Paul's Grace Message: A Good Conscience

A Good Conscience

By Grgg Bing

As Jesus was sitting endearin the temple teaching the people, the scribes and Pharisees dragged a frightened woman in and set her down in their midst saying, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned, but what do You say?" These Jewish rulers were testing Jesus, trying to find an accusation to bring against Him.

However, Jesus turned the tables on them and confronted them with a moral dilemma of their own. At first, Jesus stooped down and began to write on the ground with His finger, as if He didn't hear them. When they continued questioning Him, Jesus raised Himself up and said, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first," after which He stooped down and wrote on the ground once more (John 8:2-8).

The scribes and Pharisees were religious men who believed their strict observance of the Law of Moses made them righteous (Matthew 23:28, Luke 18:11-12, Philippians 3:4-6). You might have expected these self-righteous men to go right ahead and stone this woman, whom they considered to be a sinner, but the Scripture says they were "convicted by their own conscience" (John 8:9). The word convicted means they were reproved or rebuked. Who rebuked them? Their own conscience! While they sought to bring an accusation against Jesus (John 8:6), He focused their attention on the issue of their own sin, saying, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."

The question He posed to them was "Are you without sin?" Their conscience rebuked them, clearly testifying within them that they were not without sin. Beginning with the oldest, down to the youngest, they all walked away. The woman was left alone with Jesus, the only one who was "without sin," yet He did not condemn her. He sent her away and admonished her to sin no more (John 8:9-11).
What is the Conscience?

Some people describe the conscience as that "little voice" in our head that tells us what to do. In cartoons and TV commercials the conscience is often pictured as a little white angel with a halo that speaks in one ear telling us to do what is right while a red devil with a pitchfork speaks in the other ear telling us to do what is wrong. While these are not accurate descriptions, they do emphasize the basic function of the conscience: to discern between right and wrong.

Webster's Dictionary defines the word conscience as "an awareness of right and wrong, with a compulsion to do right." It comes from a Latin word that literally means "to know with." The Greek word translated conscience in Scripture is the word sunedeisis. The preposition sun means "together with." The verb eido means "to see, know, perceive or discern." The word conscience might be called joint-knowledge or co-knowledge with one's self. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon says the conscience "distinguishes between what is morally good and bad, prompting us to do the former and shun the latter, commending the one, condemning the other."

How Did Man Come to Have a Conscience?

When God created Adam and Eve, He placed them in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. He commanded that they could freely eat of the trees in the garden, except for one tree.

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:17)

We read in Genesis, chapter 3, how the serpent deceived Eve and she ate the fruit from the forbidden tree, gave the fruit to her husband, Adam, and he ate also.

"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." (Gensis 3:7-8)

The first thing Adam and Eve did was to make themselves coverings from fig leaves. Why would they do this? We read in Genesis 2:25 that when they were created "they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed." Why would they be ashamed now? They were now "conscious" of their nakedness. Having eaten the fruit from this tree, they now knew the difference between good and evil (Genesis 3:22), not because the fruit itself caused some type of chemical reaction or physical change within them, but because they had committed evil by disobeying God. They were ashamed of their nakedness, but they were more ashamed of their sin against God and tried to hide themselves from His presence. This knowledge of good and evil marked the beginning of man's conscience, his consciousness of sin.

Do All People Have a Conscience?

We sometimes hear people described as being "without a conscience" or committing "unconscionable acts." Do all people have a conscience, or just believers? The apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 4:2, speaks of "... commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." We see from this statement that all men have a conscience, both believers and unbelievers. For example, the incident described in John, chapter 8, involving the Jewish rulers and the woman caught in adultery, shows that the scribes and Pharisees had a conscience. These men were clearly unsaved, for though they made an outward show of righteousness (Matthew 23:28), their hearts were far from God (Matthew 15:8). When these self-righteous men were questioned about whether they were without sin or not, their conscience rebuked them, and none dared cast a stone at the woman caught in adultery.
Another example of unbelievers who are said to have a conscience is the Gentiles during the Old Testament period. The covenant of law was made between God and His chosen nation, Israel. The other nations, who are called Gentiles, had no part in this covenant. They were "strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:11-12). Though they were "without law," God still held them accountable for their sin, just as if they were under the law.

"For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them." (Romans 2:14-15)

Though the Gentiles were not under the law, they still did the things contained in the law. What would lead them to do the things in the law if the law had never even been given to them? It was their "nature," something they were born with. The work of the law was written on their hearts. Their conscience bore witness within them as to what was right and wrong, accusing or excusing each thought, word and deed.

Just as we are born with a sin nature passed on to us from our father, Adam, we are also born with a conscience, the ability to discern between good and evil.

Why Was Man Given a Conscience?

Is the conscience good? Is it something man should follow? In general, the answer to these questions is "Yes." While we certainly see a moral decline in our world today, we still see a basic moral goodness, even among unbelievers. How is this possible? The answer is man's conscience.

Knowing what man's sin nature is like, we might expect to find absolutely no good, moral behavior among unbelievers (Ephesians 4:22), but this is not the case. For example, consider the issue of modesty in dress. We live in a world that is becoming more and more immodest in dress, yet most people still maintain a sense of modesty and decency in their choice of clothing. What leads them to do so? Their conscience does. This sense of decency and modesty began in the Garden of Eden immediately after Adam and Eve sinned. They knew they were naked and sought to clothe themselves. Their newly acquired conscience led them to do what was morally good, to be modest about their bodies.

We also see man's conscience leading him to be in subjection to governing authorities (Romans 13:5). We live in a world that increasingly disrespects governments and disobeys laws, yet most people, because of their conscience, still recognize the necessity of having laws and authorities to enforce these laws.

Remember that God has given man a conscience. It is His way of controlling or throttling man's sinful nature. We live in an "evil age" (Galatians 1:4). As we get closer to the end of this age, we know that "perilous times will come" (2 Timothy 3:1). Yet, as evil and perilous as the world is now, think how much worse things would be if man had no knowledge of good and evil; if he had no conscience leading him to do what is morally good and right. The world would be so terrible that it would be impossible for men to have any type of peaceful and safe co-existence.

Is Following Our Conscience Good Enough?

Many people believe if they just follow their conscience and do what it tells them is "good" then God will accept them and they will one day go to heaven. While our conscience is basically good and we would hope that most people would follow their conscience, the Bible clearly teaches that being morally good does not save anyone from their sins. Our conscience allows us to discern or know good and evil. It may even lead us to strive to do what is morally good in men's eyes, but in our flesh we are powerless to do what is good in God's eyes (Romans 8:3, Romans 3:10-20). We are all sinners who fall short of God's holy and righteous standard (Romans 3:23). Because of our sin, we are separated from God, and are under sin's penalty, which is death (Romans 6:23). No matter how carefully we follow our conscience in thought, word and deed, we cannot change our spiritual condition. We remain "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1-3).

God Himself has provided the only way for us to be saved from our sins (John 14:6). Because of His great love for us, God sent His only begotten Son into the world to die on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the whole world (1 John 4:9-10, 2:2). Salvation has nothing to do with our moral goodness or good works (Ephesians 2:8-9). The finished work of Christ is what makes it possible for us to be saved and enter into a relationship with God. When we believe that Jesus Christ, God's Son, died for our sins, was buried, and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), when we put our complete trust in Christ and His finished work on the cross, God saves us. He makes us alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5). We become sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26).

The unsaved person needs to have his conscience cleansed (Hebrews 9:14). Good works or religious works have no power to accomplish this cleansing. Even the sacrifices, which were offered under the law, could only cover the people's sins; they could never take them away. Therefore, people remained conscious of their sin and guilt. True forgiveness of sins and cleansing of our conscience comes only through the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 10:9-14).

God may use our conscience, in some way, to lead us to acknowledge that we are sinners, but following our conscience is not enough to save us.

Should We Let Our Conscience be Our Guide?

We often hear people use the expression, "Let your conscience be your guide." We have already stated that for mankind in general, the conscience serves a good purpose, but is the conscience a reliable guide for a believer, for one who has trusted Jesus Christ as Savior?

The Scriptures teach that the conscience can be good (Acts 23:1; 1 Timothy 1:5,19), pure or clean (1 Timothy 3:9, 2 Timothy 1:3), and without offense (Acts 24:16). The Scriptures also teach that the conscience can become weak (1 Corinthians 8:7, 10, 12), evil or wicked (Hebrews 10:22), defiled, stained or polluted (Titus 1:15, 2 Timothy 3:3-4), even seared with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2). We certainly see this corruption in the consciences of unbelievers. Paul told Titus:

"To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled." (Titus 1:15)

The conscience of an unsaved person, over time, can become defiled or corrupted. We see this in our society today. People rationalize their behavior. They adopt a philosophy of moral relativism or situational ethics, which declares there are no moral absolutes, but each person determines for himself what is right or wrong depending upon the situation. With this type of philosophy, it is easy to see how a person's conscience can become so corrupted that it reaches a point of being "seared with a hot iron" (1 Timothy 4:2). The Greek word translated "seared with a hot iron" is where we get our word cauterized. It refers to a conscience that has become insensitive or unfeeling, and thus unable to discern right from wrong.

Though we expect to see this corruption of the conscience in those who don't know Jesus Christ as Savior, we must recognize that the conscience of a believer can also become defiled. Paul testified in the Lord that believers should:

"... no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ." (Ephesians 4:17-20)

Since Paul directs us to "no longer walk" this way, it must be possible for us to continue do so, even after we are saved. A believer who continually walks in accordance with the world and his own fleshly desires may become "past feeling;" his conscience no longer able to reliably discern between good and evil.

If Not Our Conscience, What Should be Our Guide?

When we trust in Jesus Christ as Savior, we become a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We receive a new, spiritual nature, the new man, which is "created, according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24). We still retain the old, sinful nature we were born with, a nature which "grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts" (Ephesians 4:22) but our new nature enables us to live for and please the Lord. Having these two natures, there is a constant struggle within us as to which nature will have control (Romans 7:15-25). How can we know and do what is right?

God has not left us alone in this struggle. He has given us His Holy Spirit to dwell within us (Romans 8:9,11) and to strengthen us (Ephesians 3:16), but only as we live "according to the Spirit," which means controlled by or led by the Holy Spirit. In order to do this, we must present or yield ourselves to Him (Romans 6:13, 12:1-2), placing ourselves completely at His disposal for His use. This is what Paul described as being "spiritually minded" (Romans 8:6). Our conscience may not always be a reliable guide, but the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives is absolutely trustworthy!

How do we tell the difference between our conscience and the leadership of God's Spirit within us? That might be difficult if God had not given us a revelation of His will for our lives—the Word of God! The Bible is God's Word. It is "God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16). It is the source of absolute truth and we can rely upon it implicitly. God's Word teaches us, reproves us, corrects us, and instructs us in how to live righteously (2 Timothy 3:16). God's Word thoroughly equips us for a life of service for Him (2 Timothy 3:17). When we diligently apply ourselves to the study and practice of the Scriptures, being careful to rightly divide the Word of truth, we can be unashamed, knowing that God approves of the work we do for Him (2 Timothy 2:15).

God's Word is a much more reliable guide than our conscience. It is a living, powerful book that pierces our very hearts and souls. While our conscience may be weak, defiled, even seared with a hot iron, when we are confronted with the truth of God's Word, it becomes a discerner, a critic of the thoughts and intent of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12). God's Word gives us the true picture of what is right and wrong, what is good and evil, what is pleasing to the Lord and what grieves Him. Yes, there are moral absolutes, and we find them clearly taught in the Scriptures.

As we read and study God's Word, we grow in knowledge and in our ability to discern the things that are excellent to God (Philippians 1:9-11). Thus, if we truly want to know and follow God's will, we must take to heart what Paul told the Colossian believers: "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Colossians 3:16). When our minds and hearts are filled with the truth of God's Word, we will know what is right in His eyes. When we are yielded to the Holy Spirit and controlled by Him, we will be able to live and please the Lord.

Is the Conscience Important to a Believer?

Once we are saved, is our conscience still important? Yes. The apostle Paul stressed the importance of the conscience in his testimony before the Jewish Sanhedrin (Acts 23:1) and before the Roman governor, Felix (Acts 24:16).

Paul told the Jewish leaders, "Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day" (Acts 23:1). Though he stood accused by the Jewish leaders, men who claimed to be righteous, Paul knew in his heart, through the testimony of his conscience, that he was doing what was good and right in God's sight. This was Paul's first priority, to please the Lord, not to please men, as he said in Galatians 1:10, "... for if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ." Paul's testimony, throughout his ministry was, "I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did" (2 Timothy 1:3). Certainly Paul was not relying solely upon his conscience. He studied and knew the Old Testament Scriptures, he received revelations from God, and he was led of the Holy Spirit. Yet, Paul considered the testimony of his conscience to be important as well.

Paul later told Felix, "I always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men" (Acts 24:16). The expression "without offense" means that which does not offend, strike out at, or cause to stumble. First and foremost, Paul wanted to ensure that he did not offend or strike out at God. Yet, Paul also strove to live a life without offense toward men. This didn't mean Paul sought to please men, but that he made sure his words and actions didn't cause others to stumble.

To have a conscience that is "without offense" toward men, there are two areas of concern. The first is our conduct or manner of life, the way we live before the Lord and other people. This is a vital part of our testimony. Philippians 2:15 teaches that we live "in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation," and as children of God, we are to "shine as lights in the world." To effectively do so, we should become blameless and harmless in our conduct before others. This doesn't mean we must be sinlessly perfect, but that we live a life that others cannot easily find fault with, a life that is genuinely devoted to Christ. O, that the testimony of our conscience might be the same as Paul's.

"For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you." (2 Corinthians 1:12).

When our conscience testifies that our conduct is pure and godly, then God can use our lives to impact others. Paul stressed the importance of his conduct in ministering to those in Ephesus (Acts 20:17-27) and Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:1-12).

The second area of concern, if we are to have a conscience "without offense" toward men, is how we handle the Word of God. As believers we are to bear a testimony for the Lord, not only by the way we live (Philippians 2:15), but also by "holding forth the word of life" (Philippians 2:16).

When we share the truth of God's Word with others, we must be careful in how we handle and present it. To begin with, we must first know the truth ourselves. Paul instructed Timothy,

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

When we diligently study and rightly divide the Word of truth, we can know and understand God's will and His plan and purpose for His church during this present dispensation of grace (Ephesians 3:19). We must know the truth of God's Word for it provides the answers that people need to hear (Colossians 4:6). Even Peter admonished the Jewish believers:

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed." (1 Peter 3:15-16)

However, just knowing the Word is not enough. We must also be careful in how we present the Word to others. Paul told the Corinthians:

"But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." (2 Corinthians 4:2)

When Paul proclaimed the gospel to the people in Thessalonica, his ministry was sincere, his motives pure. His desires were not self-seeking, but for the glory and praise of God (1 Thessalonians 2:4-6). As a result, the people "received the word of God ... not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Finally, as we speak the truth of the Word, it is vital that we do so "in love" (Ephesians 4:15). Paul told Timothy,

"And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

Our responsibility is not to change people's minds, but to gently, patiently, and humbly share the Word of God with them, trusting God to change their hearts and lives.

When our conduct is pleasing to the Lord and our handling of His Word is pure, then the testimony of our conscience will be one that is without offense toward both God and man. While the conscience is not the absolute guide for our lives as believers, the testimony of our conscience plays an important role in our service for the Lord. May each of us be able to say, as Paul did:

"I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

Chapter 1

"But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:11-12)

Man of God—what a meaningful title! We find many titles in the Scriptures: prophet, priest, king, judge, pastor, elder, deacon. These titles designate an office or function performed by one who is a servant of the Lord. The title "man of God" is more personal in nature, denoting a close relationship with God and the godly character that results from such a relationship.

While this expression is found only twice in the New Testament Scriptures, it is used of several important Old Testament figures. A brief look at these men will help us better understand the significance of the title, "man of God."

Moses

Moses is repeatedly called "the man of God" (Deuteronomy 33:1, Joshua 14:6, Psalms 90:1) for he truly was God's man. When Moses was born, his parents saw that he was "the beautiful child" (Hebrews 11:23), a child that was special, "well pleasing to God" (Acts 7:20), therefore they hid him to protect him from Pharaoh's edict. God spent the next eighty years preparing Moses to lead Israel out of Egyptian bondage. His call came as God spoke to him from the burning bush. God showed His great power through Moses in amazing ways: power to bring the plagues upon Egypt, power to part the Red Sea, power to bring water from a rock and manna from heaven.

Moses was a prophet of God, but whereas God spoke to other prophets through dreams and visions, He spoke to Moses in a different manner—"face to face" (Mumbers 12:6-8). What a special relationship Moses had with the Lord, a relationship that significantly affected Moses' character. Though a man of great power and privilege, the Scriptures testify of Moses that he "was very humble (meek), more than all men who were on the face of the earth" (Mumbers 12:3). Moses endured much tribulation at the hands of the people of Israel, who continually grumbled and complained whenever anything did not go their way, yet Moses humbly took each situation to the Lord in prayer, seeking His help. Moses was forbearing and forgiving to those who murmured against him, often interceding to God on their behalf. Moses was a man of faith: faith in God and faithfulness to God (Hebrews 11:23-29); thus he was known as "the man of God.

David

David is also referred to several times as "the man of God" (2 Chronicles 8:14, Nehemiah 12:24, 36). David is best remembered for his victory over the Philippiansistine giant, Goliath. This event does give us one indication of why David is called "the man of God." Consider David's words as he stood before Goliath:

"You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philippiansistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17:45-47)

Here are the words of a young man who trusted in God and the deliverance He alone can give, all for the purpose of giving glory and honor to Him.

David was God's choice to be king over Israel. When Israel's first king, Saul, disobeyed God, the Lord raised up David to be their king, a man the Lord described as: "a man after My own heart, who will do all My will" (Acts 13:22). What a beautiful description of a "man of God"—a man after God's own heart. David sought to know and do God's will in God's time. Even after being anointed king by Samuel the prophet, David patiently waited for God to give him the kingdom. Though King Saul doggedly pursued David and sought to kill him, David, even when given clear opportunity to kill Saul, refused to take the life of the Lord's anointed.

Like Moses, David was also a prophet of God, writing many of the psalms. As a young man caring for his father's sheep, David must have spent many hours communing with the Lord. As we read the beautiful psalms (songs) God gave through David, we see the heart of one who was truly "God's man."

Elijah and Elisha

Elijah and Elisha are both referred to as "the man of God" (1 Kings 17:18, 2 Kings 4:7). Both men were powerful prophets who spoke boldly for God during times of great wickedness in Israel. Elijah lived during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel, two of the most wicked rulers in Israel's history. Elijah prayed to God that it not rain in Israel, and for three and half years it didn't. Elijah confronted Ahab and challenged his prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel to demonstrate to the people of Israel there was only one true God. The prophets of Baal shouted and called upon their god throughout the day, but there was no answer. Elijah calmly prayed to God, who answered his humble prayer and by fire consumed the offering Elijah had prepared. What a tremendous impact this faithful man of God had upon God's people. Elijah performed many other miracles. He provided for the needs of the widow and her son, even raising the boy from the dead. When Elijah's time on earth was finished, God caught this "man of God" up to heaven in a whirlwind.

When Elijah was taken up into heaven, Elisha received his mantle, both literally and figuratively, for he took Elijah's place as the prophet of God. Elisha asked God for a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Knowing that Elijah had been used of God in a mighty way, Elisha wanted to do so and more, not for his own glory, but for the Lord's. God granted his humble request and worked many powerful miracles through the hand of Elisha, a faithful "man of God."

Holy Men of God

God has always had His spokesmen in every dispensation, men who were called of God to proclaim His Word. In the Old Testament these men were primarily prophets, though some were judges, kings, or priests. Peter referred to the Old Testament prophets in 2 Peter 1:21 as "holy men of God." These faithful men were called by God and spoke His Word as they were "moved by the Holy Spirit;" this is what made them "men of God."

During the times covered by the New Testament Scriptures, God continued to speak through prophets, such as John the Baptist, but He also worked through apostles, men sent out by God to proclaim His Word. Some apostles and prophets, such as the Twelve, spoke to God's earthly people, Israel. Paul and his fellow workers, were called to be apostles and prophets to the Gentiles and to make known God's plan and purpose for His Church, the Body of Christ. These were all, no doubt, "men of God" as well.

In Ephesians 4:11-12, we read of God's gifts to the Church, His Body. This list included the offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. With the setting aside of national Israel and the completion of God's Word, the need for apostles and prophets no longer exists today, however, God is still using evangelists, pastors and teachers, not to give His Word by direct revelation, but to proclaim His completed Word through preaching and teaching.

Timothy

The young man, Timothy, served as an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, and a pastor and teacher. He faithfully labored together with the Apostle Paul in the ministry of the gospel. Paul, in the first of two letters to Timothy, addressed him with the title, "man of God" (1 Timothy 6:11-12). What a testimony to the character of this young man! In his letter to the saints at Philippiansippi, Paul made special mention of Timothy's godly character.

"For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel." (Philippians 2:20-22)

This "proven character" resulted from Timothy's love and devotion to Jesus Christ. This is why Timothy is linked with faithful, godly men such as Moses and David as a "man of God."

Pastors

Paul's letters to Timothy are part of a group called the Pastoral Epistles, being written to those serving as pastors. Since this passage in 1 Timothy 6:11-12 is addressed to Timothy as a pastor, it can and should be applied to all who serve as pastors or teachers (elders, bishops) in local churches. A person entrusted with the responsibility of teaching and preaching the Word of God is to be a "man of God." This can be readily seen by reviewing the requirements for this office as outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7.

All Believers

The only other New Testament occurrence of the expression "man of God" is also found in a letter to Timothy, however it is not used specifically of Timothy.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The "man of God" here is not limited to pastors, but extends to all believers, both men and women. The word "man" is from a Greek word that refers not just to males, but to mankind, that is all human beings. These verses stress that God's Word is profitable for all believers, that each of us may be a "man of God," complete, thoroughly equipped and prepared for every good work God has called us to do. We are to be God's men, serving Him in this world as "ambassadors for Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:21). For this designation, "man of God," to be true of us, we must have an intimate relationship with the Lord, a relationship that is evident by the character exhibited in our daily lives. What about you? Does your life give evidence that you are truly "a man of God"? Next month we will begin looking at three traits that characterize the "man of God."

Chapter 2

"But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:11-12)

The title "man of God" is used of several faithful men in the Old Testament, men such as Moses, David, and Elijah. These men had a close, personal relationship with the Lord, a relationship that was evident in their character, walk, and service for the Lord. The title "man of God" is used only twice in the New Testament, both in letters to Timothy, but the title seems to be applicable, not just to Timothy, but to every believer, including both men and women (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

What characterizes a "man of God"? Last month, we looked at some qualities of Moses and David that made each of them God's man, but here in 1 Timothy 6:11-12, Paul mentions three specific traits of a "man of God": he flees certain things, he follows after certain things, and he fights the good fight of faith. We begin by considering Paul's admonition to the man of God to:

Flee

The word "flee" means to flee away from, to shun or avoid danger and escape to safety. We don't usually associate "fleeing" with the idea of being "a man," but this is exactly what the man of God is commanded to do. Believers are certainly admonished to take a stand in many areas of their life. We are to "stand fast in the faith" (1 Corinthians 16:13), to "stand fast in the liberty" we have in Christ (Galatians 5:1), to "stand against the wiles of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11), to "stand fast ... for the faith of the gospel" (Philippians 1:27), and to "stand fast in the Lord" (Philippians 4:1). However, there are certain things and certain situations we are to continually flee.

Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, was not called a "man of God," but the Lord was with him, in almost all that he did. When Joseph was bought as a slave in Egypt and brought into the house of Potiphar, the Pharaoh's captain of the guard, Potiphar's wife "cast longing eyes on Joseph" and said to him, "lie with me." Joseph refused her. He respected the sanctity of the marriage relationship, and he respected Potiphar and would not betray his master in this way, but, most important, Joseph recognized fornication as a "great wickedness and a sin against God" (Genesis 29:8-9). In spite of Joseph's refusal, she continued to seduce him "day by day," but "he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her." Finally, she arranged to be alone with Joseph in the house one day. "She caught him by his garment, saying 'Lie with me.' But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside" (Genesis 39:12). Though Joseph was falsely accused and wrongly imprisoned, God still honored his faithfulness to flee from this temptation to sin.

Flee Sexual Immorality

Paul instructs believers to do the same as Joseph: to "flee sexual immorality" (1 Corinthians 6:18). This sin has plagued believers, both men and women, throughout history and continues to do so in our increasingly permissive society.

David, who was called a "man of God" and described by God as "a man after My own heart," committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his most faithful soldiers. He proceeded to murder her husband, Uriah, took Bathsheba for his own wife, and then covered up the whole sordid affair. How could such a thing happen to this man of God? He did not flee sexual immorality. It all began one night as David was relaxing on the rooftop of his house. He happened to look across into another house, where Bathsheba was bathing. Instead of turning away and fleeing from this temptation, David continued to gaze at this woman, who was physically "beautiful to behold." As a result, he succumbed to the temptation, inquired about the woman, sent for her, and lay with her (2 Samuel 11:2-4).

The man of God flees sexual immorality. Sexual immorality is a sin against one's own body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote these words to the Corinthian church, an assembly of immature believers who were susceptible to this sin:

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Flee from Idolatry

Paul also wrote to the Corinthians to "flee from idolatry" (1 Corinthians 10:14). The Gentile believers in Corinth had come from a background of idol worship. They were continually tempted to return to their religious roots by friends, maybe even from family members. The Jewish believers in Corinth also had a background of idolatry as well. The children of Israel were plagued by this abominable sin throughout their history. Even as they waited at the foot of Mount Sinai while Moses was up in the mount to receive the law from God, they made and worshipped a golden calf.

God's first commandment in the law was: "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3). Israel was commanded by God to flee from idolatry. The second commandment went on to say: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God ..." (Exodus 20:4-5). When you mention the word "idolatry," this is what most people think of: bowing down to some type of image or idol. However, there are other forms of idolatry as well.

The world we live in is an evil world, headed up by Satan himself, whom the Lord Jesus referred to as "the prince of this world" (John 12:31). Satan's greatest desire is to be worshipped as God (cf. Isaiah 14:12-14), which is clearly idolatry. To accomplish this goal, Satan uses the things of this world to corrupt men's minds and turn them away from the worship of the one true God (2 Corinthians 11:3). John warned of the danger of succumbing to the lure of the things of the world:

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:15-17)

We must not develop a love for the world or for the things in it. The world appeals to sinful men in their weakest areas: the lusts (desires) to satisfy our bodies of flesh, the lust for things we see with our eyes, and the selfish pride that is a fundamental part of our sin nature. Paul listed the types of sins we can commit in "our members (bodies) which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). These sins draw us away from the Lord. Notice the last sin mentioned is covetousness.

The word covetousness means greediness, a desire to have more. A covetous person is never content; he always wants more, often what belongs to someone else. His desires may include money or the things it can buy, prestige in the eyes of men, power or authority to be in control, or things that bring pleasure, especially to the body. The Lord led Paul to declare that such covetousness is idolatry. Anything that we place above God becomes an idol to us. We worship (or serve) what we set our hearts on; what we value most highly; what we spend our time and efforts pursuing. In other words, what we covet or desire most strongly. If we are not careful, any of the following can become an idol to us: work, hobby, education, money, houses, cars, boats, even our families. While none of these things are wrong in themselves, if we place them before God in importance, we are guilty of idolatry.

We flee idolatry by realizing that we are crucified to the things of this world and they are crucified to us (Galatians 6:14). Therefore, Paul instructs us to "put to death" the things of the world, the sins we are tempted to commit in our bodies of flesh (Colossians 3:5) and to "put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him," for "Christ is all and in all" (Colossians 3:10-11).

Next month we will look at some specific things in 1 Timothy 6 that Paul commands the man of God to flee.

Chapter 3

Flee False Teaching

Paul's first letter to Timothy teaches the proper conduct for believers in "the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15). Having communicated these truths to Timothy, Paul instructed Timothy to "teach and exhort these things" (1 Timothy 6:2). He continued with a warning about those who taught otherwise (differently) and did not "consent (agree) to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness" (1 Timothy 6:3).

The word "wholesome" is translated from the same Greek word which gives us our English word "hygiene" which means sound or healthy. Paul often referred to the truth entrusted to him by God as "sound" doctrine. For instance, in 1 Timothy 1:10-11, Paul spoke of "sound doctrine" as "the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust" (cf. 2 Timothy 1:13, 4:3, Titus 1:9, 2:1). Many today do not "consent to" (agree with) the truths given to Paul for this present dispensation of God's grace. They insist that Paul's words are somehow inferior to the words Jesus spoke while He was here on earth. Paul is careful to point out that the "wholesome words" he spoke were, in fact, the "words of our Lord Jesus Christ." This glorious gospel message is sound doctrine for our spiritual lives today; it "accords with godliness" instilling within us a proper attitude of reverence for God.

Those who teach otherwise and do not consent to God's truth for this present age have a very different attitude.

"He is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself." (1 Timothy 6:4-5)

These false teachers are proud, caring only about themselves. They have no reverence for God and no concern for others. Having rejected the truth of God's Word, they know nothing and have no real desire even to come to a knowledge of the truth. Instead, they are obsessed with finding objections to the things of God and arguing over words (trivial things), activities which are useless and only result in envy, strife, criticism, and evil suspicions. The men who follow this path have had their minds corrupted (perverted, twisted) by Satan (2 Corinthians 11:3). They have turned their ears away from the truth and been turned aside to fables (2 Timothy 4:4). In their own minds, they reason that godliness (pious behavior) is a means of personal gain. They have "forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness" (2 Peter 2:15). Paul says very pointedly: "From such withdraw yourself" or, in other words, "flee!"

Flee the Love of Money

Money is the primary motivation for most false teachers, but it must not be so for "the man of God." Nothing is more detrimental to a person's ministry for the Lord or more destructive to his or her credibility than the "love of money."

Money is clearly a temporary possession. "We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out" (1 Timothy 6:7). The accumulation of money or the things it can buy is not real gain. However, "godliness with contentment (the very opposite of covetousness) is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). Having the things we need to sustain our physical life (food, clothing, etc.), we should learn to be content, to recognize, as Paul did that "my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

There is nothing wrong with having money; that is not the problem. The problem lies in the desires of men's hearts.

"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition." (1 Timothy 6:9)

The word "desire" implies careful thought, purpose, and determination, the will to become rich or wealthy in this world's goods. This type of desire causes men to "fall," which carries the idea of falling into or under the power or control of someone or something else. When our minds and hearts are focused on money and the things of this world, we fall under Satan's power. We "fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts;" lusts which Satan can use to entice us and ensnare us (cf. James 1:14-15); lusts which are foolish and harmful, to ourselves as well as to others; lusts which drown us in the depths of destruction and perdition (loss, ruin), not necessarily physical or financial ruin, but certainly spiritual ruin.

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:10)

The love of money, not the possession of it, is the root (cause or origin), of all kinds of evil. This covetous desire for monetary gain leads us to become involved in every imaginable type of evil activity: lying, stealing, even murder. A glance at the local newspaper of almost any city, regardless of it size, testifies to the truth of this statement. However, the greatest danger is that in their greedy desire to have more and more, men have strayed away from the faith (the truth of God's Word) and been led into error. As a result, they have "pierced themselves through with many sorrows," torturing their souls with continual and consuming grief. Paul commands the man of God to "flee these things."

Jesus taught this same basic truth to His disciples in Matthewhew 6:24: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money)."

A "man of God" is to be God's man, God's servant, thus he is to be constantly fleeing anything that would hinder his relationship with God or his service for God. It is an undeniable fact: you cannot serve God and money! It is simply not possible.

For the first forty years of his life, Moses was raised as the son of Pharaoh's daughter in Egypt. He had access to all the treasures and riches of that great nation (consider the gold and treasures that have been discovered in the excavated pyramids of Egypt). Yet, Moses esteemed (valued) the reproach and shame of Christ to be greater riches than all the treasures in Egypt. He chose "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin." What helped Moses with this difficult choice? He turned his eyes and his desires away from everything else and looked to one thing—"he looked to the reward" of serving the Lord (Hebrews 11:24-26). The person whose values and priorities are set on spiritual things, as Moses' was, can truly be called a "man of God."

Chapter 4

Follow

The man of God is to "pursue" or "follow after" (KJV) certain things. The Greek word used in this verse is "dioko" which literally means "to pursue, to run or follow after in order to catch." A similar word is used in the Old Testament to describe Pharaoah's army as they "pursued" the children of Israel after they left Egypt (Exodus 14:4). Figuratively, dioko means "to seek after eagerly, to endeavor to acquire." Paul wrote the Romans, "Let us pursue the things which make for peace" (Romans 14:9). In the New Testament, the most common translation of the Greek dioko is the word "persecute" (28 of its 44 occurrences). Saul of Tarsus, before he came to know Christ as Savior, "persecuted the church of God beyond measure" (Galatians 1:13). While Saul's persecution of the church was certainly a sinful pursuit, done "ignorantly in unbelief," his zeal, eagerness, and intensity in pursuing his objective to destroy the church, helps us understand what it means to "pursue" or "follow after."

The Declaration of Independence begins with these words: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Most people focus on the last of these rights: "the pursuit of happiness." They devote their time and energy to the pursuit of such things as pleasure, power, prestige in the eyes of men, even "the almighty dollar," thinking these things will bring them happiness. Yet, so few in the world are really happy.

A man of God is to zealously pursue six things: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

Righteousness

The word righteousness refers to what is right or just in God's eyes. There are two different types of righteousness to consider: imputed righteousness and practical righteousness. The man of God is not to pursue imputed righteousness. This righteousness becomes ours the very moment we trust Christ as Savior. Christ took our sin upon Himself on the cross of Calvary, that we might have His righteousness imputed to us (put on our account) (2 Corinthians 5:21). Upon believing, God justifies us, or declares us righteous in Christ, enabling us to have peace with God (Romans 5:1).

In 1 Timothy 6:11, Paul is referring to practical righteousness or righteous livingdoing what is right in God's sight. Noah is described as a "just" or "righteous" man; a man who walked with God (Genesis 6:9) during a time when this was not an easy thing to do. During the days of Noah, the earth was "corrupt before God" and "filled with violence" (Genesis 6:11). The Lord saw that "the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). Yet the Lord took note of Noah, "I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation" (Genesis 7:1), therefore He saved Noah and his family through the flood. While the world around him pursued evil, Noah pursued righteousness. He sought to do what was right in God's eyes, what was pleasing to Him.

Paul is another example of a man who focused on pleasing God and not men. He wrote the Galatians: "Do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). He reminded the Thessalonians that while in their midst, he lived "not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts" (1 Thessalonians 2:4). He told the Corinthians: "We make it our aim ... to be well pleasing to Him" (2 Corinthians 5:9).

What is your aim in life? What do you labor and strive earnestly to attain in life? The man of God pursues righteousness; not what is pleasing or right in his own eyes or in men's eyes, but what is pleasing to God.

Godliness

Many like to define "godliness" as "God-likeness," being or behaving "like God." A godly man will certainly be "like God," but there is much more to godliness. Being "like God" is the result of godliness, not godliness itself. In fact, it is possible to act like God and not be godly at all. Paul warned Timothy of those who have "a form of godliness" but deny its power; from such people we are to "turn away" (2 Timothy 3:5).

While righteousness speaks of our outward behaviordoing what pleases Godgodliness has more to do with our inner man, or our heart. It is concerned with two things: our attitude toward God's person and our awareness of God's presence. Godliness is characterized by the following traits:

Fear

Godliness begins with fear, a respect or reverence for who God is; to stand in awe of His eternal being, His omnipotence, His omniscience, His holiness, His righteousness, His love, His sovereignty. The psalmist said: "Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him" (Psalms 33:8).

The wicked have quite a different attitude: "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Psalms 36:1). As believers, we are instructed: "work out your own salvation (practically) with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in your both to will and do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-13).

Knowledge

Godliness involves having a desire to know God; not just to know about Him, but to know Him personally and intimately; to develop a close relationship with Him. Jeremiah put in perspective the importance of knowing God.

"Thus says the LORD: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the LORD." (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

This desire to know God is something that is to continue throughout our lives. Paul, as he neared the end of his life, expressed what was still his heartfelt desire: "that I may know Him" (Philippians 3:10). What a tremendous privilege to know the Lord of glory, to have a personal relationship with the One who is our God, our Creator, our Savior, and our Head.

Love

Godliness is also seen in a growing love for God. Those who fear the Lord and truly desire to know Him, will grow to love Him more and more each day. This is what God desires for His children. The Lord instructed His earthly people, Israel:

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Jesus later told the Pharisees this was the greatest commandment! As we experience the love of the Lord and grow to love Him more, we will then show forth His love to others (1 John 4:11).

Devotion

Godliness is, in essence, complete devotion to God, and to God alone! Godliness is seen in a life that is totally committed to knowing, loving, and serving the Lord. What about you? Are you devoted to God? Do you truly fear God? Do you stand in awe of who He is and of what He has done for you? Do you desire and actively seek to know Him more and more each passing day? Do you spend time feeding on His Word? Do you truly love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength? The pursuit of godliness is, in reality, the pursuit of God. This is what characterizes the man of God.

The pursuit of godliness, a heart and life devoted to God, enables us to purse righteousness, a life that pleases God. A good example from the Scriptures is the life of Enoch. We read in Genesis 5:24 that Enoch "walked with God." He had a close personal relationship with the Lord. As a result, we find this testimony concerning Enoch: "he pleased God" (Hebrews 11:5). The pursuit of godliness and righteousness is the key to an effective ministry for the Lord and a powerful testimony for Christ.

How do we practically pursue godliness and righteousness? The way to develop a close, personal relationship and walk with the Lord is by spending time in His Word. It is only in the Holy Scriptures that we find the teaching (doctrine) that "accords with godliness" (1 Timothy 6:3). It is only in the Bible that we receive sound "instruction in righteousness (righteous living)" (2 Timothy 3:16). If we are to be men and women of God, we must be men and women of the Word.

Chapter 5

"But you, O man Aof God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:11-12)

Paul identified six things that a "man of God" follows after: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. We looked at the first two, righteousness and godliness, last month. This month we continue with:

Faith

The word "faith" can refer to several different things: 1) the faithfulness of Christ, 2) our faith in Christ unto salvation, 3) our faith in God for our daily walk, 4) our faithfulness in serving the Lord, and 5) the body of truth we believe (usually referred to as "the faith"). The man of God is one who has already put his faith in Christ unto salvation, thus his (or her) pursuit of faith focuses on faith in God for daily living and faithfulness in serving Him.

To have faith in God means not only believing Him, but trusting, relying, and depending on Him for our every need, no Matthewer what the circumstances. Abraham is an excellent example of a man of faith. Hebrews chapter 11, often referred to as "the faith chapter," devotes more verses to Abraham's faith than any other person listed. Consider three separate instances in Abraham's life. While living in Mesopotamia, Abraham was called by God to leave behind his country, his family, and his father's household and go to a land that God would show him. Hebrews 11:8 tells us Abraham, "went out, not knowing where he was going." Abraham trusted in God's plan and purpose for his life, without having to see and understand how (or even where) God would work out this purpose.

God later promised Abraham and his wife, Sarah, they would give birth to a son when both of them were past the age of conceiving children. Instead of doubting or scoffing at God's promise, Paul writes of Abraham:

"He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:20-21)

After Isaac, the promised son, was born and had grown into a young man, God instructed Abraham to take him and offer him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah.

What a tremendous test of Abraham's faith! Yet, we read. "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, In Isaac your seed shall be called,' concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense." (Hebrews 11:17-19)

This is what the man of God pursues: absolute confidence in God's plan and purpose for his life, in God's promises to him, and in God's power to perform them.

The word "faith" also includes the idea of faithfulness or trustworthiness. When we put our complete trust in God for everything in our lives, it follows that we will live a life of faithfulness in serving Him. Once again, Abraham's life gives us a pattern for faithfulness. When God called Abraham to separate himself from a country and a family that were steeped in idol worship (Joshua 24:2-3), Abraham obeyed God (Hebrews 11:8). When he arrived in Canaan, the land to which God led him, it too was filled with idolaters. Knowing that God's purpose was to keep him separate from such idol worship, Abraham faithfully "dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise" (Hebrews 11:9). By dwelling in tents, Abraham kept himself separate from the people of Canaan. He also "built altars" (Genesis 12:7,8, 13:4,18, 22:9) to worship the one, true God; the God who called him; the God in whom he trusted.

The man of God exhibits this same type of faithfulness in his own life and service for the Lord.

Love

The man of God must first love God, with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). This is what Jesus identified as the "first and great commandment" (Mathew 22:37-38). Though we are not living under law, but under grace, the mandate to love God in this way is still vital in our Christian walk. As we saw earlier in this study, loving God is part of what it means to pursue godliness.

After Jesus identified this "first and great commandment," He went on to note, "And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Mathew 22:39). The man of God is also to love others, both believers and unbelievers. Paul's prayer for us is that we might

"... know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:19)

As we experience God's love to us through Christ, we are then able to: "Walk in love, as Christ has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma" (Ephesians 5:2).

Our love for others should be patterned after Christ's love for us, an unconditional and sacrificial love; the type of love that originates with God and proves to be "a sweet smelling aroma" to Him.

Patience

To be patient, literally means "to abide or remain under." It speaks of a steadfastness, a constancy, a patient endurance, even under the most difficult and trying circumstances. Paul admonished the Romans to be "patient in tribulation" (Romans 12:12).

How can we learn to patiently endure whatever comes in life? First, we must acknowledge that God is sovereign; He is in control. We can rest in the reassuring promise of Romans 8:28:

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

We also need to understand that suffering is a part of life. Some suffering comes simply because we live in a sin-cursed earth. Our bodies are corruptible and mortal; they are subject to illness and death. Other cases of suffering are caused by the acts of sinful men: theft, adultery, rape, murder, etc. From his prison house in Rome, Paul wrote to the Philippiansiipian saints informing them that suffering for the sake of Christ is a privilege granted to believers by God.

"For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake." (Philippians 1:29)

Jesus prepared the twelve apostles for the difficulties they would face in their future ministry for Him, telling them:

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me." (John 15:18-21)

Paul warned Timothy that evil men and seducers would continually grow worse and that: "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12).

Paul patiently endured through many sufferings, not just for the sake of Christ, but for the sake of the elect, those who would come to trust Christ as Savior through his ministry.

"I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Timothy 2:10).

The man of God pursues this type of patient endurance knowing that he is "strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy" (Colossians 1:11).

Meekness or Gentleness

Finally, the man of God is to pursue or follow after "meekness" (KJV) or "gentleness" (NKJV). Both words are helpful in understanding the concept of the original Greek word. Meekness indicates an attitude; it is a condition of the heart. Many people associate the word "meekness" with the idea of weakness, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Meekness has, in fact, been defined as "strength under control." A person who is meek does not insist upon all his rights and privileges. Trench defines meekness as "that temper of spirit in which we accept God's dealings with us as good, and therefore without dispute or resisting."

Gentleness relates more to actions, particularly one's manner in dealing with others. An attitude of meekness is reflected in gentle behavior toward others, whether God or mennot complaining, disputing, or resisting, but dealing humbly and gently with others, trusting God and leaving things in His hands.

Meekness or gentleness is almost always associated with humility. Moses is described in Numbers 12:3 as "very meek (humble), more than all men who were on the face of the earth." Whenever the people of Israel murmured against him or blasphemed him, which they did quite often, Moses would humbly fall on his face before the Lord, worshipping Him and praying for the people.

The greatest example of meekness, gentleness and humility is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Though He is the eternal Son of God who existed in the form and glory of God, Paul tells us:

"He did not consider it robbery (something to grasped or held onto) to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:6-8)

Jesus, "when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:23). Paul directs us to "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5).

The man of God pursues this attitude of meekness the mindset of Christ Himself! The man of God is careful to deal gently and humbly with others, especially when sharing the truth of God's Word with the unsaved (2 Timothy 2:23-25).

Chapter 6

Fight

The "man of God" is a fighter. We don't often associate fighting with living the Christian life. While Jesus once described Himself as "gentle and lowly in heart" (Mathew 11:29), many people assume He was passive, even weak. We sometimes see Him portrayed this way in movie versions of His life. The truth is that Jesus was a "fighter." Certainly Jesus was not a brawler; He didn't physically fight anyone, nor did He argue with people, but He always took a firm stand for the truth of God. For instance, Jesus was not afraid of offending the scribes and Pharisees when He confronted them regarding their religious traditions and how these traditions caused them to transgress the commandment of God (Mathew 15:1-14). When He found moneylenders and merchants conducting their sordid business in the temple, Jesus boldly kicked over their tables and seats and drove them out, quoting the Scripture which declared: "My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves" (Matthew 21:12-13). Jesus openly and repeatedly warned the Jewish people about the hypocrisy of their religious leaders, declaring these self-righteous men to be the "sons of those who murdered the prophets" (Mathew 23:1-36).

Paul directed Timothy, as a man of God, to "fight the good fight of faith." What did he mean by this? Both the verb and noun forms of "fight" are used in this verse. The Greek words they are translated from are the words agonizomai (verb) and agon (noun), from which we get our English words agonize and agony. Agony speaks of great mental or physical pain. Years ago, a television program called ABC's Wide World of Sports, opened by claiming they covered every aspect of the sporting world, from "the thrill of victory" to "the agony of defeat." The video clip they used to illustrate the "agony of defeat" was a ski jumper falling and crashing through a fence. While this may be an appropriate picture of the agony of a sports defeat, it does not accurately reflect what the Greek agonizomai and agon mean.

The Greek word agon (fight) was used to refer to an athletic contest or game (like the Olympic games which originated in Greece). The writer to the Hebrews spoke of believers running "the race (agon) that is set before us." Paul often compared the Christian life to an athletic endeavor (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, Philippians 3:14, Ephesians 6:12). The word agon is also used to refer to a conflict (Philippians 1:30, Colossians 2:1) or a fight against one's adversaries (1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 4:7).

The basic idea of "agonizing," whether in a contest or a conflict, is struggling through tremendous difficulties or dangers. Kenneth Weust, in his Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, points out the gravity of this struggle as he comments on Greek boxing matches:

"... the gloves of the Greek boxer were fur-lined on the inside, but made on the outside of ox-hide with lead and iron sewed into it, and the loser in a wrestling match had his eyes gouged out."

Clearly the stakes of the Greek contest (agon) were often life and death. This is why those engaged in such a struggle prepared for it with great zeal and labored with all their might when actually engaged in the fight.

The man of God is engaged in just such a life and death struggle: one which has powerful adversaries, one which is fraught with great difficulties and dangers, and one which requires the most earnest and diligent labor on our part. We must remember that, as believers, we are not only to be "servants of the Lord," we are also to be "good soldiers of Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:3).

Of Faith

What is the nature of this fight? What is this fight all about? Paul referred to it as "the good fight of faith," hence it is a spiritual fight. Paul spoke to the Corinthians about the nature of this spiritual warfare:

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

Our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual enemies in heavenly places, spiritual hosts of "the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:12), which is Satan himself. Thus, if we are to succeed in this fight, the strength, the armor, and the weapons we utilize must be those provided by the Lord.

The Faith

In the Greek, the word for faith in the expression "the good fight of faith" is preceded by the definite article, so it literally reads "the faith." We have seen in this series that when this is the case, then "the faith" speaks of the body of truth we place our faith in. Paul makes reference to "the faith" this way numerous times, especially in the pastoral epistles (letters to pastors).

On one level, "the faith" refers to the entire Word of God, an issue which has become one of the great spiritual battlegrounds in these last days of the dispensation of grace. Over the years, we have seen many churches and denominations, which once stood firmly for the truth of God's Word and the inspiration of the Scriptures, turn away from this fundamental doctrine. Paul warned Timothy of those who have "a form of godliness" but "deny its power," and he instructed Timothy: "for such turn away" (2 Timothy 3:5).

In Paul's final charge to Timothy, he once again stressed this problem, saying:

"... the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

This is exactly what we see in our society today. As more and more people turn away from the Word of God, they are easily turned aside to fables or myths. Who is at the source of this apostasy? The answer is found in 1 Timothy 4:1-2:

"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron..."

How does the man of God respond to such a discouraging trend? Paul's charge to Timothy was: "Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching (doctrine)" (2 Timothy 4:2). Having warned Timothy of the apostasy, he said: "If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister (servant) of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of [the] faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed" (1 Timothy 4:6).

As we can see from this last verse, Paul also used the expression "the faith" to refer, specifically, to the truth of the mystery, the message God revealed to and through him for this present dispensation of grace. Satan hates the message of God's grace; it is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe it (Ephesians 2:8-9), and it puts to rest any reliance upon man's religion, as it plainly declares we are "complete in Christ" (Colossians 2:9-17). From the time Paul began to fully unveil this glorious mystery, Satan has opposed it and sought to turn men away from it. When Paul wrote his last letter to Timothy, he informed him, "all those in Asia have turned away from me" (2 Timothy 1:15). This departure from Paul was not just because he was in prison; Paul had been in prison numerous times before. The real problem was the message he was proclaiming: the gospel of the grace of God and the revelation that God was forming a new body of believers, the church the body of Christ, in which all distinction between Jew and Gentile was done away. It is sad to say that this situation still exists today. How few there are who hold fast to and faithfully proclaim the truth of the mystery revealed by God through the Apostle Paul. The man of God stands firm for this truth (2 Timothy 1:13-14) and faithfully proclaims it to others (2 Timothy 2:1-2).

Good Fight

As we undertake this fight "of faith," we need to take note that Paul referred to it as "the good fight." The word good is from the Greek word kalos which means beautiful, excellent, useful, admirable, praiseworthy, and honorable. This word referred to the way the Greek athlete conducted himself in the contest. We, too, must be careful to engage in the fight of faith in a useful, honorable, commendable, and praiseworthy manner.

In 2 Timothy 2:16-26, believers are specifically told to "shun profane and idle babblings" and to "avoid foolish and ignorant disputes." The servant of the Lord must not strive (quarrel) with others. Such foolish questions and heated arguments have no spiritual benefit to anyone, but only generate more strife, envy, and ungodliness (1 Timothy 6:3-5, 2 Timothy 2:16-18, 23-24).

How can the man of God "fight the good fight of [the] faith" honorably, commendably, and in a manner worthy of God's praise? If we are to effectively fight this fight, we must:

·    Rest in God's Power — 2 Timothy 2:1, Colossians 1:29.

·    Continue in Prayer — Colossians 4:2, Ephesians 6:18.

·    Diligently Prepare — 1 Corinthians 9:27, 1 Peter 3:15.

·    Expect Persecution — 1 Corinthians 16:9, 2 Timothy 3:12.

·    Endure Patiently — 2 Timothy 2:3, Hebrews 12:1.

·    Focus on the Prize — Philippians 3:14, Hebrews 12:2.

The man of God is commanded to be continually fleeing, following after, and fighting certain things, but the key to realizing this in our lives on a daily basis is found in the latter part of 1 Timothy 6:12: "lay hold on eternal life."

Next month we will look at this expression, considering what it means and how it can tremendously impact our lives, our relationships with the Lord, and our service for Him

Chapter 7

Lay Hold on Eternal Life

What does this expression mean? How can this idea help us become men and women of God? These questions are best answered by looking at an illustration from the Scriptures.

Moses is called "the man of God" in Deuteronomy 33:1. Most people are familiar with the story of Moses from the book of Exodus. The book opens with the children of Israel in bondage in Egypt. The pharaoh, worried that the Israelites will grow large enough to threaten the power of the Egyptians, issues an edict that all male babies born to Hebrew mothers are to be thrown into the river. When Moses is born, his parents hide him for three months, but then are forced to place him in an ark of bulrushes and set him in the river. The child is found by the pharaoh's daughter, who takes him in an raises him as her own child.

At the age of forty years (Acts 7:23), Moses is faced with the most critical decision of his life, a decision which is described in Hebrews 11:24-26:

"By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward."

Moses, at this stage in his life, knowing he had been called of God to deliver the children of Israel out of their Egyptian bondage (Acts 7:23-25), sought to carry out this purpose of God. He refused to be called "the son of Pharaoh's daughter," having chosen to "suffer affliction with the people of God" rather than to "enjoy the passing pleasures of sin." The first question we consider is: What did Moses give up? To begin with, he gave up the position, power and prestige he had as a part of Pharaoh's household, as well as all that Egypt had to offer him: the riches and treasure that was no doubt his as part of the royal family, and every imaginable sinful pleasure that was readily available in the idolatrous culture of Egypt. What did Moses choose instead? To be associated with the people of God, a people who were not only strangers in a foreign land, but were suffering hard labor, terrible affliction, and open shame as slaves to the Egyptians.

Most people would probably question such a decision on Moses' part. Why did Moses make this choice? He made a value judgment. He looked at both paths set before him, and judged that being associated with the people of God and being part of God's plan and purpose through this nation to bring the Christ into the world, was worth more than all that Egypt, with its multitude of pleasures and rich storehouses, could offer.

What guided Moses in this choice? "He looked to the reward." Strong's Enhanced Lexicon defines the word "looked" to mean "to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on some one thing." It is a present tense verb which implies to look continually. Moses fixed his eyes continually on a future reward, but what was this reward?

Hebrews 11:24 tells us Moses did all this "by faith," a faith based upon the hearing of God's Word (Romans 10:17). Likely, he received his initial spiritual training from his mother, who served as his nurse the first few years of his life (Exodus 2:9-10). She must have told him of God's promises to their people, including His promise to Abraham to bring his descendants out of Egyptian bondage (Genesis 15:13-14). Moses' parents also seemed to understand that Moses was a special child, chosen by God to be Israel's deliverer (Hebrews 11:23, Acts 7:20), and must have communicated this fact to Moses, even at an early age (Acts 7:25).

Having been taught that God is faithful and true, Moses trusted He would carry through on this promise as well. So, Moses looked away from his present situation in Egypt, including all it offered to him personally; he looked away from the sufferings Egypt was inflicting upon his own nation. Instead, Moses fixed his eyes on the reward: the blessings God had in store for His people in the promised land of Canaan, the eternal blessings which would be theirs through the promised Christ (Messiah) that would one day come into the world through the nation of Israel. This choice by Moses demonstrates what it means to "lay hold on eternal life."

The expression "lay hold" means to seize, to grasp, to take hold of. To "lay hold on eternal life" does not imply we must grasp or seize our salvation. We are saved by receiving God's gift of eternal life by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). It also does not imply that we must hold onto our salvation, in order to secure it. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise the very moment we trust Christ as Savior, and we are secure in Him (Ephesians 1:13-14). To "lay hold on eternal life" means to grasp or realize that eternal life is a present possession. John 3:36 states: "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life..." We receive this spiritual life when we believe the gospel of God's grace (Ephesians 2:5). To "lay hold on eternal life" also means to live with an eternal perspective, to view things as indicated by a little chorus we used to sing at Bible camps years ago, "With Eternity's Values in View."

With eternity's values in view, Lord,

With eternity's values in view.

May I do each day's work for Jesus,

With eternity's values in view.

While we live here on earth, it is easy, even for Christians, to become so caught up in the affairs of this world that we forget what is most important in life. Paul told Timothy:

"No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier." (2 Timothy 2:4)

The man of God seeks to please the Lord rather than himself. Moses knew the pleasures of sin afforded by this world were temporary. As the Apostle John wrote,

"The world is passing away and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:17).

Moses also understood the treasures of Egypt would not last and could not even be compared to the wealth of being worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ. Paul expressed a similar attitude in his letter to the Philippians:

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:7-8)

Furthermore, Moses knew that Israel's sufferings in Egypt would soon come to an end, based on God's promise of deliverance. Paul shared this same idea with the Corinthian church:

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

The sufferings we experience here on earth are "not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Rom, 8:18). As Paul journeyed to Jerusalem, knowing chains and tribulations awaited him, he told the Ephesians elders:

"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:24)

Paul's attitude was simple: "To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). As long as he lived, he knew God had a purpose for his life on earth, but he also understood that to depart this life is to "be with Christ, which is far better" (Philippians 1:23), and something that will last for eternity. This is the essence of what it means to "lay hold of eternal life." As believers, our citizenship is in heaven. Our future, our eternity is heavenly. Paul reminded the Colossian saints of the hope that is laid up in heaven for us (Colossians 1:4); the hope of eternal life with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we come to understand this glorious truth, it affects every aspect of our lives.

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:1-4)

Our minds, our affections, our desires, our goals, our purposes are not to be set on things on this earth, but on things above, where Christ is. Our focus should not be on "things" at all, but on a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. The writer to the Hebrews admonished them to be:

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

Just as Moses continually "looked to the reward," we too are to be focused on our future reward: "Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Tit. 2:13), who will one day appear, transform our lowly bodies and conform them to His glorious body that we may dwell with Him forever in heaven (Philippians 3:20-21).

While the man of God is characterized by what he flees, follows, and fights for, he (or she) is driven to do so by "laying hold on eternal life;" grasping the reality that we have eternal life—that this is our glorious hope—and by living each day with the perspective that what Matthew most is what counts for eternity.

"Why So Many Different Belief Systems?"

Les Feldick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhPVIckazug&t=17

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Wednesday, June 11, 2014

A Good Conscience - By Grgg Bing

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