Sebastien – Page 3 – Grace & Truth

The Father’s Love

By Jacob Redekop

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life.” —1 John 1:1 NKJV

The apostle John was so amazed at the thought of the Father’s love being so great that he stopped to consider it carefully. Like him, our senses are involved when we seriously examine something; and we find the writer mention first the ears – the hearing, second the eyes – the seeing, and then the hands – the touch. After meditating on the One who perfectly displayed love, John, as we should too, concluded that truly this Man is unique!

In this opening verse of 1 John, the apostle began with that “which we have heard.” The disciples actually heard a Man speaking and realized this was no ordinary Man. They listened intently and then passed on to us what they had heard. The multitude marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth (Lk. 4:22). “They were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority” (v.32). On another occasion the officers said, “No man ever spoke like this Man!” (Jn. 7:46). To the disciples Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life” (6:63). That is to say, His words produced a spiritual and life-giving effect in those who heard. This can be said of no one else.

The apostle then continued to speak of that “which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon.” The thought is to look upon and contemplate. Rather than just a casual glance, it means to take time and reflect on the One on whom our eyes are fixed – Jesus. In Luke 5 we see the Man who can forgive sins, and the large crowd witnessing this reasoned, “Who can forgive sins but God alone.” The multitude that heard Jesus speak and saw what He did were amazed, saying, “We have seen strange things today!” (v.26).

The Samaritan woman, after her encounter with Jesus at the well of Sychar, went to the men of her city and said, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (Jn. 4:29). Jesus was more than a Jew and more than a prophet; He was indeed the Christ, the Son of the living God. He opened her heart and revealed the Father, who is seeking worshipers to worship in spirit and truth.

Is this not a voice for us today? We who are wonderfully privileged to focus our eyes – our spiritual vision – upon Jesus, read these words:

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels … crowned with glory and honor” (Heb. 2:9), and
“But we all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18 JND).

We know who He is, Son of God and Son of Man – the One who loves us and came down from heaven to save us and reveal the Father’s love.

In 1 John 1:1 we then read about what “our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life” (KJV). After His resurrection the Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see” (Lk. 24:39). The word “handle” means to feel or touch, and the meaning is the same in this passage as in our text.

In Luke 5 we see Jesus in a city where a man full of leprosy saw Him and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus responded, putting out His hand and touching him while saying, “I am willing; be cleansed,” and immediately the leprosy left him (vv.12-13 NKJV). In Luke 8:43-48 we find a woman with a flow of blood for twelve years who came and touched the hem of Jesus’ garment. When Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”, the woman came forward, trembling, and declared that immediately upon touching Him she was healed. Jesus’ answer to her is remarkably beautiful: “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

We have traced a little of the life of the Lord Jesus and found that He was available to all that were in distress. He was able and willing to reach out to all with acts of kindness and words of comfort, showing forth the Father’s love. May all who read this find comfort and strength by looking off unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith.

The World’s Nice Guys And God’s Good Guys

By Alan H. Crosby

A Nice Guy And Eternal Life
The rich young ruler (Mt. 19:16-22; Mk. 10:17-22; Lk. 18:18-24) was a nice guy, but he did not have eternal life. He came to Jesus asking, “What good deed must I do to have eternal life”? (Mt. 19:16 ESV). This man seemingly had kept all God’s commandments from his youth (Lk. 18:21) – he was indeed a nice guy! Feeling that he may be lacking something he asked, “What do I still lack?” (Mt. 19:20). He did not love his neighbor as himself, and he was not a follower of Jesus, the Son of God. His lacks were revealed when our Lord answered his question, saying, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor … and come, follow Me, and he went away sorrowful” (vv.21-22).

This example shows us that keeping the law is not the way to obtain salvation, nor is it by being a nice guy. Eternal life is not the result of what we do, instead “it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). Eternal life is given to whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16), and believing in Him means becoming His follower!

There are nice guys today who want nothing to do with God. They think they are so good that they have no need of a savior. There are also those who seem to be nice guys because they will seek to do whatever they think will be pleasing to others, but they will not hesitate to severely harm anyone who opposes them.

We Are To Be Good Guys
Believers are “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God proposed beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). These good works will be the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22), whom we acquire with the new birth. Persons characterized by the fruit of the Spirit may be called “God’s good guys” as contrasted with the world’s nice guys.

God’s good guys will:

Display love – “brotherly affection” (Rom. 12:10),
“Count it … joy when they meet trials of various kinds” (Jas. 1:3),
Live, as far as it depends on them, “peaceably with all” (Rom. 12:18),
Be “kind to everyone … patiently enduring evil” (2 Tim. 2:24),
Correct their “opponents with gentleness” (v.25), and
Be known for their “self-control” under provocation (Mt. 5:39).

The perfect example for us to follow is that of our Lord Jesus Christ, who alone can say, “I always do the things that are pleasing to Him [God the Father]” (Jn. 8:29).

Why Then Was Our Lord Hated?
He was not a nice guy from the world’s viewpoint. Why not? Because He would always do what pleased the Father rather than what pleased those around Him. Consider some examples:

He allowed the destruction of a herd of about 2,000 pigs, a valuable property on which people depended for their living. Certainly they did not think that destroying these pigs was nice at all, and the people “begged Him to leave their region” (Mt. 8:34).
Peter, a disciple, began to rebuke the Lord, who just said about Himself that He would suffer many things from the elders, chief priests and scribes, and be killed (16:22). The Father was pleased for our Lord to deal with Peter’s rash comment by saying, “Get thee behind me Satan! You are a hindrance to me” (v.23). Surely, Peter’s initial thought in this instance was that our Lord was not being very nice.
Similarly, the businessmen who “sold and bought in the temple” did not consider Him to be a nice guy when He overturned their tables and seats (21:12). God wanted what they were doing to be clearly condemned because, as our Lord said, they had made what God had intended to be a “house of prayer” into a “den of robbers” (vv.12-13).
In the presence of crowds of people, our Lord said that the scribes and Pharisees did not practice what they preached (23:1-3). Even worse, He likened them to poisonous “serpents,” a “brood of vipers” (v.33). God did not want His people to be deceived by their outward appearance of righteousness when those presenting it were “full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (v.28).

Nobody using worldly standards would want to be treated as these were in our examples. Rather, nearly everyone wants be thought of as being one of God’s good guys even if they are not.

Being God’s Good Guy Brings Hatred
Do you think that being like our Lord Jesus will cause you to be liked? Far from it! He was hated – and his haters sought to kill Him (Jn. 7:11). If we live a godly life, doing God’s will, our Lord tells us that we will be hated just as He was: “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you!” (Jn. 15:20). Yet, “we must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

There Is A Choice
There are two options: I can be “seeking the approval of men or of God” (Gal. 1:10). The apostle Paul made his choice and said, “If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

What about you? Do you desire to please men as one of the world’s nice guys or do you want to be a servant of Christ as one of God’s truly good guys? Which do you choose?

Paul’s Charge To Timothy

By David Anderson

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue • righteousness • godliness • faith • love • patience • gentleness.” —1 Timothy 6:11 NKJV

As Timothy’s spiritual father, Paul wrote two letters to encourage him to persevere in the faith and the work that God had assigned to him. In these letters, Paul made many “charges” to Timothy. But in 1 Timothy 6:11 Paul used, for the first time, the emphatic Greek pronoun for “you.”¹ This meant it was very important for Timothy² to give careful attention to what Paul was writing, and by extension it becomes important to anyone who would aspire to be a man or woman of God.

The Lord had used Paul to establish the testimony at Ephesus, the place where the apostle’s missionary work reached its climax (Acts 19:10,20). The apostle had tearfully warned the Ephesian church elders about false shepherds who would lead the believers astray after he departed (20:28-31). Hence he left Timothy there to continue the work (1 Tim. 1:3; Acts 20:20,27). In his first letter Paul explained to Timothy how he should confront these false teachers by teaching and demonstrating the truth through proper, godly conduct in the church (3:14-16).

As he ended his letter, Paul became more direct in his exhortations to Timothy: not “you ought” (3:15) but “you must” (6:11), followed by “I urge you” (v.13) and ending with the personal appeal “O Timothy” (v.20). Continuous personal application to godliness was the only way Timothy would succeed in the hostile situation developing at Ephesus. “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (4:16 ESV).

By using “follow” (KJV) in 1 Timothy 6:11 instead of “pursue” (NKJV), Paul’s charge condensed into two main issues: “flee these things” and “follow after” other things.

1. Flee!
“But you, O man of God, flee³ these things.”

I remember a preacher speaking about Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. He said, “There are situations in life where you must run away! That day, Joseph found himself in one of those situations and he fled.” Paul’s instruction to Timothy was like that. You and I are not to confront “these things,” we are to run away as far as possible from them.

In the immediate context “these things” are greed and covetousness with all their attendant evils, of which the love of money is a prime example. Covetousness is idolatry (Col. 3:5), meaning it replaces God’s supreme place in a believer’s life. The Lord Jesus said, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Lk. 16:13 ESV). King Money reigns supreme in our world. People are not content with their wages or what they have. They want more money to get more possessions and extend their leisure pursuits. Hence gambling and lotteries are very popular. By contrast, Paul advised Timothy of the great gain in godliness with contentment (1 Tim. 6:6-8).

In the wider context of 1 Timothy 6, “these things” include false teachings, which are contrary to the spiritually healthy teachings of the Lord and His apostles (v.3). These “different doctrines” have the potential to lead believers away from the practice of godliness. They:

Manifest themselves in rules and regulations which starve believers of the true liberty they have in Christ (4:1-7),
Are fundamentally evil in origin, and
Suggest there is financial gain by practicing their kind of godliness (6:5).

Other things Timothy had to flee from were the conceit and the associated evils of self-centered teachers (v.4), the corruption and impurity they bring (v.5), a discontented spirit (vv.6-8) and foolish and harmful lusts (v.9).

In the context of the letter as a whole, “these things” include all of the deceiving and misleading teachings with their accompanying bad practices that the church at Ephesus was being exposed to by the “some.”⁴ Therefore, “these things” can be defined as any teaching or practice which does not have the pure motive of promoting the stewardship from God that is by faith (1:4). Spiritually healthy teaching always has the objective of producing love that “issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1:5). At first, Timothy had to confront the false teachers and use his God-given authority to charge them not to teach other doctrines (1:3). If they did not heed his injunctions, then he had to “flee” from them. He had to have nothing to do with them; and he was to reject (4:7), refuse (5:11), withdraw from (6:5), avoid (6:20; 2 Tim. 2:16) and purge, or cleanse, himself from (2:21) these teachers. But all the while he was to continue teaching in the things he had learned from Paul (3:14).

2. Follow!
“But thou, O man of God … follow³ righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” — 1 Timothy 6:11 KJV

Paul knew Timothy was a “man of God” who followed in his spiritual father’s footsteps and was already exhibiting these six practical things. But Timothy had to keep doing so. We too must make them our aim in discipleship. The six things divide into three groups:

Righteousness and godliness, which are God-ward,
Faith and love, which are inward, and
Patience and meekness, which are outward.

Righteousness is living in a right way before God and according to what He requires. It is the character of being right in His sight. An example would be using riches in a correct way (vv.17-19). Righteousness is part of godliness – an attitude of always seeking to live in ways pleasing to God – and applies to the whole manner of a believer’s life. It is having a sense or awareness of God and what is due to Him in all that one thinks and does. Lifestyle must be consistent with one’s profession of faith in God. First Timothy 1:5 shows the elements necessary for the pursuit of godliness:

A pure heart – my mind and will, or motives, must be tuned to God’s will.
A good conscience – I must be sensitive so there will be nothing in my life which God would disapprove.
A sincere faith – there must be nothing hypocritical, or fake, about my faith. I cannot fool God. I must not disguise anything toward others. I must be a genuine Christian.

Faith is belief in God and trust in His Word. To pursue faith means I believe that everything in the Scriptures is God breathed (2 Tim. 3:16). I accept they are inerrant – without a single mistake. Therefore if there is any conflict between the philosophies, or “science,” of men and the Scriptures, I believe God not men. I know that God cannot lie and Scripture is all-sufficient for all aspects of belief and practice.

Love is the other inward power of godliness. To pursue love is to be taken over by the love that God has deluged, or poured, into my heart (Rom. 5:5). This love must also be seen in my life. Paul describes how it acts in 1 Corinthians 13. Jointly, faith and love are the salient, or prominent, features which must dominate a believer’s life (1 Th. 3:6, 5:8; 1 Tim. 1:14, 2:15; 2 Tim. 1:13; Rev. 2:19).

Patience means endurance. Thus, to pursue patience is to keep going despite the trials and circumstances of life – whatever their character. Gentleness means to exhibit a meek disposition, and it is especially necessary when opposing false teachers and distracters (2 Tim. 2:24-25).

3. Fight!
“Fight³ the good fight of the faith.” —1 Timothy 6:12 ESV

Paul’s charge to Timothy continues in verse 12 with another command requiring continuous action. The apostle had warned him about those who would:

Depart from the faith (4:1),
Deny the faith by their lifestyle (5:8),
Stray or wander away from the faith (6:10),
Swerve and err from the faith (6:21), or
Be disqualified (“reprobate” in KJV), having corrupt minds (2 Tim. 3:8).

He also advised that the Christian warfare would continue to intensify and worsen, so Timothy must not cease to fight against them (2 Tim. 3:13-14, 4:1-5). Hence Timothy was to follow all of these commandments from Paul until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 6:13-14). Timothy had to keep the faith by laying hold of eternal life (v.12) and by guarding the deposit of truth entrusted to him (v.20, also consider 2 Tim. 1:13-14). The fight also involved withstanding the irreverent babble and contradictions of all falsely called “know-alls” (vv.20-21).

Finally, To All Men And Women Of God
These charges made to Timothy challenge all the people of God who read Paul’s letters. Like Timothy we must continue to stand and live for God and His truth. “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1).

ENDNOTES
1. Other usages of the emphatic pronoun in Paul’s letters to Timothy are found in 2 Timothy 1:18, 2:1,3, 3:10,14, 4:5,15. See The English-Greek Testament by Thomas Newberry.
2. Compare “if anyone” (vv.3-5) and “But those … some” (vv.9-10) with “But you, O man of God” (v.11).
3. Literal translations would read: 1) “keep on fleeing,” 2) “keep on following” and 3) “keep on fighting.” See also 2 Timothy 2:22.
4. In 1 Tim. 1:3,6,19, 4:1, 5:15,24, 6:10,21; 2 Tim. 2:18.

A Charge Of Paul To Timothy

By Milton Jamieson

“But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after • righteousness • godliness • faith • love • patience • meekness.” —1 Timothy 6:11 KJV

The Charges Given To Timothy
The charge here is not one of indictment, allegation, accusation or blame. Rather it is one of commitment, as if a superior military officer gave an order to a soldier to keep watch over a person, thing or place. He or she would be under obligation to guard it with his life.

There are many other charges that the apostle gave to Timothy, and in some cases these were given so he could charge others also. I just make mention of some of them:

“As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine” (1:3).
“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare” (v.18).
“And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless” (5:7).
“I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality” (v.21).
“I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession” (6:13).
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (v.17).
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom” (2 Tim. 4:1).

The Men Of God
The charge of 1 Timothy 6:11 was given to the only man in the New Testament who was called a “man of God.” In Scripture there are seven named men of God. Each of these men were marked by one or more of the six things mentioned in our verse, though doubtless there were other good features in their lives. We may remind ourselves that the man of God comes on the scene when there is a challenge to the honor and rights of God, at a time of departure and decline.

Consider these men of God and the virtue of Christ which showed most brightly in each of them:

Moses. “And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death” (Dt. 33:1). One of the features of Christ that radiated ever so brightly in Moses was meekness, the meekness of Jesus Christ.
Samuel. “And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go” (1 Sam. 9:6). Samuel is known as an honorable and dignified man of God, setting forth the dignity of Christ.
Shemaiah. “But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying, Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from Me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord” (1 Ki. 12:22-24). Shemaiah, the man of God, was clearly a man of peace, setting forth the peace of Jesus Christ.
Elijah. “And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.” (2 Ki. 1:13). Elijah displayed the righteousness and justice of God.
Elisha. “And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually” (4:9). Elisha as man of God presented the grace and holiness of Jesus Christ.
David. “And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded” (2 Chr. 8:14). David as man of God showed the love and forgiveness of God.
Timothy. “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Tim. 6:11). “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Timothy as man of God gave testimony to the faithfulness of Christ.

Like The Men Of God
Having been made right with God through faith and on the basis of the blood of Jesus Christ, we ought to pursue a life of righteousness for His glory. Godliness is next, bringing in God in all that we say or do. God’s will must be prominent, seeking His will, His honor and His glory. Faith is third, by which we please God and do exploits for Him. After faith is love. Love is the grace, mercy and compassion of Christ in action. Next is patience, expressing the endurance of Christ even in suffering and various kinds of adversity. Finally, meekness is the gentleness and mildness of Christ on display.

Like the men of God we ought to be filled with and display all the moral fullness of Him. B

These excellent things are the expression of eternal life – which itself is the portion of those who believe on the Son of God. The life is ours, as is made so abundantly plain by the apostle John. Yet we are exhorted to lay hold of it, for it is a dependent life – Christ being its Source and Object. We lay hold of it in laying hold by faith in Him and of all those things which find their center in Him.

The men of the world lay hold of earthly gain, or of as much of it as they can compress into their fists. We are called to eternal life; and we lay hold of that life by going after all those things of which, from a practical standpoint, it consists. —F. B. Hole (adapted)

What Is True Christian Liberty?

By Timothy P. Hadley

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “liberty”? The term has been used a lot in connection with civil liberties and personal rights. In the United States, the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Pledge of Allegiance all speak of it. The Statue of Liberty stands in New York harbor as a symbol of freedom, while the Liberty Bell is displayed near Philadelphia’s Independence Hall. The inscription on that bell, “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All The Land Unto All The Inhabitants Thereof,” was taken from Leviticus 25:10 (KJV).

But what is true liberty? Once there was some graffiti painted on a wall that read, “Freedom is NO Authority!” But is that really freedom? Some feel that freedom or liberty means people can do anything their hearts desire. Even many Christians have the idea that we are free to do whatever we want, watch whatever we want, and go wherever we want; but is that really what the Bible teaches?

What Is True Freedom?
Spiritually speaking, the Bible tells us that everyone is a slave – no one is free. In our society today slavery is a negative thing that speaks of degradation, hardship and inequality. But the biblical perspective is that true freedom is found in Christ. Paul explained in Romans 6 that we are slaves to either sin or righteousness. Those who are slaves to sin cannot free themselves from it, but once we are freed through the cross from the penalty and power of sin, we become slaves to righteousness. In this second slavery we find complete peace and true freedom.

The only true freedom comes to those of us who recognize that we are not our own. The Lord Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8:31-32 NKJV). He continued, “Most assuredly, I say to you whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (vv.34-36).

A servant is one who works for wages and, by virtue of his work, is owed something by his master. The believer, on the other hand, has nothing to offer to the Lord in payment for His forgiveness; he is totally owned by the Master who bought him with His shed blood on the cross (see 1 Cor. 6:19-20). These individuals are purchased by His blood and are the possession of their Lord and Savior. Every true Christian can rejoice along with Paul, saying, “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2).

Why Do Many Christians Live As If In Bondage?
We often rebel against our Master, refusing to obey Him while clinging to our old lives and holding on to the sins that once bound us to Satan as our master. The Bible tells us that every believer has two natures: the new nature that came as a result of Christ’s work in our lives and the old nature with which we were born. The old nature seeks to draw us to sin. However, we are instructed to “put off” the old self with its deceit and corruption, and “put on” the new self with its righteousness and holiness. Put off lying and put on truthfulness. Put off stealing and put on usefulness and work. Put off bitterness, rage and anger; put on kindness, compassion and forgiveness (Eph. 4:22–32). We have been set free from the bondage of sin, yet we return at times to those chains because part of us loves the old life.

So how do we gain the victory and enter into true Christian liberty? It is through death! We must recognize that we died with Christ and have been crucified with Him (Gal. 2:20), and we have been born again as completely new creatures (2 Cor. 5:17). The Christian life is one of a figurative death to self and rising to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).

What Is Christian Liberty?
This word “liberty” appears 11 times in the New Testament and it affects our past, present and future. As we have seen, freedom in Christ is not cheap – it cost Him His life! He has purchased us with His own blood, securing for us our liberty. Christian liberty is freedom from the guilt of sin, freedom from the condemning wrath of God, and freedom from the curse of the moral law (Isa. 53:12; Gal. 3:13, 5:18; Heb. 1:3).

Freedom in Christ also impacts all our present and future liberties, such as freedom from the bondage to Satan (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13). We are free from the dominion of sin (Rom. 6:14). We enjoy free access to the throne of grace (Heb. 4:14-16), and we are free to serve Christ as His bondservants (Rom. 7:4; Heb. 9:14).

Christian liberty also includes freedom from the sting of death; we are given victory over the grave “through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:54-57). He gave Himself on that cruel cross to deliver us from this present evil world (Gal. 1:4), and someday very soon we will be brought out from the presence of sin to dwell in the city illuminated by the glory of God (Rev. 21:23-27)!

What Christian Liberty Is Not
We mentioned earlier that there are Christians who feel that they can do whatever they wish because they “have liberty.” But is true Christian liberty a license to sin or a permission to do want we want? The answer is, “No, of course not!” Paul wrote of this very thing in Romans 6:15-18: “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine [teaching] to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” Jude warned of those “who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 4). But Peter instructed us to be “as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God” (1 Pet. 2:16). “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17). Every area of our lives is His, and ought to be lived out for Him.

We have been called to liberty, but the danger is that we might use this liberty as a license to sin. Listen to these words: “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Gal. 5:13-26).

If we are Spirit filled and Spirit led believers walking in the Spirit, we will enjoy the liberty that comes through the Spirit, for “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17). Romans 14 has much to say about Christian liberty, and throughout the chapter Paul taught that the real purpose of Christian liberty is to live to the Lord and serve one another – never using our liberty in a way that would stumble another brother or sister in Christ.

So Christian liberty is not a matter of being free to do whatever I please, but it is to live in such a way that whatever I do pleases the One to whom I belong – to His praise and for His glory!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace … to the praise of His glory.” —Ephesians 1:3-7,12

For The Lord’s Joy Or … ?

By Paul Alberts

When the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, some men were presenting strange teachings in the church at Ephesus. As a result, problems and disputes developed instead of the godly building up of believers and displays of “love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith” (1 Tim. 1:5 NKJV). The situation there was the early stage of what we find today, and the lessons in this book still need to be heeded.

Paul had taken Timothy with him on missionary journeys over the course of several years, and in the process Paul knew Timothy very well. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul spoke of Timothy as his “beloved and faithful son in the Lord” (4:17). In 1 Thessalonians 3:2, Paul spoke of this servant of the Lord as “our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ.”

Paul knew that Timothy, “a true son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2), would endeavor to do what Paul instructed, even when Paul was not present with him. What a challenge this presents to us as we may ask ourselves the question, “Is the Lord’s evaluation of us as good?”

Glancing through the few pages of 1 Timothy one might think, “There isn’t much there for me as I am not going to involve myself with problems in the local church or the matters of elders and deacons.” But the book is about much more, for in those things and in other points it shows us what we need to stay away from and the things which we should seek. The Feature articles in this edition address some of these points, but you would do well to read the six short chapters which make up 1 Timothy. By pondering the verses along the way, you will discover that they have much instruction for daily Christian living. Practicing such things will bring honor and glory to the Lord.

Throughout a day we make many decisions as to how to live and act, and whether it will be for the Lord’s joy or our pleasure. I think that question is one of the central focuses of this magazine issue. Maybe you will find something different as you read it from cover to cover.

An Urgent And Personal Appeal

By Alfred Bouter

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue • righteousness • godliness • faith • love • patience • gentleness.” —1 Timothy 6:11 NKJV

Our Lord Jesus Christ has been the true “Man of God” on earth and He is so now in heaven. He will always remain the true Man of God because He will never stop being a Man, even though He is also God (Phil. 2:8). While He is absent from this world, all true believers are to represent Him here.

Paul’s instructions were given on behalf of the Lord Jesus and were addressed to Christians – many of whom were literal slaves or bond servants. They knew the master-slave relationship, and therefore Paul applied that association to believers in general: All Christians are bondmen, serving the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to the prerequisite of being a true, born again believer, we need certain qualities to properly carry out what the Lord wants us to accomplish. These qualities are summarized in the charge Paul gave to Timothy (1 Tim. 6:11).

While the apostle was in prison in Rome for the testimony of our Lord Jesus (Acts 28; Eph. 3:1), he sent his young, timid disciple – but who was devoted to Christ’s interests – as his representative to Ephesus. We don’t know exactly when Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy, but its instructions as to how to behave in the House of God (1 Tim. 3:14-15) are still valid today. Second Timothy suggests to us that, sadly, the majority of Christians in Ephesus did not follow these instructions. However, God’s truths do not change because of failure or rejection. They remain the same, standing fast, firm as a rock in stormy seas.

Even while in a Roman prison, bound¹ to a soldier (Acts 21:33, 28:20; Eph. 6:20), the apostle Paul represented Christ who is in heaven. Paul learned to introduce the Lord Jesus Christ into all the details of his life. Timothy, in a scene of rejection here on earth, needed to do the same. As believers and disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ we are left here to follow Him in all the details of our lives and to represent our Lord in the same world that crucified Him – even among those who profess Christ yet reject His claims. Timothy represented Paul in an area where the apostle had diligently worked several years earlier with remarkable results for the honor of the Lord in heaven (Acts 19-20).

This younger servant of the Lord was devoted to his tutor – learning much and following faithfully just as Paul followed Christ (see 1 Cor. 11:1). Many Christians are not willing to learn from Paul or to follow him in this world, for they find fault with him or criticize his teaching.² They may not realize this, but by rejecting Paul they also reject the One who sent him – our Lord in the glory.

Challenges Then And Now
Timothy faced many challenges in order to remain a faithful disciple and loyal servant, without compromise, of the Lord Jesus. To stay away from dangers and vices and to pursue what was right, he needed certain positive qualities, as Paul elaborated in detail. Timothy also had to flee from the lust of money.

The apostle mentioned the simplicity of contentment as shown in his own example, which was also valid for slaves (1 Tim. 6:2). This kind of contentment, linked with godliness or piety, was under attack by the enemy (see vv.3-5). By depending on God and introducing Christ into every detail of life, a true man of God or genuine believer will be led into satisfaction and contentment. Those who reject the simplicity of the life of faith and godliness have a different agenda, causing themselves and others to be hurt by lust and the wiles of the enemy, with sad consequences (vv.7-10).

But You … Rely On God
In contrast to the disobedient (4:1-3), Timothy was to face the challenges before him and be different from the people who surrounded him – including the worldly, or carnal, believers and mere professors (1 Tim. 6:11). Likewise, Hebrews 11 lists encouraging examples of believers who truly learned to rely on God. This made them different, for without faith we cannot please God (v.6).

Enoch lived in a godless society that was marked by rebellion, sin and corruption (Gen. 4-6). When he turned 65 he had a son whom he named Methuselah. As far as we know, this son lived to be the oldest man, dying at an age of 969 in the year of Noah’s flood (Gen. 5:27). Scripture specifically says that Enoch – whose name means “instructed” – walked with God day by day until He took him from the earth (vv.22,24). Similarly, the Lord wants to teach us in the school of God to rely on Him until He will come and take us away (1 Th. 4:16-18).

Abraham, although a descendant from the godly Seth (Gen. 11:10-32), was steeped in the idolatry which had started with the Tower of Babel (Gen. 10-11). God called Abraham away from this idol worship (Josh. 24:2-3; Acts 7:2-3) to make him the father of all believers (Rom. 4). This fits with our key verse, “flee these things” (1 Tim. 6:11), in order to be a man³ of God. Despite some failures in Abraham’s life, he was marked by true love of God and therefore was called “the friend of God” (Jas. 2:23). This love motivated Abraham to be different from the people around him, including his nephew Lot who was a believer but fell short in showing his faith. Abraham learned to persistently rely on the God⁴ who had called him and promised to give to him a son and heir (Gen. 17, 21). As Abraham and Timothy had to learn to rely on God, so we must learn to rely on Him, for the Lord Jesus said, “Without Me you cannot do anything” (Jn. 15:5).

“Pursue Righteousness”
A man of God must flee certain things: lust, sin and idolatry – a study in itself. He or she is marked by practical righteousness by doing what is right and by being in tune with God, who is just. Such a believer actively pursues a path of what is right and just. Of course God desires every believer to live in this way, but a man of God pursues a path of righteousness in the midst of unrighteousness, even in the presence of believers who fail to do so and do not maintain God’s rights.

God is always characterized by what is right – He never can be “un-right” – just as He is light without the possibility of darkness (Jas. 1:17). We are God’s children (v.18), and it is pretty clear what He expects of us. God cannot compromise His divine standards and features. Consider the Lord Jesus: In order to maintain God’s rights – He “loved righteousness and hated wickedness” (Ps. 45:7) – He gave Himself as a sacrifice to be the Substitute for those who had sinned and would never be able to pay their debt or undo their sins. On the basis of what Christ accomplished once and for all, God desires us, all believers, to follow Christ’s example. We are to do what is right in a world opposed to God’s rights.

In the world to come, under the Lord’s perfect rule, God’s rights will be enforced (Ps. 2). But now we live in the period when “grace reigns through righteousness” (Rom. 5:21). Surrounded by all kinds of unrighteousness, God wants Christ’s disciples to follow closely after righteousness, to pursue what is right in moral and practical agreement with Himself who is light and whose children we are.

Godliness, Faith, Love, Patience, Gentleness
Although separated from Paul who was in prison and rejected by many Christians, Timothy was to do seven things. We need to do these things as well, following Paul’s instructions. The first is to flee from certain things, as we already mentioned. Then there are six⁵ things to closely follow or pursue with great zeal: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Having pondered points as to righteousness we will briefly consider the remaining qualities that are needed to be a faithful disciple.

Godliness means the fear of God – the reverential respect because of love. This is “the fear of the Lord” mentioned often in the Old Testament. It implies the quality or ability to introduce God and Christ into the many and varied details of our daily lives, while serving God and others. Contentment is linked to godliness (6:6) and implies that one has learned in daily life that God is sufficient. A believer can rely on Him without fearing defeat or failure because He is faithful (v.8). This is how Paul had learned to rely on the Lord Jesus Christ, who strengthened him in all his circumstances and provided for all his needs – as He does for us (Phil. 4:13,19).
Faith implies that one puts his trust in God (see Heb. 11), but it also means to be faithful in the calling, position, relationship or task He has given. Timothy needed this faith and faithfulness in Paul’s days, and we are still in need of them today. We need to have faith in God and be faithful so the Lord can rely on us as we rely on Him.
Love is the opposite of the love of money, which makes money its best friend (v.10) and is truly idolatry. Love represents the new nature God gave to us the moment we believed, when His love was poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit whom He has given us (Rom. 5:5). The new nature needs to be nurtured, and our relationship with God and the family of God must be cultivated through prayer, and reading and obeying Scripture. Paul emphasized this point in his counsel to Timothy knowing that faith and love go together with hope (1 Cor. 13:13).
Patience literally means the ability to endure, or to go on while being under a burden. For more details, read Romans 5:3-5.
Gentleness is another quality⁶ we learn from the Lord Jesus (Mt. 11:29) and Paul’s example. It implies an attitude of humility, courtesy and meekness (not weakness).

Paul’s urgent and personal appeal to Timothy⁷ is as urgent today as it was then. May the Lord help us to follow these instructions which He has passed on to us through the apostle Paul, so we will honor His name.

ENDNOTES
1. Probably almost five years later Paul was chained in Rome (2 Tim. 1:16) once again, but under conditions that were much worse than during his first Roman captivity.
2. This is why Paul introduced his instructions with the words “but you,” making a contrast between Timothy and those who opposed Paul’s example and teachings. The same words for the same reason are also found in 2 Timothy 3:10,14, 4:5; and later with respect to Titus (Ti. 2:1), but they are not always translated literally.
3. To avoid misunderstanding, the term “man of God” could be translated “human of God,” and it implies a challenge for all believing men and women, brothers and sisters in Christ, to be exercised and function according to Paul’s instructions. This is never to be done in a boastful way but always as an instrument fit for the Master’s use.
4. Romans 4:16-22 outlines seven points: 1. Abraham believed God, for he put his trust in the One who quickens, or makes alive, the dead (v.17); 2. He did so against hope, facing an impossible situation (v.18); 3. He was not weak in faith, despite his own and Sarah’s physical condition (v.19); 4. He hesitated not at God’s promise (first part of v.20); 5. He was strengthened in his faith (middle of v.20); 6. Abraham gave glory to God, before anything was fulfilled (end of v.20). 7. For he was fully convinced that God was able to fulfill His promises (v.21). How great was Abraham’s faith, and how great is our God!
5. When we list the various instructions Paul gave Timothy in 1 Timothy 6, in addition to his “charge” that we study in this paper, ten points can be counted: the number of responsibility.
6. The root of this word occurs 16 times in the Greek New Testament, found in different words. The word used in 1 Timothy 6:11 is linked to the verb “to suffer,” and it only occurs here. Following Christ’s example of humility implies suffering.
7. His name may be interpreted as “honoring God” or “whom God honors.”

He Lost His Treasure!

Beneath the gleaming sun a passenger ship slipped smoothly through the tranquil sea. Very near to the railing a passenger amused himself by repeatedly tossing an object into the air and catching it – an object that sparkled with an extraordinary brilliance as the sun’s rays touched it. The man’s attention was riveted on this shining object each time he tossed it into the air. Another passenger who watched approached him and asked:

“What is this that you toss into the air and catch so carelessly?

“It’s a diamond. Here, look at it.”

“Is it worth much?”

“Yes, it is extremely valuable. Look at its color and size. Actually, everything I own in the world I have invested in this diamond. I’m headed to a new country in search of a fortune. I sold everything I owned and invested the money in this diamond in order to carry it easily.”

“If it is as valuable as you say, doesn’t it seem risky to toss it into the air so near the railing?” asked the other passenger.

“No, there’s no risk. I’ve been doing this for half an hour.”

“But there could come the moment when you toss it for the final time,” said the other.

The man smiled and continued tossing and catching it. Once more he tossed it – the extremely precious stone sparkled dazzlingly as the sun’s rays embraced it – but this time it fell just out of his reach. The man reached out his hand as far as he was able over the railing, but he could not grasp it. A small plop on the surface of the water momentarily marked the spot where it fell. The diamond’s owner, after a stunned moment, cried out in anguish, “I’ve lost it! I’ve lost it! I’ve lost it! I’ve lost everything I had in this world!”

You might say that no one is so foolish, that this story cannot be real. But yes, it is real – and it is quite possible that it is your own story. The sea is time, and the destiny toward which you travel is eternity. The boat in which you travel is this life. The diamond is your soul with which you are carelessly playing. Permit me to repeat the story like this:

“Friend, what is that you have in your hand with which you are playing so carelessly?”

“It’s my soul.”

“Is it worth much?”

“More than everything else.”

“Don’t you think you are running a huge risk of losing your soul?”

“Oh, no!” you say, and you continue to toss your soul up over the ocean of time. But the moment will come when you can no longer catch it. No matter how hard you try, it will be impossible to rescue it. Your soul will have been submerged in the depths of desperation and you will exclaim: “I’m lost! I’m lost! I’m lost!”

Such will be your cry one day, perhaps very soon, unless you put your soul in a secure place: in the care of the Son of God.

“What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mt. 16:26 NKJV).

Why not surrender your soul to the Lord Jesus Christ right now? We can tell you how.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (Jn. 10:28).

God’s Purpose In CREATION

By Alan H. Crosby

The Universe
One of God’s purposes in creation is to display His glory! The psalmist looked up with his naked eyes and saw only about six thousand stars, a handful of planets and one moon. Yet his response was, “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork” (Ps. 19:1 ESV). With our modern instruments we discovered that the Milky Way, our galaxy, is made up of billions of stars. Astronomers have found billions of such galaxies. We have also discovered about two thousand planets circling the distant stars in our galaxy and there may be many more!

Humanity
We are not told the details of God’s purposes in creating, only that “all things … visible and invisible … were created through [the Son] and for Him” (Col. 1:16). God’s “plan for the fullness of time [is] to unite all things in Him” (Eph. 1:10). This plan involves the little planet we call “Earth” which circles a minor star we call “the sun.”

Before creating, God had in mind that the earth should be a suitable place for humans to inhabit and that people should be in His own image (Gen. 1:26-27), “holy and blameless before Him” (Eph. 1:4). But Satan seduced man into becoming like him, God’s enemy. To overcome this enmity, God sent His Son to reconcile us to Himself through faith. The Son became a man that “in His body of flesh by His death” we could be made “holy and … above reproach before Him” (Col. 1:22). By this single sacrifice “He has perfected [us] for all time” (Heb. 10:14), making us fit for the glory that Christ gives to His own (Jn. 17:22). Of the blessings we will have, “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9).

In creation, God declared His glory. And when all His purposes are worked out, believers will be blessed with unimaginable blessings! May we ever “praise [God] for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness” (Ps. 150:2).

QUESTION: In Galatians 2, Paul rebuked Peter for his double standard when he sided with the Jews that came from James by separating himself from the Gentiles. In Acts 16, Paul circumcised Timothy which is not necessary in the New Testament dispensation. Was his act not driven by the same fear of which he accused Peter?

Answered by Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.

ANSWER: We do well to remind ourselves that God alone knows our hearts and motivations (Acts 1:24; Heb. 4:12-13 NKJV). The conclusions we often draw as we watch one another not only may be wrong, but it is not even our business to attempt to discern the motivations of others (1 Cor. 4:5). We are to abstain from every form of evil (1 Th. 5:22). Therefore, we are right in judging whether something is good or evil, but God has reserved to Himself the matter of judging motives.

Peter, in the account mentioned in Galatians 2, had freely eaten with Gentile believers at Antioch. But when certain men came from Jerusalem, from James, he separated himself from these Gentile Christians. This appears to have happened after the events detailed in Acts 15 when the Holy Spirit made plain to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem that it was not necessary for Gentile believers to be circumcised. Circumcision would add nothing to their salvation. Moreover, Jewish believers did not have to eat separately from Gentiles. In fact, Ephesians 2:14 says plainly that God has broken down the middle wall of separation and united Jewish and Gentile believers into one body.

Peter confesses in Acts 10:28 that God had shown him not to call any man common or unclean. Therefore he had come to the home of the Roman centurion Cornelius, which was contrary to Jewish law. What he and other Jewish believers, including Barnabas, were doing in Galatians 2 was hypocritical and done out of fear of man. “The fear of man brings a snare,” we read in Proverbs 29:25. It was into this snare that Peter had fallen. Being a leader and having been entrusted by the Lord with shepherding His sheep, he merited the public rebuke Paul gave him, for by his conduct he was leading other believers astray.

Paul’s act of circumcising Timothy was quite a different matter. Timothy was the product of a mixed marriage. His mother was a godly Jewess (2 Tim 1:5) and his father is simply called a Greek, with the additional notation that all in the region in which Timothy lived knew of this abnormal situation (Acts 16:1-3). According to Jewish law a person is a Jew if his mother is a Jew. (This definition was even affirmed by the Israeli Supreme Court a few years ago.) What kind of Jew was a Jew who had never been circumcised? Such a situation was radically out of place!

Thus to take this godly young brother with him when he would enter into Jewish synagogues to present Christ would be highly offensive to the unsaved Jews Paul was trying to reach. Paul tells us his principle in seeking to reach out to the unsaved in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law … I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

Timothy learned early in life and in his service for the Lord to “endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3). What Paul did and what Timothy submitted to was to give them entrance to Jewish synagogues to bring the gospel to these people whom Paul was so anxious to reach for his Lord. It was quite different from what Peter did at Antioch among his fellow believers, being hypocritical and endangering other believers spiritually. May the Lord give us discernment to do His will as we seek to win others to Him and help us not to lead others astray by setting before them a bad example!