Understanding

Hebrews 4: True Rest and the Word of God

 

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Heb. 4:12-13)

“…his sight…” …the eyes of him…” Jews in the time in which Hebrews was written understood “the word of god” (Devar HaElohim) to be a name for Jesus[RM1] . They also had the understanding that the word of God encompassed all of God’s revelation and instruction, which would include the Holy Scriptures. So we have in this passage the “word of God” being Christ Himself, and the “word of God” as His written revelation.

In any case and in either case, Hebrews 4:12-13 is about Jesus. See also:

http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/hebrews-4-12.html

We might paraphrase the passage as follows: Jesus Christ is alive and active, resurrected and at the Father’s right hand. Christ, both directly and through His written revelation, is able to divide and separate the natural man from the spiritual man, the fallen man from the pardoned and justified man; He sees deeply, down into the inner thoughts, motivations and intentions of a person. No one hides from Him, for He is omniscient, and the plain truth about a person is laid open and obvious before Him. Everyone will therefore give a complete account to Him when all is said and done (See Revelation.)

Many – including many professing Christians – would find their blood pressure going up right about now. “How can I ever survive giving a complete account of my life to Jesus? There are so many sins, every day, and He will see all of that and I will be evaporated or sent straight to hell…”

This is an appropriate response for an unbeliever, or for a “nominal” Christian (a Christian in name and outward church-ianity only), but not for a person whose faith and trust are in Christ and the Gospel. For them, the Gospel of Christ offers complete rest from all such insecurity. There is ultimate rest available from the sins of the past, present and future, and from mortal fear of condemnation and judgment.

Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life are justified in Christ - their sins are remembered no more. They have entered into God’s rest by grace through faith in Christ.

As Jesus spoke at Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

We know that Jewish Christians in the AD 60’s were surrounded by Greco-Roman (pagan, Hellenistic) culture. Moreover, these Jewish Christians were still in very close quarters and proximity with unbelieving Jews. Separation of Jewish believers and unbelievers had not yet taken its course. Therefore, the pressure on believing Jews to revert back to Judaism and give up their identification with Christ was severe. The passage above (Heb. 4:12-13) is part of several chapters extolling the supremacy and preeminence of Christ and calling Jewish converts and seekers to persist and persevere in their Christian faith and to resist the pressure to run back into the arms of the culture around them.

Like our early Jewish brothers and sisters, we are subject to tremendous social and cultural pressure to play church, “act” like believers, and not hold fully to the faith of the apostles and the Gospel of Christ. Having one foot in the faith and the other foot in the world which hates and despises the faith, is anything but “restful.” It is, in fact, full of contradiction, frustration, uncertainty, insecurity, condemnation, and the ever-present danger of apostasy, backsliding, and failure to come to a full, trusting, saving, restful faith in Christ and the Gospel.

We are called by the writer of Hebrews to fully enter the “Sabbath rest” spoken of in Hebrews chapter 4. He calls on us to enter eternal rest from our work (v.10), which cannot save us by any means, and from strife and condemnation; such a rest comes only by grace through faith that endures. We must give each other continuous, repetitive encouragement, teaching and reminding one another of the Gospel and the key doctrines of the faith.

Therefore, In order to remain in the faith and thereby in God’s rest, we need to be continuously steeped and trained in the scriptures. The Scriptures contain God’s revelation of Truth and all we need for life and growth in Him. Our sanctification depends upon our continuous growth in the Scriptures.  

How do we know sanctification comes through the word of God, that is, through Jesus Christ and the Scriptures? We can take that up with Jesus, who prayed to the Father: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

---

 [RM1]

Hebrews 2: How Shall We Escape?

 

Heb. 2:1-3 – “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?”

What the writer of Hebrews is NOT saying here is that if we neglect our salvation by committing any transgression or by engaging in any disobedience, we will not escape the just retribution of death and hell. He is also not saying that if we “drift away” by committing any disobedience or transgression, then our bad behavior will cause us to lose our salvation.

Death and hell is not the subject of the passage, or even the book. Losing our salvation by sinning is not being discussed here. The danger and of neglecting the Gospel and not holding to faith in Christ, who saves us from our sin and transgression, is the topic.  

The overall subject here is that the believers to whom the book was written (and by extension, believers today) must not turn away from / ignore / despise / lose hold of / stop affirming the Gospel of Christ, and pay “closer attention to what we have heard” (the Gospel of Christ). The motif by which this argument is developed is comparison of Christ to all other messengers – e.g., angels, priests and prophets, and to the inferior Mosaic system of sin and sacrifice.

The writer of Hebrews explains that since the “message declared by the angels” (the Gospel of Christ) is true and reliable, and since every transgression of the Law and every disobedience of the word of God resulted (under the Mosaic Law) in just retribution (brought deserved punishment), how do we think we will suddenly escape that just punishment if we neglect the Gospel of Christ and the salvation which comes through faith in the Gospel and in Christ, in whom salvation and escape is given?

In effect, the writer of Hebrews is saying: What makes you think that if you do not hold your faith and confession in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and in His work of salvation, you will escape the punishment that no one before you has ever escaped?

We remember that this book was written to Jews having a deep and abiding understanding of the Mosaic Law, and of sin and judgment, and of sacrifices which never completely removed sin and its consequences. They understood the Septuagint (Old Testament in Greek which was their “Bible”), along with the history and legacy of angels, prophets and priests. Consequently, the writer of Hebrews uses these extensively throughout in order to compare and contrast Christ and the way of salvation through faith in Him, against the Old Covenant and its Law and dependence upon obedience and avoiding transgressions.

It is ironic and tragic that some teachers draw legalistic messages from a passage such as Hebrews 2:1-3, supposing that the writer is exhorting believers to cease all transgression and disobedience or else. Such teachers will likely bristle at what I am writing now, because they would tend to be quite offended at my supposedly being soft on sin and disobedience. To such a charge I make the following observations:

1. Avoiding sin and disobedience is a valid, important part of the Christian life of faith expressed in practice, and I am not “soft” on it. Neither am I about to place it ahead of the Gospel of Christ. Though sanctification is of huge importance in the Christian life, we are not saved from death and hell by being sanctified – rather we are sanctified after we are saved from death and hell, by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Perseverance in faith and in the Gospel is ongoing and of first importance; it is never to be set aside, taken for granted, or assumed and ignored;

2. Avoiding sin and disobedience is not a condition of salvation. The only conditions of salvation we can meet are being lost in sin and knowing it, and coming to faith in Christ and in the salvation which He freely offers, otherwise known as believing in Christ and the Gospel as revealed in His word. Avoiding sin and disobedience is a natural result and not the cause of faith and salvation;

‘3. In Hebrews 2:1-3, notice that the term “such a great salvation” links to “the message,” rather than to disobedience and transgression. The results of sin and disobedience (punishment, just retribution) are what we are SAVED FROM, through faith in the message of the Gospel. If we neglect that Gospel, and that message, and thus are not in faith and not in Christ, then how would we ever think we would escape the punishment that no one before us has escaped – that is, the punishment of death, hell, and separation from God?

‘4. Once a person is converted to saving faith in Christ, the earnest pursuit of progressive sanctification – that is, the pursuit of growth in Christ, increasing personal holiness and righteousness – is the correct pursuit in which to engage. Faith, in fact, brings such pursuit, along with feelings of conviction when we fall short and guidance of the Holy Spirit along the way. However, that is not the topic the writer of Hebrews addresses here. Rather he is addressing the superiority of Christ and the Gospel over all other persons and all other systems and covenants, demonstrating that since Christ and His salvation takes precedence over every other affirmation, we must have faith in Christ and the Gospel in order to escape just punishment for our transgressions and disobedience. We must not neglect the message of the Gospel, not for a minute.

All of this quite simply and directly affirms the fact that Christians are saved by grace through faith, and not by any works, lest anyone should boast in their own supposed righteousness. Since we are saved by faith and not by works, it is supremely important that we pay constant attention to the Gospel and have abiding faith in Christ and “such a great salvation,” rather than bypass the message in favor of our own works, as though they have the power to somehow cause or secure our escape from just retribution and punishment.  

Introduction and Background: The Book of Hebrews

Author, Addressees and Dating - The Book of Hebrews was most likely written between 61-67 CE. The author is not identified, neither are the specific addressees. This seems to remove this book from the strict category of a “letter.” In fact, it reads more like an essay or a sermon.

Candidates for authorship most often advanced are Paul, Apollos, Barnabas, Silas, Philip, Aquila, or Priscilla. An early Church father, Clement of Rome, quoted from the Book of Hebrews in his writings dated AD 95, and given acceptance of the Book of Hebrews by the early Church, there is no doubt that it is “apostolic” – that is, it was certainly written either by a direct apostle of Christ or by a close colleague or disciple thereof. All the above names meet this test, and they are all Jews, which would also seem to satisfy a probable and rather obvious condition of authorship.

Purpose - The original purpose of the Book of Hebrews was to exhort and encourage mid-1^st century Jewish believers to persevere in the Christian faith, in the face of crushing pressure to recant faith in Christ and revert to (or remain in) the Jewish system, with its various laws, rites and authorities.

It may be difficult for 21^st century Americans, living in a pluralistic and relatively shameless “it’s all good” culture, to imagine the pressures of an honor/shame system such as early Jewish Christians faced. Judgment and disapproval from family and community were harsh and excruciating, and at the time the book was written, terrible persecutions and martyrdom at the hands of the Roman governments were either beginning or well under way. The writer of Hebrews sought to present a strong, compelling case, in the face of such pressure and persecution, for the new and superior Covenant of Christ, and against reverting to (or remaining under) the old, more politically acceptable, Mosaic covenant and religious system. In other words, the Book of Hebrews is a call to perseverance in New Covenant doctrine and truth, and in Jesus Christ as Lord, Savior and King, whatever the temporal cost.

It should be mentioned here that in our modern culture, there is a significant amount of cultural pressure against the Christian faith, especially against any outward, Christian professions and demonstrations This does create a modern cultural platform or foundation upon which today’s Christian believers can find traction, context and understanding in the Book of Hebrews.

Difficulty – In today’s Church, Hebrews must be one of the least read, least studied, and therefore seemingly least valued books of the New Testament. Like Romans, it is more often used for lifting isolated verses out of context, and for “proof texting,” than for its fuller, richer context and purpose. Reasons for this might include (1) Hebrews is perceived as one of the more “difficult” works in the New Testament, perhaps to the extent that many modern believers are just not interested in working through it, or do not believe they can do so; (2) since Hebrews basically was written to Jewish believers, and therefore contains many references to the Old Covenant system, modern Christian congregations might not think they can relate to it as readily as other books; and (3) when it is read piecemeal, out of context of itself and the rest of the Bible, Hebrews can (falsely) appear to contain confusing or even contradictory passages that can disturb or frustrate the casual reader. 

Key verses:

Heb. 1:1-2 – “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Jesus is immeasurably superior to Old Testament prophets.)

Heb. 4:14-16 – “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Jesus is superior to all human priests; Jesus, the righteous and merciful, beckons us to His throne of grace. We can approach with confidence in His great mercy and grace, despite our sin; it is so important for us to “hold fast” our confession of faith.)

Heb. 11:1 – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Faith in Christ is a step off the edge of all we have previously lived with, seen, and thought we understood. Faith is embracing the new and stepping away from the old. We may want to reach backwards and grab for what we think we have seen, and for what is familiar and feels more tangible, and for the Jewish readers of Hebrews, this would mean Judaism with its customs, laws and expectations; but faith in Christ and the Gospel are worth pressing on for.)

Heb. 12:1-2 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Since Jesus is superior in every possible way to the old system of laws and rituals, and since faith in God is superior to works, we have every reason to put our complete faith in Christ, laying our favorite sins and traditions aside, and persevering in the New Covenant of grace through faith in the Lord Jesus.)

Context and Relevance - Hebrews seems to have been written to people who had been believers for some time (Heb. 5:11-14.) It seems also to have been intended for a congregation of Jewish believers, possibly in Rome or in Jerusalem, and the recipients very likely included some who had been converted from paganism to Judaism prior to professing faith in Christ. Like the rest of the Bible, the letter to the Hebrews was not written “to us,” though it is certainly available to us, and was most definitely intended “for us.”

The Book of Hebrews continually highlights and explains the superiority and preeminence of the New Covenant over the old, of Christ over Moses and the prophets, and of Christ as High Priest over all other priests and priesthoods. These comparisons and contrasts are driven home in order to build and support the over-arching argument that it is fatal to opt for (or revert to) the Old Covenant (and/or Hellenistic paganism) when a vastly superior and eclipsing New Way of Christ has been provided and offered. To its core, Hebrews is both an evangelical message and call to persevering belief and faith in Christ.

Contents for Modern Readers - If the Book of Hebrews was written to 1^st century Jews, then what can we here in the 21^st century hope to gain from it? For one thing, Hebrews is full of rich, informing and inspiring commentary concerning the Old Covenant, the priesthood, and how these have been eclipsed by the New Covenant and by Christ, our High Priest. We can learn much from Hebrews about the superiority of salvation by grace over the Jewish law and the Old Testament sacrificial system, which incidentally never cleansed a sinner, once and for all, from sin (Heb. 10:1-4). We are reminded in Hebrews not to revert back to legalism, or to measuring or obsessing on “our” righteousness more than (or instead of) Christ’s.

We find also in Hebrews a series of five warnings against the dangers of drifting or backsliding. These are:

    1. The danger of drifting (chapter 2)

    2. The danger of not entering into rest (chapters 3-4)

    3. The danger of not going on to maturity (chapters 5-6)

    4. The danger of willful sin (chapter 10), and

    5. The danger of indifference to the point of denial (chapter 12)

In addition, in Hebrews chapter 11, we find the so-called “Hall of Fame” of faith – a list of Old Testament figures who demonstrated faith in God and in His promises. This is meant to emphasize the supremacy of faith over works as a basis for salvation, and to stress that righteousness by faith is not a brand new principle of the 1st century.

Perhaps most striking of all, we find throughout the Book of Hebrews a wonderfully drawn portrait of the Lord Jesus Christ, presented here in a unique and very powerful way. The entire message and argument of Hebrews, in fact, rests entirely upon the magnificence, superiority and preeminence of Christ. Ironically, the Jewish Messiah is “read back into” the lives of Jews who had made at least a tentative decision to believe in Him. The first four chapters of Hebrews is an absolutely magnificent description of the marvelous and matchless Christ, without who there would obviously be no reason to speak of grace and mercy over works, law and judgment. 

Titus 3: Self Control & Good Works

“Self-control” was the key theme (repeated several times) in chapter 2. "Good works" (mentioned three times here in chapter 3) is now the keynote and must be defined. Peacefulness, obedience to rulers, courteousness, forbearance in speaking evil against people even if they persecute us, not hating or despising others, and not engaging in malice, envy, griping and self-righteous complaining are key parts of the definition expounded here by Paul.

What is the connection between self-control and good works? Is there a connection?

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, TO BE READY for every good work…” (Titus 3:1)

Paul wants us to be READY for every good work. What does he mean by that?

Gripes & Moans - I hear frequent griping about all sorts of things – unjust and inept politicians, the gay agenda, the “wealthy,” atheists, cults, corporations, and anyone else we resent. I hear moaning and groaning about leaders abandoning and desecrating our "Christian nation" and forsaking “Christian values.” I not only hear these gripes, I sometimes engage in them myself. I am sure some of you have heard (and spewed) them as well. We imagine they make us sound smart and cause others to think as we think (God help us and them!) really, all they make us sound (and feel) like are victims, which if we belong to Christ we cannot possibly be.

These complaints are not "good works," but the very lack of self-control Paul warns against and instructs Timothy to preach and teach against. I believe the attitude that produces all this bile is the very opposite of “being ready” for good works.

The early Christians were sorely hated and persecuted, and they had more reason than us for bitterness and complaining. But those who deeply know the grace of God have no need for such rantings. They do not fit us. They no longer match who we are in Christ. Many early believers went to torture and execution (at the hands of godless tormentors) with triumph and without complaint, having learned "submission" and "obedience." This fact ought to make us think hard about our attitudes and self-control.

Who are we in Christ? - Catch the shift between verses 3 and 4 - all the "being hated and hating one another" was BEFORE conversion, and does not speak of saved Christians. In other words, it seems Paul is saying to Titus, "Teach them that all the sniping and complaining and griping and moaning and being hated and hating others was life BEFORE they received the grace of Christ. Now they need to stop all those things which the Cretans (Americans?) all around them are still doing. They need to come out from all that negativity and griping and being hated and hating."

"...not because of works done by us in righteousness..."

After all, the mythical goodness and righteousness we seem to expect from others (including the unregenerate!) is certainly not anything we ourselves brought to the table. To gripe and moan about how bad and careless everyone else is amounts to nothing but hypocrisy. If we are in Christ, we need to stop acting like we are not, stop thinking of ourselves as victims of anybody or anything, and stop talking like that is what we are.

Blood & Turnips - "Good works" start inside with who we are in and because of Christ. Good works must come out of good thinking and a good attitude and a “saved by grace alone” presence of mind. As Paul wrote (Titus 3:1) “…BE READY FOR every good work.”

The old saying goes, “You can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip.” If were thinking clearly about our situation, all the worldly griping and all the victim mentality would stop completely. Maybe then “good works” could emerge more freely. It seems pretty obvious they won’t emerge from a discontented, victimized attitude that is no different than before we were saved. That kind of attitude and action is not “ready” for good works.

What attitude and mindset is going to produce "good works?" The one Paul advocates? The one that recognizes our own salvation by grace and not by anything we brought to the table? Or the one we find by switching on any television news or talk station, visiting any water cooler, or getting sucked into any mindless gripe session with unbelievers or with believers whose attitudes and self-image do not match the reality of their own salvation?

Let’s locate and exercise self-control in our thinking and in our attitudes, from which good works can come.

I am talking to myself here, believe me. God help me to grow up, think, believe, and walk in the reality of your grace.

Titus 1-2: Church Leadership – What’s Required, Character or Knowledge?

In Titus chapter 1, we found qualifications for elders (“overseers”) in the Cretan church. Note that these leadership positions are roughly comparable to those of smaller local churches, especially “house churches,” in our day. Titus 1:5-9 lays out some very ambitious character requirements. In Titus chapter 2, Paul exhorts Pastor Titus to stay focused on the teaching of sound doctrine. I believe it is good to consider these instructions of Titus chapters 1 and 2 together.

I have heard numerous times that “character” is far more important than “skills” when it comes to qualifications of an elder (overseer, pastor, or teacher). Such a statement can be misleading, in that it implies that character is important but skills and knowledge are not. It is more accurate to say that character precedes, produces and protects necessary skills and knowledge, because character AND skills are both vitally important for church leadership. In fact, skills and knowledge are often the very means by which God brings blessings and favor upon His people. Poor character can negate or unwind those blessings.

Paul writes that an elder (pastor, overseer, bishop) “…must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” In other words, an elder is to be knowledgeable in the word of God and teach it faithfully, consistently and correctly, giving instruction in sound apostolic (Biblical) doctrine. He must rightly rebuke any who teach or insinuate falsely. By implication, he must grasp salvation by grace alone through faith alone, and the reality of our justification by the external, completed work of Christ. He must understand what the Gospel is, and not obscure it with other things. These qualifications definitely require knowledge and skill, as well as character.

Pastors and elders should be known as those who teach sound doctrine from the Scriptures and who relentlessly protect that sound teaching from any off-beat and erroneous notions coming in from anywhere, including from each other.

So, according to Paul, elders are not ONLY pillars of character, integrity, godliness, holiness, humility, self control, etc., they are ALSO effective teachers with solid, confident knowledge of apostolic/Biblical doctrines and sharp minds by which to discern and refute false teaching. Paul elaborates on the importance of these skills in Titus 1:10-16. 

The point is NOT that one must meet all these qualifications to be a Christian. Paul is not writing about Christian conversion. All we contribute to our own conversion is sin, and what it takes to be a Christian is faith in Christ, itself the gift of God. Paul is writing to encourage and instruct Pastor Titus in the qualities and characteristics of candidates for specified leadership positions in the Church, not how to be a Christian. We can nevertheless acknowledge that growth in Christ (sanctification following conversion) leads in the general direction of the Godly qualities and attributes listed by Paul.  

Application - We can easily identify at least seven key action items:

1. We must pray diligently for our leaders, asking God to uphold them by His grace and by the word and Spirit, without which neither they nor we could ever qualify for church leadership of any kind whatsoever.

2. It follows that we should know our elders (including our pastors) and what their assigned roles and responsibilities are as leaders in the Church, so we can pray with understanding.

3. We should engage with our elders in a proactive, supportive way and with an encouraging spirit, realizing that as they take their responsibilities seriously they will be pressed a good deal of the time.

4. We should learn from elders (overseers, pastors) under proper submission to their knowledge, station and teaching authority.

5. When it comes to Biblical understanding and purity of doctrine, we should strive to be the solution rather than the problem. That means we should take Bible study and the knowledge of correct Christian doctrines and teachings very seriously.

6. We need to recognize that no elder is perfect, and this should send us straight to…

7. Go back to number one! 

 

.

Introduction: Paul's Letter to Titus

Paul’s letter to Titus is one of three “pastoral epistles,” along with 1st & 2nd Timothy. The recipient of the letter, Titus, a Greek Gentile, was one of Paul’s earlier converts. We know this because Titus accompanied Paul to Jerusalem (c. 49 CE) for the first recorded church council meeting, where it was decided that Titus and other Gentile converts need not be circumcised under Jewish Law (Gal. 2:1-3, Acts 15:1-31.)

Titus, Paul’s “true son” in the faith (Titus 1:4) and his “partner and fellow worker” (2 Cor. 8:23), assisted Paul for years and accompanied him on his third missionary journey (c. 54-58 CE), much of which Paul spent in Ephesus while Titus was sent across the Aegean Sea to address problems in the Corinthian church. Later, Titus joined Paul in Macedonia (Northern Greece) and to Paul’s delight, brought a good report of developments in Corinth.

After Paul was released from his first imprisonment in Rome, he and Titus preached the Gospel on the island of Crete, where numerous congregations were established (Titus 1:5). When Paul left Crete, Titus remained as overseer/pastor. Paul then composed the letter we call “Titus,” in which Paul reminded his protégé of earlier verbal instructions and provided additional guidance and encouragement.

In this letter to Titus, written c. 63 CE (around the same time as 1st Timothy), Paul encouraged Titus to continue organizing the Cretan church, protect the true doctrines of the faith, resist false teachers, and pastor the church faithfully under challenging local conditions. Later, Titus was relieved by Paul of his post in Crete and spent time with Paul during both of his Roman imprisonments (Titus 3:12 & 2nd Timothy 4:10.)

One of the main challenges Titus faced on Crete was the Cretans themselves. Paul pointed out the problem quite eloquently at Titus 1:10-16, even quoting from the second line of the following quatrain written by the Cretan poet, Epimenides, some 600 years earlier:

“They fashioned a tomb for thee, O holy and high one—
The Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies!
But thou art not dead: thou livest and abidest forever,
For in thee we live and move and have our being.”

In his poem, Epimenides addressed the Greek god Zeus, not the true God. Note that the final line is virtually the same as the well known scripture verse, “in him we live and move and have our being.” There is a good reason for this. Paul had been in Athens speaking to the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers on the Areopagus (Mars Hill), when he quoted the same poem to them! In doing so, Paul applied the line, “in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) to the true God whom Paul described (Acts 17:22-31) as Creator of all, Lord of heaven and earth, self-existent, immanent (close, intimate) and omnipotent.

Paul in his letter to Titus instructs and encourages his friend and colleague to teach Cretans the true doctrines of God and guard and protect them against false teaching.

In describing the depravity of the Cretans, Paul expounded on the broader depravity of fallen mankind. It is crucial that we remember that all men and women are fallen sinners lacking any innate, personal, saving goodness. We are unable, within ourselves, to generate righteousness, purity of thought or doctrine, or any other godliness, without the transforming, empowering, sovereign grace of God in Jesus Christ. We ourselves, like the Cretan believers, remain vulnerable to false teaching and false doctrines, and to every sort of ear-tickling error and diversion. This is the reason why Paul repeatedly emphasized sound doctrine and correct teaching, as well as protecting and defending against false, misleading teachers and ideas.

Those who plan to read through Paul’s letter to Titus would do well to first read, re-read and meditate upon Titus 3:3-10. This passage contains, among other things, a beautiful statement of the Gospel summarizing the ‘true” doctrine which Paul exhorts Titus to teach the Cretans.

2nd Timothy 1: Suffering for the Gospel?

 

“…do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2^nd Timothy 1:8-10)

This statement by the Apostle Paul brings to mind a passage from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ first public speech: (Matthew 5:11):

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11) 

Both passages encourage followers of Christ to expect, accept and embrace persecution, mistreatment and slander for the sake of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. Both passages, and many other in the New Testament, assure us that we will face persecution and slander because of faith and faithfulness in Christ.

The “reward” which Jesus mentions in Matthew 5:11 comes as a result of enduring mistreatment for His sake, as the prophets of old also did because of their loyalty to God and to His divine decree and purpose. The prophets were not mistreated and martyred because they did good deeds and lived exemplary lives. They were persecuted because they faithfully carried, announced and repeated the covenantal words and pronouncements of God to an obstinate people who did not want to be reminded of God’s words.

In Paul’s teaching (2^nd Tim. 1:8-10), we find the same essential message but with something very profound added. That something is the Gospel. Paul adds the Good News of the incarnation, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Promised One, in whom and by whose works we are justified and sanctified. According to Paul, it is because of the Gospel, and our knowing, believing and proclaiming it, that persecution and mistreatment come to the followers of Christ.

Let’s look at these passages historically for a moment. At the time of Jesus’ comments in Matthew 5, He had as yet been neither executed nor resurrected from the dead. In other words, there was as yet no outworking of the Gospel to be referenced, and no understanding or ability of His followers to proclaim any Gospel. The actions in history which Jesus was going to carry out would actualize the Gospel, bringing it into historical, actual existence and causing it to be known in history, such that it could be believed and shared in words.

The Gospel, then, was about to be developed through the remaining works of Christ. Until then, the “Good News” was basically limited to the Baptist’s announcements of the arrival of Christ (e.g., John 1:29-34), and Jesus’ early work and ministry, including His announcements that great blessings were at hand by virtue of His arrival (Matthew 5:1-11). The wonderful announcements at the opening of Jesus’ speech at Matthew 5 were prophetic as well as encouraging to those who had “ears to hear.”

What Jesus spoke of prophetically, Paul wrote about factually, historically, and with retrospective knowledge and understanding. Jesus spoke of that which was as yet veiled as to its full practical meaning; Paul wrote of that which had become real, tangible and personal. What Jesus spoke of in cryptic terms and in parables, Paul shared clearly and historically. Jesus announced Good News and then brought it to reality; Paul preached the Gospel.

In the 2^nd Timothy passage, Paul continued with even more clarity:

“Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” (2^nd Timothy 1:13-14)

“Sound words,” “the faith,” and “the good deposit,” all refer to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is specific, clear, historical, factual Good News that must be delivered and communicated in sound words, then believed and trusted as the faith, and then preserved and protected as the good deposit of truth that it is.

Paul continually urged the early Christians (and through the Scriptures, us as well) to guard, protect and preserve the pure message of the Gospel, just as he had given it to them, and not to allow extraneous, false, strange and subversive teachings and appendages to be introduces or entertained. In other words, we are to make sure the Gospel we share is the same one that the first Christians believed.

It is not enough for believers, and not enough for Paul, to speak only of love in our hearts, goodwill towards men, kindness, or charity, honesty and respectfulness, or “transforming society.” These can all be good things, but they can also be advocated and practiced by atheists, Buddhists, Hindi, New Agers - you name it. These things are not what makes a Christian a Christian.

The Gospel of Christ, by sharp contrast, is comprised of actual, factual, historical events, belief and faith in which differentiates all other belief systems and all other good intentions and good works from Christianity. It is belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ that makes one a Christian. Therefore, it is the preaching of the Gospel message itself – in words – that is the essential means of converting a pagan into a Christian.

Paul was not ashamed of THIS Gospel, and as a result He suffered slander and persecution, even to finally being beheaded in a Roman prison. Paul endured all of this because he carried a message in words, not because he was kind or generous or loving or charitable or self-sacrificing.

None of the martyrs were brutalized and killed because they "lived like Christians.” They were martyred for their faith and belief in Jesus Christ as God incarnate, who lived the only pure and righteous life, died an atoning death to save us from our sins, and rose from the dead for our justification. These beliefs are what caused believers to refuse to worship the Emperor, and to reject the polytheistic, pagan tenets of the Greco-Roman culture. Their belief in the Gospel is what got Christians persecuted and killed. And it is belief in the Gospel of Christ, and sharing that belief in words – not being “all we can be” - which assures today’s followers of Christ that we will be misunderstood, despised and treated with contempt.

How can such adverse results come from something which is “Good News?” If it causes us to suffer, then what is so “good” about it?

Well, if we have to ask that question, we have not yet understood the Gospel, and our best course is to learn exactly what it is, how it was brought about and by whom, as well as how to effectively articulate it, so we can carry the Gospel - in words - to others. Our job, if we are followers of Christ, is to carry that precise message - to learn it, teach it, be discipled in it, and to disciple others in it.

If we do, then (1) we will find our outward lives being transformed by the power of the word of God and the Holy Spirit; and (2) we will be misunderstood, disrespected, marginalized and mistreated by those who hate the message of the Gospel, find it (and us) offensive, and want no part in it.

Like the Apostle Paul and like faithful Christians throughout the history of the Church, we are to count any suffering for the sake of the Gospel a great privilege. God help us to become faithful messengers of the Gospel.

1st Timothy 5: What’s Missing?

 

Paul’s instructions throughout this first letter to Timothy are given in context of the Church (the body of believers) and Timothy’s leadership in the Church. Specifically, Paul instructs Timothy as the elder/pastor of the church in Ephesus. What Paul writes to Timothy has direct, deliberate, intentional application to the conduct of the church.

There is no individual-”ism” advanced in Paul’s letter, though His beloved son in the faith, Timothy, is the individual addressee. Timothy cannot carry out these instructions all by himself, only in community with the believers in Ephesus. It is thus implied that the church, as well as Timothy, will embrace these instructions and take them to heart.

I am struck by the fact that we find NO SIGN of any of the following statements or instructions anywhere in this letter, or for that matter anywhere else I can think of in the New Testament:

…Timothy, my son, be sure to get your people to launch outreach programs all over Ephesus, to transform that city for God. Find any and every way possible to endear yourselves to the city, because that is your growth strategy. Transform the pagan society around you by doing so much for them that they will be compelled by your good works to join you in doing even more good. This is how God builds His church, and this is the mandate Christ gave the church: Transform Society.

..Timothy, my son, do not worry if some of your people are immature and not grounded strongly in the faith. Don’t get yourself all obsessed on teaching and training them. That is all merely “internal” and “academic” stuff and the next thing to a waste of time. Just get them out there transforming society - they will catch on quickly enough;

…Timothy, my son, make sure you have a smoking and cutting edge praise and worship service every week to rouse the people; if you don’t, the guy who runs the church down the street will do it and you will lose your congregation. You must attract, promote and hold people using all the talent and glitz you can muster. It is far less important that your song lyrics be scriptural than they be catchy and contemporary. If you don’t have adequate musicians, get them from somewhere else, but get them! Remember: the people will never tolerate boring songs and music, no matter how rich with God’s word and truth they may be;

…Timothy, my son, never forget that the people must be entertained, and if you ask them to think or learn beyond their accustomed level, you will lose them to someone else who will pander to their preference for an easy, expectation-free good time. Remember, they work all week, so you cannot ask much of them in their spare time;

…Timothy, my son, never offend anyone, because you will surely lose them. They will not tolerate correction and criticism, and why should they? You are not the only fish in the sea, and well they know it. After all, they can go over to the temple of Artemis and find good sexual entertainment. To compete with that, you have to keep things moving and lay off all the criticism and judging. Tread lightly and practice looking the other way, so that you will not fail to grow your church;

…Timothy, my son, once you achieve success plant new churches all over Ephesus – if one is good, 50 are better! That way, the people will always have many choices and that will keep you on your toes; besides, how will you answer God when you stand before Him and He asks you how many churches you planted?

…Timothy, my son, use no more than one or two Bible verses at a time in your witty, moralistic, therapeutic lessons for the people. Don’t worry about their gaining deeper scriptural and theological knowledge whereby they might be able to articulate and defend the faith with those who ask them for a reason for the hope they have. Make sure they leave with at least three ways to improve the quality of their life. Avoid obsessing on context. Keep it simple, my son;

…Timothy, my son, It only takes two minutes to teach the people to say, “I don’t know any answers to your questions, and I don’t have to - I just know I have Jesus in my heart”, or “I can’t tell you how my beliefs make sense, I just take it all on faith.” Repeat these often! Teach them that their individual, personal testimony of how Jesus is making them a better person is worth all the Gospel they could ever convey. Better yet, teach them that how God has changed their life IS the Gospel;

…Timothy, my son, for extra credit, teach the people how to point to the good things happening in their day-to-day lives and call them all “miracles,” implying that if others join them, they will receive the same miraculous benefits in return. Tell them to be on the lookout for people who have suffered setbacks, because they may be ready to hear about some miracle ways to get money or out of debt or their broken sandal fixed;

…Timothy, my son, please do not get stuck on doctrine. Everyone has their own take on such matters, and these things are not very important. Who are you to interfere in someone’s personal relationship with Jesus? What is true for one may not be true for another – again, as long as they prayed the prayer and say they have Jesus in their heart, what does doctrine matter anyway? You will bore them and offend them if you harp on Christian doctrines;

..Timothy, my son, when I come back I expect you to have grown your church at least threefold, like our brother over in Smyrna did last year. After all, we have to measure by something in order to gauge your success, and we cannot objectively measure it by Christian maturity, knowledge of the scriptures, or the quality of communal life and growth in union with Christ. These are all so nebulous and subjective that you could squirm out from under proper accountability by appealing to them. No, my son, we will count the people in the seats, and if you are going to succeed by this measure, you must heed the above instructions.

----------------------------------------------------

I understand some of these non-existent statements ruffle feathers (including my own), but to be honest ruffled feathers are not the worst thing in the world. They can shake us out of a stupor. Really – where do we find such statements anywhere in the New Testament? Where do we find such ideas in 90% of the history of the Church? And where do we find self-indulgent, “me, myself and I” spirituality anywhere in the Biblical, historical faith?

Moreover, where does Paul instruct Timothy to concern himself as pastor with each individual believer’s personal relationship with Jesus in his heart? Where is the doctrine of “accepting Jesus?” Where is Timothy, or anyone else, instructed to run around meeting everyone’s personal needs? Paul's emphasis is on building and protecting the power, purpose, integrity and unity of the Church. Rather than some sort of soupy spiritualism, he exhorts appropriate, practical behavior and godliness in community, with love, and with practical support and service where it is genuinely needed. He also exhorts consistent soundness of doctrine, and singleness of purpose.

What did the Church and the Great Commission look like when they were fresh and vital and hugely successful? Things weren’t perfect, because the Christians themselves were not perfect; but things were real, and they were effective. Imagine what it would look like if we had growth such as that which took place in the first century, and with no community outreach programs!

Paul and a few others traveled about preaching the Gospel, offering apologetic arguments, and planting churches for the few that believed, while Timothy and others equipped the believers in their churches, constantly teaching and reaffirming the Gospel while training, training, training the people to hold that faith and to defend it. As Christians were trained, some were eventually called to the “mission field,” as we see in the New Testament, as many more were equipped to stand their ground, defending the faith and holding their testimonies of the Gospel of Christ to the very (often premature) ends of their lives if necessary.

Jesus, of course, is the common denominator. He, then and now, is above all, King of all, the Great Commissioner, the One in whose heart we reside. We don’t merely “accept” Him, acquiring Him like a painting and hanging Him privately in our heart; we pledge ourselves to Him, becoming His people the Church, dedicated to serving and growing in union with Him and each other. He did the work of justification, and now He accepts us into His heart – that’s what matters.

I fear much of the Church (including me) has been so dulled by a culture of “I”, “me” and “my” and of narcissistic self-indulgence, entertainment and isolation that we can very easily lose our way.

Lord, thank you for your Word, and for Paul’s letters to Timothy. Please drive your lessons of unity and solidarity home to the Church, and weld us together into a community fit and equipped to carry out your Gospel and the Great Commission the way you commanded us to. Teach us to give our hearts to you and to each other, rather than magnifying our own hearts. Please correct us where needed. Advance us to maturity and renew our minds, Holy Spirit, as we do our best to cooperate and to grow together in Christ. Take our attention off self-centered, so-called spirituality and enable us to do our parts in the advancement of your Kingdom within your Church and - by way of your presence in us - in our communities. Amen.