Archives for March 2010

2Tim. 1:13 “Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”

Our spiritual citizenship requires harmony between a variety of crucial elements. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the center of our spiritual citizenship. First, our faith in the gospel is required. Second, our conduct has to be directed by the gospel. Third, our speech must also be guided by the gospel.
False doctrine always lowers the standard set by God. God is honored only by lives that are obedient. Love for God is only displayed by obedience.

In John 14:15 Jesus said, “If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.”

There are two fundamental facts about God and man’s relationship with Him. One, we can only honor God by obedience. Two, we can only demonstrate our love to God by obedience.

Titus was admonished by the Apostle Paul to combat the damage done by the false doctrine that was causing people to live in such a way to bring shame on the Church and their Christian profession. By combating false doctrine Paul wasn’t being legalistic. He was being realistic.

How we behave matters to God. It matters to the Church that Christ purchased. When people pattern their lives after anything other than the gospel – it’s tantamount to following false doctrine. And any life not in compliance with the gospel pattern is a life lived by standards that are lower than God expects. That’s at the heart of Titus chapter 2.

Verse 1 “But speak thou the things which befit the sound doctrine:”

Paul is going to press home the fact that all Christians are required to live useful lives for God. The only way to accomplish that is by living a life based solely on the Gospel. Sound doctrine is authorized doctrine – authorized by God.

Christ – in His sermon delivered from the Mount – warned about false teachers who would appear in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they’d be ravening wolves. He said we’d know them by their fruits. We’ll know false teachers by what they teach and by how they live. A casual glance might not reveal their true character. But when we examine their fruit we’ll see them more clearly. Speech and conduct are dead giveaways. We can all judge people by their speech and conduct.

Paul tells Titus that God’s people have to live based on sound doctrine. What is taught matters. Nothing is said of good, moral, just or sincere. Sound doctrine is scriptural doctrine. It’s accurate – as God views it. Sound doctrine means those things taught and commanded by God.

If men would be saved, they’ll have to obey God and do what He commands. Principle and practice match when it comes to sound doctrine. It’s not just something we teach. It’s something that governs how we live.

Verse 2 “that aged men be temperate, grave, sober-minded, sound in faith, in love, in patience:”

Paul addresses older men, older women, younger women, younger men and servants (or slaves). He starts here by saying that the older men cannot be given to excess. They have to be temperate. They have to be men of self-control.

“Grave” means they’re to be men of a calm, sensible demeanor. It’s doesn’t mean they’re to be down in the mouth. They’re to be seriously minded.

“Sound in the faith” means they have to clearly understand that God is in control and they’re true to God’s Word.

In addition, they are not vindictive or hateful. They’re not bitter or resentful.

And they must be examples of endurance. They realize they’re not going to overcome every challenge, but they lead the way in showing people how to endure challenges. Nobody overcomes old age. They simply endure it. And that should be our prayer for our older members – that God will help them successfully endure. It should be the goal for all of us.

The role of aged – or older – men leads the way. If you’re an older man these admonitions address you. These are the demands the gospel places on all older men. No specific age is given, but common sense tells us that men who have succeeded in marriage, raising children and weathered some of the adversities of life are those who must teach what they’ve learned. These men are not novices.

Verse 3 “that aged women likewise be reverent in demeanor, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;”

Now older, mature women are addressed. “Reverent in demeanor” means the elderly women must conduct themselves so they properly display their sacred relationship with the Church – the Kingdom of God. They have to show reverence to things holy.

“Not slanderers” means they’re not false accusers. Older women tend to have more time on their hands and can therefore do more good – or more harm. They have to avoid becoming busy bodies in other people’s business. And they have to watch out so they’re not tempted to busy themselves with gossip.

“Not given to much wine” has to be kept in proper scriptural context by understanding the word “wine” refers to both fermented juice and non-fermented juice. Prevalent in this day was the habit of doing things to excess – including drinking non-intoxicating things. In fact, filtering would be used to reduce the intoxicating affects of even fermented drinks so they could drink more. The same habit applied to food – hence the scriptures condemn the sin of gluttony!

“Teachers of good things” is a two-fold admonition. First, the older women have to teach. To teach, you must first know. There is no command to do this publicly. Rather, all the teaching authorized by women in the church is private. Second, what you teach is urgent – good things. The next few verses address the specifics.

Verse 4 “that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,”

Older women train or teach the younger women to love their husbands. Two ideas are presented here. One, the younger women being taught here are married. Second, the older women are best suited to teach these younger married women to love their husbands.

Love is an awfully broad and comprehensive subject – especially the love between a husband and wife. Part of this obligation is certainly addressed when Paul wrote 1st Corinthians 7:3 and spoke of “due benevolence.” Who better to teach young women of that than older women?

Young wives need to be taught to be supportive of their husbands in every worthy endeavor, especially in helping them be the spiritual leaders that God demands. In Ephesians 5:25 Paul commanded men to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. Husbands, do you love your wife like that?

Marriage is not a one-way street. It demands the best of both husband and wife, but here the older women are specifically authorized and commanded to teach or train the younger women how to behave toward their husbands.

“To love their children” may seem as odd as the command for them to teach how to love their husbands. Maternal affection is natural. Mentally stable mothers will naturally care about their children. Unfortunately, sin can corrupt what’s natural. We learn this from Romans chapter 1.

The gospel demands that mothers have an appropriate maternal love for their children. Ephesians 6:4 commands fathers not to provoke their children to wrath. Mothers aren’t excluded from that admonition.
Christian mothers have to nurture their kids. That means they have to learn how to discipline and train their children. Solomon said, “He that spareth the rod hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” Younger, novice mothers may fail to understand how to properly train their children. They may assume anything done to prevent their child from crying means they love them. God doesn’t see it so.

It’s the obligation of older Christian women to train younger Christian women how to control, discipline – and therefore, love their children.

Verse 5 “to be sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed:”

“Sober-minded” means the younger women are to be taught self-control. Their behavior has to be such that no evil report can be made of them. They have to be taught to grow up and behave as mature young women.

“Workers at home” means they’re to be taught how to manage their home. Older women have to teach younger women how to keep a neat, tidy house. The objective is to make your family love home. It’s not about the house. It’s about how the house is made to be home.

Chaos and clutter characterize too many homes. Christian women should be the best housekeepers on the planet. They should be among the best managers of a household. Older women have to lead the way! And then they have to teach the younger women how to do it.

Don’t mistake this admonition to read “stay at home.” Study Proverbs 31:10-31 and you’ll see this virtuous woman fulfill her missions outside the four walls of her home. Her work took her to the field and vineyard. They involved investments and work. But the framework for all her work was that she was a home keeper.

“Kind, being in subjection to their own husbands” – the godly woman knows her place. She understands God’s plan of headship. She knows to be in subjection to her Christian husband. Older women teach the younger women these Truths of God’s plan.

The reason is clear – so God’s Word won’t be blasphemed. Home duties are so important that failure will cause God’s Word to be spoken against, blasphemed. Perhaps you’ve been in a home that wasn’t clean or well kept. The woman of that house harms her reputation and the reputation of her faith. She doesn’t reflect the Gospel as she should.

All of our lives are made up of simple, everyday behaviors. So it is with old and young alike.

Verse 6 “the younger men likewise exhort to be sober-minded:”

“Exhort” here means to beg or urge. That’s the manner of teaching or instruction to be used to teach young men. The word “likewise” indicates that all the instruction given so far should be delivered this same way.

Teaching need not be offensive or heavy-handed. It is possible to teach people the gospel in a way that will help them better see their responsibilities to God. And it’s possible to do that without being offensive in our manner.

It seems fitting in so many ways that Paul inserts this term “exhort” with connection here regarding young men. Anyone who has attempted to instruct young men knows the challenge of passing on instruction and wisdom to them. Young men often resist instruction for a variety of reasons. Urging, even begging them to grasp a lesson is often necessary.

The first instruction given here is “to be sober-minded.” Thayer defines this as being of sound mind. And the meaning goes far beyond not being drunk. The sober-minded person must be under self-control under emotional and inflammatory situations. The sober-minded person is wise at all times.

Young men tend to allow their emotions to drive their mouth, their thoughts and their actions. That’s why they are urged to be sober-minded. This is a learned behavior. It doesn’t necessarily come with age. Young men, devote yourself to controlling yourself and think seriously about how you live by watching what you say, and what you do.

Verse 7 “in all things showing thyself an ensample of good works; in thy doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity,”

Paul knew Titus had been a good example already. He tells him to continue on living what he teaches. Be a good example. It applies to all Christians. We are all obligated to practice what we preach.

1Tim. 4:12 “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

“In thy doctrine showing uncorruptness” conveys the idea of purity. It might be applied here to refer to either the doctrine preached or the quality of the teacher. Since the quality of the teacher seems to be the meaning in verse 8, it’s likely the same meaning here.

Titus was instructed to teach without fear or favor. He wasn’t to be influenced by men. Popularity or approval of men wasn’t the motive for his preaching – and it shouldn’t be for any teacher of the Truth. Teachers of the gospel should live pure lives while teaching the full Truth to all men.

“Gravity” simply means that we’re serious about our teaching the gospel. The Truth of God’s Word is serious business. We have to take the responsibility seriously. Souls are at stake, so our approach with the gospel has to be taken seriously.

Verse 8 “sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us.”

“Sound” is a word often used to denote healthy. Paul uses that term often with regard to spiritual health. Here “sound” is associated with our speech. Every Christian has to guard their speech. Enemies of the truth will find fault with your poor or inappropriate speech. And speech doesn’t just refer to our vocabulary, but it refers to how we argue, teach and communicate.

We probably all know brethren who are argumentative. They don’t cuss, but their speech and demeanor harms the truth.

“That he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us.” If our speech is above reproach then the person who would be critical of us will be embarrassed because he can find no fault with our speech. Christians must live above reproach, but that doesn’t mean people can’t falsely accuse us. While we can’t control false accusations we can control our own lives to make certain we’re not guilty of anything.

1Pet. 4:15, 16 “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”

Verse 9 “Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing to them in all things; not gainsaying;”

Slavery was common in these days. Christianity is never political. Slaves who became Christians weren’t admonished to run away or rebel. Rather, they were exhorted to be obedient to their masters. As slaves they could show Christ to their masters by behaving as God wanted.

“To be well-pleasing to their masters in all things” has 2 restrictions: the laws of man and most importantly, the law of God. It’s not much different than our obligations toward our employers or our civil government. We want to serve them as long as our service complies with what God demands of us.

“Not gainsaying” literally means talking back. Don’t talk back. Don’t argue. Kids, it applies to you as much as it applies to anybody.

Verse 10 “not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.”

The literal meaning of the word “purloining” is “separating for their own use what doesn’t belong to them.” The specific form of theft implied here is to keep for yourself something that has been entrusted to you by somebody else.

The slave who was entrusted with the master’s possessions had to realize who owned those things. Today, we call it embezzlement. It’s tempting for employees or servants to take things that don’t belong to them. The exhortation is for Christians to be trustworthy – especially Christian servants or slaves.

That honesty would show good fidelity or faithfulness. “That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.” Our lives must be lived so they add beauty and attractiveness to the doctrine of Christ. We do that by our speech, our dress and our behavior. We can make the doctrine of Christ attractive to others by being the example we should be.

Verse 11 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,”

“Grace” is a word used in various ways in the New Testament, but it always involves favor. God’s grace is unmerited favor. In this case, God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. That’s grace.

Grace isn’t doing something for somebody that doesn’t need to be done. Grace isn’t doing something that somebody can do for himself. God’s grace is available to all men. God’s salvation is available – or has appeared – to all men.

Verse 12 “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”

What is it that teaches us? The grace that saves teaches us. Calvinism affirms that salvation depends on an experience of grace involving some supernatural happening. The Scriptures teach that even when a person comes to Christ – and commits to live for Christ in the future – they must obey what they learn. There is no supernatural event.

John 6:44, 45 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”

Coming to Christ involves our intellect. We learn. We understand. We obey. And we understand that God chose the foolishness of preaching to save the lost. This means men are obligated to teach and explain the Word of God so others can understand it, learn it and obey it.

Ungodliness is irreverence. Ungodliness has no regard for God or respect for things that are holy or divine.

“Worldly lusts” refer to desires for those things of the world that Christians are forbidden to engage in. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

We’re commanded by the Word of God to live soberly. God’s Word is both positive and negative. We have to close the door to sinful behavior and open the door to righteous behavior. Over and over again is the admonition to live soberly. Be serious about your life.

“Righteously” signifies just and according to Vine means without prejudice or partiality. It focuses on our manner of life. Christians have to always be fair in our thoughts, words and actions. In short, a righteous man always does what’s right.

“Godly” is the very opposite of ungodliness – the thing Christians are to deny. We must have reverence toward God. We must respect those things that are holy, sacred and divine.

Verse 13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

“Hope” is the driving force for living according to the will of God. The object of this hope is the second coming of Jesus. It’s best to view this hope by thinking of what it would be like if we had no hope of His coming back again. What if this life was all there was?

A better rendering of the original text of this verse would be, “that blessed hope, even the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Both expressions refer to the same individual. Both expressions refer to the same thing. The glory will appear when our Lord returns. That’s what Christians look forward to because we understand that’s when our final reward will come.

Verse 14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

Here’s another motive for living a Christian life. Christ died for us. That should be reason enough to obey Him. How could we be righteous without reverence for those things that are sacred – or without a full appreciation for what Christ did for us?

The reason for His sacrifice is clearly stated – that he might redeem us from all iniquity. Sin held us ransom, but Christ paid the ransom and freed us.

“Iniquity” is lawlessness or without law. Christ doesn’t save us in our sins. He saves us from our sins. That means that the sacrifice of Christ satisfied God’s broken law. Nothing else could do that.

Our redemption makes us clean from the stain of our own sin. It makes us a peculiar people – a people who belong to God. It doesn’t make us quirky, even though some in the world may view us that way. Our obedience to the gospel makes us purified and purchased. It makes us God’s own special people – peculiar.

It should also make us zealous of good works. God’s people understand the need for a standard of conduct different than the world. We behave differently from the world. A lack of zeal toward good works shows that we don’t fully understand or appreciate the purpose of what happened at Calvary.

Verse 15 “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”

Titus is commanded to speak or preach these things always. Sometimes it would be necessary for him, as it is for us today, to urge and plead with people to obey. And there would be times that Titus would have to correct, or rebuke.

“Let no man despise thee” literally means “let no man think around thee.” A similar thing is said in 1 Timothy 4:12, but there a stronger word is used to denote scorn. Here in Titus the meaning seems to be, “don’t let somebody out-think, or think around you.” Those who teach have to be on guard so error can’t take advantage.

Sound doctrine involves both practice and principle. Your life cannot be lived according to sound doctrine is you haven’t learned God’s doctrine or commandments.

First, you have to know what God wants. You don’t dare guess or speculate. As children most of us knew to listen closely to our parents to make sure we understood their instruction. If you had strict parents, you listened and learned what they wanted. God is the same way.

Knowing comes first, but doing follows. Too often we may focus on doctrine and think of it as teaching, but we might fail to incorporate it into our own life. We may fail to make it the rule of our life. Instead, we may formulate our own philosophy and way of life.

The doctrine of Christ – sound doctrine – addresses every area of our life. The doctrine of our Savior talks about suffering wrong instead of executing revenge. The doctrine of Jesus talks of how we’re to treat our husbands, wives, children and brethren. The doctrine of Jesus talks of how men are to work and support their families. The doctrine of Christ talks of how we’re to be morally pure.

If you’re basing your life – all your behavior – on sound doctrine, then there is no area of your life that is untouched by the doctrine of our Lord.

Adapted from a sermon delivered at Fossil Creek

John 4:22-24, “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Knowing what we worship is an important New Testament concept. Knowing what we ought not to worship is equally important. There have existed people, and there still are people, who don’t know what they worship.

We often hear talk about the worldliness that goes on in the church today. Maybe the most prevalent form of worldliness is the devotion, or worship, of material things in contrast to spiritual things. The worship of temporal things rather than the God of Heaven is one of the greatest curses of God’s people today.

When you read and study your bible you hear a lot about idolatry. You see where people of the world, and at times…even God’s people, worshiped golden images, false gods and even creations of the true, living God (things like the sun, the moon, and the stars). It seems unbelievable, but even as Moses was receiving the commandments of the law from God himself, the people were down at the base of the mountain melting down their jewelry so they could create a golden calf to worship.

It’s easy for us to think that idol worship is bowing down to some golden calf or some other image. It’s substantially more difficult for us to realize that anything we put before God is considered idolatry by God. Materialism is the ungodly focus on anything that is not eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18 “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Anything that stands between us and God is an idol. Take money for example. Didn’t the apostle Paul tell Timothy in 1st Timothy 6:10 that the love of money is the root of all evil? Jesus himself said in Acts 20:35 that it was more blessed to give than to receive. But, no matter what heaven has told us about the evils of longing to be rich, men still continue to serve their own greed and quest for greater material wealth.

When men covet material things they’re just as guilty of idolatry as those who bow down to idols. Remember what Paul wrote to the Colossians:

Colossians 3:5-6, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:”

There are some examples of materialism in the OT that can teach us the dangers of this sin. One of the earliest examples comes from the story of Abraham and Lot. When God told Abraham to leave his homeland and his family…he was told to go “unto a land that I will show thee” by God. Lot, his nephew, went with him and the scripture says they went into the land of Canaan.

Due to famine, Abraham and Lot went down to Egypt until the dearth was over. When they got back to Canaan, they both had so many cattle and possessions that a disturbance broke out.

Genesis 13:6-12, “And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.”

It was blatant materialism that caused Lot to choose the better part of the land for his herd, leaving Abraham the lesser watered land of Canaan. We all know the rest of the story. God blessed Abraham for his unselfish spirit and his obedience. Lot was cursed for his devotion to material things.

Another classic example of all time was the attitude of the children of Israel in their wilderness wanderings. God, through Moses, had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. Once they were in the wilderness they forgot all about what God had done for them. They even forgot about their slavery, but instead they remembered only the food they left behind in Egypt.

Numbers 11:4-6, “And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.”

God’s people couldn’t appreciate their blessings in being free and in having manna from God. They could remember what they ate while they were slaves in Egypt. They would have gone back into slavery just so they could eat better. Those physical meals meant more to them than serving God. Materialism and idolatry plagued them throughout their wilderness journey.

But next, we have the story of Ahab who lusted after Naboth’s vineyard. In 1st Kings 21 we read the story of how the king longed to have the vineyard of Naboth. He offered to buy it, but Naboth was not interested in selling it. He told the king, “The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.”

The king was so depressed about Naboth’s refusal that the scripture tells us he went home, laid down on his bed and pouted like a child, refusing to eat. He was so upset that he couldn’t have what he wanted, he couldn’t even eat.

Enter wife Jezebel, a name forever more synonymous with wickedness. She concocted a plan to have Naboth killed, arranging for the two men of Belial to be false witnesses against Naboth for blaspheming God and the king. As a result of these false accusers the nobles of the city “carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.”

Ahab went down to the vineyard of Naboth and took it for his own. The evil king and his wife demonstrate the ultimate evil that materialism can cause.

There are New Testament examples of materialism, too. Normally we focus on other issues and problems in the story of Ananias and Sapphira, but materialism was the principle problem in their life. The story is recorded for us in Acts 5. Other saints were selling their possessions and bringing the money at the apostles’ feet for distribution to the needy saints. Luke records that this couple also sold some land. Nothing required them to do that, but I’m sure seeing the sacrificial spirit of those around them caused them to seek glory for themselves instead of seeking glory for God.

The scripture says they brought the money to the apostles’ feet and represented it as being the full purchase price of the land they sold. We read of the confrontation in Acts 5:1-11, “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.  But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?  Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.  And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.  And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.  And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.  And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.  Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.  Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.  And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.”

From doctor Luke’s account it is clear to see the high price this couple paid for materialism. It makes a person wonder what prices might be paid by some couples today if the apostles were present with this same power to execute God’s will immediately.

Consider Simon, the former sorcerer of Samaria, who believed and was baptized. Upon being obedient to the gospel he saw the power of the apostles to transmit the Holy Spirit to others and he fell back to his old ways. He wanted that power for himself.

Acts 8:18-24, “And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.  For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.  Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.”

Simon, like other Samaritans, had obeyed the gospel, but his old propensity for materialism caused him to desire the apostles’ power. He had to repent and pray (and be prayed for) so he could renew himself before God.

In the first 3 chapters of the Revelation we learn a lot about what Jesus had to say about the 7 churches of Asia, not the least of which involves the church of the Laodiceans. This entire church was given over to materialism. John was instructed to write the following words in Revelation 3:14-18, “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.”

We’ve heard sermons against being lukewarm, but what caused the lukewarmness of the Laodiceans? The reason was that they put their trust in worldly riches and possessions rather than in heavenly riches and spiritual living. They were blinded to their spiritual condition because of their quest for material things.

Some of the most direct teaching of the Bible has to do with the seeking of material wealth. For instance, Jesus gives us an account of the rich fool who had so many goods that his barns couldn’t hold it all. The parable is recorded in Luke 12:16-21, “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

It was after this parable that Jesus instructed his disciples to take no thought for their life, for what they’d eat or wear. Life, He told them, is more than meat and the body is more than what you wear. Luke 12:29-34, “And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.  For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.  But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Jesus told another story about the rich man and Lazarus. What was the problem of the rich man? Clearly it was materialism because he was completely blinded to the needs of Lazarus. The Lord says that the certain rich man was clothed in purple and fine linen and he fared sumptuously every day. There was also a beggar named Lazarus who lay at the gate of the rich man. He was full of sores and desired to only have the crumbs from the rich man’s table. They both died. Lazarus was comforted, but the rich man was tormented. When the rich man appealed to father Abraham to send Lazarus to him for relief, Abraham responded in Luke 16:25-26, “But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.”

Materialism caused the rich man to forfeit his own soul.

Consider the rich young ruler in Luke 18. Until he encountered Christ he figured he’d done pretty well in living right, but materialism and placing other things before godly living were too much of a sacrifice for him.

God gave counsel to those who trusted in wealth. If anybody knew anything about the emptiness of uncertain riches it would have been David. In Psalms 49:6-7 David wrote, “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:”

David’s own son, Solomon, was probably the wealthiest man of his day, but in Proverbs 23:4-5 he put it this way, “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”

Time and again we read in scriptures the warnings of seeking material wealth, but there are other things that directly speak to a quest for material things that can stand in our way of service to God. Jobs and careers can be so consuming that we have no time for God and the things that matter most. The desire to have newer, bigger things causes many Christians to devote themselves to jobs so they can fulfill their material desires. Quite frequently those desires supersede their spiritual desires. When something has to give, too often it’s their service to church and those things that are spiritual.

The writer of Ecclesiastes said, “Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full of travail and vexation of the spirit…there is no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches.”

Focus is what many Christians lack in their service to God. They neglect God in order to possess things they can see, touch and possess. They fail to serve God as they should and sacrifice their long-term soul salvation for temporary, earthly material things. We’ve examined case after case where this was the effect of materialism. We can’t find a single story in the Bible where a person got away with placing emphasis on pleasure, wealth, fame or power. We can’t serve any of these things and live a successful Christian life.

God’s people have always been known as a simple people who were sojourning here. Described as pilgrims and strangers we should not seek to make this world our final home, but many of God’s people are more devoted to jobs, money and things than they are the church. We’re often not pilgrims at all. We’re making ourselves as comfortable as possible, acting as though we’re digging in on the earth for the eternal duration. Yet, the scripture tells us that THIS world will be burned up. God will destroy it with fire. That means everything we call our own will be destroyed with fire. That house or car that we might be so proud of…that new set of golf clubs, or new computer that we longed to possess…they’ll all burn up one day, but your soul will live on.

It may not be worldly possessions that derail us. It might be worldly entertainment. It might be our zest for activities that have nothing to do with God or the Church. It might be fishing, hunting, camping, having fun or constantly seeking some form of entertainment. We live in a world that loves to be entertained. God’s people are at grave risk of becoming like the world in that we have to always find something else fun and interesting. That’s the lure of the world. Nothing is ever enough. We’re never full. That’s because we’re spending too much time in things that don’t matter. And when it’s all said and done, we’ve often said more than we’ve done for the Lord. We’ve neglected Bible study. We may have neglected worship services. We’ve neglected to busy ourselves with work for the congregation.

Materialism is the ungodly focus on anything that is not eternal. It’s a loss of spiritual priorities. Holding a job, enjoying recreation or sport, improving our financial position…these are not sinful actions, but they can be. We cannot afford to permit anything to stand in the way of our FAITHFUL service to God through the Church. Giving God the scraps of our life won’t help us reach heaven.

We all understand that our souls will live on beyond this physical body. We know our souls will enter eternity. The question is WHERE? (What are we doing to get ready? What are we doing to get others ready?)

Paul’s summary of this topic to Timothy is found 1 Timothy 6:6-11, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”

Paul’s admonition to the Philippians was to let their hearts dwell and yearn for spiritual things instead of material things. Philippians 4:8-9, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”

Do you think about how you can improve your spiritual man or are you consumed with the payment of your bills so you can own that latest, greatest whatever it is? Do you focus on God’s word or the TV Guide? Do you focus on putting God first or are you too busy searching for fun things to do?

Do you give God your best all the time, even when it’s not convenient…or do you put God and the church on a back burner? What message are you sending to heaven about your affections? What message are you sending your family about the priorities of life? What regrets will you have as you search for an improved lifestyle here? Will you come to realize, like Solomon of old, that all this efforting for worldly stuff is merely vexation of the spirit or will you continue your devotion to those things that can rob you of your most precious possession…your soul?

We all need to heed the warnings of putting too much trust in this life and the things offered here.

Exodus 34:14 “for thou shalt worship no other god: for Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:”

We worship the things that consume us. Our salvation is what should consume us!

JOHN 20:30-31 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

PROV 22:28 “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.”

Isaiah and Micah both reveal that the path of God is the way of divine instruction. That explains why David pleaded with God in the 25th Psalm, verses 24 and 25, “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou [art] the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.”

Perhaps it was the prophet Jeremiah who spoke the most plainly about forsaking the old paths of God. As a spokesman of God he said, “Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways [from] the ancient paths, to walk in paths, [in] a way not cast up; To make their land desolate, [and] a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.” (Jer. 18:15-17)

God pleaded with the people to stay in His paths. “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [therein]. Also I set watchmen over you, [saying], Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.” (Jer. 6:6-7)

For centuries the failure of people to clearly understand Bible authority and the silence of the scriptures have been at the heart of religious rebellion. The lesson is ancient. The burden to teach everyone, including an upcoming generation, remains. And brethren, in too many instances, our homes and congregations have failed to give proper instruction so the Truth can be preserved from generation to generation. In too many cases members of the Lord’s Church have failed to study and apply the scriptures properly.

Deut. 11:19 “And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

197 years ago, on September 7th, 1809, Thomas Campbell read his landmark statement concerning his desire to restore New Testament Christianity. In the opening remarks of his “Declaration and Address”, Campbell used an expression that was first born in the scriptures. “We speak where the bible speaks, and are silent where the bible is silent,” he said.

JOHN 20:30-31 “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

What can we prove, religiously speaking, by the things Jesus did that aren’t recorded? Do you suppose there is anything at all that we can prove by the unrecorded deeds done by Jesus?

There is absolutely nothing we can prove by the things that aren’t recorded. The question of every age seems to be, “Why can’t we do this or that?” You fill in the blank for whatever it is that men want to do. Repeatedly we hear the question, “What’s wrong with it?”

Within the past year I’ve observed disturbing comments made by young people on their blogs – their website diaries, if you will. These young men and women are in our brotherhood. These are not young people who belong to a denomination.

One young lady writes how she can’t figure out why there’s a fuss about young ladies teaching younger children in a group Bible study class at the congregation where she worships. The congregation where she worships fails to comply with God’s pattern for scriptural worship. The congregation maintains they’ll never stop their “group studies” because of all the good they accomplish. Like them, this young lady fails to understand God’s pattern for scriptural worship and God’s plan for the home to teach children.

One young man writes about his love of Texas Hold ‘Em poker and how he’s won hundreds of dollars. He says he knows some don’t approve, but he just doesn’t get it. What he doesn’t get is God’s teaching against covetousness.

One man writes how he sees nothing wrong with celebrating Christmas, having a tree and hanging lights on your house. He fails to understand the influence of pagan ceremonies coupled with the apostate church’s drive to destroy the Gospel of Christ.

Based on the numbers, most people want to fabricate their own religion rather than submit to the commandments of God through Jesus Christ.

COL 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

What is God’s answer to the meaning of His silence? In order to find the answer we need to examine the bible.

First, let’s examine some Old Testament examples. We’ll begin by looking at a scene as the children of Israel are fleeing from the Egyptians. They’re on the banks of the Red Sea and already the moaning has started.

EXO 14:10-14 “And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”

These verses set forth a precedent about the silence of God. Moses instructs them to “stand still” and “hold your peace.” In other words, stand still and shut up.

While they’re waiting for God to break His silence, they have to wait. They weren’t to trudge headlong into any course of action until they learned what God wanted them to do. They couldn’t presume to know the answer. They had to wait for God to provide the answer.

How long were they supposed to wait? Until God spoke on the matter.

Today, we should follow their example. We refuse to do the thing in question without God’s permission. We shouldn’t start practicing something without God’s permission. But, sometimes people figure out what they think is a good, move forward with that idea, then wait to see if anybody raises a stink about it. That’s not how Christians ought to make decisions.

We have God’s complete revelation. There’s no need to wait for God to speak today. We only need to wait until we know what God wants. HEB 1:1-2 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”

If we can’t find the answer in God’s word to authorize a thing, then we must not do it. When God is silent, the answer is simply NO.

Now what happens if we go ahead with a thing while we try to gain an answer from God? Well, we’re acting without permission and we’re not merely waiting. Nor can we be acting in faith. ROM 14:23 tells us that whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

When we go ahead and jump into a thing before we understand what God’s will is we soon forget the need for God’s authority and God’s permission. Every time we disregard God’s authority and His word, we lose a little more patience to find the authority before we proceed. That’s when we get away from God. Eventually we’ll begin to think the thing (whatever it may be) is authorized somewhere in the scriptures. It must be or we wouldn’t be doing it, right?

If we jump headlong into actions that are not God authorized, we’re likely to attempt justification based on our assumptions that they are authorized. Or even more likely, we might assume God really doesn’t care. Some misunderstand the silence of God as God’s indifference. We must be submissive to God’s word, rather than seeking to fulfill our own wishes.

When we look at Exodus 14 we find “why can’t we?” questions being asked by the Israelites. They were in effect saying, “Why can’t we go back to Egypt?” Even though they were slaves, they enjoyed the food of Egypt more than the manna of God. In verse 13, Moses tells them to stand still and wait for God to give them instruction.

EXO 14:15-18 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.”

God gives Moses the answer for His people to move forward. What if no permission had been given? Moses would have kept God’s people on the banks of the Red Sea until they either died or until God intervened in some fashion.

It was God who provided the way for Israel to go. He directed them. The Israelites didn’t have the authority to direct their own steps. The scriptures tell us that it is not in man to direct his own steps. As Christians we allow God to have that dominion over our lives. Otherwise, what does it really mean to be a follower of God if we refuse to truly follow Him. You can’t follow God and refuse to obey His commands.

Another Old Testament example is found in NUM 9:1-14. God’s people are observing the Passover. This Passover brings up a question that Moses must deal with…let’s pick up the story with verse 6.

NUM 9:6-14 “And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the Passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel? And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover unto the LORD. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the Passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the Passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the Passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.”

This is the first Passover since the Exodus. Verse 7 poses the question, “If we’re unclean because we’ve contacted a dead body, can’t we observe?”

Over in Numbers 5:1-4 God had already specified that the unclean were to be excluded. The question is again asked, “Does that mean we can’t observe the Passover?”

Again, the first thing was to wait. Do nothing until God grants permission.
“Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you,” Moses said.

Question: Could they observe the Passover before God spoke? Evidently, they knew better. This very day of the observance was the day the question came up. Moses didn’t tell them, “Just go ahead and participate in the Passover, I’m sure God won’t mind.”

They couldn’t presume to know God’s answer. They couldn’t dive in headlong without knowing what God’s response would be.

In verses 10-12 God gives Moses special provisions for them. Basically, they were given permission to observe the Passover one month later. They could do nothing contrary to God’s original command until God legislated. Now, with God’s authority, they know they can observe the Passover in one month.

What if God hadn’t given them any new instruction? What should they have done then? Every serious Bible student would conclude that the exclusion to participate in the Passover would have remained intact with no other provision.

Let’s examine one more Old Testament example before we move to the NT. This example is found in Deut. chapter 28-30. In these chapters Israel is at the plains of Moab just before entering the land of Canaan. Jehovah told Israel they would be blessed if they’d obey His word. If they refused they’d experience curses and captivity.

The children of Israel knew to obey God. They knew what God had already revealed to them. Moses told them, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.” (Deut. 29:29)

What Moses said centuries ago is still relevant and true. The secret or silent things provide no instruction for action on our part…any more than they did for the children of Israel waiting to enter the land of Canaan. The revealed things of God belong to us and are useful for our lives.

God told Israel, “Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.” (Deut. 12:32)

The problem is that some men fail to realize that God created this principle. Man didn’t create it.

Let’s move to the New Testament and find more examples.

Go back almost 200 years to the statement made by Thomas Campbell to speak where the bible speaks and remain silent where the bible is silent. This wasn’t some new, original idea on Campbell’s part. It was bold perhaps, but unoriginal.

Mr. Campbell uttered these words at a private meeting in a home, to a group of people considering a return back to the scriptures. Needless to say, a hush fell over the room. Andrew Munro, a Scottish bookseller broke the silence. “Mr. Campbell, if we adopt that as a basis, then there is an end of infant baptism,” said Munro. Campbell’s reply was, “Of course, if infant baptism be not found in the scriptures, we can have nothing to do with it.”

These men realized that silence didn’t authorize action. Only God’s revealed word can do that. The restoration movement was based on this notion, founded in God’s revealed word. If we don’t cling to that Truth then digression is sure to follow.

The Hebrew writer gives us several illustrations to show how we are to react to God’s silence. HEB 1:5 “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?”

No angel had a right to claim to be the Son of God because God had not given the honor to any angel. He gave the honor to Christ and Christ alone. Do you suppose an angel could have assumed to be the Son of God by using the same argument some men today use: He didn’t tell me that I wasn’t the Son of God? That would be ridiculous.

HEB 7:14 “For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.”

The principle of silence is at work again. No tribe, other than Levi, could claim the right to the priesthood because God said nothing regarding priests coming from any other tribe.

In both of these examples God specified. He specified that Jesus was His Son. That excluded all others. God signified that the tribe of Levi had the rights of priesthood in Old Testament days. By specifying that, He excluded all other tribes.

These illustrations show us again the proper principles of bible interpretation. When God is silent we have no right to act!

ACTS 15:24 “Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:”

Luke reveals some men went out from Jerusalem teaching that Gentile converts to Christ had to be circumcised and keep the Old Law. ACTS 15:1 “And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.”

This controversy created quite a stir. The brethren from Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas and certain others to Jerusalem to confront this issue. When the apostles and elders at Jerusalem wrote the letter to the Gentile brethren, they told them there was no such instruction given! They had no authority for what they taught.

This is an important phrase… “To whom we gave no instruction.” The word “instruction” is taken from the Greek word translated “commandment”, “command” or “authorization.” Since no instruction had been given to support these claims, the teachers had no right to teach it. They were false teachers. Silence didn’t authorize them to teach these things. Rather, according to Luke’s narrative, it prohibited it. The apostles didn’t support their “liberty,” as some might call it, to teach this unauthorized doctrine.

1COR 4:6 “And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.”

The ASV renders the verse this way, “Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written…”

Paul applied these things to himself and Apollos. The real problem at Corinth wasn’t over Paul, Apollos or Cephas, but it was over the divisions that had developed with the church. Paul never attempted to get people to be his disciples. Rather he always admonished people to follow him as he followed Christ. These sects in Corinth were headed by some of their own teachers within the congregation. The problem was one of arrogance and superiority displayed by some of these teachers.

In Paul’s second letter, the problem evidently became more severe. Chapters 10-13 of 2 Corinthians deal with this problem. We must never exalt men, not even apostles, above Christ. Those of us who teach or lead must not exalt ourselves, or allow ourselves to be exalted above the apostles or what is written. We have to always be submissive to the authority of God, through His Son Jesus Christ.

Submission is at the heart of this problem. The Corinthian brethren were not in subjection to God’s authority or to apostolic authority granted by God. That got them in trouble. It’ll get us into trouble, too.

Paul plainly warns against going beyond what is written. That same message comes out in 2 JOHN 9 “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.”

John warns us to abide in the doctrine of Christ. If we don’t, we don’t have Christ. The original Greek word for transgression is translated “too far,” and means “to go ahead, to progress.”

Did the Israelites go ahead in a course of action while standing on the banks of the Red Sea? Did they go ahead and allow defiled men to observe the Passover? Did tribes other than Levi go ahead and push themselves into the priesthood? In every case, to go ahead would have meant violation of God’s word.

Guy N. Woods, noted scholar, commented, “Progress is good only when it is in the direction of Christ, and not away from him; and in some matters it is far preferable to be non-progressive, particularly in not going beyond what the Lord has said.”

Authority of the scripture is found in what is said, not in what isn’t said. This principle isn’t difficult for us to understand in everyday life.

When a cooking recipe calls for 6 eggs, we understand that doesn’t mean 4 or 8. We don’t have to be told what it doesn’t mean!

If we happen to get a speeding ticket and the ticket requires our presence before a court we’ll be given a time and a date. We don’t have to be told when not to come because we’ve been told when to come. We know the day and time because they’ve been specified to us.

If our Lord’s Day morning services begin at 10am, we announce that time. People don’t come expecting the services to start at 9 or 11. The time is stated as 10 and that’s what people expect. They understand!

We all understand this concept. But when it comes to God’s word some will handle it more carelessly than they would the directions for a recipe. Certainly the fate of our eternal souls is more important than any cooking project.

Generic authority is another Bible principle that must be understood by the serious Bible student. For instance, a person says, “We don’t have authority for a building, song books, baptisteries, etc.” These things are what we refer to as “generic.” For instance, we are commanded to assemble on the first day of the week. Quite obviously that involves a place. It is expedient that the church have a place to meet and worship. The command is to “sing and make melody in your hearts.” It is expedient that we use a songbook in order to allow everyone to sing together. The songbook does not change the music type. The music is still vocal music. We’re commanded to break bread on the Lord’s Day – that is, to observe the Lord’s Supper. The bread necessitates we use some method of passing it around. We use a plate out of expedience. None of these things alters the command. We still worship, sing and break bread in a scriptural fashion.

If we break out into separate groups to have Bible classes we’ve gone beyond what is written. God’s pattern calls for worship to be done with one single assembly.

If we put a piano into our worship, we’ve gone beyond the music God speaks about. Now we’ve changed the music to a different type of music than God commanded. We’re now performing instrumental music rather than vocal music.

Without God’s authority, we have no authority. There’s plenty to keep us busy in His service. We need to focus on the revealed truth.

DEU 29:29 “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

The principle holds true today. It continues to amaze me that no one, not even the rankest liberal or so-called progressive religious people, condemn our practices as we follow the strictness of the scriptures. Our observance of the Lord’s Supper is unquestionably authorized in the scriptures. Our worship where all saints are assembled together in one place is never condemned. Everybody condones our accapella music. They condemn us not because of our practices, but because of our intolerance for theirs.

Brethren, once again we must affirm — We are the Church you read about in the Bible. We practice what that Church practiced. We believe what they believed. We teach what they were taught.  We are the Lord’s Church and the gospel is fit for modern man as it was fit for 1st century men. Only men have changed. Not God. Not His Word. Not the Church that Jesus established.

ROM 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

– from a sermon delivered at Fossil Creek on Sunday, December 17th, 2006

Mt 20:1-8 “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a shilling a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle; and to them he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard. And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.”  (ASV)

Mt 21:28 “But what think ye? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in the vineyard.” (ASV)

Throughout the New Testament the nature and work of the Church is depicted as a vineyard. Of course, this isn’t the only picture painted for us about the Church. The Church is also referred to as the bride of Christ or “God’s husbandry.”

1 Corinthians 3:9  “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.”

This is the only instance in the New Testament where the term “husbandry” is found, but the scriptures have many references to it. From the creation God has been a husbandman. God has had three vineyards. The first was in the Garden of Eden where God supplied all the needs of man, but was betrayed by man’s disobedience. The second vineyard was planted with Israel. God took them out of Egypt, drove the Canaanites from the land of Promise and planted His people in a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, of olive trees and honey. He protected this vineyard with the Law of Moses, but according to Isaiah, this vineyard (Israel) brought forth wild grapes.

Isaiah 5:2-7  “And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.”

The third and final vineyard of God is the Church. Like Israel of old, the Church is protected by the Lord. The future of the Church in our generation depends on our ability to provide the Lord with something other than wild grapes.

The traditional meaning of the word “husbandry” is “field, orchard.” In the New Testament Thayer refers to it as a “cultivated field.”

The prophet Isaiah give us a beautiful description.

Isaiah 5:1, 2  “Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.”

Level ground was used for oats and other grains, but the hills were used for vineyards. Isaiah depicts careful preparation of the ground. Rocks were removed and a hedge was built for protection from the foxes that would destroy the vineyard. Wild pigs and thieves were also threats to the vineyards. God planted the choicest vines. No mediocre vines are planted by God. Verse 3 of Isaiah 5 says He built a tower in the midst of it. These towers were built of stone and provided a place where guardians could be on watch for any threats to the vineyard. The winepress was hewn out of a rock in the vineyard. The winepress was usually composed of two depressions, one deeper than the other. People’s feet would tread out the juice in one depression and the juice would flow into the deeper depression. According to Jeremiah this process would normally be accompanied by shouts of joy. The harvest was the result of great labor.

Solomon made this statement.

Proverbs 24:30, 31 “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.”

These verses show us the real need to maintain the wall around the vineyard and to keep the vineyard free of thorns. The work of growing a successful vineyard demanded skill, which required preparation and constant vigilance.

The care of the vineyard also required pruning off every useless branch. This allowed the sap to flow to the healthy branches that would bear fruit. Christ emphasized this process in John 15:1, 2:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

Sometimes the land owner would care for his own vineyard and other times, he’d hire it done. We read about the story of Matthew 20 where laborers were hired.

Matthew 20:1  “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.”

God chose to give us a number of descriptive titles to His Church. Each one is significant and meaningful. Two of these are “husbandry” and “vineyard.” God owns the vineyard and that fact is very relevant to our study. It’s God’s land that we till. The church at Corinth was the husbandry where God had worked to produce fruit. God shows pleasure in looking at the church as His own people. The seed belongs to God. The Truth and wisdom belong to God. The purpose also belongs to God. “Ye are God’s husbandry.” Even the workers belong to God.

God is uniquely qualified to be the husbandman. According to the Genesis record He created us in His own image. He knows our spiritual needs. He knows what we can accomplish.

Secondly, He has all the tools necessary to enable His vineyard to bear the fruits of the Spirit. The environment where men live is ideal to bearing fruit. The seed of the kingdom, the Word of God, helps every Christian become “perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17). In addition, the love of God and the love of Christ serve as sufficient motivation to enable Christians to be “more than conquerors.”

Romans 8:33-39  “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Thirdly, God commands all of the other elements that enable the vineyard to yield good fruit. The Church belongs to God. The Church exists for God’s glory and it wears His name according to Romans 16, Acts 4 and Acts 20.

Let’s go back to Paul’s reference to God’s husbandry in 1 Cor. 3:9. It’s necessary for us to understand a little background first. The tendency among the Greeks toward factions threatened to fracture the congregation at Corinth. Each party had their favorite leader. They were bragging and arguing, not behavior suited for Christians. In verse 4 of 1 Cor. 3 Paul made mention of this. “For when one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not men?” Well, they certainly weren’t acting like men. They were acting like kids who can’t get along. Paul characterized them as being carnal, still babes in Christ. He was afraid to feed them meat for fear they’d choke. They were being guided by human passions and emotions.

To remedy this problem, Paul insisted on unity. God is what matters. The work of men, while important, pales in comparison to God’s work. None of us follow men, except as those men follow God.

Christians labor in the vineyard. We have work to accomplish in the Church. That work is done at the local congregation. God has never left us without work to get done. Even in Eden, Adam and Eve were commanded to “dress and to keep” the garden (Gen. 2:15). Every Christian lives to promote the welfare of the kingdom of God and to work in the vineyard, to bear fruit. Our work is vital. Without work we can’t be deemed worthy of hire.

Each person’s work is varied. Some plant. Some water. The work is so varied that all our talents can be put to good use. And every sphere of work is important. No task is safe to remain undone. And no work is more honorable than our work in God’s vineyard.

The fact is the place of work is the vineyard. God’s husbandry teaches that one must be in Christ’s church to be saved. The householder hired “laborers into his vineyard” in Matt. 20. Salvation is found in the Church according to 2 Thess. 2:14.

“Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Christ is the Savior of the body according to Eph. 5:23.

“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.”

The saved are added to the Church according to Acts 2:47.

“Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

And we’re to glorify God in the Church according to Eph. 3:21.

“Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

God won’t reward anybody who labors in some other vineyard! That’s why we continue to encourage people to enter the vineyard of the Lord. We encourage and train our children to obey the gospel at an early age. We encourage people of all ages to obey and join in the work. The parable of Matthew 20 teaches that the reward to the early hire is the same as the reward of the late hire. The point is to be hired and enter the work so we can receive the reward of heaven.

In the husbandry of God there are various duties. 1 Corinthians 3:8, 9  “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.”

Paul and Apollos were fellow-laborers in God’s employ. They each contributed in their own way to the success of the vineyard. Today, we’re fellow workers with other Christians after we obey the Truth of God’s Word.

3rd John 8  “We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.”

The apostles went forth and preached everywhere, but the Lord was working with them according to Mark 16:20:

“And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”

Our roles are not the same. Women and men have different God-given roles. Public teachers have a role that is not to be taken lightly according to James 3. Song leaders have a role to play. Young and old alike bear responsibilities of work, but the work varies. Elders bear the responsibility of leadership while deacons and others bear the responsibility to follow that leadership.

In all, unity, good will and peace are to prevail. Corinth serves as a pattern of what NOT to be as a congregation.

In building Solomon’s temple, seventy thousand men hauled material; eighty thousand men hewed stones and wood in the remote mountains and a few men worked in gold, brass, silver and linen. Some areas of service might have been more enviable than others, but each area was indispensable. The temple was completed because each person contributed what they could.

We are also God’s fellow-workers. We’re in a divine partnership with God because it’s His Church, His husbandry. This is a unique relationship that we have with the creator of the universe. We can’t be like Corinth. We have to be properly joined to God with reverence for who He is and the work He has commanded. God permits us to work with Him, but He still owns us and the vineyard.

There is no room for false pride or vanity. Moses tried to take matters into his own hands when he killed the Egyptian and fled to Midian. It would take God another 40 years to teach Moses and the people of Israel that they needed God. God was able to use Gideon because Gideon realized his dependence on God. He was least in his father’s house and his family was among the poorest in Manasseh, but God needed him. God could use Isaiah because he was devout to follow God. All these, and many others, were worthy to work with God because they had faith to live for Him.

Today, God works through Christians. His word brings our lives into compliance with what He wants. By our work and conduct God is able to save the world. We take the Word of God to others. God transforms our weaknesses into strength.

No worker can please the Master if he doesn’t do what the Master commands. But we must do more than work. We must be willing to suffer. 1 Peter 4:16  “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”

The true gardener is willing to endure sweat and pain. The true worker is willing to submit to God’s will by obeying the doctrine of the New Testament. We don’t tamper with God’s Word. Paul nor Apollos had the authority to alter it and neither do we. Faithful servants speak as the oracles of God according to 1 Peter 4:11:

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

True servants in the vineyard don’t add to or take away from the Word of God.

Revelation 22:18, 19  “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

We don’t water down the Truth in an attempt to make it more palatable. The Master dictates the doctrine. The Master dictates the work. God has always worked and He’s still working today. God created heaven and earth. He created man. When man sinned, God promised salvation through Christ. Born of a virgin, sinless throughout His life, crucified on the cross, buried and resurrected, then ascended to the right hand of God, Christ became the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. His shed blood purchased the Church. The Holy Spirit revealed the Word, which is the sword of the Spirit. The Word is the power to save the souls of men. Through the Word God gives man peace, hope, wisdom, salvation and all other spiritual blessings.

We do the work of God because one day the harvest will be gathered.

John 15:8  “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

God’s people, Christians, are assured of victory and success! We’re working with and for God. He’s going to win in the end. Nothing can prevail against Him or His Church. Matthew 16:18  “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

God’s word will endure. 1 Peter 1:24, 25  “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

Our effort and determination to do God’s work are very important. Some may spend more time in the vineyard than others. Some are hired (through their obedience) early in their life. Others arrive late. The important thing is that hire in to work in the Lord’s vineyard and that we give it our all.

Study of the vineyard is important because it’s where our work happens. Our place in the vineyard determines our salvation. Every person’s work in the vineyard is varied, but all the work matters. We can engage in no greater work than the Lord’s work. Our work matters only if we’re working in the Lord’s vineyard. According to Hebrews 3 we ought to enter the vineyard of the Lord as soon as possible. We ought to do it TODAY. God gives the increase. We have nothing in which to glory, except the cross of Christ. We’re God’s instruments in carrying forth the gospel. The gospel is the powerful instrument whereby men can be saved. Our character, methods and doctrine have to be what God wants. He owns the vineyard. He sets the rules that govern the vineyard.

2 Peter 3:16  “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

1 Corinthians 15:58  “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

We enter the Lord’s vineyard by hearing the word of God.

Romans 10:17  “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

We believe according to Hebrews 11:6  “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

We repent of our sins. Luke 13:3  “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

We confess the name of Jesus Christ in front of men. Romans 10:10  “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

We’re baptized for the remission of our sins into Christ. Galatians 3:26, 27  “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

The future of the vineyard depends on YOU and me and the work we accomplish within the local congregation.

This article appeared in the monthly publication of “Footprints of Jesus” produced by the Sharonville Church of Christ in Sharonville, OH (Cincinnati area). Barney has expressed a sentiment widely found across our brotherhood. He takes a unique approach to shed light on the perils of avoiding controversy. Click here to view or download the pdf of the original document. It appears without editing, as it was originally published.

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