Ezra 7:15-18 KJV When We Give

Ezra 7:15-18 (KJV)
And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.

The king’s offerings were to be used:

To speedily buyThe purpose was so there would be no hindrance in buying and doing what ought to be done in the house of the Lord. They had already waited. This offering was meant that no delays should continue.

To provide offerings of all sorts in God’s houseThe work of God has many facets. We:

• Preach 
• Sing 
• Worship 
• Evangelize 
• Welcome 
• Encourage 
• Assist

All of these in alignment with our commission. All of them require financial resources. All of them are to be supported by the freewill offerings of God’s people.

To do what seemed goodThe king’s offering was generous and would certainly cover the necessary things. It was anticipated that it was also generous enough that there would be money enough for things that were unanticipated. In that case it had been released to be used at the discretion of Ezra.

See here lessons in our own offerings to God. We have been made not only priests, but kings. We give not of necessity but freely. When we give generously as we ought, our offerings are meant to meet the needs of the house of God and the rest to be used at the discretion of our preacher for the good of the ministry.

(More applications are found throughout the rest of the chapter)

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Ezra 7:15-18 When We Give

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Ezra 5:2 KJV The Preacher’s Best Function

Ezra 5:2 (KJV)
Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

I have long contended that the prophets of the Old Testament had ministries comparable to that of the New Testament preacher.

• They were not priests (though they could be from priestly families)
• They were not regulated 
• They were not employees but Servants of God
• They were often contemporaries and worked side by side
• They sometimes were contemporaries but had little to no relationship with one another

Here we find two prophets who were contemporaries, knew each other and worked together for a common purpose. Could this be viewed as a rudimentary fellowship?

The Bible says these prophets instructed the people to begin work on the Temple again and that they helped them build. I have my suspicions that they picked up tools from time to time. I doubt that they were afraid to get dirty. But the most valuable help they could give, and that help that all of the commentaries point to, is help to:

• Inspire
• Motivate
• Guide and 
• Maintain focus on the work

No preacher should mind picking up a hammer and saw. But the preacher’s best function (and probably most challenging) is in keeping others at the work.

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Ezra 5:2 The Preacher’s Best Function

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1 Corinthians 5:13 KJV A Severe Blow Against Sin

1 Corinthians 5:13 (KJV)
But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

We have here an example, and not the only one, in the Bible of our thin skinned, hypersensitive nature today. We would have an outcry if a preacher pointed as clearly as Paul did to this young man and called him a wicked person.

It is true that this man’s sin was exceptional but it is also true that the church had been generous with him and his sin. Their generosity towards sin compares to our own. They felt like God’s grace overruled the nature of the sin just like today’s Christian thought insists that grace overrules any sort of sin:

• Living together 
• Homosexual behavior 
• Licentiousness
• Abusiveness

You name the sin and there will be a church somewhere willing to overlook it, probably even excuse it. How dare we call anyone a wicked person?

Notice the hard nature of Paul’s exhortations concerning this one:

• He was to be excluded from the church 
• He was to be excluded from the fellowship 
• He was to be delivered to Satan 

I want to quickly point out that there was provision for his restoration. In the second letter to Corinth Paul will tell them to receive him back.

But the restoration likely would never have happened if there had not first been a severe blow against his sin.

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1 Corinthians 5:13 A Severe Blow Against Sin

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1 Corinthians 4:5-6 The Most Disobeyed Passage in the Bible?

1 Corinthians 4:5-6 (KJV)
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.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.

These may be some of the most disobeyed verses of the Bible.

Paul urges us, with respect to those ministers of Christ we have come to admire, not to judge anything “before the time”. We tend to disregard this.

• We judge which pastors are successful and which are not
• We judge which preachers have the anointing of God and which do not
• We judge which preachers are effective in the pulpit and which are not
• We judge who is worthwhile to follow and who is not

We have all sorts of ways to justify this behavior; we aren’t, in our minds, calling one better than the other. We are only identifying which ones to follow. After all Paul said to follow him as he followed Christ.

Paul warns that the danger is that we would get puffed up; not in ourselves but in our favorite preacher. Tell me it isn’t true that whole fellowships of churches have been built around a favorite preacher. Tell me that those fellowships of pastors and churches have not engaged in thinking their leader (or leaders) is better than some other group’s leader (or leaders). Tell me that no one has ever been puffed up against another believer because they think the guy they follow is more of a man of God than the guy this other group follows.

I realize that false doctrine exists. I say we should carefully judge doctrine and denominations. We should and we must. However, within the ranks of sound Baptist churches, no one should ever judge one man’s ministry over another.

We do not know how the Lord will judge them in His time.

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1 Corinthians 4:5-6 The Most Disobeyed Passage in the Bible?

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1 Corinthians 3:6-8 KJV Only Christ is Something

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (KJV)
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

It is easy for us to compartmentalize the Bible so much that we miss its full message. We have an example of that here where Paul picks up a subject that was first found two chapters earlier. Apparently he was not finished. This tells us that any proper understanding of the second and third chapters requires that we understand it in the context of schisms and the dangers of having “favorite” preachers.

The point that our apostle was making is that only Christ is “something”.

• Paul was nothing
• Apollos was nothing 

These two men, and countless like them over the last two millennia, were just laborers.

• Some of them planted 
• Some of them watered  
• Some of them harvested

In every case, however, the increase came of Christ or else it was no increase at all.

We are all equal. We are all nothing. Only Christ is something.

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1 Corinthians 3:6-8 Only Christ is Something

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2 Chronicles 34:1-3 KJV Patience, Patience

2 Chronicles 34:1-3 (KJV)
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.

The goodness of God can sometimes appear to come very slowly. Josiah was a good king and came to the throne at a very early age, but his acts of beneficence and godliness came in what must have seemed excruciatingly slow steps.

• He was crowned at eight years
• He began to seek the Lord at sixteen 
• He began purging the land of idolatry  at twenty years of age
• He was twenty six years of age when he began repair of the temple 

We are not told how long after that they found the Word of God and showed it to the King.

I am reminded not to be impatient with the will of God. His plan is true and plain. He, however, is not restricted to the process of time like we are. God does the right and good thing at the right and best time.

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2 Chronicles 34:1-3 Patience, Patience

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1 Corinthians 1:12-13 Case Closed

1 Corinthians 1:12-13 (KJV)
Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

I think too many forget that this passage is written to a single local church. To apply it to an imaginary invisible universal may seem to be the easiest, but it is by no means the most accurate interpretation. This church was facing division these people within it were claiming unholy loyalties. Paul meant to put an end to it.

Paul’s central argument was this, “…was Paul Crucified for you?” Paul had come to Corinth to establish that church. He had preached the gospel that led to their salvation. He had taught and trained them in the truths associated with their faith but he was not the One who had died, was buried and rose again for them.

And neither were any of their other heroes.

• Case closed
• Slammed shut 
• No more argument 

Jesus Christ alone was their Saviour and to Christ alone they must give allegiance.

Interestingly, there was a dividing faction in the church that did claim, “I am of Christ”. The context demands that this group, though sounding holy, were equally in the wrong.

John Gill writes concerning those who claimed “I am of Christ“,
“They were for Christ without his ministers; they were wiser than their teachers; they were above being under any ministrations and ordinances; as the others attributed too much to the ministers of the Gospel, these detracted too much from them, and denied them to be of any use and service. Some persons may be, in such sense, for Christ, as to be blame worthy; as when they use his name to deceive men, or divide his interest.”

Our loyalties belong strictly to Christ who will always lead us to,

Hebrews 13:17 (KJV)
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

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1 Corinthians 1:12-13 Case Closed

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Romans 16:2 KJV May Her Tribe Increase

Romans 16:2 (KJV)
That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

The word succour means, “to assist or aid someone in times of hardship”. The example given in the dictionary I used was such as a prisoner of war. It’s a fitting example given that Paul was exactly that.

What a testimony and reputation belongs to Phebe. Imagine the saints in her day suffering hardships for their faith.

• Some had lost everything 
• Some had been in prison
• Some had become estranged from family

There was nowhere really they could go and find peace.

• The Jews hated them because they divided from the Synagogue 
• The pagans hated them because they turned people away from their idols 
• The Romans hated them because they viewed them as troublemakers and insurrectionists 

Besides, their faith would not allow them to be quiet about it. Everywhere they went they told everyone they could about salvation through Jesus Christ.

Enter Phebe. She is one of them. Equally hated. Equally suffering. But Phebe has this testimony; “she hath been a succourer of many “. No doubt she has needed aid and assistance but that is not what she is known for. Her testimony is that she comes to the aid of those in need.

May God grant it that her tribe increases.

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Romans 16:2 May Her Tribe Increase

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Romans 15:1 KJV Win-Win

Romans 15:1 (KJV)
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Paul begins the concept delivered in this passage by assuming that all of his audience would assume they were the strong. It occurs to me that this is a win-win position. There is really never a need to define who is the strong and who is the weak. If we all assumed that we are strong and that everyone else is weak then we ought to treat everyone else as this passage teaches us to treat them:

We bear their infirmitiesIt can be challenging to put up with errors missteps and nuisances of people we assume to be educated enough sophisticated enough and mature enough to behave better. When someone who is handicapped or someone young presumes upon us we tend to be more patient and forgiving. We understand their plight. If we just assumed that we were stronger than them then we would not be arrogant towards then but bear more with them.

We choose not to please ourselvesThe handicapped and weak are pleased by different things than the mature and strong are. If we think of ourselves as the strong ones in every relationship then we would sacrifice our pleasures for others.

We choose to treat them as neighbors and seek both their good and their edificationIf we thought of ourselves as the strong ones and others as the weak ones we would constantly see our place as to help lift them and strengthen them.

This is a win-win. We never have to wonder who to minister to. We never have to belittle ourselves and think of ourselves as the weaker. We never have to judge others and divide them into stronger and weaker camps. We just minister to them all as the weaker brother.

And, everyone else will be doing the same for us.

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Romans 15:1 Win-Win

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2 Chronicles 32:12 KJV One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

2 Chronicles 32:12 (KJV)
Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?

Sennacherib thought he had a good argument to dissuade the people of Jerusalem from loyalty to their king; he was too narrow-minded. His doctrinal position was not inclusive enough. He had likely offended the very God they depended upon by excluding some form of worship (and thereby some worshippers) from their kingdom.

Sennacherib only believed this argument to be valid because he did not understand the Word of God. His relationship with God was one of human rationale and not of faith.

The thing is the argument would work on the largest number of people because, despite what side of the fortress walls they were on, anyone thinking rationally and not spiritually would tend to agree. That’s why Sennacherib’s only concern was Jerusalem and not the whole nation. There was only one crowd of people who would dismiss Sennacherib’s argument, those who were convinced that there is only one God and He is to be worshipped at only one altar.

Christianity today is filled with denominations that have been built not by faith but by human reason. These churches tend to be inclusive and tolerant of doctrines other than their own because they are not that convinced their own doctrines are sound. They believe what they believe but they believe what someone else believes may be just as good, especially if they appear to be successful.

There is only one group of people who are willing to separate from the den of Christendom to worship only:

• One Lord 
• One faith and 
• One baptism

In a Baptist church; those who are convinced that this is the only church that Christ has built.

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2 Chronicles 32:12 One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

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2 Chronicles 29:3 KJV Open the Doors of the Church

2 Chronicles 29:3 (KJV)
He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.

What a grand thing it is to open the doors of the house of the Lord.

They had long been closed so that:

• The priests were out of work 
• The Bible was not known and
• The people were not clean

Hezekiah opened the doors and got:

• The priests involved in ministry 
• The people involved in godliness and 
• The Word of God once again being heard and heeded

How needful it is in our day for every Christian to open the doors of the house of the Lord in the sense that they:

• Bring people to hear God’s Word 
• Encourage preachers to preach Gods Word and
• Get involved in obeying God’s Word

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2 Chronicles 29:3 Open the Doors of the Church

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Romans 12:3 KJV The Grace to Preach

Romans 12:3 (KJV)
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

It is generally agreed that the grace to which Paul refers is his authority as one called of God into the ministry.

He did not speak from an educated positionThough Paul was the most educated of the apostles.

He did not speak from the perspective of personal experienceThough Paul had witnessed a great deal from which to draw in his years as a Christian.

He did not speak as one who was beloved of his audienceThough there were some whose love for Paul would have motivated them to act.

Paul spoke as one with authority due to his officeA preacher is wisest when he speaks from this same grace. Though he may be able to lead people to action by other means, the only long-term results of his ministry will come from his study of the Scriptures and authoritative, confident declaration of them.

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Romans 12:3 The Grace to Preach

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Romans 11:28 Whosoever Will and The Elect

Romans 11:28 (KJV)
As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.

The gospel is for “whosoever will”. It is offered, available and effective to any and all.

• The Jew can receive the gospel
• The European can receive the gospel 
• The American can receive the gospel 
• The African can receive the gospel 
• The oriental can receive the gospel 

It is open to all and no one is excluded

But the election is of Israel. It hails all the way back to the promise to Abraham. It is carried forth in promises made to one succeeding generation of Israel after another.

Whosoever will may come and be saved. But God has promised, planned and determined that Israel will be saved.

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Romans 11:28 Whosoever Will and The Elect

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Romans 10:3 Ignorance of God’s Righteousness

Romans 10:3 (KJV)
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

The result of ignorance concerning God’s righteousness was twofold:
They attempt to establish their own righteousnessPeople do this in anyone of a number of ways:
1.They may attempt righteousness by obedience to what they know is the law of God. This they never accomplish completely but often believe they are counted righteous for the effort.
2.They may create their own version of righteousness.This will generally be a religion denomination or church where they can develop a system of righteousness they believe they can keep.
3.They may simply redefine righteousnessIn this case righteousness is whatever they choose it to be or not to be.

They do not submit to the righteousness of GodHere is the crux of the matter; they do not plan to submit to the righteousness of God.

• They do not know what it is. 
• They suppose it is something they will not like. 

They therefore choose not too learn it and bow their will before it.

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Romans 10:3 When We Don’t Understand God’s Righteousness

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