Daniel'sWeeklyDevotions

This week, we’ll take a look at Philippians 3:16.

¹⁶ In any case, we should live up to whatever [truth] we have attained.— Philippians 3:16

In this case, I believe that some context would help.  Philippians 3:14 is a very popular verse, but let’s look at verses 12 through 16 to get the full picture.

¹² Not that I have already reached [the goal] or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, ¹⁴ I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Therefore, all who are mature should think this way.  And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this to you also. ¹⁶ In any case, we should live up to whatever [truth] we have attained.— Philippians 3:12-16

Paul was a traveling evangelist, and the last person to see Jesus face to face (Acts 9:1-7).  If there was anyone on this earth who would have achieved “perfect Christian” status, it would have been Paul.  But, here in verse 12, Paul tells the church that he is not a fully mature Christian – he still struggles to grow in Christ.  In verses 13 and 14, he tells them that he doesn’t think that he’s arrived, but that he pushes on every day, reaching towards that goal.

In verse 15, Paul encourages the church to adopt his mindset.  And, we should adopt it as well – none of us will ever know everything there is to know about the Christian life, and the blessings that God has in store for us.  And, notice what Paul says will happen to us when we do this – if we “think differently about anything,” God will correct our errant thinking.

This brings us to verse 16.  Whether we’re striving towards the goal, or we’re content to sit stagnant in our current level of knowledge and fellowship with God, we are responsible for living up to the knowledge we have.  As the Spider-Man adage goes, “With great power comes great responsibility.”  We have been given knowledge and power by the One Who has all the power and knowledge in the universe.  We are definitely responsible for discharging this power and using this knowledge the way He wants us to.

When Jesus was on earth, He told a parable about a servant who had been given responsibility while a master was away, and what happens when that servant does not faithfully use what he has been given.

⁴² The Lord said: “Who then is the faithful and sensible manager his master will put in charge of his household servants to give them their allotted food at the proper time? ⁴³ That slave whose master finds him working when he comes will be rewarded. ⁴⁴ I tell you the truth: he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and starts to beat the male and female slaves, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶ that slave’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know.  He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. ⁴⁷ And that slave who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it will be severely beaten. ⁴⁸ But the one who did not know and did things deserving of blows will be beaten lightly.  Much will be required of everyone who has been given much.  And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.— Luke 12:42-48

Notice verses 47 and 48 – the one who knew what he was supposed to do and did not do it would be punished severely, while the one who didn’t know what he was supposed to do would be punished much more lightly.  In the case of use knowing God’s Word, though, knowing that God expects us to study and learn the Bible means that we know our Master’s will.

So, then, our responsibility with regards to Philippians 3:12-16 is two-fold.  First, we must strive to know God on a deeper, more intimate level, and the way to do that is by studying His Word.  Second, we must live up to the knowledge that we do have.  While ignorance of the law does not necessarily make one’s actions illegal, knowingly violating the law not only makes one’s actions illegal, but shows a lack of respect for laws and the ones who have made them.  The same principle applies spiritually – knowingly disobeying God’s laws shows contempt for the One who has made them.

I pray that each of us will gain knowledge and understanding, and, having gained it, be able to live up to its expectations in our lives.

This week, our journey takes us to Colossians 3:16.

¹⁶ Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God.— Colossians 3:16

This verse shows us how to really have church – how to join together with others in worship.  The Bible is clear that we’re not supposed to be “Lone Ranger” Christians, but we are to connect with other believers.  Hebrews 10:24-25 says…

²⁴ And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, ²⁵ not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.— Hebrews 10:24-25

Let’s break this verse down phrase and phrase.  What does it mean to “let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you”?  The Gospel (the message about the Messiah) is a treasure, the depths of which we will not understand while we are here on this earth.  However, the more we do learn about it, the fuller our hearts and lives will be.  It should completely fill our hearts, to the point where we can see every thing that happens in our lives in the context of the freedom we have because of what Jesus has done for us.

How do we do that?  That’s what the rest of this verse tells us.  The first aspect is “teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom…”  As we study the Bible for ourselves, there are two aspects that come together.  First, we associate what we’re learning with what we already know, and the experiences that we have been through – this is our perspective.  Second, we understand as God gives us discernment – a “Word from God” directly for us.  When taken together, the perspective and discernment of each person is somewhat unique.

When we get together with other believers, who are also studying the Bible, we can learn from their perspective and discernment, and they can learn from our perspective and discernment.  Listening to a traditional sermon from a man of God who has studied the Scripture regularly over the course of several years can be very enlightening.  Sitting down together with a small group of believers and discussing a passage of Scripture can also be enlightening – God will use others’ viewpoints to help the entire group gain a deeper understanding of His Word.

The next way is “singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs…”  Music has been a part of worship as long as worship has existed.  The Bible says that the angels sing in heaven, and both the Old and New Testaments are replete with examples of music being used in worship.  The book of Psalms is, in word form, the hymnbook of the Israelite church.  Paul sang hymns regularly, whether he was in jail or in an established church.  And Jesus even sang hymns!  Notice what happened after He instituted the Lord’s Supper…

²⁶ As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.” ²⁷ Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ For this is My blood [that establishes] the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ But I tell you, from this moment I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way in My Father’s kingdom with you.” ³⁰ After singing psalms, they went out to the Mount of Olives.— Matthew 26:26-30

The way to do all of this is “with gratitude in your hearts to God.”  As we learn more about Jesus, and begin to live an abundant Christian life, this gratitude should flow naturally from our hearts.  But, even if we’re not “feeling it,” we should still express gratitude to God for all that He has done for us.  Our continued existence on this planet is a testament to His protection, grace, and mercy; how much more should we be grateful for the blessings we have been given on top of that?

Some people think that they don’t need church – besides, it’s just full of a bunch of sinners anyway.  Well, they’re partially right – Christians are nothing but saved sinners, and from time to time, they still sin.  That Christians can know what sin is, believe one shouldn’t do it, but still do it anyway yet remain Christians, may be one of the most misunderstood parts of the Christian life.  While some see it as hypocrisy, we know that it is the spiritual warfare, that struggle between the old man and the new man for control of our lives.  However, just as one would not go into battle alone, we as Christians should not try to wage this spiritual battle without the company of our fellow warriors.

When group worship follows the guidelines given in Colossians 3:16, it becomes so valuable to us that we wouldn’t think of trying to make it on our own.  I pray that, for each of us, our church experience will grow to approach the description Paul gave to the believers in Corinth.

This week, we look at 1 Thessalonians.  As chapter 3 of this book does not have 16 verses, let’s look at 4:16 instead.

¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.— 1 Thessalonians 4:16

This is part of the passage that Paul wrote to encourage the believers not to worry about those who had died.  Here is the entire context, verses 13 through 18.

¹³ We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. ¹⁴ Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. ¹⁵ For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.— 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

I remember this being read at one of my grandmother’s funerals, and it was comforting, even though I was a young child at the time.  However, in this passage, there are two ways out of this world before the apocalypse.  (We’ll not debate eschatology here today; as my pastor said a few weeks ago, “I’m going on – if you’re staying, send me a postcard.”)

The first of these is through death.  Death is not a happy topic for anyone – the end of life on this earth means that we will accomplish no more, and that those who remain alive will no longer have the companionship of the one who has died.  However, for the believer, death is not “the end,” but a transition to a new phase of life.  That doesn’t make those left behind any less lonely, but it does encourage them that they will see their loved ones again.  Also, as we age, many of our bodies begin to wear out, often in painful, debilitating ways.  While it’s not something commonly said at the time a loved one dies, sometimes death is a gift from God, His way of saying “you’ve endured enough – come on home!”

The second of these is through being caught up in the air while still alive.  For those alive when Jesus returns, this will have to be the biggest rush imaginable – better than any thrill ride at any amusement park!  There have been many who have written stories about what this may be like; the best-selling of those is the Left Behind series from Jerry Jenkins and Dr. Tim LaHaye.  But, the truth is, we can read Revelation for ourselves, and try to guess at what certain things might be, but we won’t know until we’re observing it from a very, very safe distance.

There is a catch, though; these two ways to escape are only for believers.  The Bible paints a much more grim picture for those who do not escape.  From the seal judgments described in Revelation chapter 6 and the first part of chapter 8, to the trumpet judgments described in chapters 8, 9, and the end of chapter 11, to the bowl judgments in chapter 16, the three-and-a-half years after the Rapture are not going to be pretty.  For those who have not accepted Christ, this is the only choice they have.

So, then, we see that there are two paths, but only one Way.  Accepting Christ as your Savior is the only way to avoid these things.  As Jesus said,

⁶ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.— John 14:6

I pray that each of you know Jesus, and have accepted Him as your Savior. He is the only way to heaven; His payment for your sins is free, but it is a gift that must be willingly accepted.  If you want to learn more about this, check out God’s Simple Plan of Salvation.

This week, our journey brings us to 2 Thessalonians 3:16.

¹⁶ May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you.— 2 Thessalonians 3:16

This is an end-of-the-letter salutation from Paul to the church at Thessalonica.  Paul began and ended most all of his letters by talking about the “grace and peace” of our Lord, and his hope that it would remain with those to whom he was writing.  This theme of peace is one that is woven throughout the Bible.  The word “peace” (or some form of it, like “peacemaker”, “peaceful”, etc.) is found in 266 verses in the HCSB.  We’re not going to look at the other 265 verses, but we’ll look at a few of them.

Peace was used as a greeting to Gideon…

²³ But the Lord said to him, “Peace to you.  Don’t be afraid, for you will not die.”— Judges 6:23

It was also used by the angels, when announcing Jesus’ birth…

¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!— Luke 2:14

David used it to describe the safety that he felt from God’s protection…

⁸ I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, Lord, make me live in safety.— Psalm 4:8

In fact, Isaiah prophesied that one of the Messiah’s names would deal with His peace-making qualities…

⁶ For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders.  He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.— Isaiah 9:6

In these four verses, we see a common theme – the source of peace is God, through His Son Jesus.  But how to we get this peace?  Ask God for it!  According to Peter, the disciple of Jesus who went on to lead the early church…

¹⁰ For the one who wants to love life and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, ¹¹ and he must turn away from evil and do good.  He must seek peace and pursue it, ¹² because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their request.  But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.— 1 Peter 3:10-12

But we don’t even have to take Peter’s word for it. Jesus told His disciples,

²⁷ “Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.— John 14:27

Ask, and you will receive – that’s a promise from God.  I pray that the peace of God will overwhelm you as you live for Him on this earth.

This week, we’ll take a look at 1 Timothy 3:16.

¹⁶ And most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great:

He was manifested in the flesh,

justified in the Spirit,

seen by angels,

preached among the Gentiles,

believed on in the world,

taken up in glory.

— 1 Timothy 3:16

Paul wrote this to Timothy after going over the qualifications for pastors and deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-13).  The standards Paul laid out are not easily attained.  Paul completes the discussion, though, by telling Timothy that he has written these things so that he will know how people in the family of God should behave, and then writes the verse above.  This last verse gives us insight into Jesus’ life, which Paul believes will help us live up to the standards that God has set out.

First, Paul says that “He was manifested in the flesh.”  Jesus came to earth as one of us – a human being Who encountered all the temptations we will ever encounter, yet He remained without sin.  He eventually gave up His life on a cross, so that through His sacrifice, we can escape Hell and obtain Heaven.  However, He did not stay dead – three days later, He resurrected!  Just this part is a great “mystery”, but it should inspire us to do what we can to make sure that His sacrifice is as effectual as it can be.  Whenever one person accepts His finished work as payment for their sins, it does not diminish the grace remaining for everyone else; just like the old hymn “There’s Room at the Cross” says, “Though millions have come, there’s still room for one.”

Second, Paul writes that He was “justified in the Spirit.”  During the three days that Jesus’ body was in the tomb, He was in the Spirit, taking our punishment.  He was separated from God (the only time that has ever happened or will ever happen), being tormented for our sin.  Through this, He was justified, and we can be justified as well.  This payment is complete.

Third, Paul writes that Jesus was “seen by angels.”  Wouldn’t that have been great to see – how the angels must have welcomed Him!  I’m not sure if this is talking about the angels that stayed behind in the now-empty tomb, or if this was the host of angels in Heaven who saw Him.  But, either way, I’m sure they must have been excited to see Him alive again.  He had done what had been promised more than 4,000 years prior, and through it defeated Satan for good.

Fourth, Paul says that He was “preached among the Gentiles.”  This was important for Timothy, as it is for most of us reading this.  As John wrote…

¹¹ He came to His own,

and His own people did not receive Him.

— John 1:11

The Jews of that day, for the most part, rejected Him.  But, He still came to earth to not only save the Jews, but to extend that salvation to the rest of us (Gentiles) as well.  He Himself preached among Gentiles, and after He ascended back to Heaven, He continued to be preached to Gentiles.

Fifth, Paul says that He was “believed on in the world.”  This shows that, even though Paul was writing to Timothy early in the life of the church, many had already believed on Jesus, and accepted His payment for their sins.  It’s always encouraging to have an example, someone who has come before you and accomplished the same thing you want to accomplish.  Paul is encouraging Timothy and the believers at his church, letting them know that others have believed on Him, and already obtained the forgiveness they desired.

Finally, Paul says that He was “taken up in glory.”  Jesus did not stay on earth once He had resurrected – He returned to Heaven.  This is important, and it ties in both with what Jesus said, and with what Paul had written to others.  Jesus said…

² In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you.  I am going away to prepare a place for you. ³ If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.— John 14:2-3

And Paul, writing to the church at Thessolonica…

¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will always be with the Lord.— 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

So, how do you understand mysteries?  I don’t know. �  There are still things about what Paul has written that I don’t understand.  But, what I do know is that we can understand the parts of this mystery that Paul wrote to Timothy.  Each of these parts points back to a central theme – Jesus’ finished work of salvation.  Because we have received this salvation, we should live as those who have been forgiven, and encourage others to accept this gift as well.

This week, we’ll look at 2 Timothy 3:16 (and verse 17, to complete the sentence).

¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.— 2 Timothy 3:16-17

We know we should study the Bible.  But why?  When I was growing up, one of the questions they asked every Sunday, right at the start of Sunday School, was “who read their Bible every day last week?”  We all wanted to be able to raise our hands; I remember, on the few occasions when I could not, I felt really bad.  Back then, it wasn’t for the right reason (it was more that a lot of the other kids had their hands up), but it was the right feeling.  Today’s Scripture gives us several great reasons why we should study the Bible.

First, we should study the Bible because It is Inspired by God.  (“All Scripture is inspired by God…”)  Inspiration literally means “God-breathed”, and is the basis of the Bible’s inerrancy (perfection).  God moved through the authors to provide exactly what He wanted to.  Revelation 22:18-19, while speaking directly about Revelations, speak a warning that applies to all Bible readers even today…

¹⁸ I testify to everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. ¹⁹ And if anyone takes away from the words of this prophetic book, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, written in this book.— Revelation 22:18-19

Second, we should study the Bible because It teaches us.  (“and profitable for teaching…”)  Teaching is the act of imparting knowledge.  Studying the Bible can increase our knowledge, and help us develop a proper Biblical world view.  Being knowledgeable about Biblical principles can help us when we encounter new situations that may not be directly addressed in Scripture.

Third, we should study the Bible because It reproves us.  (“…for reproof…”)  Reproof is “an act or expression of criticism and censure.” (WordNet)  The Bible can call us out when we fail to live us to the standards within It.

Fourth, we should study the Bible because It corrects us.  (“…for correction…”)  Correction is “the act of offering an improvement to replace a mistake; setting right.” (WordNet)  This flows naturally after reproof, and is really one of the great things about the Bible that a lot of Christians miss.  It not only tells us when we do wrong (and what we do wrong), It tells us how to make it right!

Fifth, we should study the Bible because It shows us God’s righteousness.  (“…for training in righteousness;”)  Righteousness is not something we can do on our own; rather, it is given to us (imputed) based on Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  We are declared to have kept the law (something we cannot do on our own) because of Jesus’ ability to keep the law.  Training in righteousness helps us live up to the gift we have been given.

Sixth, we should study the Bible because It equips us.  (“so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”)  A soldier wouldn’t go to war without the proper equipment.  The Bible is our main weapon in spiritual warfare.  Ephesians 6:17 expresses it this way.

¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word.— Ephesians 6:17

That covers the “why”, but the title of this devotional starts with the word “how.”  Paul covered that too, but he did it in a different order than we did.  In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul writes…

¹⁵ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.— 2 Timothy 2:15

The answer is diligence.  Reading the Bible every day, as asked by my Sunday School teachers many years ago, is an important part of Bible study.  It will also help us interpret It accurately – by acquainting ourselves with the Bible, we will have no reason to be ashamed.  This is important, as certain verses can be taken out of context and twisted to support an argument that is not Biblical.  For example, a church used Luke 4:7 as it’s theme verse…

⁷ If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.— Luke 4:7 (KJV)

This sound like an excellent promise, doesn’t it?  There’s only one teensy-weensy problem with this.  Let’s read the verse in it’s context, Luke 4:5-7 (back to the HCSB, although the capitalization gives it away)…

⁵ So he took Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ⁶ The Devil said to Him, “I will give You their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. ⁷ If You, then, will worship me, all will be Yours.”— Luke 4:5-7

That doesn’t sound quite so good now, does it?

I pray that we will have the diligence to study God’s Word as we should, and that we can use what we learn to improve our relationship with Him, and our discernment in spiritual things.

When Paul wrote to Titus, he stopped one verse short of us having a 3:16.  Instead, we’ll look at Titus 1:16 (with verse 15 included for context).

¹⁵ To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience are defiled. ¹⁶ They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works.  They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good work.— Titus 1:15-16

Paul had been to the island of Crete, and when he left, he left Titus there to continue the work of building the church on Crete.  It was a tough mission field for Titus – there were people who wanted to overthrow the church, and were financially profiting from teaching what was wrong. (vv. 10-11)  In fact, here’s how one of their own described them.

¹²One of their very own prophets said,

Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.

— Titus 1:12

Titus certainly had his work cut out for him!  But, Paul’s advice to him on selecting leaders of this young church can help us today, even though most of us probably attend well-established churches (or could if we wanted to).  Paul starts verse 15 by saying “To the pure, everything is pure…”  Paul hasn’t been talking about those who are pure, but he is reminding Titus that there are people who have accepted the Word of God in their hearts, and have been made pure.  This is the type of person we should strive to be.  Paul mentioned purity when he told the Philippian church where they should focus their thoughts.

⁸ Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.— Philippians 4:8

Even Jesus mentioned those who are pure in His Sermon on the Mount.

⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God.— Matthew 5:8

Paul follows this short description with a contrast.  The “defiled” are different; they claim to know God, but their words and their works are at odds with one another.  They may know about God in their heads, but they do not know Him in their hearts.  Paul describes these people as “detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good work.” (v. 16)

Rather than focus on what these folks (or us today) have done wrong, think about this.  If Paul had thought that the detestable, disobedient, vile beasts of Crete were beyond hope, would he have gone and started a church, and left Titus there to continue it?  I doubt it.  No matter how far gone we may think we are, it is God’s grace that can bring us out of that, and purify our hearts.  The purity that Paul spoke of in verse 15 is not something we can manufacture ourselves; rather, it is the outcome of us allowing God to come into our hearts and lives, and Him getting rid of the things that are keeping us from the purity He desires.

I pray that we will allow the Holy Spirit to purify our hearts, and make us willing, strong vessels for His work.

This week’s book, Philemon, does not have three chapters; additionally, verse 16 of the only chapter is in the middle of the sentence.  So, let’s start out by looking at the entire context – Philemon 8-16.

⁸ For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right, ⁹ I appeal, instead, on the basis of love.  I, Paul, as an elderly man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus, ¹⁰ appeal to you for my child, whom I fathered while in chains—Onesimus. ¹¹ Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful to both you and me. ¹² I am sending him—a part of myself—back to you. ¹³ I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. ¹⁴ But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. ¹⁵ For perhaps this is why he was separated [from you] for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, ¹⁶ no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother. This is especially so to me, but even more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.— Philemon 8-16

Onesimus had been a slave of Philemon, and had run away after stealing from him.  Philemon had several reasons to have Onesimus killed on sight; accepting him as a brother was likely the last thing on his mind.  But Paul had witnessed a change in Onesimus that Philemon could have never imagined!  In verse 10, Paul says that he has “fathered” Onesimus; while together, Paul shared the gospel with him, converted him, and trained him in the things of the Lord.

In verse 12, Paul goes on to say that Onesimus is a part of himself; and, in verses 13-14, although Paul would rather keep Onesimus there with him, that would be stealing from Philemon – taking Onesimus without Philemon’s consent.  Paul also tells Philemon that Onesimus is now much more than a slave – he is a brother in Christ, and especially valuable.

This is the context of this short epistle – it is an object lesson illustrating 2 Corinthians 5:17.

¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.— 2 Corinthians 5:17

Have you experienced this life-changing power?  If not, take a look at God’s Simple Plan of Salvation; Christ died for you, and all that He requires is that you believe in Him to cleanse your sins and make you into that new creation about which Paul wrote – it really is that simple.  If you have, are you living in that power?  The new creation is not just about saving grace, but a living, day-to-day grace, and the power to continually triumph over sin.  Don’t waste the gift you have received.

This week, we’ll look at Hebrews 3:16.

¹⁶ For who heard and rebelled?  Wasn’t it really all who came out of Egypt under Moses?— Hebrews 3:16

We’ve all heard certain phrases throughout our lives.  “History repeats itself.”  “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”  (This seems to also be a warning to high school students everywhere.)  “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”  These phrases all point to the phenomenon of people doing the same thing over and over, regardless of the outcome.

In today’s Scripture, the author of Hebrews reminds us that it was the people who knew the truth and even experienced it – the Jews – who rebelled against God.  And rebel they did!  In three straight chapters in Exodus, the children of Israel complained and rebelled against Moses.

²³ They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter – that is why it was named Marah. ²⁴ The people grumbled to Moses, “What are we going to drink?” ²⁵ So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree.  When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable.

He made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah and He tested them there.

— Exodus 15:23-25

² The entire Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord‘s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted.  Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger!”

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you.  The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.  This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow My instructions.”

— Exodus 16:2-4

² So the people complained to Moses: “Give us water to drink.”

“Why are you complaining to me?” Moses replied to them.  “Why are you testing the Lord?”

³ But the people thirsted there for water, and grumbled against Moses.  They said, “Why did you ever bring us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

⁴ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people?  In a little while they will stone me!”

⁵ The Lord answered Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you.  Take the rod you struck the Nile with in your hand and go. ⁶ I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

— Exodus 17:2-6

But, surely, once they get to the promised land, the Israelites will remember God’s provision, right?  Well…

¹ Then the whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night. ² All the Israelites complained about Moses and Aaron, and the whole community told them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! ³ Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to die by the sword?  Our wives and little children will become plunder.  Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” ⁴ So they said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and go back to Egypt.”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell down with their faces [to the ground] in front of the whole assembly of the Israelite community. ⁶ Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who scouted out the land, tore their clothes ⁷ and said to the entire Israelite community: “The land we passed through and explored is an extremely good land. ⁸ If the Lord is pleased with us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and give it to us.

— Numbers 14:1-8

It’s easy to look back at the failings of the Israelites, and point fingers at them.  But, aren’t we the same?  Don’t we do the same foolish things over and over again?  It’s easy to see how other people don’t learn from their mistakes, but it’s often more difficult to see our own.  Even if we are aware of our failings, though, we still have the inner conflict between the old, selfish nature and our new holy one.  Paul expressed this sentiment in Romans 7…

¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am made out of flesh, sold into sin’s power. ¹⁵ For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. ¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh.  For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me. ²¹ So I discover this principle: when I want to do good, evil is with me. ²² For in my inner self I joyfully agree with God’s law. ²³ But I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.— Romans 7:14-23

So what is the solution?  Later in Romans, Paul gives us the answer.

¹ Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.— Romans 12:1-2

As gold is refined, it is heated to the melting point, and its flaws are literally burned out.  I’m pretty sure that if the gold could talk, it would tell us that it doesn’t particularly enjoy this process.  However, the result is a more pure precious metal.  This is how God works in a Christian’s life; He brings challenges into our lives to mold us into His image.  Some of these challenges are external, but some are internal.  We must give this to God, and trust Him to work His will in our lives.  Will we fail at times?  Of course.  Does that mean would shouldn’t try?  Not at all!

We have been entrusted with the truth.  May we surrender our lives to it, and trust God to use the circumstances in our lives to mold us into His image.  May we learn through each of our mistakes, and may God give us the power not to repeat them.

This week, let’s look at James 3:16.

¹⁶ For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil.— James 3:16

In the passage leading up to this verse, James had been telling us about controlling the tongue, and then he explained that the wisdom we need comes from above.  The two problems in this verse are the source of many of our self-inflicted problems.

Envy is jealousy – wanting what someone else has, disliking someone else for the good things that they have in their life.  Paul gives a pretty good comparison with envy and jealousy (emphasis mine)…

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar, about which I tell you in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love…

— Galatians 5:19-22a

But, just as Paul followed up his list of negative things with one of the most famous passages in the Bible, James also does not stop with verse 16.  He continues…

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy. ¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.— James 3:17-18

So, the remedy to “disorder and…evil” is the fruit of the Spirit.  By setting aside our own selfish desires, we can allow the Holy Spirit to grow these other qualities in us.  May we be able to say “no” to ourselves and “yes” to Him!