Use Your Imagination Here

Hebrews 3:1-6 KJV

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

A person must develop a good sense of metaphor and imagination in order to understand the Word of God. Between the parables, similes and metaphors, a mind without imagination would be quite handicapped. 

The metaphor God uses here is a house. 

Moses is the house

As great of a man as he was, he was simply the creation, the product of a builder. 

Jesus is the builder

And as such is worthy of much more honor than Moses.  Further,

The builder is God

And we already know that Jesus is the builder so Jesus is God, worthy of all honor. 

However, the metaphor is not about Moses so we are taken full circle, all the way back to the house and told that we, who are the believers, are that house. Notice that it is not houses. Each believer is, according to Ephesians, a member that is cut and framed to fit into that house, which is a local church. 

The Source of Bondage

Hebrews 2:15 KJV

And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

That thing that makes us slaves in this world is, according to this verse, the fear of death. One way or another, our fear of dying and what will happen after death traps and snares us. It wraps chains of bondage around us that influence everything from our:

• Choices for friends
• Decisions for livelihood
• Submission to temptations (addictions) and ultimately our
• Relationship (or lack of) with God

We are early warned of the dangers of fear in Proverbs 29:25 KJV

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

And Jesus echoed the danger of fear when He said,

Luke 12:4-5 KJV

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Jesus did not deny the reality of death but said that there is something worse than death. I suggest that there is nothing worse than death if, after you die, your are cast forever in hell.

Our text tells us that Jesus came to deliver us, who through fear of death were subject to bondage. That theme is further elaborated upon in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 KJV

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Being a Servant Isn't So Bad

1 Chronicles 2:34-35 KJV

Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha.

And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant to wife; and she bare him Attai.

Much is made of the fact that in the line of Christ are four women, some of whom are Gentiles by birth. Here is a man placed in the family of Judah (that this is the specific family that became the lineage of Christ, I am not sure) who was a servant. In this case Sheshan had no sons to pass his inheritance to so he gave his daughter to a servant, immediately elevating that servant into the place of family.  It is a practice found not a few times in Jewish history and was, I understand, common in eastern cultures. 

I am reminded that we are called at first servants of sin and after salvation servants of righteousness. We who are saved are called the possession of Jesus Christ as we have been bought with His blood. But the position of a possession must not be contemplated within the framework of modern mentality. God has only good in mind when He describes us as servants. We are servants of course, but we are much more than servants; we are children and we are heirs with Christ. 

Simon Spirit

When Threat Becomes Reality

Ask Kindly

Philemon 1:8-13 KJV

Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,

Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

Paul claims authority to have enjoined or ordered Philemon to receive Onesimus back kindly, but chooses rather to ask it of him on these grounds:

Paul's age

A person of maturity learns he doesn't have to use authority. Much more is accomplished by leading and appreciating and respecting others than can be accomplished by driving people.

Paul's affliction

As a prisoner of the Lord Philemon well knew Paul was paying the highest price for his service to the Lord. Surely this warranted a favor.

Paul's affinity with Philemon

As friends, brothers and fellowlaborers of the Lord Paul believed his request to Philemon would be honored.

Paul's Affection of Onesimus

Though he had returned Onesimus to Philemon, he returned him a different man than had left. Onesimus could have been of great value to Paul. He counted him as a son in the faith, born through the hardship of his imprisonment. Paul would have relished in the companionship and fellowship with this prize of such trying circumstances. 

And Curse Not

Focus on What Made the Difference and Not on the Difference

Titus 3:3-7 KJV

For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Here is a formula. 

The base material in verse three is crude, rough, corrupted, temporal and altogether unlovely

The final product of verse seven is glorious and eternal

All that is implied in the word "heirs" is beyond our imaginations. 

The process of transformation is that that which the Apostle elaborates in verses four through six

While we might be tempted to focus in what we were and what we will be Paul, under the inspiration of God, focuses instead on what makes the difference. 

• It was the kindness and love of God
• It was the work of the Holy Spirit
• It was the effect of Jesus Christ

that transformed us.

And that is what ought the emphasis of our

• Thoughts
• Meditations and
• Discussions with others

Faith and Practice, Message and Methods

Titus 2:1 KJV

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

There is sound doctrine and there are those things that become it, that make it appealing, that act as the setting which brings the luster out of sound doctrine.

Sound doctrine is our faith.

These are the doctrines we hold dear and precious. They define us and distinguish us from this world and from others who may claim to be Christians but see the Word of God differently. Doctrine divides individuals into congregations of like faith. We could have no close fellowship with those who believe differently because we would always focus on the differences. It is natural and appropriate that a church be an assembly of people of like faith. 

Those things that become sound doctrine is our practice

It is the expression of our faith through our lifestyle. These have to do with fleshing out faith in daily life. It is putting what we believe to the test through sanctification. 

• Churches express their doctrine in a statement of faith.
• We then express our practice through a covenant and by laws 

Both faith and practice are essential pieces to our Christian profession. To say we agree in our message but not in our methods is to say we are not of like faith and practice. We have little to fellowship around. To change the message, as some have done; turning from Baptist doctrine to Reformation doctrine, always also changes the practice. To change methods and practice of faith, as is popular today, relaxing separation standards in favor of a more friendly relationship with the world, always eventually leads to a change in the message. 

The two must be held equally. We preach sound doctrine and we preach those things that become sound doctrine.

Silencing The Subverters

Titus 1:11 KJV

Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

There is an urgency in this passage that could easily be misunderstood and abused. The mouths of these vain talkers and deceivers must be stopped but it must not be through violence, or any sort of force. It would not be appropriate to use governments to stop them, as has happened so often in the past. They must be stopped but it must happen only through truth. 

There will always be those whose arguments are arrogant and obnoxious and who speak incessantly and with little regard for the thoughts or opinions of others. 

They will be silenced forever when the Lord returns. Until then:

We may silence them by paying no attention to them

If we give them no audience their words fall to the ground and

We may silence them by our own assurance of the truth

If we are well versed in the truths of the Bible then those who attack those truths will hold no weight.

We may silence them by being completely open

If we have nothing hidden there is no danger of them exposing us.  

Only Luke

2 Timothy 4:9-12 KJV

Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

See the Apostle in his prison circumstance. Years have passed since he had first been taken in Jerusalem, transported to Caesarea and finally to Rome. Paul's prison years were well spent in producing what became more than half the books of the New Testament, but it was still prison. People came to see him of course and he led a number of people to a saving knowledge while a prisoner. But time must eventually drain away his team of ministers. Paul describes it in this text.

• Some forsook him
• Some went on to other ministries and
• Some he sent personally on other ministries

He expected that Timothy would eventually make a visit but at the moment of this letter Paul testified that "Only Luke is with me."

There is much to be said for the one who never leaves. It is not that the others are in any way wrong (with the exception, of course, of the Demas types). Life must go on. But the one who stays:

• Regardless of the risk
• Regardless of the price to be paid
• Regardless of necessities elsewhere 

This one will always be held in great esteem for Paul.

Not Content with Mediocrity

2 Timothy 2:21 KJV

If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

One of the great troubles in modern Christianity is our willingness to settle for spiritual mediocrity. Whether it is because of:

·         A sense of unworthiness

·         An incorrect view of humility or

·         Just simple laziness

We find few who strive for true honor before the Lord. Someone recently said that we ought to be content in our material state, but not in our spiritual state. I think the Bible teaches that as truth:

·         Paul said to run that ye may obtain 

·         Jesus said to lay up treasures in heaven

·         Here it is implied that we seek to be vessels unto honor. 

The steps to this honor may seem trivial to some. It is as simple as purging from your life vessels of wood and earth, leaving place only for those vessels of gold and silver. A person might argue that everyone possesses some wood and earth, something that isn't precious and costly. And that is true. But we are not talking about being average. We are speaking about being vessels of honor for the Lord. This requires we go beyond what everyone else accepts. This is stepping up our game. This is laying aside every weight so that we may more quickly run our race. 

A person does have to purge out those vessels of wood and silver to go to heaven. But he will want to if he would be a vessel unto the Lord's honor. 

But Continue Thou...

2 Timothy 3:14 KJV

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

I wonder, in the light of passages such as this, how modern pastors believe they can sell their new methods as glorifying to God. One modern pastor recently said in the LinkedIn group, “Web Ministry” that churches who refuse to update to modern methods are destined to die and must be replaced by newer churches using modern methods more glorifying to God. His statement reflects the arrogance of the modern pastor. It assumes that methods leading to growth glorify God and it rejects the principle of glorifying God by faithful continuance in sound doctrine and practice. 

This is not to say that every new method is to be rejected. Far from it. It is however to say that new methods should not replace faithful continuance in old truth. 

·         We must not replace the Bible with newer documents

·         We must not replace worship with man’s workmanship

·         We must not replace soul winning with appeasement of people

·         We must not replace the local church with social club ministry

The good fight of faith swims against the current. It does not rejoice in the benefits and successes of flowing with the stream of worldliness. 

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Thank you for reading!

The Grateful Mind

2 Timothy 1:18 KJV

The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.

I read in Gill's commentary, "the apostle does not forget but remembers former kindnesses, as well as takes notice of present favours, and which shows a grateful mind."

Having a grateful mind is a quality of great worth

·         It sees the blessings God has provided

·         It encourages the people God has used as his vessels of provision

·         It balances to troubles of life with the many joys. 

The man with a grateful mind does not ignore histroubles. Paul certainly didn't. But neither is he  overwhelmed by them because he:

·         Remembers former blessings

·         Acknowledges present blessings and

·         Trusts in future blessings

More Important than Liberty

1 Timothy 6:1 KJV

Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

It might be a bit of a stretch to claim that verse one is a theme throughout this chapter, but it is not much of one.  That the name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed is a preeminent tenant to Christian character:

·         It is more important than wealth

·         It is more important than comfort

·         It is, I would suggest, more important than liberty

The preacher who won't teach that protecting the name of God and His doctrine is paramount, and the Christian who will not consent to this teaching is proud and "knoweth nothing." 

How far we have strayed! American Christianity is so wealthy we have become intoxicated with comfort, luxury and selfishness. We have made capitalism, free market and personal liberty the gods which we serve and we arrogantly and ignorantly do so in the name of the living God. We have little care what damage we may do to others so long as we are aggressively improving our own position in this world. 

The name of a God and his doctrine; these are what we ought to be living to promote.

Living Dead

1 Timothy 5:6 KJV

But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

The Bible speaks of the unsaved person as being "dead in trespasses and sins"; alive and yet dead. But this passage speaks of one who is a believer and yet is dead while alive. In the case of the passage it is the widow who lives in pleasure. Barnes says the kind of pleasure Paul speaks of is a “wanton, luxurious pleasure, one living in unrestrained fulfillment of the flesh.” He then says there were apparently widows Paul knew personally to be living in this manner and that there have been Christians in every age that have done the same. His meditations on what it means to be dead while living are those things that interest me in this piece.

He says,

"To all the proper purposes of life she is as if she were dead. ...nothing could convey more forcibly the idea that true happiness is not to be found in the pleasure of sense. There is nothing in them that answers the purposes of life. They are not the objects for which life was given, and as to the great and proper designs of existence, such persons might as well be dead."

True happiness is not found in pleasure but in purpose. To live for pleasure is to sink deeper and deeper into the mire of living death because pleasure only lasts for a little season. Those seasons seem to be shorter as time goes on and the sense of pleasure requires more and more to pique it over time.

To fulfill ones purpose, on the other hand, leads to godliness with contentment and that is great gain.

Subjects Worth Christian Exercize

1 Timothy 4:12 KJV

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.

Paul's urged Timothy to be am example.  It is to be noted as much for what he did not say as what he did.

He did not tell him to be an example

• Of education
• Of organization
• Of charm
• Of professionalism
• Of patriotism

He told him to be an example 

In word

A reference to his common topics of speech, not from the pulpit. 

In conversation

Which has to do with lifestyle.

In charity 

Albert Barnes says this is love for the brethren. I believe it is love for the church we belong to.

In spirit

Look at this as attitude. Hopefulness in Christ. 

In faith 

Knowing the doctrines of our faith and not wavering from them.

In purity

Being morally upright in thought and action 

He was to be an example not only to other Christians but to the world as to how believers ought to be. These are excellent things to exercise ourselves in. 

The Mystery of Faith

1 Timothy 3:9 KJV

Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

What is listed as a qualification of the deacon is not an exception for every Christian.  We ought all to hold what is our salvation in a manner that gives confidence of its truthfulness and testimony of its effectiveness. 

The mystery of faith is a reference to the gospel message.

It is a mystery because it was once hidden (and remains hidden to those who are not saved) but is revealed to the saved by the work of the Holy Spirit. 

It is held by the saved. But it may be pretended to be held by the religious.

Some claim to be Christians who do not have a true taste of Christ. Theirs is a religion of mental assent supported by their own efforts at good work. It may be reasoned that their conscience frequently testifies to them of their true condition.

The true Christian holds the doctrines of salvation with an assurance from the Holy Spirit that what is promised in the Word has been received by their soul. 

Sufficient Salvation

1 Timothy 2:1-6 KJV

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

I would have the reader to note the number of occurrences of that important word "all" in verses 1-6. This passage totally destroys the concept of limited atonement. There is no question but that God's will is the salvation of every man and that Christ's cross was sufficient for every man. 

The issue is with man and not God. The atonement is sufficient for every man. But it is only effective in those who come to believe.

• God would have all men to be saved
• Christ died so that all men might be saved

But salvation is only granted to those who, in response to the preaching of the gospel, place faith in that saving work of Christ. 

For a related thought, click here:

http://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com/2010/03/i-know-one.html

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