dare not make the error of thinking that a mere verbal profession of faith, without an accompanying life of obedience to God, can justify us before him. But nor should we make the opposite error by thinking we could ever earn God’s mercy through our obedience, as if God could be put into our debt. We are saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9).