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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them
to observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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May 26, 2013
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Contents:
1) 1 Timothy 6:18-21 (Tom Edwards)
2) News & Notes
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-1-
1 Timothy 6:18-21
by Tom Edwards
After Paul commanded Timothy to "Instruct those who are rich in this
present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the
uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all
things to enjoy" (1 Tim. 6:17), he then also includes for Timothy to
"Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous
and ready to share" (v. 18).
Paul shows in Galatians 6:10 to whom good should be shown: "So then,
while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and
especially to those who are of the household of the faith."
And to know of all of what the good could be, we must look to the
Scriptures. For the Lord has given it "that the man of God may
be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim.
3:17). From this, we can infer that if God's word does not
authorize a certain thing -- whether by a specific command, an
approved example, a necessary inference, or covered under His
general authority (such as the tools Noah could use to obey God's
command to build the ark to His specifications) -- then it could not
be a "good work."
Some other examples of what would not be a good work (though thought
so by many) would be in going beyond the things that are written in
the gospel in order to let the church cater to man's social needs,
such as with recreational programs -- by building basketball courts;
having physical exercise programs; "fellowship halls" and kitchens
for common meals; and providing, as one person put it, "the fun,
food, and frolic." This is what has been referred to as "the
social gospel," and is not authorized by God as what the church
should be sponsoring. For the work of the church is limited to
1) evangelism, 2) spiritual edification, and 3) helping the needy
saints.
Paul stresses the need "to be rich in good works." Earthly
wealth can't be taken with us when we depart this world, but the
good works we do while here can lead to eternal benefits -- for
ourselves and for others. For faith accompanied by righteous
deeds can result in our salvation; and when winning others to the
Lord is part of our "good works" that can also be of an everlasting
benefit for them.
The need to be rich in good works -- instead of just that of this
world -- can also be seen in Luke 12:16-21 of the parable of the
rich, productive farmer. Here was a man who had such a good
harvest that he had to tear down his barns to build larger ones --
just to store it all. He then said to himself, "Soul, you have
many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat,
drink and be merry"' (v. 19). This man's situation, however,
was viewed much differently by the Lord. For He said, "...'You
fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will
own what you have prepared?'" (v. 20). The tragedy of this man
was because he had left God out of his life. Jesus had used
this parable to exemplify his concluding remark: "So is the man who
lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (v.
21). So if we are living for only the things of this
world, then we cannot be rich toward God. For to be rich
toward the Lord, we must be concerned of spiritual things and submit
to God's will. And, in doing that, we will then be putting our
treasures and hearts in the right place, as Jesus expresses in
Matthew 6:19-21: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth,
where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and
steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or
steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Paul also instructs the rich "to be generous and ready to share" (1
Tim. 6:18). We find this spirit of generosity demonstrated in
the early church: "And all those who had believed were together, and
had all things in common; and they began selling their property and
possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have
need" (Acts 2:44,45). Also Acts 4:32-35: "And the congregation
of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of
them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all
things were common property to them. And with great power the
apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a
needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses
would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales, and lay them at
the apostles' feet; and they would be distributed to each, as any
had need." And showing generosity was also certainly true of
the churches in Macedonia -- such as Philippi, Thessalonica, and
Berea. Notice what Paul says about them: "Now, brethren, we
wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in
the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction
their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the
wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to
their ability, and beyond their ability they gave of their own
accord, begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participation
in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but
they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God"
(2 Cor. 8:1-5).
Helping needy Christians is one way of showing love. John
writes, "But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother
in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God
abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or
with tongue, but in deed and truth."
Even during the Old Testament Period, the Lord wanted His people to
be concerned with their poor: "If there is a poor man with you, one
of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which the LORD
your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close
your hand from your poor brother; but you shall freely open your
hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need
in whatever he lacks. Beware, lest there is a base thought in your
heart, saying, 'The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,'
and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him
nothing; then he may cry to the LORD against you, and it will be a
sin in you. You shall generously give to him, and your heart
shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing
the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all your
undertakings. For the poor will never cease to be in the land;
therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall freely open your hand to
your brother, to your needy and poor in your land'" (Deut. 15:7-11).
Our generosity should also extend beyond our brethren, though an
emphasis is placed on helping fellow Christians, as we saw in
Galatians 6:10: "So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good
to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of
the faith."
Paul also shows in 1 Timothy 3:19 the benefit of doing good, being
rich in good works, and being generous and ready to share. He
states, "storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation
for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life
indeed." As this verse indicates, there is a much more
important thing than merely storing up with earthly wealth --
rather, it is concerning ourselves with those things that will lead
us to heaven. For as the Lord declares, "For what does it
profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul" (Mark
8:36)?
This chapter then closes with Paul saying the following in 1 Timothy
6:20,21: "O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding
worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is
falsely called 'knowledge' -- which some have professed and
thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you."
What had been "entrusted" to Timothy? In 1 Timothy 1:18, Paul
refers to the gospel as that which he imparted to Timothy. The
verse states, "This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in
accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that
by them you fight the good fight." This type of instruction is
also seen in 2 Tim. 1:13,14: "Retain the standard of sound words
which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in
Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us,
the treasure which has been entrusted to you."
But guarding God's word does not mean that it is to be kept hidden
in one's life, like valuable jewels locked up in a safe.
Rather, the gospel is to be imparted to others. Paul had also
instructed Timothy concerning this, by saying, "The things which you
have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these
to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim.
2:2). And, of course, the gospel also very much needs to be
taken to the lost. For it is the only means of salvation (cf.
Rom. 1:16; Rom. 10:17; 1 Pet. 1:23).
In guarding God's word in our hearts, one of the things we must be
aware of is false teaching that can lead away from the truth.
Paul warns of some of the teachings of his day that could do this as
being "worldly and empty chatter," which the NKJV renders as
"profane and vain babblings." He also refers to some of it as
being "the opposing arguments of what is falsely called
'knowledge.'"
For our time, think, for example, of those who teach evolution as if
it were a proven fact. Many folks view it as part of science
-- but it is nothing more than a theory, and a theory that is in
direct opposition to what the Bible teaches on the creation of man
and all living things. So evolution is an "opposing argument,"
which many today would view as scientific knowledge.
Notice, too, where Paul shows the "opposing arguments" of his day
could lead one -- "astray from the faith" (1 Tim. 6:21). And
they can do the same today.
In guarding God's word in our hearts, we must keep it pure.
We, therefore, don't want to corrupt the gospel by adding to it, nor
taking away from it. This type of warning is seen in both the
Old and New Testaments: "And now, O Israel, listen to the
statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, in
order that you may live and go in and take possession of the land
which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You
shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away
from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God
which I command you" (Deut. 4:1,2). "I testify to everyone who
hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to
them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this
book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this
prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and
from the holy city, which are written in this book" (Rev.
22:18,19). Even though this latter passage is said about the
book of Revelation, the need to not add nor take away from any book
that is a part of the gospel can be inferred from other passages as
well. Consider, for instance, Galatians 1:6-9.
So we now finish this epistle, which Paul wrote around A.D. 64 or
65, following his first Roman imprisonment (which is recorded in the
book of Acts). Paul would have a few years free to travel and
take the gospel to other places before his being arrested again and
confined in a Roman prison, which would then lead to his
death. But whether in prison or out, he always remained
faithful unto God -- and will always be an inspiration to those of
us who share the same faith that Paul lived by. So may we draw
that encouragement from his life to help us in our own striving for
that supernal goal of everlasting life, to be enjoyed in the glory
and bliss of heaven itself. For just as Paul had declared, "I
press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in
Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14), may that also -- and always -- be true
of us.
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-2-
News & Notes
Let those of us who are Christians be remembering the following
people in prayer:
The surgery for Janice Webb (Anthony's mother) went
well. Due to the tumor being malignant, the thyroid was
removed; and she is now healing.
On June 21, Penny Foley (Jackson Moon's great aunt) will be
having surgery to remove a tumor in her leg.
Virginia Fontenot continues to have a difficult time
in being treated for stage 4 cancer. Though she is no longer
having to take pain medication every day, she usually does not feel
very well each day -- especially right after receiving the
chemo.
Jean Calloway, who suffered a cardiac arrest on May 8, is
still in the hospital, undergoing therapy and has been making some
improvement. She is to return home June 10, will continue with
dialysis three times a week, and will also be receiving long-term
care and Home Health.
Cindy Crews will be having additional surgery, due to breast
cancer.
Linda Blevins found out recently that her kidneys were
working only 75% back in January, but now they are working at only
50%. She has been diagnosed with bilateral renal artery
stenosis and has hydronephrosis, along with a kidney stone.
She will be having some more tests.
Ashley Robertson Walters was recently hospitalized for a
kidney stone, but is now back home -- though at last report, the
stone was still with her.
Becky Robertson recently had to have a shot for tendinitus in
her left hand and will need to wear a brace for a few weeks.
Pam MacDonald is still healing from her recent back surgery
that required adding 16 pieces of metal to her spinal column.
All went well.
Bill Barfield (Virginia's brother) is now being weened off a
ventilator, though they will keep the CPAP on him for continuous
airway pressure. He has been in a few different hospitals
continuously since March 2012.
* Let us also be remembering the following
in prayer: Tom
Smitherman (Lee's father) who has been diagnosed with an
aggressive prostate cancer; Cheryl Crews who has
some chronic ailments; and Shirley Young who suffers from
fibromyalgia.
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom.
10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John
3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts
8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins
(Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet.
3:21).
6) Continue in the faith; for, if not, salvation can
be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Park Forest
CHURCH OF CHRIST
9923 Sunny Cline Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 6 PM (worship)
Tuesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/go
(Gospel Observer website)
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html
(audio sermons)