More Knowledge-More Love

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, Philippians 1:9-10 NIV

The passage is clear, the Christian must not remain a babe in Christ. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the apostle urges us to learn more, to gain knowledge that we may discern the best. Far too many Christians are passified with little knowledge; they remain on milk never moving on to the meat of the word. This point is often punctuated with a visit from the local cultist.

They lack the knowledge of the faith required to exalt Christ as Lord and exhibit a readiness to give an answer to the abherrent adherent of false faiths. Dear Christian you are compelled by our Lord and Savior to move in love toward more learning. Your theological training is just beginning on the day of your salvation. You want to be more pure? Learn more says the Apostle. You want to walk in holiness? Study to show thyself approved. You desire discernment, learn to use your teeth that you may ingest the meat and move off the milk.

Babes in Christ are easy pray for a faith that is impure, unstable, and ill-prepared in an onslaught of theological half-truths. You must gain knowledge from the giver of wisdom. Come let us reason bids the Lord God Almighty. Do not allow your lack of knowledge to rob you of a pure and holy faith. Seek wisdom and get understanding.

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We are Dogs!

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And she said, True, O Lord; but even the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ tables. (Mat 15:27) 

The exchange seems almost harsh. This woman comes to the Lord and worships him exclaiming ‘Lord, Help me!’ and yet the Lord rather than instantly commending her for her faith, further tests her profession. He says that it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs. Our passage shows that she understood the Lord’s meaning, she understands that she is a Gentile. What part do we who by birth are not children but are more properly speaking dogs have with the Lord of Glory?

Her piety was on display for all to see. She openly acknowledges who she is, an undeserving Gentile who is not an heir to the promise. And yet she does not respond to the Lord as if there was an offense. She acknowledges her lowly condition and in her meekness the good deposit of faith is clearly demonstrated. The simplicity of her confession should not indicate that the wellspring of her faith was a shallow pool. Her faith was one of depth that acknowledged her depraved and sinful condition.

Bound up in her confession was the Sovereignty of God, and in her testing the love of God in election was clearly portrayed. That we would recognize the testing of our profession as evidence that while undeserving we are lovingly adopted by our Lord and King.

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Do Nothing

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Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. (Php 2:3) 

The contrast between the world and the church is seen no clearer in any other precept than the one offered in Philippians. Quite literally vainglory means self-conceit. This is the world’s first principle; exalt you. Popular culture considers self-esteem healthy and encourages a “positive self-image”. In disputations and strife our position is to be held stringently says the world.  I confess freely that at times of controversy my “natural” inclination is to preserve my own “glory” and to esteem myself better than others. 

And yet, the church is told to do nothing through strife and vainglory. All things in the church are to be done through humility. As Gill says the grace of humility is an excellent ornament to a Christian. I can not speak for anyone but myself; but I must confess that this precept is most difficult. I want to seek after my own glory, I want to protect my reputation, my knowledge, and I want to exalt myself. When we come together as the church the sweetest fellowship is to be had where there is humility and lowliness of mind, for we are no longer concerned with our glory only the Masters.

 May God grant us the grace of humility and kindly grant us lowliness of mind.

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Give us dry bread

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Better is a dry piece of bread, and quietness with it, than a house full of sacrifices with fighting. (Pro 17:1)

This passage illustrates the difference between two sorts of homes. The first home is one where there is only dry bread, that is to say stale bread. The second home is one that is teeming with the choicest foods, the finest entertainment, and the best of the best that the world has to offer.

The first home has quietness and contentment. The second home has strife and frivolous contention. Where the Holy Ghost resides there is peace and contentment. Where the spirit of this age resides there may be great material wealth but often this is wed to the most unholy strife and discontent.

John Gill quotes an associate who used to say: ‘brown bread and the gospel are good fare’. Indeed this is true. The heart where stayed by the Holy Ghost is like the first home. The needs are few as the Holy Ghost gives contentment and peace. The heart of the unbeliever is like the second home full of strife and yet desirous of the finest appointments but never content.

Even dry bread from the Lord’s table gives peace and contentment while the choicest foods from the world brings only strife and more fighting.

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No vile thing before me

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I will set no wicked thing before my eyes. I have hated the work of those who turn aside; it shall not hold on to me. (Psa 101:3) 

In the vain imaginations of many Christians they suppose that the wicked thing is nothing less than the most heinous of sin. They falsely reason that if they avoid pornography or even nudity they have followed the word of God to the letter of the law. They reckon themselves pure in God’s sight all the while allowing images of false gods, witchcraft, and all manner of evil to fill their homes.

Hear the Psalmist; for he says he desires that no wicked thing be set before him. Wickedness is found in anything that turns a heart from the worship of the true God to the worship of idols. This is proved by the plain teaching of scripture as the Psalmist exclaims he hates the work of those who turn aside. The meaning here goes beyond what we can see, it goes to what we meditate upon. The imagination of the mind can also be set before us; thinking or even dwelling on those things that are unholy and ungodly is prohibited by this passage.

Every thought and imagination that seeks to captivate your thinking must be taken hostage by Christ. Furthermore, anything that seeks to supplant Christ is a work that is of the most detestable sort. The despicable works of the Nicolaitans are hated by Christ and therefore should be repulsive to the Christian. The Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost gives us a practical reminder of what we are to meditate upon: 

Finally, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things.

(Php 4:8)

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Proceed with caution!

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Do not lay hands quickly on anyone, neither be partaker of the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. (1Ti 5:22) 

The Apostle’s instructions to young Timothy are clear. Do not lay hands on anyone quickly. The context of this verse has to be kept in mind. Paul sends Timothy this letter as an encouragement and a reminder. Paul had previously begged Timothy to remain in Ephesus to correct those who were teaching false doctrines.

 This was an occasion were the temptation to lay hands quickly on someone was very much present. For all intents and purposes Timothy was by himself. He was facing false teachers and he was frequently ill. Yet, Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit instructs his young charge to avoid laying hands quickly on anyone.

 If there ever was someone who needed a co-laborer in the faith it was Timothy. The outlook for his ministry was bleak. As his soul longs for a kindred spirit in the faith, the most wise and learned Holy Spirit instructs the young pastor to move very cautiously. Do not lay hands on someone quickly. Timothy was to proceed slowly in finding leaders for the church. He was to examine them to make certain that they held fast to sound doctrine (cf. Acts 2:42, Eph.4:14)

The church today would do well to give an ear to what the Spirit says; do not lay hands quickly on anyone. Spend the requisite time necessary to find men that hold fast to sound words and are prepared to defend our doctrine (Titus 1:9). We must avoid unproven and untested men lest we become partakers of their sin.

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The Schoolmaster

 

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Gal 3:24)  

The law of God was a schoolmaster that drove us to Christ. The moral law has taken prisoner all of Adam’s offspring. The accusations of the law bind us and bring to light the exceeding sinfulness of our sin. Properly speaking the law is a mirror that allows us to see ourselves more truthfully in light of God’s perfections. 

The law of God is the prosecuting attorney that continues to plead for the death penalty due to our sinfulness (Romans 6:23). As our self-righteousness becomes apparent the sinner is brought face to face with his condition before a Thrice Holy God in which there exists perfect Holiness.

This is not to say that the sinner by virtue of his natural faculties will turn to God after facing the law’s indictment. The sinner is a cosmic criminal that will flee from the law of God storing up more wrath for himself unless by God’s grace he is converted by the Holy Spirit. Understanding our captivity brings into sharper focus the Torah reading that our Lord Jesus fulfilled in his hearers’ ears:

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

(Isa 61:1)

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You must love the Son

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(Joh 15:23)

 

He who hates Me hates My Father also.  

For the child of God there is no question, to love God is to love his Son. We can easily assent to so much. In our passage however the Lord says without ambiguity that if you hate him you hate God. How many times will a non-Christian admit that they believe in God and yet deny Christ? These people hate God. To hate Christ is to hate his word. He says that he alone is the way, the truth, and the life. Those who deny the exclusive message of Christ (cf. Jn.14:6) hate God.

 Beloved be not fooled, those who say that they believe in God but claim that Jesus Christ was a mere man are nothing more than haters of God. He, who hates me, hates my Father. The Son is beloved of the Father and therefore is the apple of his eye. The Lord Jesus has eternal fellowship as co-equally ultimate with God the Father. To deny one is to display abhorrence for the other.

The meaning of the text is plain. The love of the Son is necessary if one is to truly love the Father. The object of God’s affection is his only begotten. In human terms those who love our children the most are those for whom we have the most affinity. The same is true of God but more so, as implicitly we are aware that to fail to love is to hate.

 The Son brings glory to the Father and those who will have no part of Jesus will have no part of God either. Christ is to have the preeminence in all things and he alone is our advocate with the Father. If you love Jesus then you can rest assured you also love the Father who sent him.

  

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Sheep with names

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To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:3

Beginning in verse 1 of John 10, the Lord Jesus contrasts the difference between himself and the Pharisees. The ministry of Jesus is likened to a Shepherd. The sheep have been led in and they are being cared for during the night by the Porter. A.W. Pink’s excellent commentary on John provides us with the background of this parable.  In verse 1 Jesus speaks of the “sheepfold”.  Pink says that the sheepfold is properly speaking “Judaism”. 

Judaism is the door whereby God’s elect were gathered. The Messiah  comes through the “door” which is right, proper, and holy. He does not enter the sheepfold through some other way.  The Good Shepherd goes into the sheepfold because the porter or doorkeeper has allowed him entrance.

In this parable the porter is the Holy Spirit. Much of the symbolism is lost on us ‘moderns’.  The porter offered protection for the sheep during the night. The Shepherd would leave his sheep under the care of the porter so that he could secure lodging for the night. The porter would keep thieves and predators from attacking the sheep while the shepherd was away.

When the shepherd returned he would enter the sheepfold and gather his own sheep by calling them by name.  The shepherd in this parable is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. He calls his own sheep by name and they will follow him. Notice the call is not for all sheep. If from our passage we understand that the sheepfold is this case was Judaism, the Lord is calling his elect out of Judaism and unto himself. The elect “lost sheep” of Israel hear the voice of the Messiah and they follow him.

The effectual call of Jesus for his elect is both specific and by name. The Lamb’s book contains the names of those whom Christ has known since before the foundation of the Lord. Many are called but few are chosen, and the chosen ones of God are known to the Good Shepherd by name!

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The Apologist’s Verse

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but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear;  1 Peter 3:15

This verse could properly be called the apologist’s verse. Along with Jude 3 many apologetics ministries use this verse as the keystone upon which their ministry is built. There are really two things that are important about this verse. 

The verse reminds us that there is a reason for the hope that we have within us.  Our faith is not a blind leap of faith, to the chagrin of the existentialists and mystics. Nor is our faith rooted in gnostic knowledge as the Apostle tells us to be ready to give an answer to anyone that asks, not just the initiates.

Our faith is to be one that demonstrates hope to the world. This hope is in word and deed. We cannot just talk about hope rather we must live hope. As Christ’s disciples our lives should be saturated in hope. The expectancy of that which is to come should so envelope our lives that the watching world rushes to ask the follower of Chirst, what is this hope that you have?

Our apologetic should be rooted in fear. Not fear of man as this would contradict the clear teaching of scripture in many places. Rather our apologetic should have a healthy reverential fear of the Lord who sovereignly plucked us as a brand from the fire. Second our answer is to be given with meekness. We are to rely and trust completely in the Lord’s completed work and his sovereign plan of election and predestination. The task before us does not depend on our powers of persuasion or even a method. If we are to be biblical then we are to answer the world with meekness and fear.

Most importantly though we are to sanctify Christ in our hearts. This does not mean that we can add to his holiness. He does not become holy because of man. As John Gill states in his commentary on this verse Christ is essentially, infinitely, and perfectly holy. Rather we are to proclaim his holiness, to exalt his holiness, to give to Christ alone all the praise, honor, and glory.

For the apologist this is the most important point of the verse. We are never to glorify ourselves in the apologetic task. We are to exalt Christ alone as all together wonderful. Remembering that all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ.

 

 

 

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