The Heaton File

And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for thus was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets. The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. Then Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord also began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of David king of Israel. So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. (2 Chronicles 29:25-28)

Instruments In Worship Were Approved

After the death of Solomon, Israel was divided into ten northern tribes, known as Israel, and two southern tribes, known as Judah. All of the kings of the north were evil. Israel fell to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. The southern kingdom of Judah had good kings and bad kings. Hezekiah was one of the good kings who did what was right in the sight of the Lord. He trusted in the Lord God, making him one of the best kings the people had. Hezekiah held fast to the commandments of the Lord, and the Lord was with him. One of the things King Hezekiah did was to restore worship in the Temple of the Lord.

In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah restored the Temple to the glory it once had under Solomon. The Levites and priests cleaned the Temple, and Hezekiah restored the temple worship. Part of what the king restored was the music. He put the Levites in the Temple with musical instruments such as cymbals, stringed instruments, harps, and trumpets. Singers sang, and trumpeters sounded. The music was an incredible testimony to the glory of God. Instruments of music were always a part of the worship of God in Israel. David brought the ark to Jerusalem with the music of instruments of fir wood, harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. When David made Solomon king of Israel, he appointed four thousand Levites to praise the Lord with musical instruments made by David.

When the people returned from seventy years of captivity, and the foundation of the temple was completed, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, along with the Levites with cymbals, to praise the Lord. A year later, when Nehemiah directed the rebuilding of the walls, the Levites celebrated the dedication with gladness, thanksgiving, and singing, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps. The final psalm preserved in the Old Scriptures seeks the praise of God with trumpets, lutes, harps, timbrels, dance, stringed instruments, flutes, loud cymbals, and clashing cymbals. Instrumental music was used in Jewish worship under the Law of Moses. The Jews knew more about instrumental music in worship than most places in the world.

The first people who were Christians under the covenant of Christ were Jews. On the day of Pentecost, three thousand devout Jews obeyed the gospel in baptism. They continued in the doctrine of the apostles as the early church matured. The New Testament is the story of the church’s beginning, its organization, its doctrines, and its growth as it spread throughout the world. Luke wrote about the beginning of the church. Paul wrote letters to churches and individuals. Peter, James, Jude, and John wrote letters establishing the doctrine of Christ. The canon of the New Testament is the divine will and covenant established between God and His people. What is never found in the writings of the New Testament church is the command to use musical instruments. There are no examples in the New Testament of the church using musical instruments in worship. The Jews used hundreds of instruments in their worship under the Law, but never did in the church.

The silence of God speaks volumes. Men added the use of instruments to the church. Those who suggested adding instruments faced great criticism. So great was the opposition, even as late as the 16th Century, that it would have been abolished by the Council of Trent but for the influence of Emperor Ferdinand. Martin Luther said, “The church rings with the noise of trumpets, pipes, and dulcimers; and human voices strive to bear their part with them. Men run to the church as to a theatre, to have their ears tickled.” There is no authority for instruments of music in worship. It is not God-approved nor God-sanctioned.

And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” (Luke 9:61)

I Will Follow You But …

Commitment to God has always been the trial that men fail because they are unwilling to allow their full allegiance to be given to a higher being. Pride is the sin that exalts the spirit of man to serve himself above his Creator. Satan challenged Eve with the notion that God was unfair and unjust in His refusal to allow her to eat the forbidden fruit. Convinced that God was wrong, Eve took the fruit and ate it. She was not committed to the will of the Father and suffered because of it. Adam followed suit. Under the Law of Moses, the Lord demanded first place in the hearts of His people. The Ten Commandments began with the declaration that there could be no other gods before Him. God is a Jealous God and refuses to take second place.

Jesus taught the necessity of putting God’s rule first in life. Seeking first the kingdom of God demanded full allegiance to the will of the Father. This required a heart willing to overshadow every personal relationship for the glory of God. Nothing could come before service to the Lord. Jesus taught that the desires of husbands and wives could not take precedence over their duty to the Lord. Love for parents or children could not displace the allegiance to keeping the commandments of the Lord. This would bring families into conflict with one another. God was always first in every part of life without exception. He demanded first place, and He expected first place.

On the occasion, men were seeking Jesus to follow Him, a man approached Him and told Him he wanted to follow Jesus. Before he committed himself fully to following the Lord, he desired to bid his family farewell. He knew the journey with Jesus would be hard and difficult. His heart was willing to follow Jesus and to walk with Him wherever He went. But his heart was not completely ready to leave his family. The man told Jesus he would follow the Lord as soon as he took care of family business. Jesus’ reply was not meant to be harsh or cruel. The Lord’s answer shows the urgency of the message of salvation and the work in the kingdom.

Following Jesus demands complete surrender. Jesus would describe His disciples as those who bore their cross. Cross bearing was a vivid picture for the early disciples, and it shows the cost of following Jesus. There is no “I will follow you, but…” way to follow Jesus. When the heart commits to obey the gospel of Christ, there is the expectation that the heart will continue to be committed to the cause of Christ. Jesus explained that anyone who puts their hand to the plow and looks back would not be fit or worthy of salvation. Following Jesus is all or nothing.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)

Working Out Salvation

The nature of God is both good and severe. There is a side of God that is full of goodness, mercy, grace, and love. Another side of God is the vengeful, wrathful, divine judgment that brings fear to the hearts of those who deny Him. The choice of life and death is all man has. God does not allow any other choices for the world to consider but salvation through His Son or condemnation for rejecting His Son. No name under heaven will save a man except the name of Jesus Christ. The Son of God is the only way to the Father, He is the only truth given to man, and eternal life can only be found in Him – and Him alone!

Understanding the nature of God leads a man to consider his ways. While Satan whispers in the ear of the human heart to live in frivolity, freedom, and corruption, the reality of eternity looms large upon the horizon. Denying judgment does not remove judgment. Refusing to believe Jesus is the Son of God will not change His place as King of kings and Lord of lords. Man has fallen from the favor of the One who created him and will be judged according to his deeds, good or bad. God has always given the world a path to follow that leads to joy, with the warning of the broad way that leads to destruction. The choice is solely the decision of the heart.

Salvation from the wrath of God comes with a serious apprehension of the cost of losing eternal life. Paul reminds the children of God to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, understanding the gravity of the situation. Only by the grace of God is hope given through the blood of Jesus Christ. Obeying the gospel is the first step in finding the grace of God. The Christian must remember to continually serve the will of the Father in working out eternal life with a spirit of fear and trembling. This means a serious and wholesome understanding of the grace of God must be received in the hearts of the faithful. Satan continues to prowl the world seeking whom he may devour. A constant awareness of the ease with which sin can destroy the heart is paramount. Sin is an insidious and powerful reality that all men must face with boldness and courage.

Salvation is found in Jesus Christ. Sins are washed away in the waters of baptism, but the struggle continues and is real. The life of the Christian is the constant awareness of the battle being waged against the forces of the evil one. If a man decides to stop fighting, he will die. Salvation is not a once-saved, always-saved experience. If someone decides to obey the gospel and then turns their back on the Lord, they will lose their salvation. God gives hope to the faithful; they can know they have eternal life, but it comes with the diligence of faithful service. The Holy Spirit reminds the faithful of the need to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, considering the cost of losing their souls.

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-4)

The Thief In The Night

There are many important days in life. The day of birth, the first day of school, the day of marriage, the day of retirement, and the day of death. All of these measure life from beginning to end. Not everyone goes to school, marries, and retires, but everyone is born and dies. Life can be a time of succession to achieve the next goal. Parents send their children to school so they can learn to read, write, and understand arithmetic. Many young people make plans to marry and start a home. Looking for a life occupation takes planning. Some go to college while others find their niche and make a good life. Retirement is always desired to relax and enjoy the golden years of life. Little thought is given to a day that is more important than all put together.  

The Lord has told man from the beginning that life is a vapor and there is no promise of tomorrow. Death is imminent, and all men will face that day. There is nothing a man can do to avoid his place in the cycle of life and death. Forgotten in the reality of death is the word of the Lord that He will come back one day. His coming will not be announced. There will be no warnings. Like a thief in the night, the Lord will return to bring an end to the world, and everything living on the planet will be destroyed. It will be sudden, fierce, explosive, and final. That day is not on the calendar. Jesus does not know when that will be, so no one on planet Earth can certainly know the day. What is known is that the day will be like a thief in the night.

Thieves break in and steal. Their purpose is to steal without getting caught. They will not send notices to their victims of the time of arrival and how they plan to enter the home. A homeowner may be away when the thief comes. It may be in the middle of the day or the dark of night. There is no warning or advance knowledge. When the thief decides to make his move, he does so with the greatest stealth. Using that analogy, the Holy Spirit declares two things. First, Jesus is coming back. Second, there is no way to know when that day will happen.

There is no doubt that Jesus is coming back. The angels at the ascension of Jesus, following His resurrection, assured the eleven that Jesus would return. As the church spread throughout the Roman Empire, the doctrine of Jesus’ return served as the foundation of teaching. It seems many in the First Century believed Jesus would return in their lifetime. He did not. The coming of the Lord has not happened for more than two thousand years. But He is coming back.

Concerning the times and seasons of Jesus’ return means nothing. The reason is that there will be no warning. Men try to say when the Lord is coming back, but they are false teachers deluded by their own philosophies of error. Jesus will return, and His return will be sudden, without warning, and complete. There will be no time to prepare. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, a trumpet will sound, and everything comes to an end. Like in the days of Noah, people will be going about their business, enjoying their pleasures, looking for another day with hopes of greater tomorrows. None of that will matter. When the world thinks everything is peace and safety, Jesus will return. No one will escape the judgment of the Lord on the final day.

The Christian knows this day is coming. Of all people who should not be surprised when the Lord comes back, it is the child of God. Living a life of glory for the Lord, Christians know each day could be their final. This does not sadden the heart but lightens the load of life to long for the return of Jesus Christ. The day of the Lord should not overtake the faithful like a thief. People of God are prepared. They live each day waiting for that moment. There is nothing greater than waiting for the Lord to come back – and today will be a great day for Jesus to return.

The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!” As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed. The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. (Proverbs 26:13-16)

The Lazy Man

When God placed man in the garden, He instructed him to tend the garden and care for it. After the fall of man, God placed a curse on the ground. Man would toil by the sweat of his brow to grow food. Thorns and thistles would make the labor hard. In the Garden of Eden, the Lord provided for all the needs of Adam and Eve. After the fall of man, the herb of the field would require diligent cultivation to plant, grow, and harvest. It was placed upon the back of the man to live the rest of his life laboring in the soil where he would return. After the flood, when the world could eat meat, the same curse prevailed that man would have to labor to catch his food.

God requires His creation to work. Weeds, thorns, and thistles grow without effort but have no redeeming quality for the survival of man. The body requires certain nutrients to sustain life. Because of sin, the world lives in a constant state of the curse God imposed from the beginning: that man must work by the sweat of his brow. Throughout the scriptures, God rebukes the slothful, self-indulgent person who refuses to provide for himself and for his own. A lazy man is selfish, caring for no one but themselves. He will offer many excuses about why he cannot work, and all the while, the work is not being done.

The proverb writer shows the shame of those who refuse to work. A lazy man will cry out, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!” There are no lions in the street. This is a ploy to foment fear for what may be. His excuse is nothing more than imaginary delusions he makes up to avoid working the fields. He cannot work in the field lest a lion find him and tear him to pieces. There is no basis for his excuse because he is a lazy, indolent, slothful, and worthless person. God condemns this kind of attitude. A lazy man is like a door on a hinge. The door will move back and forth, but make no progress. It stays in place, moving about. A lazy man will roll over in his bed, refusing to go to work. He is so lazy that he has no desire to feed himself. He expects that others will fully care for him. When he is berated for his insolence, he appeals to his wisdom as a purpose in life.

Laziness is not the character of the child of God. Paul addressed a serious problem in the church of Thessalonica when he learned that some refused to work. His advice was that if a man refused to work, he would not be allowed to eat. Work and labor are the most basic of human characteristics and are necessary for life. A Christian is not a lazy person. God calls laziness walking in a disorderly manner before the Lord. Refusing to work is to refuse the will of the Father. What often happens to those who refuse to work for a living is that they become local gossips and busybodies in the affairs of others. The Lord commands His people to work in quietness and to enjoy the bounty of their labors.

One reason a Christian works is to share with others. A man who refuses to care for his own is worse than an infidel. That is the lowest of characters when a lazy man will not support his family. The purpose of work is to provide support so that those in need can be cared for. When Jesus described the judgment scene of the sheep and the goats, those who were saved were those who exercised benevolence to others. Lazy people will be on the left where the goats are, and where the judgment of perdition is carried out. It is a shame for a Christian to be a lazy person. God does not approve of laziness. (p.s. There are no lions in the street.)

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)

Life Is Only A Vapor

After God created man and woman, He told them to be fruitful and multiply, filling the earth. By the grace of God, man has the power to create eternal life. The act of procreation is how life is given to a fleshly body as the Lord God creates a soul that will never cease to exist. On the one hand, life is found in the physical body, and on the other, the spirit of man that is eternal. Because of sin, the physical body will corrupt and die. God put the tree of life in Eden because man was created a mortal creature. When the Lord expelled Adam and Eve from Eden, they could no longer eat of the tree of life. Adam lived a very long life of 930 years, but he died. The lifespan of humanity has dramatically declined, so that some can live to 100, but few reach that age.

Methusaleh lived to be 969 years, but his life was nothing but a vapor. A child who lives but five years is a vapor. If a man lives to be in his nineties, his life is a vapor. Whether a person lives twenty, forty, sixty, or eighty years, the sum of life remains a vapor. Life is fleeting at best and without substance. Water vapor comes from the solid mass of water, but it dissipates quickly into nothing. The hard part of life is to think the tangible parts of this world are real when, in fact, all of life is but a vapor. It appears for a little while, and then it is gone. There is no substance to any part of life. It can be taken at any time. Life can shrink to days and hours. Death is the sickle born of sin that takes lives early because all of life is a mist that comes in and disappears as quickly.

Two views of life are necessary for understanding the frailty of what is perceived as real when, in fact, it is not. The first view of life is that all men stand in the valley of life as nothing more than mists floating on the ground. The old must die, and the young can die. There are no exceptions when death comes. Young children die. Middle-aged men die. The old will die. Death is not something to be ignored because all men face the same destiny. There is nothing man can do to change the appointment with death. A woman in Japan is 123 years old, but her life is a vapor that will end soon. The second view of life is personal. Everyone must know their life is but a vapor. Death comes suddenly. Other people die, but one day it will become personal because life will end. Between the date of birth and the date of death is a small dash that represents the totality of a man’s life. How small compared to what life is perceived to be.

James reminds his readers that making plans is good for the soul, but those plans must be tempered by the knowledge that one day all life’s plans will end. Tomorrow is a secret that no man knows. Who knows whether one will live another day, week, month, or year? Disease destroys the body, tragedies happen, and life winds down in natural order. Making plans is good for the soul as long as the remembrance of how short life is becomes the foundation of those plans. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. Life is a vapor that can end at any moment. All of the things of life become nothing more than a vapor that appears for a little time (life) and then vanishes away (death). Instead, the child of God lives to prepare for that great day of change when the mortal puts on immortality, when death is swallowed up in victory, and life in this world becomes glory in the world to come.

It does not matter how old a person is. Life is a vapor. It is cut short. Death is real. Nothing will change the transitory nature of life. Wisdom gained in old age is how short life is and how precious each day becomes, to be treasured for what God has given. Today is the day of joy. Hold family close. Do the will of the Lord today. Share love with others. Prepare for eternity. Life is a vapor. Eternity never ends.

And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. “These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.” (Numbers 4:15)

Why Did Uzzah Die?

God’s word is full of promise and warning. Sin came into the world because Adam and Eve thought they could trifle with God’s word. The mistake of human wisdom is to look upon the words of God as suggestions rather than commandments. Noah was told to build an ark to a specific design and specification. Any deviation from the divinely revealed word would have been a disaster to Noah and his family. Noah did everything God commanded and lived. Moses told Pharaoh what God was going to do, and every word came true. On the night of the death of the firstborn, God instructed the Hebrews on what they must do to be saved, and they obeyed every word.

At Mount Sinai, God gave the law to the Hebrews through Moses, His prophet. The Law of Moses was complete, thorough, and unambiguous. Nadab and Abihu ignored the word of the Lord and paid for their rebellion with their deaths. Moses was prohibited from entering the promised land because he failed to give God glory when the Lord demanded it. God’s word was not respected. In giving the Law, the Lord gave specific instructions for the creation of the place of worship. The Tabernacle would serve as the place of worship for many generations. During the forty years of wilderness wanderings, the people of Israel moved from place to place, carrying with them the Tabernacle and all the articles, including the Ark of the Covenant.

The Ark of the Covenant was housed in the Most Holy of Holies when the Tabernacle was settled in a place prescribed by God. No one was allowed to enter the Most Holy of Holies except the High Priest, and he was allowed only once a year. Whenever it was time for the nation to move to another location, the priests and Levites would pack up the Tabernacle and carry it there. The Lord gave very specific instructions for the care of the Ark of the Covenant. Men would have to pack up the Ark and move it from place to place, but great care was required to carry out the word of the Lord. The sons of Kohath were chosen to care for and move the Ark of the Covenant. God was very specific about how to move the place where He met with the people of Israel.

When the time came to move, the sons of Kohath would take down the covering veil and cover the Ark of the Covenant (Testimony) with it. Then they were to put on it a covering of badger skins and, over that, a cloth entirely of blue; and to insert its poles. The Ark was ready for travel. When it came time to move the Ark, no one was allowed to touch it. The sons of Kohath would pick up the Ark of the Covenant by its poles and carry it before the congregation as instructed by the Lord. No one was allowed to touch the Ark of the Covenant. This law remained in place for the duration of the time the Ark of the Covenant existed.

During the final days of the Judges, the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines and returned after seven months. On the return of the Ark, it was placed at the house of Abinadab in Kirjath Jearim, where it remained until the reign of David. David desired to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem. The Ark was brought on a new cart instead of the manner prescribed by the Lord in the Law. Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets. When they came to the house of Abinadab, which was on a hill, the oxen stumbled and Uzza put out his hand to hold the Ark. God struck Uzza dead. He had put his hand upon the Ark of the Covenant, and God struck him dead immediately.

Uzzah may have had good intentions, but the Lord clearly stated in the Law of Moses that no one was to touch the Ark. The sons of Kohath were not to touch the Ark of God. Uzzah disobeyed the requirements of the Lord God when he ignored the penalty for touching the Ark. He paid for his mistake with his life. God demonstrated to David and the nation of Israel the sanctity of His word. The word of God is truth. There is no other truth. Tampering with the word of God will bring destruction. Ignoring the word of God will bring death. The word of the Lord is settled in Heaven, where no man has the authority to change it. Since the days when the church was first established in Jerusalem, men have tried to pervert, change, modify, and recreate the word of God. Many books establish the doctrines of men who seek to change the nature of the church, including the plan of salvation.

God demonstrated to David the penalty for trying to change God’s word. This same penalty will be exacted upon all those who ignore the law of God. There is no other way to God but Jesus Christ. Paul wrote that there was only one church, one faith, and one Lord. All the ideas of men are nothing before the word of God. Every book of human wisdom will perish, but the word of the Lord will endure forever. His word remains true. God’s word rules.

Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. (John 14:22-24)

The True Nature Of The Kingdom

In the final hours of Jesus’ life, He used the time to encourage and admonish the remaining disciples. Shortly before leaving the upper room, Jesus tells the remaining eleven not to be troubled at the events that would transpire. Jesus was fulfilling His Father’s will. The eleven did not understand how important Jesus’ sacrifice would be. They still viewed the work of Jesus as an earthly mission to restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus was leaving for a place they could not imagine. Thomas wanted to know where Jesus was going. The Lord replied that He was the way, the truth, and the life, signifying that the path to the Father was a spiritual journey. Philip wanted Jesus to reveal the Father more fully. Jesus promises to send another Helper, the Holy Spirit.

The disciples could not see the spiritual kingdom Jesus was going to establish, as their carnal eyes could only see the physical. Jesus said He would manifest Himself to the world, but the world would no longer see Him. The disciples would see Him but not the world. Judas (not Iscariot; identified as Thaddeus) was puzzled how Jesus would establish an earthly kingdom and the world would not see it. He wondered how it was possible Jesus would manifest Himself to the eleven and not to the world. It was here that Jesus explained the nature of the kingdom. God never intended for Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom or restore the kingdom to Israel. The nation of Israel would never be the people of God. Jesus was showing the eleven the nature of the kingdom of Christ for those who loved and obeyed the word of God. Those who do not keep the word of God do not love God.

The indwelling of the Divine is found in the hearts of those who seek the will of the Father and follow His commandments. God loves those who keep His word. He will come to them, and the Divine will make their home in the hearts of the obedient. Peace comes from obedience. The nature of the kingdom is not about the carnal. Jesus taught that worship must be in spirit and truth. The commandments of the Lord are necessary to worship in the proper spirit. Jesus was telling His disciples that the nature of His kingdom is devotion given to loving God above all else. Those who refuse to follow His will do not love Him. Love for God is not merely an emotional feeling of recognition. Obedience shows the will of the heart serving the will of the Lord.

Jesus left the upper room with the eleven and went to Gethsemane. Judas Iscariot brought the mob to arrest Jesus, and the next day Jesus was crucified. The death of Jesus shows the love of God and the love of His Son to obey His will. His pattern of suffering is one for all who want to be part of the kingdom of God. Love requires sacrifice. Obedience is love. Loving God is keeping His commandments. That is the nature of His kingdom.

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. (Philippians 3:3-7)

Things That Mean Nothing

The apostle Paul was one of the most gifted, educated, and blessed men among the nation of Israel. Known as Saul of Tarsus, he was a young man with all the privileges of his day. Although a Jew, he was a Roman citizen by birth. There can be little doubt that the family of Paul was well off, allowing for the means to send their son to Jerusalem to be taught by Gamaliel, a member of the Jewish High Court (Sanhedrin), a teacher of the law held in high regard by the Jewish nation, and a man of authority. Paul was brought up and educated under Gamaliel, carefully trained in Jewish law and custom. He became very zealous to defend the law against the followers of Christ who declared a new law.

The pedigree of Paul was impeccable. He was born a Jew as circumcised on the eighth day according to the Law of Moses. The tribe of Benjamin was small but powerful, known for its elite warriors, who boasted 700 left-handed slingers, each capable of hurling a rock and hitting a target within a hair’s breadth without missing. King Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin was the only tribe that stood with Judah when the kingdom was divided after the death of Solomon. Paul called himself a “Hebrew of the Hebrews.” He enjoyed every advantage that could be derived from being a Hebrew. His lineal descent was superior to most. His parents were both Hebrews with no admixture of Gentile blood. There were no proselytes in his genealogy.

Concerning the law, Paul was initiated into the Pharisees, a powerful and influential Jewish sect. The Pharisees were distinguished among the Jewish sects for their rigid adherence to the letter of the law. The zeal of being a passionate Jewish scholar led Paul to persecute the church of Christ with all the authority of the Jewish nation and permission of the Romans. He wanted to destroy every disciple of Christ, persecuting them to foreign cities, throwing men and women into prison, inflicting torture on the Christians, and casting his vote for their deaths. Paul believed himself blameless for what he did against the church. That changed on the road to Damascus when the Lord came to him face to face. Three days later, Saul of Tarsus became one of the greatest evangelists for the cause of Christ when he obeyed the gospel.

As Paul reflected upon his sterling pedigree, he viewed it all with disdain. The Jewish world looked upon this pedigree with envious eyes, for any Jewish man would want to attain the accolades, power, wealth, and authority that come with such privilege. To Paul, it was dung. What things were gained for him, he counted as a loss for Christ. Achieving success in the world would not give him success in eternity. He gladly turned his back on the trappings of the world that so many sought for and worked their whole lives to attain. Paul gave all those things up to be a follower of Christ. He lost his wealth, power, and authority to become a humble servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The world attracts the heart to seek fame and fortune to find happiness. Men will dedicate themselves to their jobs with a passion to succeed and become successful in the business world. Money and the desire for worldly pleasures are what many families focus on. Parents drive their children to find happiness in the world’s accomplishments. Entertainment is the mantra of many. Life is lived to the fullest to the neglect of God. Everyone who seeks the mammon of the world will find at death the reality that mammon is empty. There is nothing to take to the grave. Paul had everything a man would want to be considered a success, but he called it dung, garbage, refuse, and something thrown to the dogs. He lived for a crown bearing his name. Gaining the world means nothing. Finding eternal life is everything.

Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. (Titus 2:9-10)

The Christian Slave

Slavery has been around since the beginning of time. Armies would not only conquer lands but also take the people into slavery for their own purposes. Slave markets were common. The Law of Moses forbade the ill treatment of slaves, protecting them from being oppressed and abused. If a man hits his male or female slave in the eye and the eye is blinded, he must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. And if a man knocks out the tooth of his male or female slave, he must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth. Slaves had the right to rest on the Sabbath and to attend national festivals. Families that were heavily in debt could be taken as slaves to repay the money owed. The Law prescribed seven years before release.

Slavery under the Romans was very different from Jewish law. The Roman Empire’s economy was largely built on the backs of its slaves. There were fewer protections for slaves under Roman law that would allow the cruel treatment of the bondservant. The New Testament accepted slavery as a way of life, seeking to temper the consequences by showing the grace of God through the lives of godly slaves. The book of Philemon is a testimony to a Christian master taking back his servant, who, in his absence, had obeyed the gospel of Christ. Paul admonishes Philemon to show the character of Christ toward his servant, Onesimus.

The instructions of the Holy Spirit to slaves who were bound in Christ were to be obedient and do their best to please their masters. God never wanted slaves who were children of God to become rebellious. He tells the slaves not to talk back to their master or to steal from them. Their character must be entirely trustworthy in everything they do. They must show goodness toward their masters to show how the gospel destroys the shackles of slavery. This applied to slaves bound to both good and harsh masters.

The apostle Peter would tell slaves to follow the example of Christ, who suffered, leaving an example of righteousness to serve the Lord God above all men. When Jesus was reviled, He did not revile in return. Slaves must do the same. Jesus suffered and was threatened, but He did not threaten in return (He could have called twelve legions of angels). Slaves must show the character of godliness even if beaten to show the glory of God. The Holy Spirit commanded masters to no longer be harsh toward their slaves and to give up the use of threats. God warns masters who abuse their servants that He will repay them in kind in judgment.

Slavery was a reality the New Testament church faced daily. The gospel of Christ could change that both for the master and the slave. What the world saw in the lives of Christian slaves and masters was the joy of grace that allowed men to live together in peace and harmony. While slavery is gone in most parts of the world, the spirit of relationships is the key to understanding how to get along with others. Everything must be to the glory of God. There is a correlation between the attitudes of those in the workforce and their showing, in business, the godliness of the word of God, doing their best, and showing themselves trustworthy and good. By the example of Christians living by the gospel, the world can see how the Word can change families, communities, and the country. Let the light of Christ shine in every part of life – whether slave or free.