Under Gods Command
1 Corinthians 9:16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
Preaching the gospel was Paul’s gift and calling, and he said he couldn’t stop preaching even if he wanted to. Paul was driven by the desire to do what God wanted, using his gifts for God’s glory.
Lets Bring it Home: What special gifts has God given you? Are you motivated, life Paul, to honor God with your gifts?
Under Gods Command
PAUL ADDRESSES CHURCH PROBLEMS (1:1-6:20)
1 Corinthians 02:09 However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”
We cannot imagine all that god has in store for us, both in this life and for eternity. He will create a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1), and we will live with him forever. Until then, his Holy Spirit comforts and guides us.
Lets Bring it Home: Knowing the wonderful and eternal future that awaits us gives us hope and courage to press on in this life, to endure hardship, and to avoid giving in to temptation. This world is not all there is. The best is yet to come.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 19:28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil
The LORD is a God of truth (Deut 32:4). He demands honesty and truthfulness in all your dealings. You must tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth at all times, but especially when you speak about others. This is a basic but important rule of wisdom.
Those who deceive or lie as witnesses show that they hate God, despise justice, and have a greedy appetite for sin. They will have their reward, for both God and men despise such wicked fools (Pr 19:29; 22:10; 24:9; Is 29:20-21). Most or all sins can be forgiven more easily than lying or bearing false witness. Never misrepresent another person at all!
When you are asked about another person, you make a choice that reveals your character. You either tell the careful truth about the situation, or you compromise the truth in order to protect yourself or a friend, secure an advantage, or exact revenge. If you answer falsely to those in authority or in need of information, you reveal yourself as a scorner of judgment – thinking it a thing of little worth, without respect or regard for it. God forbid.
The devil is a liar and the father of lying (Gen 3:4; John 8:44). When you corrupt or misrepresent matters about another person, you are an ungodly witness obeying the devil (Eph 2:1-3; Acts 5:3). You must think justice and righteousness are jokes, for you profanely treat them as nothing by your actions. But the LORD of truth declared in the Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt not bear false witness” (Ex 20:16; Deut 5:20).
Perjury is no small matter to the God of heaven and earth. He hates false witnesses (Pr 6:19). He condemned them often in the Bible (Pr 10:18; 25:18; Ex 23:1,7; Lev 19:11,16). False witnesses will pay dearly, both here and hereafter (Pr 19:5,9; 21:28; Rev 21:8,27).
God’s fury against bad speech includes backbiting, slandering, talebearing, and whispering – crimes inoffensively called gossip, but now nearly forgotten. How are these sins related to lying? They use the tongue to destroy others (Lev 19:16; Ps 15:1-3).
What happened to false witnesses under God’s civil laws? The punishment at stake was executed on the perjurer. If it was a capital trial for murder, a false witness would be executed (Deut 19:16-21). If an eyeball was at stake, a perjurer had his eye gouged out. Perfect! Wise men quickly perceive that witnesses in God’s legal system would learn to tell the whole truth. In fact, honesty in court and legal dealings would rise dramatically.
Those who lie about others have no regard for equity, fairness, justice, or righteousness, so God labels them scorners – a despicable type of perverse fool that is beyond help. He describes their mouths, which easily and quickly pour out wicked insinuations and false reports, as devouring iniquity. They are flagrant and greedy sinners without consciences, who will lie without remorse or worry whenever convenient, for gain or revenge.
Reader, do you despise false witnesses? Do you always tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Here is the proof: what do you do when you hear someone misrepresent another person? Do you get visibly angry, warn them of their wickedness, and cut them off (Pr 25:23; Ps 101:5; I Thess 5:14)? If you do not, you are an accomplice in their sin, for listening to their lies or slander is a sin itself (Pr 17:4).
Praise God for the Faithful and True Witness at the right hand of God (Rev 3:14; 19:11). He will soon declare the true facts about your life, remembering every good and bad thing you have done (Pr 15:3; Eccl 12:14; Matt 25:31-46; II Cor 5:10). But unless your name is in the Book of Life, you will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death (Rev 20:11-15). Is your name there? Beg Him for mercy (Luke 18:14; John 5:24).
Under Gods Command
1 Timothy 3:16 Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great:
He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angles, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
In this short hymn, Paul affirms the humanity and divinity of Christ. By so doing he reveals the heart of the gospel, “the mystery from which true godliness springs” (the secret of how we become godly). “Appeared in the flesh”—Jesus was a man; Jesus’ incarnation is the basis of our being right with God. “Was vindicated by the Spirit”—Jesus’ resurrection showed that the Holy Spirit’s power was in him (Romans 8:11). “Was seen by angels” and “was taken up in glory”—Jesus is divine.
Lets Bring it Home We can’t please God on our own; we must depend on Christ. As a man, Jesus lived a perfect life, and so he is a perfect example of how to live. As God, Jesus gives us the power to do what is right. It is possible to live a godly life—through following Christ.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 18:4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
How deep and flowing are you? A wise man has a deep reservoir of profound wisdom, which produces words of prudent counsel to help others. His soul sends forth a steady flow of wisdom, which is a tree of life to many. How deep and flowing are you?
This proverb is not about just any man, but rather it is about a wise man, which comparing the two clauses clearly shows. Only a wise man’s mouth feeds knowledge to others (Pr 15:7; 16:23; Eccl 10:12; Ps 37:30-31). Fools’ mouths pour out foolishness.
The proverb has two beautiful similes. The first one declares a wise man’s words are like deep waters. What can you learn by this comparison? His wisdom is deep: it is not just a superficial view of things (John 7:24: Is 11:1-4). His wisdom is plentiful: he can help with different dilemmas (Job 29:21-25; Matt 13:52). Only understanding men can draw it out, for a wise man is not easily persuaded to speak of wisdom (Pr 20:5; 17:27).
The second simile compares a wise man’s words to a spring producing a flowing brook. A wellspring is the source or spring of a stream. As a brook supplies water to prosper lower lands, so a wise man speaks to help those around him. His mouth is a well of life (Pr 10:11). His instruction is a fountain of life (Pr 13:14). He feeds many (Pr 10:21). He is health and a tree of life to others (Pr 12:18; 15:4). Fools are deadly (Pr 13:20).
Solomon had largeness of heart and wisdom above all others (I Kgs 4:29-34). He could speak on any subject, including trees. Men from the courts of all the kings of the earth came to hear his wisdom. But Solomon’s Son, Jesus Christ, was greater than Solomon. When Jesus spoke, people were astonished by both His authority and graciousness (Matt 7:28-29; Luke 4:22). And He could shut His enemies’ mouths at will (Matt 22:46).
How deep and flowing are you? Have you learned the words of truth to give certain answers to those that ask (Pr 22:17-21)? Have you meditated on God’s word to be able to answer enemies, teachers, and ancients (Ps 119:98-100)? Do you study before answering a new matter (Pr 15:28)? Have you learned how to answer every man graciously (Col 4:6)? Have you shown a noble spirit by restraining your speech (Pr 17:27)?
Have you sanctified the Lord God by exalting Him in your heart, so you can give a sound reason for your hope (I Pet 3:15)? Do you trust Scripture as being sufficient to make the man of God perfect (II Tim 3:16-17)? Do you love others enough to discover their needs and help them (I Thess 5:14; Heb 3:12-13)? Are you spiritual enough to save those who are weak around you (Gal 6:1; Jas 5:19-20)? Can you speak about the things of God to others, especially your children and grandchildren (Ps 71:14-18; 78:1-8; Mal 3:16)?
If you can answer these questions positively, you are the man of this proverb. If you cannot, you need to work on two things. First, you need depth of wisdom so your words are like deep waters. You do this by acquiring much wisdom from the Bible. Second, you need to prime the pump and get your words flowing like a brook. You need to reject foolish reticence or fear of man in order to answer and teach others in need of wisdom.
Under Gods Command
1 Timothy 3:08-15 Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested, and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
3:8–13 Deacon means “one who serves.” This position was possibly begun by the apostles in the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:1–6) to care for the physical needs of the congregation—at that time it was the needs of the Greek-speaking widows. Deacons were leaders in the church, and their qualifications resemble those of the overseers. In some churches today, the office of deacon has lost its importance. New Christians are often asked to serve in this position, but that is not the New Testament pattern. Paul says that potential deacons should have high qualifications and should be very carefully chosen.
3:11 The women can refer to women helpers or deaconesses. It could also mean wives of deacons, or female leaders of the church (such as Phoebe, the deaconess mentioned in Romans 16:1). In either case, Paul expected the behavior of prominent women in the church to be just as responsible and blameless as that of prominent men.
3:14, 15 The Bible is the written form of what God expects us to know and do. God chose Paul to carry out one phase of the plan. Through Paul, the inspired teaching was written down. As such, it was passed on to Timothy. Then, it was passed on to others. Later, it was passed on to us.
Lets Bring it Home: Times have changed, but the original authority remains. Because the Bible is from God, it must be studied seriously, understood thoroughly, and applied faithfully. Paul intended this letter to teach believers how to conduct themselves. We would do well to read carefully. How much time are we spending obtaining a relationship with God, by reading his word?
P
Under Gods Command
1 Timothy 3:01-07 Here is a trustworthy saying. If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
3:1 To be a church leader (“overseer”) is a heavy responsibility because the church belongs to the living God. The word overseer can refer to a pastor, church leader, or presiding elder. It is good to want to be a spiritual leader, but the standards are high. Paul lists some of the qualifications here. Church leaders should not be elected because they are popular, nor should they be allowed to push their way to the top. Instead they should be chosen by the church because of their respect for the truth, both in what they believe and in how they live.
3:2 Paul’s statement that each overseer should have only one wife prohibits both polygamy and promiscuity. This does not prohibit an unmarried person from becoming an elder or a widowed elder from remarrying.
3:4, 5 Christian workers and volunteers sometimes make the mistake of being so involved in their work that they neglect their families, and especially the firm discipline of their children. Spiritual leadership, however, must begin at home. If a man is not willing to care for, discipline, and teach his children, he is not qualified to lead the church. Don’t allow your volunteer activities to detract from your family responsibilities.
3:6 New believers should become secure and strong in the faith before taking leadership roles in the church. Too often, in a church desperate for workers, new believers are placed in positions of responsibility prematurely. New faith needs time to mature. New believers should have a place of service, but they should not be put into leadership positions until they are firmly grounded in their faith, with a solid Christian lifestyle and a knowledge of the Word of God. Younger believers who are selected for office need to beware of the damaging effects of pride. Pride can seduce emotions and cloud reason. It can make those who are immature susceptible to the influence of unscrupulous people. Pride and conceit were the devil’s downfall, and he uses pride to trap others.
3:7 People outside the church should speak well of those who would lead in the church. The good reputation with outsiders that Paul required is realized when Christians act as dependable friends and good neighbors. How we carry out our duties as citizens, neighbors, and friends facilitates or frustrates our ability to communicate the gospel.
Lets Bring it Home: Do you have friends who are not believers? Does your conduct help or hinder the cause of Christ? As the church carries out its mission in an increasingly secular world, the church needs those who build bridges with unbelievers in order to bring them the gospel.
Do you hold a position of spiritual leadership, or would you like to be a leader some day? Check yourself against Paul’s standard of excellence. Those with great responsibility must meet high expectations.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 17:03 -The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD test the heart.
It takes intense heat to purify gold and silver. Similarly, it often takes the heat of trials for the Christian to be purified. Through trials, God shows us what is in us and clears out any thing that gets in the way of complete trust in him. Peter says, “These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” So when tough times come your way, realize that God wants to use them to refine your faith and purify your heart.
Silver and gold are discovered and made better by fire. Heat burns away impurities and base metals to leave pure silver or gold, fit for a jeweler (Pr 25:4). Only the LORD can prove and purify your heart in such a way, by the fiery furnace of afflictions and trials.
Men prove, assay, or refine the precious metals silver and gold. But they cannot prove, assay, or refine the heart of man. They use a fining pot for proving silver, and they use a furnace for refining gold, but the heart of man is neither accessible nor improvable.
Your heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. No man can truly know the impurities in his own heart (Jer 17:9-10). So the LORD tries the hearts to reveal what is there, and He rewards accordingly (I Kgs 8:39). No man can escape the all-seeing eyes of Him with Whom we have to do (Heb 4:12-14; Rev 1:14; 2:18; 19:12).
The Bible speaks often of God refining His saints (Job 23:10; Is 1:25). Jesus came as a Refiner; His fire burned up His enemies and purified new priests for offering acceptable sacrifices (Mal 3:1-5). The fiery trials He sends may make your heart heavy, but they make your faith stronger (I Pet 1:6-7). He brings His people through the fire to perfect them (Zech 13:9). And from them He chooses His jewels (Mal 3:16-18).
The LORD can quickly find what is in your heart. He knows your worst fears, your strongest temptations, your secret fantasies, your weakest moments, your trigger points, and the sins that easily beset you. He can prove, assay, or refine you easily. Tremble before Him! Worship Him! Humble yourself before He humbles you!
He uses the furnace of affliction to try your faith by adversity (Is 48:10). He uses the furnace of infirmity to build your reliance on His grace (II Cor 12:9-10). And He uses the furnace of temptation to measure your obedience (Gen 22:1-2; Heb 11:17-19).
Do you know what God did to the great king Hezekiah? He left him – one of the most frightening things God can do to a man. God left Hezekiah to expose what was in his heart (II Chr 32:31). What was discovered by this refining method? Hezekiah was foolishly proud due to God’s merciful extension of his life by fifteen years (II Chr 32:25).
God turned David over to Satan, and he numbered Israel, costing 70,000 lives but bringing great glory to God and deep humility to David (II Sam 24:1; I Chron 21:1). Jesus did the same thing to Peter, and he learned a great lesson by it (Luke 21:31-34; John 21:15-17). Temptations are painful, but they are good for God’s glory and your profit, if you respond to them the right way.
How can gold be found without fire? How can it be purified without heat? Only by the Lord’s fiery furnace can you be purged of secret sins, fear of man, attraction to the world, pride, trust in others, love of others, self-righteousness, and other dross. Only by the furnace is your faith, love, and hope purified. The process is painful; the results are glorious. Dear reader, submit your heart to His fire (Ps 139:23-24).
With wisdom, you should rejoice in fiery trials, knowing they are perfecting you (Jas 1:2-4; Rom 5:3-5). You will recognize their great profit; you will not consider them strange, you will even pray for God to examine and prove you (Ps 26:2; 119:67,71,75; I Pet 4:12). You will follow the prescribed methods to purify your own heart (Jas 4:8-10; II Cor 7:1).
The LORD is the most skilled of refiners; He will not lose one ounce, one dram, or one grain of His gold in the furnace. Trust Him, afflicted believer. His trials will end in mercy (Ps 66:8-17; Job 5:11); His chastening is in tender affection (Heb 12:10-11; Rev 3:19).
What is self-righteousness? It is confidence you are good, competent, intelligent, and capable. It is difficulty in saying you are wrong, foolish, stupid, proud, or rebellious. It enjoys finding or discussing the faults of others. It presumes to accuse others, when having its own set of sins. It always has opinions about others’ conduct without Scripture.
It is the defensiveness to resist and balk at correction. It is the presumption of making judgments and opinions against authority. It is the ease with which you can apply a sermon to most anyone else. It is the thought during a sermon that you do not really need change in that area. It is the response that you are comfortable with things as they are.
It is the lack of thankfulness for correction. It may cry defensively when reproved or warned about sin. It responds, “I am just a failure,” when criticized. It is the excuse, “I am not that bad – you just misunderstand me.” It remembers the sins of others when it is being corrected. It may scornfully mention the sins of the person correcting it.
What can you do? Humble yourself and admit you are at least as wicked in all your ways as the worst sinner you know (I Tim 1:15). Confess your self-righteousness as a putrid stench in the nostrils of a holy God (Luke 18:9-14). Admit your righteousnesses are as clean as used menstrual rags (Is 64:6). Beg the LORD to search and reveal your wicked thoughts to you (Job 34:32; Ps 26:2; 139:23-24). Ask for a clean heart (Ps 51:10).
Prove your clean spirit by letting God’s word correct and teach you (Is 66:2). Receive correction without rebelling (Ps 73:21-22). The blessed God never despises a broken and contrite heart (Ps 34:18; 51:17; Is 57:15). If you go down in humble contrition, He will lift you up (Jas 4:10; I Pet 5:6). Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matt 5:3).
You must not defer or minimize self-examination. It is the holy exercise of spiritual men, who rightly understand the deceitful wickedness of their own hearts (I Cor 11:28; II Cor 13:5). Every secret thing will soon be exposed before the holy tribunal of the Lord Jesus Christ. Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts from double-minded hypocrisy through critical and sober repentance (Jas 4:8-10). The Lord will lift you up!
Wise men will recognize that the evil within is more deceitful and dangerous to pleasing God than the evil without. While hatred of this world is a good and godly attitude toward the dangerous temptations there, it is the deceitful lusts in your own heart that are your greatest enemy. Constant vigilance with sincere humility before God will save your spirit. Keep your heart with all diligence to reject any lofty thoughts of self that arise (Pr 4:23).
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 16:2 –All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
All a man’s ways seem innocent to him. People can rationalize anything if they have no standards for judging right and wrong. We can always prove that we are right. Before putting any plan into action, ask yourself these three questions: (1) Is this plan in harmony with God’s truth? (2) Will it work under real-life conditions? (3) Is my attitude pleasing to God?
Do you know yourself? How can you? Your own heart lies to you worse and more than anyone else! “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer 17:9). David said, “Who can understand his [own] errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults” (Ps 19:12). No man truly knows himself! You do not know yourself!
Of course you think you are clean and right in all your ways. Your self-righteous heart justifies everything you think, say, and do. Your lying heart leads you to all sorts of folly and sin, and you hardly even know it (Pr 16:25; 30:12). But the LORD weighs your secret ambitions and motives, just as He weighed Belshazzar. And He will find you wanting. Then He will purify you in the fiery furnace of affliction.
Though you cannot know the deceitfulness of your heart, the LORD does. The blessed God says to man, “Who can know it?” Then He answers, “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer 17:10). All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom you have to do, including the thoughts and intents of your heart (Heb 4:12-13).
You are being weighed now. The scales of holy justice are tipping. Examine yourself. Why are you reading this commentary? How are you reading it? Have you already decided it has nothing for you? Do you think you know your spirit? Is this warning for other sinners, those far worse than you? Do you resent this spiritual warning? Are you thankful to God you are not as wicked as other men? Are you too busy for this spiritual stuff? Are you irritated there is not something new and exciting to tickle your ears?
You foolish person. You deceive yourself. Confess your depravity. Repent of your arrogant self-righteousness. True humility is to fall naked and helpless before the holy God of heaven and confess sincerely, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). So important is this proverb, Solomon gave it to you twice (Pr 21:2).
It is easy to slide through spiritual instruction – to speed read or listen lazily to satisfy a deceitful conscience. It is easy to apply warnings to others – to identify motes at great distances, while missing your own beam. It is easy to despise others – to thank God you are not as disgusting as they are, while your spirit is weighed in heaven as worst of all!
There is nothing worse than self-righteousness. Consider it well. What is it? Thinking you are righteous and justifying yourself against conscience, correction, and conversion. Such a person has no clue they are full of sin, for they have allowed lofty thoughts of themselves to totally distort their judgment. They only use the mirror of God’s word for others, for they do not even see a need for examining their own faces (Jas 1:21-25).
How will you reason with such a person? You cannot point out their sin, for they cannot see it. Their arrogant self-confidence rejects your reasons (Pr 26:12,16; Gal 6:3). And these scorners will hate you for the effort (Pr 9:7-8). They crucified the Lord of glory for exposing their false and hypocritical religion. Every man is a Pharisee in his own spirit.
What is self-righteousness? It is confidence you are good, competent, intelligent, and capable. It is difficulty in saying you are wrong, foolish, stupid, proud, or rebellious. It enjoys finding or discussing the faults of others. It presumes to accuse others, when having its own set of sins. It always has opinions about others’ conduct without Scripture.
It is the defensiveness to resist and balk at correction. It is the presumption of making judgments and opinions against authority. It is the ease with which you can apply a sermon to most anyone else. It is the thought during a sermon that you do not really need change in that area. It is the response that you are comfortable with things as they are.
It is the lack of thankfulness for correction. It may cry defensively when reproved or warned about sin. It responds, “I am just a failure,” when criticized. It is the excuse, “I am not that bad – you just misunderstand me.” It remembers the sins of others when it is being corrected. It may scornfully mention the sins of the person correcting it.
What can you do? Humble yourself and admit you are at least as wicked in all your ways as the worst sinner you know (I Tim 1:15). Confess your self-righteousness as a putrid stench in the nostrils of a holy God (Luke 18:9-14). Admit your righteousnesses are as clean as used menstrual rags (Is 64:6). Beg the LORD to search and reveal your wicked thoughts to you (Job 34:32; Ps 26:2; 139:23-24). Ask for a clean heart (Ps 51:10).
Prove your clean spirit by letting God’s word correct and teach you (Is 66:2). Receive correction without rebelling (Ps 73:21-22). The blessed God never despises a broken and contrite heart (Ps 34:18; 51:17; Is 57:15). If you go down in humble contrition, He will lift you up (Jas 4:10; I Pet 5:6). Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matt 5:3).
You must not defer or minimize self-examination. It is the holy exercise of spiritual men, who rightly understand the deceitful wickedness of their own hearts (I Cor 11:28; II Cor 13:5). Every secret thing will soon be exposed before the holy tribunal of the Lord Jesus Christ. Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts from double-minded hypocrisy through critical and sober repentance (Jas 4:8-10). The Lord will lift you up!
Wise men will recognize that the evil within is more deceitful and dangerous to pleasing God than the evil without. While hatred of this world is a good and godly attitude toward the dangerous temptations there, it is the deceitful lusts in your own heart that are your greatest enemy. Constant vigilance with sincere humility before God will save your spirit. Keep your heart with all diligence to reject any lofty thoughts of self that arise (Pr 4:23).
Under Gods command 