Repentance is one of God’s great kindnesses to His children. It is not meant to crush us, but to restore us. John Owen reminds us that true repentance does not begin with our effort to clean ourselves up, but with God’s gracious work in our hearts. When the Holy Spirit opens our eyes, we begin to see our sin honestly—not just as mistakes, but as wounds we have brought into our fellowship with a loving Father.
Yet repentance is never separated from hope. We do not turn from sin in order to be accepted by God; we turn because we already are accepted in Christ. The cross assures us that every sin we confess has already been paid for. This frees us to repent without fear, without hiding, and without excuses.
Owen teaches that repentance is not something we outgrow. Even mature believers are called daily to turn again toward God. As we walk with Christ, our hearts become more tender, not harder. We grieve our sin more deeply, not because grace has failed, but because grace has taught us to love holiness and hate what distances us from our Savior.
Repentance, then, is not a doorway we pass through once, but a path we walk every day. It is the Spirit gently leading us back to Christ, again and again, where forgiveness is certain, mercy is abundant, and our joy is restored.
Westminster Larger Catechism
Question 58: How do we come to be made partakers of the benefits which Christ hath produced?
Answer: We are made partakers of the benefits which Christ hath produced by the application of them unot us, which is the work especially of God the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:4-7; John 16:14-15; John 3:3-8)
In our last time together, we were looking at Psalm 1 and how the people, places and things around us can impact us.
The phrase, “Guard your heart” was used and this will get our attention today.
Several things can come to mind when the word guard is mentioned.
One is related to sports. When playing defense, a person is responsible for guarding an area or even a person.
Another is like a security detail where one is guarding a business or a house.
In each of these, the desire is to make sure something does not happen. Gaurding in sports the effort is to keep the opposing team from scoring. In security, the effort is to keep thieves or unwanted vandals.
The key thought is to prevent something.
Proverbs 4 says to “Guard your heart with all diligence for from it flows the spring of life.”
This reinforces Psalm 1 from our last time. Walking not in the advice of the wicked or standing in the way of sinners or sitting with those who ridicule IS a one way to guard your heart.
By avoiding situations, people or entertainment where is a method of guarding.
We guard the things that mean much to us. In the life of following Christ, purity and righteousness mean much.
Guard it as if your life depends on it. Pray that our Lord may send His Spirit to keep you from harm.
If a cultural or political issue has two opposing sides, the motive to win the argument is the same for both. The motive is to avoid utter ruin of civilization.
Both sides are convinced if their position lost, it would be the utter ruin of civilization.
There came a point in my life where I realized that there was one moment in history where civilization was totally ruined. It died. It was in the fall of Adam.
The result is struggle between husband and wife. It was the source of Cain killing able. Most importantly and most devastating was the fact that man was in full rebellion against God.
This is utter ruin.
Coming across Isaiah 32 we find a city in a similar situation. Cities were locations of safety. These were places of strength.
Not the city in Isaiah 32, it is desolate and forsaken. The watchtower, the sign of defense, is overtaken with weeds.
The picture here is the utter ruin of humanity.
Yet in (32:15) we see a complete change. That which was desolate and abandoned is now fruitful and growing. Why? Because the Spirit had been poured from on high.
I say this to those who are in and those who want nothing to do with Christ: the only safety from devastation is God’s Spirit.
I am calling you to that place. Not because I have mastered life but my life has been mastered.
The only way life can be restored is life filled with the Spirit of Christ. Faith comes . . .faith comes by hearing this. Jesus redeems from utter ruin and saves to the uttermost.
When I was much younger there were occasional summers that we as a family would go to Curie Beach in NC. One very clear memory is my mother would always get me a new plastic bucket and shovel to use on the beach.
But there was one condition, I could not use it until we got to the beach. I had other plastic shovels that were older but why use them if the brand new one was right here.
I had ants in my pants every time. I could not wait to use that new bucket and shovel.
Then finally, we would get to the destination, and I would be able to work with my new tools. I could dig and rake until my heart was content.
Philippians 2:12-13 it says, “As you have obeyed . . . continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
When it says, work out your salvation, does it mean that we are to work to gain our righteousness? Is Scripture saying here that God does His part and we do our part?
The short answer is no.
We are saved by grace through God’s loving kindness and mercy. Grace means gift. You do not work for a gift.
In the process of being saved God changes us. It is a miraculous change of heart.
Just like the younger me with my beach toys, just itching to get busy. This is the same picture for the believer. We are excited to get busy with our new tools that God has given us.
We are not working to gain righteousness but because we are righteous.
Believers are WORKING OUT what God has WORKED IN us. (repeat)
This is the ongoing desire for every believer. Keep working out what God is working in.
Why . . .because it is for His good purpose. Our Lord always gets the glory. That is why I say:
When Jesus said, “I am the bread of life,” what exactly did that mean?
This is where we were Thursday. We discussed then that When Jesus said this, the people listening to Jesus would have definitely remembered a couple of encounters that Moses had. Aside from them remembering Moses, what did Jesus mean?
Have you ever noticed ALL the places and things that we have in our culture that surround food?
We have cookbooks by the tens of thousands. There are countless cooking channels on YouTube. Television shows not just about cooking but also about visiting delicious restaurants and even shows that are about finding the best chefs. And this is just the beginning.
We love food. It is great for holidays; it is great for special occasions and memories. Even Christ himself, before he was crucified wanted to share one last meal with his disciples.
Midst all this food, cookbooks, cooking shows and places to eat, there is something more important. It is God’s very word.
What Jesus was teaching when he said, I am the bread of life is that just as food keeps us alive and keeps us nourished, we need more than this. Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
This is LIFE! Life that ordinary food, regardless of how delicious, can’t provide.
Food indeed does provide sustenance for living life. But it is in Jesus we don’t just live, we have ever lasting life. That is why partaking of the bread of life is by far our most important need.
Jesus is the bread from heaven. Bread that gives us eternal life.
This writing represents a landing place after years of personally wrestling with this aspect in defining a doctrine of God.
Impassibility defined: Have no passions. The inability to change passion especially regarding suffering. Not being susceptible to emotion.
Immutability defined: Unchanging and fixed, consistent, constant.
These terms are not synonyms, but they are often used together in reference to God. The passages that support both are: Malachi 3:6*, James 1:17, Psalm 18:2, Hebrews 13:8, Numbers 23:9, 1 Samuel 15:29.
The danger that theologians want to avoid is open theism which is a view that defines God as not knowing the future and being as surprised as we are by each turn of events. It is also the view of God looking down through the corridor of time and learning. Open theism is heretical because it denies God being All Knowing and He must learn something.
In the first few centuries as the Christian faith was established, the apologists took on the philosophers of the day in debate. It is those philosophies that shaped the argument and debate. The terms the philosophers used became the foundation for Christians in their effort to defend and define God.
While defining the purpose of humanity this can be seen in St. Agustine (354-430) took a more Platonian bend compared to St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1275) went in the direction of Socrates. It was Karl Barth (1886-1968) who decidedly began to divorce Christianity from these terms. He determined these were misleading words from the classical doctrine of God in that they do not fully represent whole truth of defining God’s work.
Immutability
The significance of this was great. This frees us to think of our God on better terms. For on the one hand, God is immutable and impassible. The danger of remaining in this camp is seeing God as frozen, removed, dismissive, unloving, remote and unconcerned.
In the words of J.I. Packer, “Our Father is Jesus like and in Him there is no un-Christlikeness at all.” (John 14:18) If you have seen the son, you have seen the Father. The Son is the exact same image as the Father (Colossians 1).
God is immutable but that does not mean he is immobile. It does not mean he is stuck. What it DOES mean is God is faithful. He is faithful to His own character and promise. In these things God does not change. He is always faithful to His own word, and He is always faithful to His own character.
The people if Judah and Israel in the prophets of Isaiah (2:5), Micah (3:7), Hosea (6:1) et. Al. turned away from His decrees. God was faithful to His decree and His promises. God’s covenant people had turned.
There are quite a few passages on God changing: Exodus 32:14, Psalm 106:45, Jonah 3:10, Genesis 6:6.
The justification for these passages can be found that God’s change is relation to His purpose, His character, His promise in relation to his people. God is completely trustworthy. God is responding to His people by observing their behavior and responding appropriately. If man is persistent in rebellious sin, then God will deal with them in His own holiness. He will not show generosity towards them as he had done before.
This is moral fixity. He is dealing with them regarding their morality. He is consistent (immutable) regarding HIS holiness.
Note Psalm 18:25-26 “With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; with the purified you show yourself pure and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
God’s immutability is a MORAL QUALITY. God has a character and a stated view. His is unchanging towards this.
Impassibility
The impassibility can be viewed in a similar way. God has an eternal decree (Acts 2:23; Ephesians 1:11). God is never a victim. Man cannot make Him sorrowful, sad, angry. He is faithful to His purpose.
As Jesus was on the cross man inflicted pain upon him. They arrested and convicted him. This was a divinely inspired situation and plan. It had been eternally decreed that the Son would suffer this way. Jesus was slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8).
Jesus was obedient to the Father, even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:5ff). This was an extreme example of God suffering in a way that he forever suffers like we do (Hebrews 2:15; 4:15). Christ was not man’s victim on the cross. This was the Father’s plan of love, and it was worked out by Jesus (John 10:17-18).
Man, sometimes defines God like as if He were human, with our exact emotions. This is what the impassibility was meant to address. But it is a term tied more to Greek philosophical understanding and maybe should be reconsidered.
To restate: Our Father is Jesus like and in Him there is no un-Christlikeness at all. Regarding His eternal decree and purposes, there is no change. Towards us there is joy in our repentance and love for His people. For those who spurn, there is fury and judgement.
Series: Colossians the Mystery of Christ Title: The Loving Order
Text: Colossians 3:12-23
Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Amen.
This is the Reading of God’s Word
Colossians 3:12-23
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
Introduction
A much younger version of me hiked a very good portion of the Appalachian Trail. I was thinking about that several day ago and these thoughts popped in my head.
Not everyone is a hiker. In fact, I do not think I am a hiker any longer. I enjoyed the freedom of it. This led me to think, what could be done with hiking to make it more attractive?
Some of the first thoughts that came into my head were they could build some restaurants. Can you imagine the outcry? Can you imagine how silly that would be. But yet, at the same time it is true.
If they built some Chick-fil-a’s, Popeyes, Applebees right on the trail, It may increase the number of people interested in hiking.
What if they built some Holiday Inn express or Hampton Inn and Suites? The trail is 2200 miles long and goes through many cities and even very close to NYC. So there are some hotels and places to eat along the way. But there are 100 mile sections that are remote and have no access to a town.
So what if on those stretches they put some places to eat and sleep? The outcry would be loud and deserved.
One does not start a trip on the A.T. to get to McDonald’s. Trips on the A.T. are to get away from these sorts of places. It would be absurd to consider such a thing. If this were to happen, at that moment it would no longer be the A.T. It would just be any other place America.
Yet this exact same thing happens in the Christian church. Again, I speak in generalities with no specific accusation at Donnel’s Creek.
There are often people who desire to bring the things of the world into the church. The desire (and the reality of what is happening) in what some are calling churches, is let us build things that are not in the word. Allow us to erect some of these things that we like – things we don’t want to let go of and change – and it is at that point that it ceases to be a church.
This is the beauty of the word. Our passage from Ezekiel 36 to which I often refer: This word is one method in which the Spirit works. It turns our heart, a heart that is rock hard and resistant to God, into this soft substance in which it can be shaped.
Those things that are of the world are fallen, corrupt and anti God. These are the things for which we must be shaped.
It is like this piece of play dough here. I am taking this play dough and shaping it into a bowl. I am the one shaping it. It is my mind that comes up with this idea, I am going to shape you into a bowl or a cup or an ash tray (that is what most of our art projects from school ended up being).
Yet, what if this piece of play dough said to me, I do not want to be made into this. Make me into a pitcher. What if it said, make me into a book end?
This is the clay telling the potter what it wants to be. It is absurd, yet there are scattered here and there through this country this morning this is absolutely is what is taking place.
This is the desire I have for us with this passage today. That in all things we all God’s word to shape us. That we do not turn God’s word into what is attractive to our flesh.
I put this cactus out here this morning and you may think, why is this cactus up here on stage. What crazy thing has Matthew planned for us.
This was the mental image I had while working through this text. I have not been here a year yet and some of you may have read ahead in Colossians and found this text. Here we are.
Wives submit. Slaves obey. How is he going to handle this text. This is why the picture of the cactus came to mind. Because how do you handle a cactus? How do you handle a cactus? Carefully. You will end up stuck and hurting. Some just prefer to not hold the cactus at all. We can skip right over this passage right?
The answer to that is no. If it is in the text we will address it.
We will not address the text as the world does. Why be afraid of God’s word unless we have been building McDonald’s on the A.T.?
What is this text saying? What does it mean when it says, wives submit to your husbands? What is this about slaves? Does this not make the Christian faith look archaic or place it in some very bad light? Why doesn’t Paul encourage the readers of this letter to FLEE the slave owner?
We will address all of these issues but first let us seek the Lord’s blessing?
Slaves?
My desire here is to go to the end of the passage first and address that because it will greatly aid us in understanding the first part of this passage.
What did he mean here by slaves? This passage, along with the book of Philemon and the companion passage in Ephesians is used by critics of the Christian faith.
What we bring to the table in our culture when slavery is mentioned is the slavery that was in the early part of the country. Does Scripture condone this?
The answer is no. The early abolitionists founded their argument against slavery in Scripture. William Wilberforce, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Jay, Thomas Paine and Fredrick Douglass were not just against slavery, they used Scripture to justify their position.
There were different types of slavery.[1] I can list several here, some of them were good and some of them were ungodly. We have briefly discussed these in the adult Sunday class in the past year so for some this is a repeat.
Types of slavery both good and bad:
Employee & Employer – There are some people who have a knack with money. They are just naturally talented and gifted with investing and being at the right place at the right time. They see a need and fill it and work hard. Contrary to the socialist thieves of our day, they are not stealing anything or taking advantage of anyone, they just are gifted in this way. In the past, a man may have seen that he does not have this gift and see that gift in another person and they make an agreement. The one works for the other. Today we call it an employee and employer relationship.
Abandoned – There would be at times unwanted children. Parents would take them to abandoned places such as garbage dumps and other remote areas and left exposed to die. This was common in Roman time and it was called infanticide by exposure. Philosophers and Christians were great critics of this. Often, the government would raise these children and they would forever be owned by the government never to be free.
Debt & Debtor – There were occasions where someone need a loan and it would be arranged. If there every came a time when the debtor could not pay the loan, they would make arrangements to work off the debt. You even see this scenario play out in the Proverbs (22:7)”The ruck rule over the poor and the borrower is slave to the lende” The debtor would simply make an agreement, I will work for you for such and so and when it is complete the debt is paid.
Spoils of War – It was not uncommon after a victory in war to take those alive and put them to slave labor. This was frequently done.
These are some of the examples. There are others but not all slavery was bad. Roman records indicate that almost half of the population were slaves. They represented all professions and social classes. There were household servants, laborers, teachers, doctors and managers who were slaves.
It is simply untrue to say that Scripture supports what we had early in our history. Exodus 21:6 says that the penalty for that type of slavery was death.
Maybe now you can see how the early founding fathers mentioned previously used Scripture to support their position. This slavery topic is not as cut and dry as it would seem to be.
We come to this passage in Colossians and view it in a whole new light. Paul was not referring to what we had in early America.
Go back to 2:12, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, bearing with one another, forgiving one another. Put on love, which binds everything together, let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, let the word of Christ dwell, teaching each other, doing ALL things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. . . .”
Understanding The Context
So here is the issue – my translation puts a title there, a heading. It says, “Rules for Christian Households.” What an interruption! Right there in the middle of the thought.
This is all one context. This is not a new thought. This is a continuation of a thought.
Put on these things. Here is how you treat each other and why. As said before, Paul is writing to Christians instructing them how to be Christian.
“Whatever you do in word your deed to all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Here is an example of how I have misinterpreted this passage for decades. Mainly because of this heading “Rules for Christian Households”. It says something similar in every translation. (NKJV The Christian Home, NIV Instructions for Christian Households, NASB Family Relations)
You may think I am making a big deal of nothing. The title does not help because it makes it appear as if it was a new thought.
I have looked at Col 3:17, “whatever you do . . .do all in name of the Lord” in 2 ways. 1. Life worship. That worship is not just something we do here at the Creek on Sunday AM. Your LIFE is to be worship.
I have also interpreted it as 2. Whatever your job is, teacher, welder, carpenter, farmer, gas man . . . do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. That we are all working for the Lord.
Even these headings which have been mentioned are proper, just poorly placed.
How you may look at that and say, “Those things are true.”
Let me share this with you. There is only ONE interpretation of a passage. Now there are many APPLICATIONS. There maybe a dozen or a hundred applications of the passage. But when it comes to interpretation, there is only ONE. That is it.
Those two things I mentioned are applications. They are valid. They are true. But it is not the interpretation of this passage.
The context is, slaves, because of putting on Christ . . chosen, loved, kindness . . forgiving, in peace . . because of this serve your masters. Whatever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. This is a continued thought. Do not let the heading (added by the book publisher) throw you off.
He goes through this list: wives, husbands, children, slaves masters. Because of 12 through 17 here is how it looks for you. This is how it plays out.
We can’t allow culture, who does not even believe in this Bible, has no regard that it is the word of God, to come in a cherry pick verses and stir up controversy.
“How in the world can you Christians believe in slavery? What about you women . . . submit? What is this submission thing? That is crazy talk!”
They have no idea what they are talking about.
If you come to this passage in Colossians and think it is a cactus passage, the you are unaware the impact culture has had on your thinking. You are more prone to build McDonalds on A.T. This is the result of the transgression in the Garden of Eden.
The Beginning of the Issue
Before the fall there was total unity. The case can be made that the perfect unity between the trinity was there at creation between Adam and Eve. It was a perfect union. Can you imagine that? There was absolutely no strife.
This is not because the man was better than the woman. This passage in Colossians 3 is not about man better than woman. It is clearly a passage of God is molding us, God is shaping us and this is how it looks, husband, WIFE (not woman), children, slaves and masters.
Can you see that in its framework?
Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge and in Genesis 3 we have the confrontation with our Lord’s judgement upon those guilty. To the woman, he said, “I will increase your pain in childbearing. . . your desire shall be for your husband but he shall rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)
The original language here (also used in Genesis 4:8) indicates that she will be in opposition of the male headship. This will be an ongoing struggle. This will result in damaging conflict in marriage.
This rebellion that exists in marriage points all the way back to the Garden. You most likely did not know this.
Eve was not the only one affected by this. Adam will also abscond his responsibilities as the leader of the relationship.
So does this play out? Paul writes the same advice to the Ephesians. Remember, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians were all written at the same time as Paul was in prison.
“Wives submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church . . . Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (Ephesians 5:22-23, 25)
That is a heavy call. Here is how I am like Adam, I would rather trade. Loving your wife as Christ loved the church is a big hill to climb.
I have stood between a man and woman as they get married. I address this issue because it needs to be addressed. Our culture wants to overlook it. Let’s just skip this passage.
No, let’s look at it square in the eye because what woman, what sane woman, what Christian woman would hate it if her husband loved her like Christ loves the church?
Men, it is a high call. It is far more difficult to live up to our task than for the women to submit. But when we are loving like this, with the Spirit changing us, molding us, the roles in a marriage are much easier to accept.
We have no issue with SUBMISSION in any other area in life. We really don’t. We understand that the boss is over us as a role. Does not mean he or she is a better person. Does not mean that he or she is a more valuable person. We are equal. They have a role, we have a role.
We have no issue with parent to child. This passage shows the relationship of parents having headship over the children. Culture doesn’t look twice at this . . .but that word . . .submit.
Military, we have no issue there. There are various ranks. In God’s eyes is the private less important than the four star general? No. Equal status as a human being.
However, we get to marriage and when headship or leadership has been assigned by God, from creation (this is a creation ordinance) there is a negative reaction.
Yet sin has invaded all relationships and this is undeniable. You may ask questions:
What about abuse? (God absolutely does not want this)
What about past injustices? (arrogance, credit cards/Ms. Elizabeth)
My husband isn’t worth submitting to. (prayer/church/may be right)
Sin has not just affected the marriage relationship, it has affected everything. Men who draw back from loving their wives properly. As Christ loved the church. There is your standard.
Jesus submitted. The call from Paul is for Husbands to be like Christ in their love and wives to be like Christ in their submission.
Jesus submitted and was equal with God. Philippians 2:5-10 we are encouraged to have the mind of Christ “who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped by made himself nothing, taking on the form of a . . .slave.”
You see that? Jesus was equal with God, submitted to the point of a slave. It goes on to mention that Jesus submitted to the death on a cross. This, men is the love we are to have for our wives. Love her as Christ loved the church. You would give your life for her.
Isn’t this a beautiful passage? My words are not directed at any one person Today. I would never do that from the Pulpit unless absolutely necessary.
My words are encourage us to not permit culture to remove the beauty of it. Do not allow that to happen. We take our cues, our direction, our affections from Christ and His word.
[1] For further study on this topic John MacArthur has an outstanding book and sermon series entitled “Slave” on GTY.org.
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life, he who comes to me shall never hunger and never thirst.” John 6:35
What did he mean by this? Does it imply that those who come to Christ will never get hungry? Will they never get “hangry”?
His statement would have been immediately understood by many in the audience but many would not appreciate what he was saying. Jesus was looking back at two events the listeners would have known well.
The first event is Moses asking God for advice. God wanted Moses to talk to the Pharaoh. This would be very similar to just any common Joe going up to the President of the United States or even a governor of any state.
There would be handlers. There would be people you need to get through first to get on the schedule to speak to even a mayor of a city. “Who are you?” They would ask.
Moses said, “Who will I tell them sent me?” God replies, “Tell them I am. I am has sent you.”
What a bold statement. Tell them, the one who exists has sent you.
The second event is the manna that fed God’s people. Bread from heaven it is called.
Jesus is summing up his identity and his purpose. I am, the bread of life. He repeats the words of God to Moses which identifies Him and points to the provision of bread which indicates His purpose.
Monday, we will unfold the implications of this statement. What does it mean when Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.”