Train Yourself To Be Godly

If Paul were alive today...he might be referred to as a "Life Coach" or "Spiritual Advisor" or maybe a "Mentor."  All these names would perfectly describe his relationship with Timothy...except that these would infer a self-improvement program....but Paul was running a discipleship school not a personal sports training program. 

In today's times the physical aspects of training are played up in the media with our exaggerated focus on sports.  In Roman times there was a similar focus on physical training.  Paul does not condemn this physical training...instead he says, "For physical training is of some value.."  Then Paul says, "but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."

Pauls message to his young student Timothy: 
Godliness pays off now and into eternity!!! Your spiritual nourishment will be on the truth of the gospel.  Stay away from the the logic of the world. Devote yourself to staying in the word and passing it along to others. Devote yourself to godliness...be all in...100%.

Sounds like a coaching pep talk to me.  Sounds like a teacher challenging their prize student to do their best.  Paul was a discipler of men.  He loved his student, Timothy.  He wanted him to "get it".  He wanted him to see the"big picture"...Paul wanted to make sure his mentee mastered these life lessons in following God.  " So why do we train so hard in "godliness?  Answer = "we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God"!  We serve God Almighty...a very sobering reason to take this training seriously.

So let's take a life lesson from one of the best spiritual coaches of all time...let's really listen...and put Paul's sound teaching into practice. These God-inspired lessons "hold promise for both the present life and the life to come."

You Will Know how People Ought to Conduct Themselves in God’s Household

In I Tim 3 Paul writes out the qualifications of church officers.  He gives both overseer and deacon pre-qualifiers. Both are noble offices... the two offices are similar ...but they are also a little bit different.  Most biblical scholars agree that the overseer (or elder) is a teaching officer. The deacon is a serving officer. 

The qualifications of the two offices are similar in the follow things:
Respectable,
Light or no use of alcohol,
Good reputations,
Experience in their Christian walk,
Able to manage their own family.

The elder seems to be more stringent in the requirements.  It makes sense if someone is in a teaching position ...they would be under greater scrutiny. They would also be mentoring/ modeling life to their students. The following adjectives describe the overseer:  temperate, self-controlled, hospitable, able to teach, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 

Paul wrote these instructions so that, these first church officers would know how to conduct themselves in the Church.  In the last paragraph Paul defines what the officers are stewards of... it is
the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. This is why these are serious qualifications...not to be taken lightly....this is the church of the Almighty God.  Pretty serious stuff!!!

Christ Jesus, Who Gave Himself As A Ransom

Tucked into the first paragraph of I Timothy 2 is a marvelous description of what Jesus has done for us, "Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people."

The definition of "ransom" is "the price paid or demanded."

God demands a blood price be paid for sin.  In the old testament the Jews were required to make blood sacrifeces of their best livestock to atone for their transgressions. 

We have all sinned and deserve the punishment of Hell before a Holy and Just God. We would all get that punishment if it were not for Jesus.  He emptied Himself of  Divine power and lived a sinless life.
Yet, He loved us so much that He gave Himself as a "ransom" for us.  He gave His life...His blood...to satisfy the payment for our sin.

Do you feel like you have been set free from the grip of sin?  You have.  Jesus has set you free.
You are no longer a captive.  You are no longer bound...by sin and it's deadly grip.  Jesus has paid your ransom.  Live out this reality....You were bought with a price....Jesus life was given for you.

I Was Shown Mercy

In I Timothy...Paul is writing a letter to his son in the faith, Timothy.  You could say that Paul was Timothy's "Professor of Theology"...his mentor...his teacher.  And now Paul is reminding Timothy of the truth of the Gospel.  He is warning Timothy about false teachers and how Christians should operate within his church, at Ephesus.

Then Paul goes into a time of personal testimony followed by a praise and worship time.  Why?
When Paul thought about God's grace to him....He was overwhelmed with thanksgiving.  "But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Does recounting your testimony bring you to your knees in appreciation to God?  Does the thought of His grace overwhelm you?  When you look at your life...does it put God's greatness into perspective? It should.  Paul knew who His savior was...."the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God." And he wanted Timothy to know.  He wanted the church at Ephesus to know.  He wanted everyone to know. Paul's adoration and praise was a result of true grace.  Overflowing thanksgiving is what happens when we stop to realize God's grace...His amazing grace.

Examine Yourselves

Paul gives advise to his listeners to, "Examine yourselves....test yourselves." And why? The test is to make sure that they realize that Christ Jesus lives in them.

And so each of us must also ask ourselves...."Does Christ Jesus live in me?"

It is a sobering question. I pray that we can be honest...sober...truthful in answering this for ourselves.
Is Christ Lord of your life?  He is Lord of life....but have you really surrendered to His Lordship.
Are you convicted of sin?  Does the Spirit speak to you loudly when you sin? Daily we should be dying to sin. Examining ourselves....letting the Word read us....and obediently following the Spirit's whisper in your soul.

My Power Is Made Perfect In Weakness

Paul made a very logical argument for Christ grace over his works by first telling of his encounter with God.  He describes it as being called up to the third heaven, "paradise." But he refused to boast about "these surpassing great revelations."

Instead Paul continues to boast of his weaknesses and God's greatness. Paul explains that God showed him His weaknesses to make him a better follower.  God let Paul experience so much pain...that Paul was crying out ...pleading with Him to remove the torment. But looking back...Paul insinuates that it was the best thing that ever happened to him. In fact he now delights in the insults, the difficulties, the hardships.

Paul says that Christ's power is made perfect in those weak moments...when he was most dependent on God. Paul ends up the appeal by saying, "when I am weak, then I am strong."
Do you delight in your weaknesses?

I Will Boast of the Things That Show My Weakness

Paul was Publicly Beaten 8 times

Paul uses worldly logic to prove his point.  If our salvation depended on works or our goodness...then he was so much more than the others that were preaching to his friends. " I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again." Then Paul goes through a very impressive line of hardships that he has endured. He has suffered more than any other at that time for the cause of the gospel.  I think his argument is quite convincing.

And yet at the end of his argument, Paul says that it is his weakness that he must boast, "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."  So it is not his work that saved Paul....but by the grace of God's love for Paul. Paul's weaknesses are what glorified God.

We Do Not Wage War As The World Does

In II Cor 10:4 Paul says, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world." So what are the weapons of this world? Manipulation, lying, robbery, cheating, violence,yelling, harsh words, embarrassment, harm, rape, slavery, extortion, bullying, oppression and torture are a few of the world's weapons.  More specifically guns, bombs, knives, swords, chemicals, money, resources, positions can also be used as weapons of evil.

Paul states that the weapons of Christians are "contrary" or are opposite of the world's weapons. It doesn't state it here but in  Ephesians 6...it talks about "the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. We are to fight with God's power and with His Word.  In fact he adds that His weapons have "divine power to demolish strongholds." (verse 5)  He goes on to say that the weapons that we use are for the destruction of anything that argues against or is opposed to the gospel  of Christ. We even take these opposing ideas & claims...as captives/hostages of the invisible spiritual war that we wage against the world.  (I get that from verse 5), "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Our weapon is the word of God. His word is much more powerful than physical weapons. He has the  power to crush the strongholds of all evil forces of the world. So don't fall back and rely of the weapons of this world to wage war.  It is better to use God's word and let Him crush the enemy. .

Thanks Be To God For His Indescribable Gift!

Paul continues talking about supporting the advance of the gospel in II Cor 9.  This chapter seems to be about generosity....cheerful giving. God wants this from us...he loves a cheerful giver...not a reluctant giver or a giver under compulsion or obligation.

So how do we pull this off?  We live in a selfish time.  Most people no longer give ...let alone gift to the church. Charity is not that popular. And if we give...is it ever really cheerfully?  Not under compulsion?

II Cor 9: 9-11 tells us that it is God who will make us generous as he sanctifies us.... Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God

It sound like God has given us Jesus...the "gift that just keeps on giving"

The Gift Is Acceptable According To What One Has

II Cor 8 is probably the best instruction in the bible about supporting missionaries. Not only are we suppose to take the gospel to the nations...we are to support fellow Christians (brothers and sisters) in their efforts to reach others. Paul describes this support as "the grace of giving".  The Lord put the desire to help others...into our hearts. Are you a co-laborer in God's work...the mission field?

"For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have." I believe this concept of giving to missionaries is consistent with any kind of giving...you need to give when you have a little...because if you wait until you have enough to give...you will never give. So practice giving...it will bring you pure joy.

Since We Have These Promises

Paul starts II Cor 7 with this beautiful statement that I just can't get past.  In fact I intend to memorize this one.  It is one of those honey-dripping verses that are so delicious....so tasty....better when we meditate on it and digest it a little bit at a time.

"Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."

Translation:
Since we have these promises of God....let us rid ourselves of every kind of sin out of reverence for God. All through the bible...God gives us conditional promises.  "If you do this...then I (God) will do this."  Most of these conditional promises have to do with repentance and sanctification.  "If you will stop doing this and return to me....then I (God) will bless you in this way."

We are to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and be about ridding ourselves of known sin.  This concept does not negate the grace of God....but is a necessary part of normal Christian living....constantly purifying ourselves as the Holy Spirit reveals sin in our lives.

Why do we "work" at purifying ourselves...striving for Christ-like Holiness?  The answer...Paul gives us...is out of reverence for God.  Jesus has given all for us...our response to his love and grace is a life following His example out of reverence for Him.

"Having Nothing, and yet Possessing Everything"

Paul is commending himself and his disciples to the church in Corinth.  He says many things...but at the end of II Cor 6, verse 10 he says it all.  Six words that just leaped off the page and grabbed my heart, "having nothing, and yet possessing everything."

Wow...those words says it all. He has been talking about viewing the world and the Kingdom differently. ... and living differently in this world because we belong to the Creator God. So he says...."possessing nothing of this world...but yet having all Kingdom privileges.(my paraphrase)  Being a poverty stricken child of this world...not enjoying the spoils of this world...but in reality being a child of "The King...feasting on His good gifts..."great endurance, purity, understanding, patience, kindness, sincere love, truthful speech,  always rejoicing. 

Paul says as a servant of God on earth...we possess "everything" God has to offer...so we shun the temporary spoils of the world like power, fame, treasure, popularity, position...all the things that tempt our flesh so intensely...but yet only provide temporary satisfaction.

And so his statement provides us God's wisdom and promise for following Him, "having nothing and yet possessing everything."

"An Eternal House in Heaven, Not Built With Human Hands"

In II Cor 5, our earthly bodies are described as tents.  When I started thinking about it...we think mainly about using tents as shelter on camping trips.  Kids sleep in them for one night in the back yard.  We might really rough it by going "back packing" for maybe a week. But the most extended stays in a tent is probably in the military.  My grandfather lived in one in Europe during WWI .  My dad lived in a tent in Korea during his active duty during the Korean War.

So why does Paul use a tent in his example?  One reason is that a tent is a temporary, mobile shelter.
If a person is going to live somewhere very long...they are going to erect a more permanent structure.
I think we would all agree that a tent is "temporary".

This is exactly the point that Paul is making.  Our earthly bodies are temporary. Earth is not our permanent home.  We are on temporary short-term assignment here...and then we will join Jesus in the "new" heaven and earth...and we will receive new glorious bodies like His.  So don't get too comfortable in your "temporary tent"....live as if you are just a visitor...God's ambassador here on earth.

"We Do Not Lose Heart"

reads: "We do not lose heart"

My son recently gave me the latest in identification bracelets used in the Tour de France....it is called a Road ID.  This father's day gift was a good idea for an old man...a diabetic...who ought to have identification in case of an accident while running or bicycling.  In addition to my identification information, he also had it engraved to say, "We do not lose heart" at the bottom of the ID plate.  As a Christian and a distance athlete....he realizes that both in athletics and in life...we get discouraged.  We need an encouraging word.  A word of truth to keep us going.

Paul was giving his fellow Christians in Corinth an encouraging word in tough times.  He starts this Chapter with "we do not lose heart."  and he closes chapter 4 with the same 5 words...""we do not lose heart."  In between he has one of the most inspirational pep talks for tough times, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."

Paul is telling us when times are tough, when we feel weak....don't fret...Jesus is Strong. We will be pushed to our limits...but Jesus will see us through life. "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

So my bracelet is encouragement from my son....but also encouragement from "The Son"...that He is with me in my momentary troubles...and will be with me throughout eternity.

You Are A Letter From Christ

Our lives lived out before the world....are like letters...or maybe in this age we say our lives are like emails, read by the world.   Everyone is reading the message...our lives are telling a story...a story written by Christ.

 "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

So what are people reading when they look over your life?   Is Christ the author of your life?  Or are you writing your own life's story?  I don't want my life to be like spam...bothersome, worthless, of no value to others.  I want the Holy Spirit to speak to others through my life....and how does that happen?  We surrender to the author of life.  When we do this...the spirit writes our testimony on the tablets of our hearts....for everyone to read....to glorify Him.

An Aroma That Brings Life

Have you ever thought of yourself as an aroma?  Paul says that is what we are to God, "For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life."

In fact we are the same "smell" as Christ.  A  pleasing fragrance to those being saved....a stench to those who reject the gospel. Is Paul really saying we smell? I don't think so....So if we aren't an odor....what is Paul talking about?   He is using this analogy of our lives as an attraction or a repellant of others.  People are either drawn to Christ through us.  Or they reject the Gospel because of us.

And this Christ-like aroma is the knowledge of Jesus.....  "But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere."  So God uses our knowledge of Christ ...our relationship with Him...to attract others into a relationship with Himself.  So as we love and serve...others.... people that come in contact with us...get a whiff of Christ.   And they either love the smell...or it makes them want to die!!!!

The God Of All Comfort...Do You Know Him?

Do you know the "God of all  Comfort"?  If you have had the death of a loved one...the death of a dream... a serious illness...if you have been persecuted....if you have faced personal tragedy....chances are that you might know the "God of all Comfort."

You who do not know Him...you ought to get to know Him!!! He is probably knocking at your heart's door....waiting to introduce Himself...wanting & waiting to comfort you.

And what are we to do???? ...those who do know this "God of all Comfort."  We who have experienced the healing suave of His perfect love.  We are to comfort others with the same kind of compassion and comfort that our Heavenly Father lavishes on us.

II Cor 1:3-4 says"...the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."

Do Everything In Love

In the closing 16th chapter of his (I Cor) letter, Paul tucks in verse 13-14 which seems a bit out of place.  It is almost like he decides to give the Corinthians a final charge in the midst of telling them about the current missionary efforts.

He writes, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.  Do everything in love."
Actually Paul had gone over many of these charges earlier when he wrote the brothers and sister of Corinth about unity in Christ's church.
1.Be on your guard against sin, false prophets, divisions in the church.
2.Stand firm in the faith against temptation
3.Be strong and courageous...a repeated old testament command from the Lord...but now it is relative to persecution from the Roman Empire and secular religious views.
4.The summation of his letter for church unity...."Do everything in love"....
(remember I Cor 10:13): "for the greatest of these is love."

Great words to meditate on....and to put into practice.

Christ Has Indeed Been Raised From The Dead

Other Historical Writings

In I Cor 15:3-4 Paul lays out the gospel to his listeners in a very concise manner: "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures..."

And it is by this gospel that each of us are saved. What are the important elements of this gospel?
             1.Christ died for our sins just as the scriptures prophesied.
             2.He died and was buried.
             3.Then on the third day He was raised from the dead to new life...just as prophesied hundreds of years earlier.

Paul was reminding fellow Christians that they must not stray from the truth of the gospel.
Many of his audience were listening to others who were preaching that Jesus was not raised from the dead...no resurrection. 

How does Paul back up his argument that Jesus was raised from the dead???  He gives his own personal testimony of seeing the resurrected Jesus.  Then he lists over 500 others that physically saw Jesus after He was raised from the dead.  And during a time of "oral" history keeping....this was extremely strong evidence of the truth of Jesus resurrection. Through similar testimonies in other literature of the time like the writings of Flavius Josephus, famed first century Jewish  historian wrote in his Antiquities of the Jews, “Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”

Wow....worldly,scientific, historical backup to our precious scripture.  Additional historical evidence of what we know through faith from our scriptures as being "true"....Jesus was raised from the dead.  Hallelujah!!!

But The Greatest Of These Is Love

Chapter 13 of I Corinthians is often referred to as "the love chapter." It has long been one of my favorite chapter of the bible....but it spoke to me in a little different way during this morning's reading. 

In the proceeding chapters, Paul has been addressing divisions in the Church.  In chapter 13 he is talking about love because it is the ultimate "gift" from God .  It binds the Church together so that the body can function for the purpose of Christ...the Head of the Church.

There is a great lesson tucked into verse 11, "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me."

I think Paul was talking about Christian maturity, here.  Now look back to the proceeding verses (5-6) where he was stating what love is not!!!  "It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil..."  Are these not signs of immaturity?  ...envy, boasting, pride, dishonoring others, easily angered, delighting in evil....

With that in mind....maturity in Christ would bring forth fruit like...patience, kindness, trust, truth, perseverance.  Love bears fruit!!!!  The kind that last.  It is the secret to church unity.  It is the secret to spreading the gospel.  And at the end of chapter 13 Paul sums it up by saying..."the greatest of these is love."

Now You Are The Body Of Christ

Jesus saves us one at a time. And when he does...it is a very individual decision.

But He saves us in order that we may function within His body...the Church.

In I Cor 12:27 Paul says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." He says the Church is like a body....and we are part of it.  Jesus is the Head...the brains...the one in charge.  And we are each very important to how the Church lives and breathes and functions.  When we are functioning together...we are the body of Christ.

I don't think we realize how important the "body" is to Christ.  We live out our lives individually....when we really need to be asking how we can function within the body of Christ. In fact he says,  "there should be no division in the body."  In other words....bring all your gifts to the table....but bring them ready to work together with your fellow Christians. Don't be going all individualistic.....Be part of His body...part of Christ's team.

You Proclaim the Lord’s Death until He Comes

The Lord's Supper is one of two ordinances that Jesus commanded. We are to Baptise and partake of the Lord's Supper. Even though the participation in these does not save us...they are symbols of what Jesus has done for us. And we are to participate in these and take them very seriously.

 “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”..... “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

"In rememberance of me"...is repeated here in I Cor 11:24-25.  It's about him first...what He has done for us....then it is about us...to do our part to live a humble, repentant life before God.

In I Cor 11:27 Paul gives a stern warning that partaking in an unworthy manner make the violator ...guilty of sinning against the Lord and bringing judgement on themself..   We certainly don't want to go there....so Paul gives us a way to avoid this in verse 28.  "Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup."

What does it mean to examine one's self?  I think it means that we have to listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to us through his word.  We need to live a humble repentant life...not walking in known sin.
If there is known sin in our lives...we should repent before taking this solemn ordinance of the Lord's Supper.

We should all live like this.... all the time...examining ourselves. God knows our hearts...and he loves a repentant, humble heart.