When we begin reading the account of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus (Matthew 19:16-22), we read of one who seemed to be a good man with a good attitude who showed a lot of promise in becoming a disciple of Christ. Notice the good qualities we are told about this man:

1. He was spiritually minded. He was interested in eternal life and came to Jesus in order to find out how to obtain it (Matthew 19:16).
2. He was religious. When Jesus listed some of the commandments that he needed to keep, the young man said, “All these things I have kept” (Matthew 19:20).
3. He was interested in improving his service to God. After affirming that he had been keeping the commandments that Jesus mentioned, he asked, “What am I still lacking?” (Matthew 19:20).

Unfortunately, despite the promise that he showed initially, in the end he “went away grieving” (Matthew 19:22), presumably because he was unwilling to do what Jesus told him to do – sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him (Matthew 19:21).

We need to be like the rich young ruler in the sense that we desire to grow and improve our service to God. However, unlike the rich young ruler, we must also be willing to do the work that is necessary to improve or fix what is lacking in our lives.

We might ask the same question as this man: “What am I still lacking?” Let us notice some things that might be lacking in our service to God so we can see the areas in which we may need to improve.

Proper Priorities

“The young man said to Him, ‘All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property” (Matthew 19:20-22).

The lack of proper priorities was the problem that the rich young ruler had. His sin was not in being rich, but that he valued his riches too highly. Jesus, as omniscient God in the flesh (Colossians 2:9; Luke 16:15), would have known this about this young man. It is not a requirement for all Christians with “much property” to sell and give it all away (Acts 5:4). But it is a requirement to “be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share” (1 Timothy 6:18). We must guard against “the love of money” (1 Timothy 6:10) and always put spiritual things first (Matthew 6:33). We must not allow the riches of this life to hinder us in our service to God.

Understanding

“After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, ‘Hear and understand. It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man’” (Matthew 15:10-11).

“Peter said to Him, ‘Explain the parable to us.’ Jesus said, ‘Are you still lacking in understanding also?’” (Matthew 15:15-16).

Jesus condemned the Pharisees for vain worship and elevating the commandments of men to the same level of importance as the law of God (Matthew 15:6-9). The particular human commandment under discussion was the tradition of washing one’s hands before eating bread (Matthew 15:2). While it may be a good idea to wash one’s hands before eating, it is not a divine requirement. Jesus explained this point when He said that man is defiled not by what enters the mouth, but by what comes forth from the mouth (Matthew 15:10-11). Peter needed further clarification on this point because he lacked understanding. We are commanded to “understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17). Therefore, if we lack understanding as Peter did, we must work to correct this condition. This requires an honest heart (John 7:17), time devoted to the study of God’s word (2 Timothy 2:15), and the willingness to think critically about the Scriptures (2 Peter 3:16).

Self-Control

“Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a women. But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control” (1 Corinthians 7:1-5).

Paul made the point that one of the benefits of marriage is that it helps one to avoid sexual immorality. God designed marriage as the place in which sexual desires could be lawfully fulfilled (Hebrews 13:4). Yet when a married person commits adultery, the spouse of the adulterer is not to be blamed – this is not Paul’s point at all. One is tempted to commit adultery, not because of a lack of sexual activity in marriage, but because of his “lack of self-control” (1 Corinthians 7:5). Married or not, we need self-control to avoid sin – not just sexual immorality, but every type of sin. Jesus said that such self-control and the denial of one’s fleshly desires is necessary for discipleship: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). If we lack self-control, we must learn to refuse the temptation to sin.

Endurance

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).

Trials are not pleasant. This is why James told these brethren to “consider it all joy” when they encountered them. Joy is not a natural reaction. But why should Christians rejoice in the face of trials? It is because trials lead to endurance, which leads to perfection, completeness, and being lacking in nothing. Entering the kingdom of God is associated with having to endure “many tribulations” (Acts 14:22). If we lack endurance, we need to develop it so that the hardships of this life do not prevent us from reaching our reward. The Hebrew writer said, “Run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right had of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Wisdom

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

Paul prayed for the brethren in Colossae that they would be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom” (Colossians 1:9). Why was it important that they would be filled with knowledge and wisdom? It was so that they could live in such a way as to “please Him in all respects” (Colossians 1:10). If we lack wisdom, we are told to pray for it. Furthermore, this prayer must be offered “in faith without any doubting,” otherwise we “ought not to expect that [we] will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-7). But what happens after we pray in faith for wisdom? Are we to wait around, expecting to receive it miraculously? No! We are told elsewhere to pray for “our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Yet we are not to sit around and wait for God to miraculously give it to us. We are to work for it (2 Thessalonians 3:10). The same is true in our prayers for wisdom. After praying for wisdom in faith, we must learn and practice the word of God (James 1:21-22) so that we can acquire the knowledge and experience upon which our wisdom must be founded.

Conclusion

As long as we live, there will be room for us to grow in our service to God. If we desire to improve our service to God (like the rich young ruler), then we must actually take the steps necessary to grow (unlike the rich young ruler).

If you examine yourself in light of God’s word (2 Corinthians 13:5), and find things in your life that you need to change or improve, do not go away sorrowful as this man did – unwilling to do what was necessary for him to do. Instead, make the necessary changes so you can then rejoice knowing that you are doing God’s will.

Jeremiah was specifically appointed by God as a prophet, even before he was conceived (Jeremiah 1:5). We may not be called to do the work of a prophet today (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:8-10), but we can still learn from the instructions which were given to Jeremiah. We are obligated to teach and defend the truth (1 Timothy 3:15; Philippians 1:16-17). Studying Jeremiah’s commission helps us to learn how to do this.

“Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant’” (Jeremiah 1:9-10).

There were six things that Jeremiah would do in his prophesying – pluck up, break down, destroy, overthrow, build, and plant. These are the same six things we must do in our teaching today.

Before we consider these six things, it is important to note that all of this would be accomplished with the words of God (Jeremiah 1:9). In the same way, we will accomplish these six things by speaking “as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11, NKJV). We must not look to human wisdom, commandments, traditions, or opinions to accomplish our goals in teaching. Instead, we must look exclusively to the word of God.

So let us notice the six things we must do as we teach God’s word.

Pluck Up

To “pluck up” means to uproot. We are not to merely treat the symptoms of sin and error. We must get down to the roots and pluck them up, otherwise they will keep growing back. For example, suppose a man commits adultery against his wife and one is able to convince him that adultery is wrong (Hebrews 13:4), so he gives up that sin. But after giving up the sin of adultery, he then starts using pornography. The sin of adultery was dealt with, but not the root – lust (Matthew 5:27-30). Pulling this up from the roots will help deal not only with adultery, but also pornography and other related sins. Whatever is at the heart of sin and error must be eliminated, or else one will keep moving from one sin to another.

Break Down

To “break down” means to dismantle. We must call upon people to surrender and dismantle whatever they have built that is contrary to the will of God. When King Josiah enacted his reforms, he “broke down” and “demolished” the altars that had been built to honor certain false gods (2 Kings 23:15). When Paul obeyed the gospel and became a follower of Christ, he had to dismantle the entire course of his life. He told the church in Philippi, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7). Moses was willing to surrender his place in Pharaoh’s household for the “greater riches” that are promised to those who will follow the Lord. People must be taught to break down and remove those things from their lives which are obstacles and hindrances to their service to God.

Destroy

To “destroy” is to wipe out. Part of our spiritual warfare is to destroy opposing doctrines (2 Corinthians 10:5). This also includes the battle against sin. Paul said, “We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience” (2 Corinthians 10:5-6). Sin is not to be put in a box and allowed to remain in a compartment of one’s life. Instead, as Christians we must continually work to put away sin from our lives (1 John 2:1). Error is also not to be tolerated (2 John 10-11). It must be opposed (Galatians 2:4-5) and not fellowshipped (Ephesians 5:11).

Overthrow

To “overthrow” is to depose from power. Anything that would be a master over us in a way that is opposed to God, we must refuse to allow it to have power over us. Sin must be overthrown in that we “do not let sin reign” in our bodies, “for sin shall not be master over you” (Romans 6:12-14). Our own desires must be overthrown, just as Paul said, “I discipline my body and make it my slave” (1 Corinthians 9:27). We must also not allow human religion to hold power over us that we “submit…to decrees… [of] self-made religion… [that] are of no value against fleshly indulgence” (Colossians 2:20-23). We must also overthrow the place of ungodly rulers from our hearts, so that we “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). “Every thought” of ours must be taken “captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5) and not allowed to remain under the control of other ungodly masters.

Build

To “build” means to rebuild, not establish something new. In Jeremiah’s prophesying, he was trying to rebuild what God established in the first place when He gave the Law to the nation of Israel. So Jeremiah relayed God’s message to the people: “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it” (Jeremiah 6:16). We are not trying to build anything new today. We would be “accursed” if we attempted to do so (Galatians 1:8-9). Instead, we are to build upon “the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20). In our building, we must also do so “according to the pattern” (Hebrews 8:5) which we find in the New Testament (2 Timothy 1:13).

Plant

To “plant” is to sow the seed. In His explanation of the parable of the sower, Jesus said, “The seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11). We plant by teaching the gospel, hoping to find “honest and good” hearts (Luke 8:15). A seed that is planted in such a heart will grow and bear fruit through this person’s own teaching, encouragement, and example to others.

Conclusion

We may not have the same specific commission as Jeremiah. But there are certainly parallels to our responsibilities before God today. We must try to lead people to the truth and away from error just as Jeremiah did. Remembering the six things he was charged to do in his commission will help us to be most effective in our efforts today.

There is often a great deal of emphasis placed upon numbers in a congregation – membership, attendance, converts, etc. This is somewhat natural. We tend to want some way to gauge success or progress in our efforts. Yet numbers rarely tell the whole story, and can even be deceiving in many ways. Rather than being quick to jump to conclusions based upon numbers, we should look to God’s word to gauge our success in carrying out His will.

Interpreting the Numbers

There are several conclusions that one might draw from the numbers associated with a particular congregation. Not every conclusion is valid. Below are a few examples.

Large numbers – Many see a congregation with large numbers and assume that the church is strong, stable, and a powerful influence for truth within the community (1 Thessalonians 1:8). For some large churches, this may be true. On the other hand, a congregation may have large numbers because they have compromised the truth so much that they accept all sorts of sinful behavior and false doctrines.

Small numbers – Many see a congregation with small numbers and conclude that the church must be weak and ineffective in being a “pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). For some small churches, this may be true. On the other hand, a congregation may have small numbers because many brethren have “itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3, KJV) and do not want to hear “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27, NKJV). Small numbers may also be from a lack of converts. But this does not necessarily mean the church is ineffective in evangelism. It could simply be that people are not interested in the gospel.

Growing numbers – Many see a congregation with growing numbers and assume that the church is effectively making disciples (Matthew 28:19) within the community. For some growing churches, this may be true. On the other hand, a congregation may have growing numbers because they have followed the denominational model of the “social gospel,” offering food, fun, and foolishness as a way to attract people to them. Rather than treating the church as the holy and pure bride of Christ, many pursue growth by turning the church into nothing more than a social club.

Declining numbers – Many see a congregation with declining numbers and conclude that the church is dying and not able to do the work it ought to be doing. For some shrinking churches, this may be true. On the other hand, a congregation may experience a decline in numbers simply because members either pass away or move to a new location. In some cases, numbers might decrease because the church is doing what it ought to do in withdrawing fellowship from “every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition…received from” the apostles (2 Thessalonians 3:6; cf. 1 Corinthians 5:1-13).

Steady numbers – Many see a congregation with steady numbers and surmise that the members of that church are only interested in maintaining and retaining the current membership and have no concern about preaching the gospel to those in the world. For some steady churches, this may be true. On the other hand, steady numbers do not necessarily mean that the congregation – collectively or individually – is not evangelizing. We cannot force anyone to obey the gospel who does not want to obey it.

Considering all of this, it ought to be clear to us that a congregation cannot be judged based upon numbers. No matter what the numbers are for a particular church – large, small, growing, declining, or steady – the factors that contributed to the numbers could be either good or bad. Therefore, our focus should not be upon numbers.

Where Our Focus Should Lie

If we are not to focus on numbers to judge the state of a congregation, where should we place our focus instead?

• Preaching and teaching the gospel – The local church is to be a “pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). In preaching the gospel, we may save some. Or it is possible that no one will respond to the gospel. We should remember what Paul wrote: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6). What that means for us is that we must focus on teaching, not the results of teaching. We can persuade people to believe and obey the truth (2 Corinthians 5:11), but we cannot force them to do so.
• Following the New Testament pattern – Many want to change the work of the church in order to make it more attractive to those in the world. However, we are obligated to “do all in the name of the Lord” (Colossians 3:17). This means we must do all things by His authority. Paul told Timothy: “Hold fast the pattern of sound words” (2 Timothy 1:13, NKJV). We must do the same.
• Keeping the church pure – It might be tempting to try to retain large numbers by overlooking various sins and errors. Yet we are warned: “A little leaven leavens a whole lump of dough” (1 Corinthians 5:6). Therefore, within a congregation, sin must not be tolerated (1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 9-11, 13; 2 Thessalonians 3:6), and error must be opposed (Romans 16:17; 2 John 10-11).
• Building up the body – The local church was designed by God to be a self-edifying body. Paul explained: “The whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16). As the Hebrew writer said: “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Conclusion

Because of the free will of man, numbers are largely out of our control. We cannot force anyone to obey the gospel. We cannot retain someone within the body against his will. Instead, what we ought to do is focus on what we can do – preach the gospel, follow the pattern found in the New Testament, keep the church pure, and build up our brethren.

Paul told the brethren in Corinth: “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 1:17). Paul did not mean that baptism was unimportant. It is in baptism that one is forgiven (Acts 2:38; 22:16), gets into Christ (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27), and is saved (1 Peter 3:21). But the decision to obey the gospel by putting on Christ in baptism is always in the mind of the hearer. All the teacher can do is present the truth and encourage one to accept it and obey it. This is Paul’s point. He was to focus on the work of preaching, not on the results.

In the same way, our primary focus must be on teaching and defending the truth, not on the results. Some will obey the gospel and some will not. Some Christians will remain faithful and some will fall away. Rather than focusing so much on numbers, we should instead focus on our responsibilities – both individually and collectively – as disciples and churches of Christ.

News broke yesterday that Jason Collins, a professional basketball player and twelve-year veteran of the National Basketball Association, has announced that he is a homosexual. With public opinion shifting more and more toward the acceptance of homosexuality as a moral and common practice, an announcement like this was inevitable. Now that Collins has come out about this, we can probably expect more professional athletes to do the same.

Whether we like it or not, professional athletes, like other celebrities, can have a big influence on the thinking of people in society. This announcement will only further the efforts to normalize the practice of homosexuality in people’s minds. In light of this news, it is important that Christians remember a few things.

Truth Does Not Change

When Jesus prayed to the Father, He said, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17). The psalmist affirmed this as well: “The sum of Your word is truth” (Psalm 119:160). Furthermore, David wrote, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). Peter wrote, “The word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:25). The truth of God’s word has not been left for man to change as he sees fit. Truth is of God and no one may alter it (cf. Galatians 1:8-9; Revelation 22:18-19).

Since God’s word cannot be changed by man, we certainly cannot change the teachings of God’s word in regard to homosexuality. In every dispensation, God has condemned the practice of homosexuality. During the time of the Patriarchs, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, primarily for the sin of homosexuality (Genesis 19:4-5, 13, 24-25; Jude 7). Under the Law of Moses, the practice of homosexuality was labeled as an “abomination” and a “detestable act” (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13). Then in the New Testament, Paul wrote to the saints in Rome and described the practice of homosexuality as “degrading passions,” “unnatural,” “indecent acts,” and “error” (Romans 1:26-27). He told the brethren in Corinth that “homosexuals” were among those who would “not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9). In writing to Timothy, Paul called the practice of homosexuality “contrary to sound teaching” (1 Timothy 1:10).

Though public opinion may change, the truth of God’s word does not change.

The Remedy for Sin Does Not Change

Sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59:2). But through Christ and His sacrifice on the cross, all people can be reconciled to God (Ephesians 2:13, 16). It is “through His blood” that we may obtain “the forgiveness of our trespasses” (Ephesians 1:7). Peter said we have been redeemed “with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:19).

But there is an important prerequisite to our salvation – repentance. This is why Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). It is why Peter, in preaching the first gospel sermon following the ascension of Christ, said, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). It is why Paul, in addressing those present on Mars Hill, said, “Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30). To repent means we give up sin, not remain in it. As Paul asked: “How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:2).

Since homosexuality is a sin (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10), the remedy for it is the same as any other sin – forgiveness through the blood of Christ. But like every other sin, man must meet the condition of repentance in order to receive that forgiveness. In fact, after mentioning homosexuality as one of the sins that would prevent one from inheriting the kingdom of heaven, Paul told the brethren in Corinth: “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Paul’s statement indicates that there were some in Corinth who at one time had practiced homosexuality. Yet they gave up that practice in order to obey the gospel. The same is necessary today.

How We Should Treat Others Does Not Change

Those who practice homosexuality should not be made into targets for bullying, ridicule, or abuse. However, that does not mean that the practice of homosexuality ought to be condoned. There is a phrase we often hear: “hate the sin, love the sinner.” This phrase is not specifically stated in the Bible, but the principle is certainly taught. Jude wrote: “And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh” (Jude 22-23). We are to hate the thing which defiles men – sin. But we are to be loving and merciful toward those who practice sin, so that we might help save them from it.

We are to hate the sin of homosexuality. But we are still to love those who practice it. We should not treat them any worse than others. Jesus died for them, just as He did for us (John 3:16). Salvation is open to them, just as it is to all (Titus 2:11).

Some will single out homosexuals and specifically target them for ridicule or even physical harm. Christians must have no part in this. We are to do good and show love to all (Galatians 6:10; 1 Corinthians 6:14), displaying a Christ-like example (Galatians 2:20), and looking for opportunities to reach others with the gospel (1 Peter 3:15; Colossians 4:6).

How Others Will Treat Us May Change

As homosexuality becomes more accepted, intolerance for those who speak the truth on this issue will continue to grow. There are already many examples of people being persecuted for speaking against the sin of homosexuality. Since the story of Jason Collins broke, Chris Broussard of ESPN is under fire for correctly calling homosexuality a sin. This sort of intolerance and intimidation is only going to get worse as more people in society accept homosexuality as a legitimate alternate lifestyle rather than a sin.

As Christians, we must be prepared for persecution whenever and however it comes. Paul told Timothy, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Peter said, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). He went on to say: “If anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name” (1 Peter 4:16).

Rather than alter the message contained in God’s word to fit popular opinion, we must be content to believe and teach the truth revealed in Scripture, no matter what the consequences might be. After Paul stated that those who preach a gospel contrary to what has been revealed are to be “accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9), he said: “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). No matter what the majority believes about homosexuality – or any other topic – we must believe and teach what God has revealed in His word.

Conclusion

Announcements like this one from Jason Collins will become more common. Eventually, they may not even be newsworthy anymore because of the level of acceptance for the practice of homosexuality in society. Regardless, we must know the truth from God’s word, be prepared to teach and defend it, and show the example of a Christian to all those around us. Remember the words of the apostle Paul: “Prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain” (Philippians 2:15-16).

Any preacher who is diligently striving to “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:5) will want to carry out that work as effectively as possible. But how can one effectively preach the gospel of Christ? In this article, I would like to consider four points explaining how this is done. These points are not based upon personal experience, human wisdom, or any sort of formal religious training. Rather, these points are taken directly from the word of God. If one wishes to preach the word of God effectively, he must learn how the Scriptures indicate that this is done.

Be Correct

One who would speak to others about spiritual matters has a divine obligation to “do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God” (1 Peter 4:11). How does one do this? He must accurately represent the Scriptures to those he teaches. Of course, to do this, one must first understand the Scriptures himself. Paul wrote, “For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions” (1 Timothy 1:6-7). One who does not understand the Scriptures is unfit to teach the Scriptures, simply because his lack of knowledge prohibits him from representing the word of God accurately. This is why Paul impressed upon Timothy the importance of continuing to diligently study the Scriptures so that he might “accurately [handle] the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Be Concise

For our purposes in this article, to be concise does not necessarily mean that one will use few words as opposed to many words. Peter used “many other words” to persuade the Jews on Pentecost to obey the gospel and the number of those who “received his word [and] were baptized” was “about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:40-41). No one would question the effectiveness of Peter’s preaching on this occasion. Rather than imposing a strict limit on one’s word count, an effective preacher will succinctly present the gospel, limiting himself to the word of God without adding to or altering it (Revelation 22:18-19; Galatians 1:8-9). Though he will “not shrink from declaring…the whole purpose of God” (Acts 20:27), he will refrain from promoting the wisdom of men (1 Corinthians 2:1-5) and will avoid the “strange doctrines” and “myths” that worldly-minded brethren often prefer (1 Timothy 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Be Clear

A preacher of the gospel must strive to make the truth unmistakable. Paul said, “Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech” (2 Corinthians 3:12, KJV). In teaching about miraculous spiritual gifts, Paul stated a principle that still applies today in any preaching that one may do. “But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air” (1 Corinthians 14:6-9). Paul said that tongue-speaking was useless if no one understood what was being said. In the same way, people must understand what is taught in order for the gospel to do them any good. One who preaches the gospel must strive to make it clear so that all those with honest hearts (Luke 8:15; John 7:17) can understand the message.

Be Convincing

Finally, one who preaches must strive to convince others to believe and obey the word of God. Paul explained why this is important: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). Paul understood the fate of those who did not believe in God or refused to obey the gospel – “eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). Knowing this, Paul did what he could to convince people to obey the Lord. But how did he seek to convince them? Luke records: “And according to Paul’s custom, he…reasoned…from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence…” (Acts 17:2-3). The word of God is truth (John 17:17; Psalm 119:160). Therefore, if one is to convince people of the truth, he must make his appeal to Scripture, citing book, chapter, and verse to show others why they must believe the message he is teaching.

“Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness” (1 Timothy 2:9-10).

Paul talks about women wearing clothing that is “proper for women making a claim to godliness.” The King James Version reads: “women professing godliness.” The point is that our clothing makes a statement. We should ask ourselves: Are we making the right statement with our clothing?

These verses are specifically directed toward women. There is a reason for this: women are much more likely to cause harm with their improper dress. It is not that men can dress however they want without any thought to “godliness.” The principles in this passage, and those that we will be considering in this article, apply to both men and women. In this article, we will notice some of the things that we should profess with our dress.

Godliness

God wants us to be godly. This simply means that we are to be like God. The gospel of His grace instructs us to “deny ungodliness” and to “live…godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12). Godliness is connected in this verse with living sensibly (soberly, KJV) and righteously, as opposed to being drunk or wicked.

But how do we profess godliness in our dress? Obviously, “God is spirit” (John 4:24), so He will not be clothed as we are in the flesh. To dress in such a way as to profess godliness, we must first have the proper character. Our character must then be apparent in our clothing choices. Let us notice four character traits that we ought to demonstrate in our dress.

Humility

God wants us to be humble. Jesus opened the Sermon on the Mount with this statement: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Peter wrote, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). We must recognize our place before God (Psalm 8:4) and what our place ought to be before others (Philippians 2:3-4). Humility in dress is particularly about demonstrating humility toward others.

Humility in dress – Paul warns against dressing in such a way as to make one seem better than others. He tells Timothy, “I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments” (1 Timothy 2:9). One’s adornment must focus on “the hidden person of the heart” (1 Peter 3:3-4), not making a show of how much richer one is than others. We need to remember that wealth does not make one better than someone else. Solomon wrote, “The rich and the poor have a common bond, the Lord is the maker of them all” (Proverbs 22:2). We should be mindful of the fact that we are all equal before God, no matter how wealthy we are or how expensive the clothes are that we can afford. In the end, when our souls are required in death, wealth will not matter since it will be left to someone else (Luke 12:20). We are warned “not to be conceited or to fix [our] hope on the uncertainty of riches” (1 Timothy 6:17).

We must evaluate our dress to be sure it reflects humility, rather than arrogance.

Self-Respect

God expects us to have a degree of self-respect. Humility does not mean self-deprecation. Remember, you were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Also remember that Christ died for you (John 3:16; 15:13). Others will judge you based upon the way that you dress. Do not be influenced by this. Paul explained how unconcerned he was with the judgment of others: “But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord” (1 Corinthians 4:3-4). Paul’s point was that ultimately, all that matters is what God thinks of us, not what we or others think. The Lord is the “one…Judge…who is able to save and to destroy” (James 4:12). Therefore, we should have enough self-respect that we are not dependent upon others having a favorable opinion of us.

Self-respect in dress – Remember: you do not have to please anyone with your dress – only God. Those who dress as the world will be judged. In the following passage, God revealed to Zephaniah one of the reasons why Judah was going to be punished: “Then it will come about on that day of the Lord’s sacrifice that I will punish the princes, the king’s sons and all who clothe themselves with foreign garments” (Zephaniah 1:8). This passage says nothing about how covered or exposed one was while wearing these garments. That is beside the point. The problem was that they were looking to be like the world in all things – including their dress. We are not to be “conformed to this world, but…transformed” (Romans 12:2).

We must evaluate our dress to be sure it reflects self-respect, rather than a dependence upon the approval of others by conforming to the world’s standards.

Shamefacedness

God expects us to have a sense of shame. This indicates that one has a conscience that is working properly according to God’s law. A lack of shame is a sign that one has been “seared in [his] own conscience as with a branding iron” (1 Timothy 4:2). The Lord said of His people, “Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; they did not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be cast down” (Jeremiah 6:15). Without a working conscience, indicated by a sense of shame, we cannot hope to please God as we will feel no guilt for sin.

Shamefacedness in dress – We must have a sense of shame when we are not adequately clothed (naked). In the Bible, nakedness is not the same as nudity. The Old Testament is helpful in defining nakedness. One can be partially clothed, yet naked. Adam and Eve, despite the loin coverings they made from fig leaves, knew that they were still “naked” (Genesis 3:7-10). The priests’ garments were to cover the thigh so that they might “cover their nakedness” (Exodus 28:42, KJV). Uncovering the thigh was considered nakedness (Isaiah 47:2-3). This nakedness ought to cause shame. Just as Adam was “afraid because [he] was naked; so [he] hid” from God (Genesis 3:10). This sense of shame ought to make us want to cover up adequately. How did God cover Adam and Eve? He “made garments of skin for [them], and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). How much did these divinely-provided garments cover? The word indicates a garment that would cover from the shoulders down. How far down? We can infer that they would have covered at least to the knee since the exposing of the thigh was considered nakedness (Exodus 28:42; Isaiah 47:2-3).

We must evaluate our dress to be sure it reflects shamefacedness, rather than a lack of shame for exposing parts of our body that the Lord expects us to keep covered.

Love

God wants us to love others. Paul told the brethren in Colosse: “Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity” (Colossians 3:14). He told the brethren in Corinth: “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). He also wrote, “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). Our clothing choices should reflect love also.

Love in dress – The world often equates love with lust and sex. This would allow immodesty in dress in the sense of not wearing clothes that adequately cover one’s body. This is the opposite of love. We can show love for our brethren in our dress by not placing a stumbling block before them. Though anyone might be guilty of this, it is particularly important that women consider this point. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28). Yes, a man is still responsible to keep his thoughts pure, no matter what the women around him might be wearing. But women ought to love others enough so as to not dress in a way that would invite lust. We should also show love for our spouse (or future spouse) in our dress. Our bodies are for them alone (1 Corinthians 7:4). Therefore, the parts of our bodies that should be reserved solely for them should not be on display for all the world to see.

We must evaluate our dress to be sure it reflects love, rather than a disregard of others.

Conclusion

Our clothing says something about us. We need to evaluate what we wear to be sure it professes godliness, rather than worldliness.

Because of his past, Paul would have seemed to be an unlikely candidate for salvation, let alone apostleship. In the following passage, he explained to Timothy why the Lord chose him and how he was able to be saved.

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all [chief, KJV]. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:12-16).

It is easy to see how Paul was able to describe himself as the “chief” of sinners. We first read about him (Saul, cf. Acts 13:9) giving his approval to the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58-8:1). Immediately after this, he “began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison” (Acts 8:3). After the church was scattered as a result of this persecution (Acts 8:1, 4), Saul was “still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). He set out to Damascus under the authority of the high priest so that he might find “any belonging to the Way, both men and women, [and] bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:2). While he was on the road to Damascus, the Lord appeared to Him (Acts 9:3-6). When he came to Damascus, he obeyed the gospel in order to become a disciple of Christ (Acts 9:10-19; 22:16). After this, the man who was “formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor” (1 Timothy 1:13) began “speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord” (Acts 9:28).

But what about at the time of this writing? Was Paul’s life still filled with sin when he wrote to Timothy on this occasion, or had he changed? Some contend that the only difference between a child of God and one who is in the world is forgiveness. Those who believe this will sometimes use Paul’s example to illustrate their point. After all, Paul does use the present tense when he said, “I am foremost of all” sinners. There is a good reason why the present tense verb is used, but it is not because Paul the Christian was essentially the same person as Paul the non-Christian.

It is important that we understand the context and why Paul used himself as an example and why he called himself the chief of sinners.

We have already noticed Paul’s past – his life before becoming a follower of Christ. But what about after becoming a Christian? As we have seen, he immediately began preaching the Lord he once persecuted (Acts 9:19-22). He told the Jewish Council that he had “lived…with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day” (Acts 23:1). This means that prior to obeying the gospel, he did what he thought was right. After learning the truth and obeying the gospel, he did was was truly right. After examining him, King Agrippa was convinced that Paul had done nothing worthy of punishment (Acts 26:30-32). After Paul obeyed the gospel, he lived his life in such a way that he could say, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20). He was able to tell the troubled church in Corinth, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). The brethren in Thessalonica were “witnesses…how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly [Paul] behaved” when he was with them (1 Thessalonians 2:10). He told the Corinthians, “I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). His point was that sin would disqualify him, so he refused to place himself back under the bondage of sin. Near the end of his life, he was able to tell Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

One would be hard-pressed to argue that Paul was the same sinner after obeying the gospel as he was before – with the exception being that he was forgiven. Paul told the saints in Rome that they needed to quit living in sin. When we were “baptized into Christ Jesus,” we were then “raised…[to] walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4). We are now to be “dead to sin” and “not let sin reign” in our bodies (Romans 6:11-12) If Paul failed to do what he told the Romans to do, then he was a terrible hypocrite. But instead, Paul was a “new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17) as a Christian – not just in the sense of being forgiven, but that he had repented and turned away from his old life of sin.

Paul’s point to Timothy was that he was, and remains today, an example showing Christ’s “perfect patience” (1 Timothy 1:16). Some may believe that their past is such that God could never forgiven them and save them. But if Paul – “a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor” (1 Timothy 1:13) – could be forgiven and saved, anyone can be. No matter what you have done in the past, you can be forgiven if you follow the Lord as Paul did.

We should not buy into the false notion that it should be expected for Christians to be constantly mired in sin just as the world, with the only difference being that we have been forgiven. As Christians, if we are indistinguishable from the world, we need to repent (Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 4:3-4). Paul’s example shows us Christ’s patience, but not any acceptance of sin. Notice what Paul told the Romans:

“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds” (Romans 2:4-6).

The kindness and patience God shows toward us should not make us content in sin. Rather, they should motivate us to repent of sin. If we refuse to repent, we are only “storing up wrath” for ourselves that will be revealed in the day of judgment.

Paul was “chief” of sinners – not in the sense that he was worse than others (even after obeying the gospel), but that he was the foremost example showing that Christ will accept anyone who will faithfully obey Him.

Many people claim to be disciples of Christ. But are they truly His disciples? Are we? This is a legitimate and important question. Notice what Jesus said:

“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free’” (John 8:31-32).

When Jesus said, “then you are truly disciples of Mine,” He implied that some are not truly His disciples. So the question under consideration is vitally important. Are we truly disciples of Christ? We must be sure we can correctly answer this question for ourselves. We must also be prepared to try and help others to be able to correctly answer this question for themselves. The context of the above passage shows us what it means to be disciples of Christ.

The Foundation of Discipleship

When Jesus gave the Great Commission, He told His apostles to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). But how would this be done? Notice two accounts of the Great Commission:

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…’” (Matthew 28:18-20).

“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned’” (Mark 16:15-16).

How would Jesus’ apostles “make disciples”? It would be done through preaching (Mark 16:15), baptizing (Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:19), and teaching obedience (Matthew 28:20). But the foundation for all of this was the authority of Christ (Matthew 28:18). Without this, there would be no reason for people to listen to or obey the gospel.

Jesus made the same point in the context of our original passage. But rather than specifying authority as the foundation of discipleship, he discusses His deity. But deity necessarily implies authority. Just a little bit earlier, Jesus taught that believing in His deity was essential for salvation.

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24).

The word “He” in that verse was added by the translators. Your Bible may have the word in italics to indicate this. What Jesus was actually saying was this: “Unless you believe that I Am, you will die in your sins.” This is a clear reference to the name of God – the “I AM” – as He called Moses to lead the people out of Egypt (Exodus 3:14). By calling Himself, “I Am,” Jesus was claiming to be God. The Jews understood this and wanted to stone Him to death for saying it (John 8:56-59). But this is the foundation for discipleship. We must believe that Jesus was not just a man, but that He was God in the flesh (Colossians 2:9).

Many people in the religious world believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Does this make them truly His disciples? Not necessarily. It is the starting point, but not the end.

How to Truly Be a Disciple

When Jesus taught on this occasion, John records that “many came to believe in Him” (John 8:30). His comments about discipleship were directed to “those Jews who had believed Him” (John 8:31).

Jesus explained that true discipleship was conditional. He indicates the conditional nature of discipleship by making an “if/then” statement: “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine” (John 8:31). The condition for discipleship was continuing in His word.

This condition makes sense. After all, a disciple is a learner. Therefore, it is apparent that if we are to be disciples of Christ, we must learn and continue in His word. Remember the Great Commission to “make disciples.” How would one become and remain a disciple?

• One would be taught the gospel (Mark 16:15).
• One would believe the gospel (Mark 16:16).
• One would obey the gospel – namely in baptism (Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:19).
• One would continue in obedience (Matthew 28:20).

One might believe in what he has been told about Christ or what he thinks about Christ. But if he does not hear, believe, and obey the gospel, he is not a disciple.

The Blessings of Discipleship

Jesus, because of who He is (God – John 8:24; Colossians 2:9), could simply demand man’s obedience without any positive incentive. But He blesses those who follow Him. The Hebrew writer said, “He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). There are three blessings of discipleship taught in this text – two explicitly and one implicitly.

“You will know the truth” (John 8:32). This might be expected to us. A disciple continues in His word; His word is truth (John 17:17). But this would not have been the immediate conclusion to Jesus’ original audience. In this statement, He made it clear to them that He was speaking the truth from God (John 8:26, 28). By continuing in His word, they would “know the truth.” The same is true for us today.

“The truth will make you free” (John 8:32). From what does the truth make us free? It makes us free from sin. In responding to His audience’s objection to the idea that they needed to be freed from anything, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin” (John 8:34). We must give up sin, not continue to live in it (Romans 6:1-7). After being “freed from sin,” we must become “slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18).

Those who are truly the Lord’s disciples will be saved. This is not explicitly stated in the text, but it is implied in Jesus’ statement. Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). Being freed from sin, we can be reconciled to God (Ephesians 2:16). Salvation is for “all those who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). Punishment is for those who do not (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).

Conclusion

Belief alone in Christ will not save us (James 2:24). We must “continue in [His] word,” through faithful obedience, so that we will truly be His disciples and be able to look forward to a home with Him in heaven.

Ohio Senator Rob Portman wrote an editorial that was published on March 15, 2013, in which he announced his change of position on same-sex marriage. Previously, he had been against such “marriages.” Now he believes “the government shouldn’t deny [same-sex couples] the opportunity to get married.”

In the editorial, he explained the reason for his change of heart. Two years ago, one of his sons informed him that he was a homosexual. After learning this, Senator Portman began re-evaluating his stance on same-sex marriage and eventually changed his mind on the issue. He said he is “a dad who wants all three of his kids to lead happy, meaningful lives with the people they love.” Couple that with his statement about “the Bible’s overarching themes of love and compassion and my belief that we are all children of God,” and we see one who has tried to find a way to harmonize – in his own mind – faith in God and man’s desire to be happy.

His statement about wanting all of his children to be happy seems reasonable to a lot of people, even among those who are religious. Many people believe that God would want them to be happy. Therefore, if something like homosexuality makes one happy, they conclude that God must accept it – and that we should accept it, too.

So we should ask the question: Does God want us to be happy? In answering this question, we must be sure that our conclusion comes from the Bible and not our emotions.

God Does Want Us to be Happy

The psalms repeatedly call for God’s people to rejoice and be glad.

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; and shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart” (Psalm 32:11).

“Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let those who love Your salvation say continually, ‘The Lord be magnified!’” (Psalm 40:16).

“This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

This rejoicing and gladness are clearly for those who are righteous and upright and who seek after the Lord. In the New Testament, there are multiple instances in which Paul called upon Christians to rejoice.

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you” (Philippians 3:1).

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

“Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16).

We also read that the words of Christ and the preaching of the gospel ought to produce joy in those who hear.

“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11).

“Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full” (2 John 12).

“Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm” (2 Corinthians 1:24).

Other passages teach us that joyfulness and gladness ought to be common among God’s people. One of the fruits of the Spirit is joy (Galatians 5:22). Joy is one of the marks of the kingdom of God (Romans 14:17). The early church gathered together “with gladness” (Acts 2:46). God’s blessings should produce gladness in our hearts (Acts 14:17).

All of these passages, along with others that could have been cited, make it clear that God does want us to be happy. But before we jump to the conclusion that God accepts us doing just anything that makes us happy, there is another important point to consider.

God Wants Us to Avoid Sin

People often say, “I just think God would want me to be happy,” as a way to excuse sin. Though there may be passages of Scripture that clearly condemn a certain behavior, many will ignore the Scripture and justify the sin in the name of happiness.

It is becoming more and more common to hear people defend homosexuality and same-sex marriage on this basis. After all, this practice makes these couples happy. Therefore, they conclude that God must accept it. Yet homosexuality is clearly condemned by God. In writing to the saints in Rome, Paul called homosexuality “unnatural,” “indecent,” and said that those who practice it are in “error” (Romans 1:26-27). To Corinth he said that “homosexuals” are among the “unrighteous [who] will not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9). He told Timothy that “homosexuals” are “lawless and rebellious…ungodly and sinners,” and that their sexual behavior was “contrary to sound teaching” (1 Timothy 1:9-10).

It does not matter if a practice like homosexuality makes one happy. It is clearly defined in God’s word as sin. We have considered homosexuality here because of the recent attention it has received in the media. But it is important to point out that this principle is not limited to homosexuality. Any sin, no matter what might be, is wrong and should not be tolerated simply because it makes someone happy.

It may be helpful to ask the question: Where do we draw the line? This mentality of justifying sin in the name of happiness has always existed. Homosexuality is simply a current variation of it. If our society is pressured to accept homosexuality and same-sex marriage because it makes these couples happy, what else will we be pressured to accept for the sake of “happiness”? Polygamy? Brace yourselves, because after same-sex marriage, polygamy is the next logical step. What about pedophilia? A recent news story reported that a South African cardinal believes that pedophilia is not a crime. Also, Iranian lawmakers are seeking to lower the legal age of marriage for girls to nine years old. According to that same article, in 2010 there were 42,000 marriages in Iran involving girls between the ages of 10 and 14. Do we really think happiness alone should be the standard of what is right and what should be accepted? Morally and logically, the answer to that question should be no!

While many in the world are trying to justify sin in the name of happiness, God calls us to repentance. Paul told the men of Athens, “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30). Peter said, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God expects us to work to overcome sin (1 John 2:1). We are not to be content in it.

The Passing Pleasures of Sin

It is important to note that the Scriptures do not deny that there is a degree of pleasure that can be obtained from sin. But any pleasure that may be found in sin is only temporary. Notice the example of Moses:

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward” (Hebrews 11:24-26).

Moses understood what we need to understand. The happiness and reward that are found in following God are far greater than the temporary pleasures of sin.

We should also remember that just because sin may produce some momentary pleasure, that does not mean that it offers real happiness. We know that sin will ultimately be punished. Paul wrote, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). He was referring to the eternal punishment and separation from God that comes after this life for those who do not follow the Lord. But besides this, there are also negative consequences for sin in this life. Solomon warned, “The way of the treacherous [transgressors, KJV] is hard” (Proverbs 13:15).

True Happiness

We noticed at the beginning of this study that God does want us to be happy. Yet He does not want us to continue in sin. Therefore, we know that true happiness is not going to be found in sin but in God. The New Testament contains several descriptions of those who are blessed (happy). Notice just a few examples:

• Those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” are blessed (Matthew 5:6).
• Those who are “persecuted for the sake of righteousness” are blessed (Matthew 5:10; cf. 1 Peter 3:14).
• Those who “have been forgiven” are blessed (Romans 4:7).
• Those who “die in the Lord” are blessed (Revelation 14:13).
• Those who “wash their robes” or “do his commandments” (KJV) are blessed (Revelation 22:14).

Why is it that even in the face of persecution and death, those who are righteous and do the Lord’s commandments are happy or blessed? It is because their “reward in heaven is great” (Matthew 5:12). They have “the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14).

Nothing in this world can compare with the reward offered by God. Therefore, let us not attempt to justify sin in the name of some temporary pleasure. Instead, let us put away sin from our lives and serve the Lord so that after this life we might enjoy true and eternal happiness in the presence of God.

Paul was in Thessalonica for just three weeks when he had to quickly leave the city under the cover of darkness because of the uproar that was caused by his preaching (Acts 17:1-10). When he left, he went to Berea. Undeterred by his experience in Thessalonica, he preached in this new city as well. Luke notes the significant reaction of the Bereans:

“Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

Luke compares the Thessalonians and the Bereans in their reaction to the gospel. The Bereans were “more noble-minded” in that they “received the word with great eagerness.” This does not mean that everyone in Thessalonica rejected the gospel – some were persuaded (Acts 17:4). This also does not mean that everyone in Berea accepted the gospel – the Jews of Thessalonica were able to come to Berea and turn “the crowds” against Paul (Acts 17:13). But there is an important difference between the first recipients of the gospel in each city – those in the synagogues (Acts 17:2, 10). Notice what Luke tells us about Paul’s custom in preaching.

“And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ’” (Acts 17:2-3).

Though it is not explicitly stated, we can safely assume that what Paul did according to his custom in Thessalonica, he also did in Berea – that is, preaching the gospel and using the Scriptures to substantiate his claims. This is why the Bereans were “examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

All who would preach the gospel are under obligation to “do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God” (1 Peter 4:11). But how can we, as mere men, possibly speak “the utterances of God”? We can only do so by making our appeal to Scripture – the inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). This is why Paul, in order to prove that he was “speaking the utterances of God” (1 Peter 4:11), “reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence” from those passages he cited to show that his message was true (Acts 17:2-3). We must engage in this same type of preaching today.

So why were the Bereans “more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica” (Acts 17:11)? These are general statements and do not apply to everyone in each city, but notice the difference between the Bereans and the Thessalonians:

1. The Bereans “received the word with great eagerness” (Acts 17:11). Though some of the Thessalonians believed (Acts 17:4), many of them reacted not with eagerness, but with jealousy (Acts 17:5). They saw Paul’s message as a threat, rather than a potential opportunity to come to a better understanding of the truth.
2. The Bereans, though they eagerly received the word, did not blindly or irrationally follow Paul’s message. Instead, they examined “the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Though Paul “reasoned…from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence” about Christ while in Thessalonica, the Thessalonians did not examine the Scriptures to test Paul’s claim. They understood his message – they accused him of “saying that there is another king, Jesus” (Acts 17:7). But they refused to study the Scriptures to see if there was any truth in Paul’s claim.

When we hear (or read) teaching from the word of God, we need to be “noble-minded” like the Bereans. We must be eager to hear because of the potential opportunity to learn God’s will. We must then study the Scriptures to see if what is being taught is the truth. Blindly accepting what a man says – even if he happens to be teaching the truth – is not being “noble-minded.” Truth is truth because it is from the word of God (John 17:17; Psalm 119:160), not because some man said it. We must examine the Scriptures daily so that we might understand the truth.

Conversely, when we hear teaching from the word of God, we must not be like those Thessalonians who refused to listen to Paul. We must not act out of emotion – especially anger – when we are taught something with which we do not agree. We must not reject a message without first testing it according to the Scriptures.

Let us be “noble-minded” like the Bereans so that we might learn the will of God and continue to grow in our understanding of it.