Imitators not Imitations

 

Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. (Ephesians 5:1-2, NASB)

Before we jump into the two verses above, we must understand the first word we read in verse one, the word, therefore. Some Bible translations put this word after the word imitators. This verse’s word placement does not matter. The important part is that Paul wrote it, and we need to understand what Paul intended with this conditional word. Therefore implies that an action or statement will result in something happening. This tool is a literary technique used to help a person consider what the speaker states next when considering his previous statements.

To help us understand what Paul wrote in Ephesians 5, let us grasp what he wrote before chapter five. Chapter four told the Ephesian believers and later believers, there must be unity in the body of believers, the body of Christ. Verse one said believers must walk in a manner worthy of their calling by Christ. What is this manner? The manner of Christ is one of humility, gentleness, and patience (4:2-3). This manner includes bearing with each other and being eager to keep the unity. Paul reminded the Ephesians they are one body and spirit made so by having the same Lord, faith, baptism, God, and Father (4:4-6). He reached the heart of the matter. Paul said God’s grace gives gifts to Christians through the Holy Spirit (4:7). These gifts equip saints for ministry, building up the body of Christ (4:13). This enables all believers to reach the pinnacle of the unity of the faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ and to become a mature believer to the full measure of the stature of Christ (4:7-13). For the rest of chapter four, Paul said by growing toward maturity and unity among the body of Christ, each believer will speak truth and be kind, which shows itself in tenderheartedness and forgiveness toward others of the body (4:25 & 32).

Paul wrote, because of this unity and growing maturity of Christlikeness, believers can, therefore, be imitators of God (5:1). He wrote the word, therefore, to show the result of maturing and being united. Every believer should and will resemble their Father God. The tender image Paul gives is of a loved child’s relationship to his or her father. People can relate to this image of a loving father. For those who cannot for whatever reason, the love of a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, neighbor, or church member can understand. For others, the relationship of the heavenly Father to him or her is very close because of His protection and provision before he or she became a Christian. Whoever was in your life and deeply touched your heart, consider that relationship like the relationship of the Father to His beloved child.

To extend this comparison, what does a child aspire to become as they mature? Often, he or she will want to imitate the person with whom their heart intensely connects. My mother was a nurse. As a child, my first aspiration was to become a nurse. Why? Because my mom was very loving, caring, and compassionate. This image portrays part of what Paul tried to explain with his analogy. A child desires to imitate their Father. The Father (or the analogized parent, grandparent, etc.) takes great pleasure and honor in the child looking up to Him. He desires for His child to become ever more like Him each day. The Father wants His children to mature into Christlikeness.

What does it mean to be imitators of God? Paul began explaining it in chapter four. He said He wants His children to reach full maturity in likeness to Christ so that they have unity among their brothers and sisters and are kind (tenderhearted and forgiving) and speak truth (the truth of God, not the world’s idea of truth). Paul continued this thought in chapter five. He said imitators of God walk in love (5:2). Paul did not mean phileo love, a brotherly love a person has for his or her close friendships. He wrote saying imitators of God will walk in agape love. Agape is the love shown to people by God. This love is sacrificial love, beyond mere feeling. Sacrificial love intentionally chooses (wills) to act. Agape love shows a preference for the other person over oneself, no matter what the cost. Most parents willingly would risk their lives to save their child’s life. They prefer the life of their child over their own. This love is about what Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:2. God’s children are those who mature and become imitators of Him. This means they will live out this preferential love toward their other brothers and sisters in the faith. These believers prefer to help one another grow, survive, and receive forgiveness. They make the choice to ensure the unity of the body of Christ, regardless of the personal cost to themselves.

That sacrificial love made Jesus' offering of Himself in our place a fragrant aroma to God. What parent, when seeing his or her child do a kind and selfless act, does not beam with pride and love for his or her child? God beams with pride at His children when they become imitators of Him in this way, when they love as Jesus Christ loved them.

The Holy Spirit, by God’s grace, gives each believer gifts to equip himself or herself to mature in Christ and to aid in bringing unity as God designed for His body. This unity builds the faith of other believers, speaks truth in love, and is kind—tenderhearted and forgiving. This unity in the body causes each believer to be imitators of God. Each believer will desire to be so close to God that they reflect the presence and love of Christ, allowing others to see God. Those imitators of God are true. They are not an inferior imitation; one the world says is sufficient. The believers who radiate the presence and sacrifice of Christ are imitators of God, not imitations, like faux leather. These believers desire to be closer to God. They crave it. Believers want everyone to know about God and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. They care that the truth gets out and all experience life-changing and eternal forgiveness. These Christians are tenderhearted and dedicated to spreading the message of Jesus and His salvation. God's children, imitators of Him, aspire to be nearer to and resemble Abba, the one who never gave up on them and offered forgiveness. Their goal is to be like Jesus, regardless of sacrifices. That is agape love. Agape love is a love that prefers to benefit others instead of oneself.

“Walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

Will you live out what Jesus Christ put in you—the new person—by His Spirit when you believed in Him? Agape love requires action. It prefers other people over oneself. Consider what Jesus would do?

Be imitators of God, not imitations.

Humility

 

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.”

— 1 Peter 5:6

 

God didn’t have Peter write this verse singly. It comes as part of a set. From verse one, Peter told the elders/leaders to be shepherds of God’s  flock. They were to submit to God’s leadership and not act as dictators to the people of the church. These leaders were not to be elders because of a desire to get wealth, possessions, or a position of power in a church or community. Instead, the they were to be an example of people wholly submitted to God.

 

Next, Peter told the younger people in the church to submit to God’s appointed church leaders, just as they submit to Him. Trust their elders and live just as they live. (This supposes the leaders submit daily to God.)

 

Peter then wrote, “All of you clothe yourselves in humility.” Don’t suppose you are greater than each other. You all submit to God. You all are saved in the same way, through Jesus’ sacrificial, atoning death. You/we have nothing about which to be arrogant. You can’t even save yourselves from your own desires. So be humble toward each other and God. Recognize God and who He is with your heart, soul, mind, and body—attitudes, thoughts, actions, and spirit.

 

God opposes the proud and shows them just who they really are compared to Him. But still, He is gracious and will save them. 

 

To tie this into a nice bundle, God, through Peter says, “Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand, so in due time He will exalt you.” You are not mighty, especially compared to almighty God, so humble yourselves. Admit it in your heart, mind, spirit, and words, and submit to Him. Know, at the right time, you will reap the reward of your faithfulness and submission to God by receiving your heavenly reward—eternal life with Him. 

 

To finalize this thought, Peter wrote, don’t worry about who’s your leader, your status, your wealth, or your possessions. Why? Get rid of those worldly cares because God cares for and is taking care of you. 

 

So humble yourselves before God and submit to Him and His will. He takes care of you (vs. 7). God planned to care for you before you were created by having the plan in place to save you and give you an eternal relationship with Him. 

 

Our humility costs us far less than our salvation cost Jesus.

Joy and Crown

 

 

“But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.” (Philippians 2:17-18)

 

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well; however, let’s keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.” (Philippians 3:14-16)

 

“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:1, 4)

 

Paul wrote to the Philippians of his love for them and his desire to see them. His love was so great that he longed for them to grow into the image of Christ for which he himself strived. 

 

Paul began by reminding them of the mind of Christ—absolute humility for the salvation of all people. He wrote challenging the people to have that same mind, to be humble and changed because of the salvation they received by and from Jesus. Should the Philippian Christians think this too great a sacrifice—such humbling of oneself—Paul put himself as an example of a person who was and had everything, giving it all up, and being considered nothing by the people who once considered him so great. Even this, Paul said, does not make him like Christ. He said he had not attained the prize for the goal toward which he ran. 

 

Paul gave the prime example of humility—Jesus— and then himself, as one striving to be like Him, so the Philippian believers would realize it is doable and a worthy task.This task is to what Christ calls each of His followers. “It’s the standard to which we (believers) attained” but whose goals are not yet reached.

 

After reminding the Philippian believers of the prime example and goal Christ gives and a human example (himself), he then expressed his love for them. He said he loved them and longed to see them. Paul said these believers were his joy and crown. He felt like a father who loved them and was proud of them. Paul followed that statement of his love for them with the challenge to keep following Jesus and look to the example he himself gave them. And even in the hardship that living a life of absolute humility, Paul taught them to rejoice in the Lord always.

 

Rejoice that Jesus saved you. Rejoice that you are called to follow Jesus’ example. Rejoice that Jesus considers you worthy to be His example to the world. Rejoice that you get to tell other people about Jesus. Rejoice that you have the privilege to suffer like Jesus because it shows your identification with Him. Rejoice because the way you live imitating Christ is considered so true to Him that people want to torment, trouble, and persecute you like other people did Him. Rejoice that you have fathers and mothers in the faith to be examples for you and pray for you. Rejoice that the strength, endurance, perseverance, and love you need for the task to which Jesus commanded His followers has already been given to you through His Holy Spirit living in you. 

 

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” as Paul said in Philippians 4:4. “Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:5) You are beloved. Keep up the faith. Walk in Jesus’ strength and according to His humble ways so that anyone who hears or sees you will see and hear Jesus. Run for the crown all who run the good race receive from God. And rejoice always! “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” (Phil.4:23)

 

Freedom and Humility

 “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

— Galatians 5:13

 

Paul wrote, “You, who have become my brothers and sisters because of your believing faith in Jesus, were called to be free” (paraphrase). God called you to Himself and removed the shackles of your old, sinful nature so you were not bound to be powerless against temptation and evil forces. He made you free by His power through Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself on the cross to pay the judgment price for your sins. You are free! You have God’s power available to you now to defeat temptation and evil by walking in step with the Holy Spirit who lives in you. 

 

Since God called you to freedom and has freed you, don’t entangle yourself with your old desires and sins. Your freedom gives you the right and ability to have and live the best life—the perfect life God created you for. (God only gives good gifts)

 

What does that best life include? It includes the penultimate example of what Jesus showed you. Just as Jesus loves you and loved people while on earth (all who were/are not biologically His family), you, too, serve and humbly love others. For Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39 and Galatians 5:14)” By doing this, you obey God and His commandments and show your love for Him with your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37). Your serving is a willing submission (humility) of your right to yourself because of your love for God by obeying Him eternally. 

 

Today, will you use the freedom you received from Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to entangle yourself with your old desires? Or, will you use your freedom to humbly and gratefully love God by humbly serving your brothers and sisters in Christ?

It's not too Small a Thing

 

Jesus answered and said to him [Peter], “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” (John 13:7-8 [NASB])

            When we read John 13:1-17, we realize Jesus, God’s Son, did not consider himself too exalted to do the lowest of tasks-washing dirty feet. He took off his outer tunic and wore just what a servant would and wrapped a towel around his waist as a servant would. Next, he knelt beside Peter to put his foot in the basin and wash and dry it. Peter and the other disciples recognized this action for what it was, a servant’s duty. To him, Jesus was Teacher and Lord (vs 13). Jesus wanted His disciples to see He was more than what they thought they knew about Him. Yes, He is God’s Son and is divine. Jesus also humbled Himself to come down to earth from His throne in heaven, to be incarnate. Paul spoke of this humility of Jesus in Philippians 2:6-7. Jesus made sure the disciples realized His work comprised more than just being recognized as a Teacher and the Lord, the Son of God. His life was to be a humble servant to the Father and humanity so each person would come to know Him as his or her Savior.

            Isaiah in Isaiah 49:1-13 recognized the different facets of the Messiah. Through Isaiah, the Messiah prophesied of His coming humility by birth as a human (vs. 1). He would come to speak the words of God with protection from the shadow of His hand (vs. 2). Jesus would come to toil as if in vain to bring Israel back to God (vs. 4-5). God deemed His Son’s work too important for just the Israelites. The Messiah said He would be a light to all nations. He would come to speak for God and toil for His purposes so all may see the Light of God and come to know Him as their Redeemer (vs 6-7a). Though the Messiah said He people would despise and abhor Him, He would serve people. Kings would rise to their feet and princes would bow to Him because the LORD God chose Him (vs. 7). He said He would release the captive, bring light to those in darkness, feed the hungry, and give drink for the thirsty (vs. 9-10). Jesus the Messiah would make the roads straight and people would come from near and far to be with Him (vs. 11-12).

            Jesus prophesied through Isaiah that He would come to earth for the Israelites to restore them to God. He said He would come for people everywhere, too. Jesus’ ministry on earth was almost exclusively to Israelites. Yet, we know He came for each person who lived during and after His life on earth. Jesus gave the Great Commission to His disciples saying, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19 [NASB]). In Acts 1:8, Luke wrote what Jesus told them in the upper room. He said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

John, in John 13:1-17, told of Jesus preparing His disciples for ministry beyond what they understood. He prepared them to be like Him. Isaiah 49:1-13 foretold the Messiah’s work on earth-speaking to and toiling as a servant for the people of Israel and other nations to receive salvation. Jesus came to serve the Father. That required being a servant for people, too. Jesus showed this to His disciples while He walked with them. He healed, taught, fed, proclaimed, and raised the dead. For the disciples, He did the miraculous. How else could a poor carpenter’s son have taught with authority, though uneducated? How could he have done miracles of healing, feeding, and raising people from the dead? With John 13, Jesus showed His disciples a deeper understanding of His miraculousness. He came to serve, to cleanse people-from dirt and from sins. Jesus served in whatever way was necessary so each person would come to know Him, believe in Him, and receive salvation from sin and death. Jesus modeled this to His disciples. He instilled righteous leadership with righteous servanthood. Jesus instilled servanthood with righteousness so they could be His leaders, too. Only through the righteousness of Christ imparted in each believer through the Holy Spirit can a person fulfill God’s purposes as God foretold in Isaiah 49, Luke shared in Acts 1, and Jesus lived as relayed by Paul in Philippians 2. A servant cannot be greater than the Master and the one who is sent cannot be greater than the One who sent him. Yet, a servant and a leader can live the life of a Christian by Jesus’ Spirit living within them upon faith in Him for salvation.

            It took Jesus, incarnated and fully divine, to transform the actions of people to always be actions of righteous service. Without His indwelling a person, righteous serving cannot happen. It took divine Jesus to redeem serving and leading so they would be useful for God’s purposes. It was too small a thing for Jesus to come just to save Israel (Isaiah 49:6). Just as it was too small a thing for Him to come to redeem only one aspect of life. Jesus came to redeem each person wholly, including each action. He came to redeem every action, bringing it back into alignment with God’s purpose. God’s purpose is that we glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. His purpose is that we live in an eternal, loving, and righteous relationship with Him. It is not too small a thing for us to live righteously and tell other people about Jesus. It has everlasting consequences.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11 [NASB])

Is there something you think is beneath you?

If you think that, then you have not had your feet washed by Jesus.

Humble Expectation

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28 [NASB])

It’s Christmas morning. Children run through the house with excitement emanating from their eyes, hands, voices, and feet. They can’t sit still. They can’t stop talking. They wonder what present they will receive this year. The family sits in the Christmas room. As established by family custom, the youngest gives the presents to each person. She is so excited to see what everyone receives that she almost drops the boxes because of her jittering hands. With great anticipation and eyes alight, little sister opens her boxed present to find an envelope. Gleefully, she finds an envelope in the box. The envelope holds $10. Big sister, with great excitement, rips open her box. With expectation of what she might find, she notices an envelope, too. Her envelope crinkles and crackles as she rips it open and pulls out ten one-dollar bills. She looks up with joy and tears. Mom opens her boxed present careful not to tear the paper. Once she removes the tape on the box, she, too, finds an envelope. Yes, she has money! She counts it with surprise, gasps, and realizes she has $10. Dad, with wonder about these gifts, opens his box and finds the expected envelope. He hopes for greater things than what he has seen come from his family’s envelopes. Dad takes a deep breath of anticipation then carefully pulls the edges of the envelope flap from the back of the envelope and peeks inside. He exhales and looks down sadly. Dad, too, received $10.

So often, each of us compares our own self to another person. We try to do better than that person so we can have a greater reward-more money, bigger bonus, elevated title, bigger house, etc. These things Jesus did not teach or live out as an example for us. Jesus did not choose to live in a mansion as a king or leader. He did not choose to exist with only the washed and wealthy. Jesus did not choose His friends from among the elite in society. He did not die from old age and receive praise at His funeral service. Jesus was born to a carpenter’s family and lived in the northern kingdom of Israel. He chose not to have a house to call home. Jesus chose to be around fishermen and their odor, lepers and their decaying smell, prostitutes and their obvious sin, tax collectors and the hatred they received, the poor and their shortage, and the sick with their infirmity. He lived among the people who had no influence and called to every person hoping they would to listen to Him. Finally, though as a man who would want to die from old-age causes and receive praise for His good deeds, Jesus died a torturous death of hanging by nails on a wooden cross and suffocating.

God could have sent Jesus to live a gracious lifestyle of affluence, but He didn’t. He could have had mercy on His Son and not let Him be crushed by the hatred of His own people and their leaders, but He didn’t. God could have lifted Him above the earth physically, so Jesus didn’t have to die a crucifixion, but He didn’t. God’s plan was greater than we could think or imagine. It included love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace for all people. His reward for believers in Jesus Christ is the same for all sinners, not just the obvious ones, but also the hypocritical ones, the ones with “hidden” sins. His reward is the same for the person who had been a Christian for 60 years or for just the last breath on earth.  Jesus came for all people so that every person could have forgiveness of sin, receive salvation, and be given eternal life. Those are the rewards, the only ones with eternal value.

The mother of James and John asked Jesus for an honor for her sons (Matthew 20:20-23). She asked for them to sit on each side of Jesus when His kingdom came. Jesus explained this reward is not for Him to give. Did that mean He did not love James and John enough to give them this blessing? No, she was thinking in worldly terms. She was trying to advance her sons to CEO or COO or President, when, in God’s kingdom, no titles, bonuses, bigger houses, or higher statuses exist. God gives reward, eternal rewards.

Jesus told about a land owner who hired day workers for his vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). This land owner paid the ones who worked an eight-hour day the same as he paid the one who worked one hour. The vineyard owner is fair. He pays-rewards-the same for the same work. James and John were disciples of Jesus just as were Peter, Andrew, and countless other believers over the last almost 2000 years. God decides each person’s reward. As believers in Jesus Christ, we know the reward, just like the denarius the land owner agreed to give his day workers. The reward is forgiveness of sins, mercy, grace, love, and eternal life.

Jesus explained in Matthew 20:24-28 for what each person alive on earth should strive. He explained the Gentiles (non-believers) lord their position, title, power, and money over their constituents. It should not be this way among Jesus believers. Instead, Jesus’ followers should serve others. Instead of seeking a greater reward for being a leader among Christians or for being a Christian longer or doing more work for the Lord, these believers, all believers, should imitate Christ. He did not come to live in a mansion, rule over people, associate only with the wealthy and influencers, and wear fine clothes. He came to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, live as a common man, have no house to call home, live among the lowly, sick, unclean, and outcasts. Jesus explained in Matthew 20:26-28 what the standard is for the Christian. He said, “Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Now consider this. Are we like the daughters and mother on Christmas morning? Does the anticipation meet or surpass our expectations? Do we realize our gain is better and greater than we could have imagined? They did not expect money. The girls and mother did not know what to expect, but what they received was more than what they had. They were not downcast or disappointed. Alternatively, are we like the girl’s father? Did we expect something great after a hard year of working to provide and then, upon seeing what each person received, expect something greater? That tells of a person’s estimation of him or herself in relation to others. We should not be comparing ourselves to others, but to the Author of creation and each of us.

Seek to serve and not be served.

Consider yourself less than others.

Then, when you receive a blessing, a reward, be excited!

Be elated! Be thankful!

Jesus stopped and called them (two blind men), and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.” Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him. (Matthew 20:32-34 [NASB])

Lord, forgive me. I expect things-praise, rewards, prestige-for doing things. I seek to be noticed and considered better than others. That is not why You created me. That is not the purpose You had for each of us. Forgive me for thinking better of myself than I am. Help me to seek to bring You glory, not myself. Lord, touch the eyes of my heart and make me see You and follow You. Help me to choose Your will, not mine. Help me to be humble and willing to empty myself as Jesus did for me. I am not worthy to be called Your child, but You call me that anyway. You are worthy to be called Master, Lord, and King and I often forget. Lead me in Your paths. Use me for Your will. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

God's Fame or My Name

The Pharisee and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away. (Matthew 16:1-4 [NASB])

Consider a boat. What makes it seaworthy? Does the name of the company that owns it give us confidence in the boat or its actual construction? We must consider that with our lives and people who teach us in our world.

The main question that arises from this passage is for what kind of sign are we looking? Do we want a sign so we can tell others the meaning and gain recognition and followers? Or, do we seek a sign so we can praise God and lead others to Him? Jesus raised this question in Matthew 16:1-4.

In this passage, we need to consider two things, the people of the story and the signs of which each speaks. The people include the odd joining of Pharisees and Sadducees to remove Jesus’ power over the people, and then Jesus Himself. The signs in this passage speak of how this group of men sought to trick Jesus and what they themselves did not understand of Jesus’ purpose on earth.

The Pharisees were the Law givers and upholders of the Jewish Law. They believed God provided the Jews with the written Law and the oral Law. The Pharisees were known for their personal piety and their teaching Jews should obey all 600+ laws in the Torah. They were a minority in the Sanhedrin (the Jewish council) yet they seemed to control the decision-making because they had popular support among the people. Because the Pharisees considered the oral tradition as equal to the written tradition, it evolved over the centuries as they added to God’s Word, which He forbade in Deuteronomy 4:2. In Matthew 9:14, 15:1-9, 23:5, 16, & 23, and Luke 11:42, the Gospels give examples of the Pharisees considering their traditions as equal to God’s Word. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead and an afterlife. They believed in the Messiah setting up His kingdom on earth. Because Jesus came to earth not to set up the earthly kingdom with power and might that would overthrow their current rulers, the Romans, and because His teachings were contrary to theirs, the Pharisees feared Jesus decreased their power and leadership among the Jews, and so wanted Him gone.

The Sadducees were a part of the Jewish leaders and of the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin. They were the aristocrats of the Jews and known for corrupting their religious devotion. The Sadducees controlled the Jerusalem Temple, known as Herod’s Temple. They only accepted the written word of Moses. The Sadducees rejected the oral tradition as being equal to the written word. They rejected the supernatural, including angels, demons, heaven, hell, and bodily resurrection. The Sadducees believed the soul died with the body. They held strongly in ritual purity as prescribed by God through Moses. Because the Sadducees didn’t believe in a heaven, hell, or bodily resurrection, they had no need for a Messiah as spoken of in the works outside the written tradition and as Jesus preached.

With this understanding of the actors in these four verses, let’s consider closer what these men said. The group of men confronting Jesus asked for a sign from heaven. Jesus challenged them on that and spoke of the sign of Jonah. Were these men speaking of the same thing? The answer comes from the ultimate motive of the questions. The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus. Were they testing Him to determine if He was blaspheming? Jesus will show us the truth of that in verses two and three.

First, consider what the Pharisees and Sadducees asked. They asked Jesus to show them a sign from heaven. This word for sign comes from the same Greek word for sign as Jesus spoke of in verses three and four, semeion, which typically means a miraculous sign to confirm or authenticate something. The motive of these religious leaders was overtly to prove Jesus was a blasphemer, but by doing that, it would prove their authority as the religious leaders of the Jews. The covert reason, Jesus would bring to light with His statement.

What was the real reason for the religious leaders asking for a sign from Jesus? In verses two and three, Jesus asked them, while the surrounding crowd listened, if they knew how to read the sign in the sky telling people when it would rain or be a fair-weather day, how did they not know how to discern the sign of the times? Jesus basically said these leaders of the Jews could read the physical signs of earth, but even as spiritual leaders, they were unable to discern the spiritual sign of the times. This statement by Jesus proved the sign for which the Pharisees and Sadducees asked of Jesus was a way people used to prove the cause they pleaded was God’s when actually they did not do that. The religious leaders asked the question to put them in an exalted place where people would continue to look at them as their leaders for disclosing Jesus as a non-Messiah and a blasphemer.

Jesus’ statement continued in verse four. He not only showed the Jewish leaders’ covert question, but He labeled them for the people who could not see what they did. He said in verse four, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” First Jesus revealed the leaders’ covert motive for the question, to raise themselves in the eyes of the Jews as spiritual leaders, and then overtly called them evil and adulterous. These Pharisees and Sadducees were evil and adulterous and leading the Jews to be the same. Jesus made the Pharisees and Sadducees a lesson for the crowds that followed Him and heard about His teachings and signs.

A lesson comes in this sign of Jonah of which Jesus spoke. The only sign the evil and adulterous would get would be what happened to Jonah. What happened to Jonah? Jesus explains this sign in Matthew 12:39-41. He said,

But He (Jesus) answered them (Pharisees and scribes) and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it because they )the Ninevites) repented at the preaching of Jonah; and something greater than Jonah is here.” [NASB]

The sign of Jonah, Jesus said, was his coming back to life three days after being taken into the deep. Jesus, like Jonah, would be dead for three days and then come back to life. He would be bodily resurrected. Jonah was a sign for the Ninevites sent by God and they repented, though later reverted to a wicked life. Jesus challenged the Jewish religious leaders. He asked how they could be spiritual leaders of God’s people when they could not read the spiritual signs of the time. They we so afraid of losing their fame and followers that they did not see the sign of God in front of them and lead the people to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. The Ninevites who repented would judge the Jews, who though they had the Messiah in front of them did not believe.

The sign of which Jesus spoke was a sign given to confirm His authority to preach, teach, heal, cleanse, and forgive. Its end purpose was to exalt the One giving the sign, God the Father. It authenticated Jesus and His eternal purpose by doing what man could not replicate or that for which man could not take credit. The Jewish leaders asked for a sign to authenticate Jesus as a blasphemer, not to exalt God but themselves so the Jews would continue to follow them. These leaders asked for signs to tell others about their abilities and greatness instead of seeing God and praising Him.

We have that choice to make every day, too. It comes down to what makes our boat seaworthy, the name on it or its Workmanship?

Will we ask so we can tell or see so we can praise?

Not all asking brings seeing God, but all seeing of God comes from asking of Him.

Likewise,

Not all telling brings praising of God, but all praise of God brings telling about Him.

Lord, so often I ask for You to show me Yourself, but then I don’t proclaim Who You are or what You’ve done. Please forgive me. Sometimes, if I am completely honest, I even claim a new insight learned, but don’t give you credit. Forgive me, LORD. I am not so smart to tell of You from my earthly insight. Help me always to see You to proclaim You. Help me realize I am but a created being who always needs to You to keep from sinning. I am weak and You are strong. If it were not so, I would not be saved now and able to proclaim Your goodness, mercy, grace, and love. You, oh Lord, are almighty and I am not. Thank you for Your love of me from the beginning of time. Thank you for Your plan to save me and for saving me from myself, my sins, and my due judgment. Lord, all I can do when faced with Yourself is prostrate myself on my face and praise You. I love You, Lord. Amen.

Juxtaposed Pride

“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore, it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” James 4:6 [NASB]

In reading James 4:1-10, we see three main things. First, we see sins keep us from God. Second, we see how we can reconnect and stay aligned with God. Third, we learn when we rightly relate to God by voluntarily humbling ourselves to Him, He provides everything we need. We say, “Surely I know this.” Yet, if we know this, why don’t we stay humble? Why do we envy other people? Why do we quarrel and fight with people?

James spoke to the Christians in Jerusalem in this letter. In these verses, he broke down his lesson to them into two opposite ways of life-the greedy, envious, and arrogant way and the content, submissive, and humble way. We think we are living humbly, but when we read the first four verses of chapter four, we realize something about ourselves. James told the Jerusalem Christians’ he knew of their quarreling and fighting. He had heard about their disputes. James pointed to the reason for these fights and quarrels. He said they came from their seeking to fill their human desires. James called these desires lust. Lusting means desiring with your heart what you do not have. It is being discontent with what God has given you. Lusting causes the person to give their desire for things a higher priority in their life and thinking than they give God. It is coveting what someone has and wanting one like or better than it. James said we want it so much we willingly murder for it. He could have meant a literal murder by killing someone to get what one wants or a metaphorical murder of running someone’s good name through muck so other people do not consider that person highly. Also, it means murdering your relationship with God so He has a lower priority in your life than the item for which you lust. Quarrels and fights come from lusting or coveting what someone else has, and it causes murder of the person, his or her reputation, or one’s relationship with God.

James added to this and said their envy caused them to fight. All the while, he said, they could have asked for it from God. Still, if they had asked for it with the wrong motive, of which lust, envy, greed, and pride are, then God would not answer. What makes what one asks for a wrong motive? James said when a person asks for something to spend it on their personal pleasures, that shows their lusts and desires. This makes a person an adulterer, he said. When someone puts someone or something higher in their estimation than God, they worship it more than God. This creates hostility toward God because the person wanted something for the wrong reasons and against God’s purposes and plans. The person purposed to go against God’s will and so made him or herself hostile, turn 180 degrees away from God (turn his or her back on God), and walk away from God.

“Surely,” we say to ourselves (because we wouldn’t dare mention this to another person), “we do not turn our backs on God. No way do we lust after and become adulterers, choosing things and people over God.” Let’s not fool ourselves; we each are guilty for choosing things contrary to God’s will. We each envy and strive for things, relationships, power, and influence. Sometimes these are contrary to God’s purposes and plans.

With verse five, James brought the sting of disappointment; we cringe at disappointing God. He said, God jealously desires the Spirit He made to dwell in believers when they became believers. When we turn our backs on God and go our own way, we cut off conversation with God or we only go to Him when we want something. That means we separate the Holy Spirit, who came to dwell in us upon our salvation to guide us in God’s way, from God with our sins. We have chosen not to allow God to guide us. We disappoint God. He jealously loves us, and He jealously desires a relationship with us, a relationship that comes through His indwelling Spirit.

What is the point James made? He painfully made the Jerusalem Christians aware of their greed and adultery that separated them from God. He told them in verse six, “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore, it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” God doesn’t take His hands off His child because they sinned against Him. He opposes the proud, the one who took his or her own life and desires into his or her own hands. God stands against the ways of His proud child. He jealously goes to combat to gain His child back from Satan’s temptations and sin. If you jealously love your spouse or child, you would go to battle to get them back from captivity. When we sin, we are in captivity and God opposes Satan to get us safely back from the sin that entangled and entrapped us. This is what James meant when he said, God opposed the proud. This is the greater grace God gives. God didn’t initially just give us grace to save us from our sin so we could be called the children of God. He gives and keeps on giving grace. The Lord opposed Satan and keeps on opposing Satan to keep us safe. He jealously loves us and His Spirit within us. God wants a right relationship with each of us. When we realize this while sinning and while in a right relationship with Him, we are humbled before God. This awareness makes us realize our littleness in comparison to almighty God. We then voluntarily submit ourselves to Him and His plans. We receive God’s grace when He rescues us, and we receive it when we have this recognition and voluntarily humble ourselves. God is favorably disposed to giving blessings from His bounty to people. These blessings are grace and can be tangible things, but also include kindness, favor, forgiveness, love, salvation, sanctification, protection, etc. Even though no one deserves God’s grace, He gives it. It’s like our relationship with our parents. Even though we did something wrong, they still love us.

James began this chapter with a list of six things that arrogance caused the Jerusalem Christians to do and be-quarrel and fight, envy, lust, adultery, not asking or asking with the wrong motives, and having a friendship with the world and being an enemy of God. As a juxtaposition to these, in verses seven through nine, He gave six commands that the humble child of God can do to turn back to God and escape arrogance and separation from God.

 James told them to submit to God, which is a voluntary personal subjecting of one’s self to God’s plans in heart, mind, actions, and word. James told them to resist the devil which means to do to Satan what they did to God when they envied and lusted. They are to turn their backs completely on Satan by turning 180 degrees from facing him and his temptations. When a person turns 180 degrees from Satan, he or she is facing God. This turning from Satan is opposing him and forcefully declaring one’s personal conviction ardently. The LORD is my Shepherd, or any other Bible verses you have memorized help with this effort.

Next James told the people to draw near to God. The closer you get to God, the farther you get from Satan and His temptations. Nothing unholy can be in God’s presence; therefore, Satan cannot be in God’s presence. So, if you get close to God, Satan cannot still be close to you. A promise comes with this command. He said when you draw near to God, God will draw near to you. What do we need to do to be in God’s presence? James reminded the Jerusalem Christians. He told them to cleanse their hands and purify their hearts. Literally, ceremonially, and spiritually clean your hands from the sin you did. Wash them to get the dirt and stains off them. Wash them to ceremonially (mentally and with the heart) remove the sin and guilt from them. Wash their “hands” spiritually and resubmit themselves to God and His purposes. A person cannot be double-minded and be God’s child. By washing, you separate yourself from your past, and dedicate your today and tomorrow for God. The spiritual cleansing is purifying one’s self. It means to take into one’s heart the morals of God and cast away the world’s morals, the morals by which you sinned.

Finally, the last command James gave the Jerusalem Christians was for them to grieve, mourn, and weep over their sins and their intentional separating themselves from God. True contrition according to James occurs with realizing your wretched condition as a sinner who lusted after the world, feeling guilt and lamenting because of those sins, and physically weeping for the grief you caused God and yourself by being opposed to God by sinning. James meant literally to weep. He emphasized this with the second half of verse nine when he told them to turn their laughter into mourning and their joy into gloom. Instead of laughing cry. Instead of experiencing joy for the things you acquired, feel gloom because they caused you to separate from God.

With verse ten, James reiterated for emphasis what he said in verse six. He said, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord and He will exalt you.” James spoke about humility again. Verse ten relates humility to the six commands in verses seven through nine. If you rightly relate to God, you will submit to Him, resist the devil, draw near to God, cleanse your hands and heart, and mourn your sins. As James said in verse six, God gives grace to the humble. He gives His favor to those who voluntarily submit to and fully depend on the Lord, and not on one’s self. When a person humbles him or herself, he or she recognizes and exalts the Lord as everything they need and will ever need. When a person humbles him or herself before God, then He will exalt that person in the eyes of other people. People will recognize his or her humility as they watch him or her, and all the while God will receive the glory.

It would be easy to say, “Oh, that was just for the first century. We are beyond that and can decide things for ourselves. After all, we are the ones who advanced society.” Yet, James’ words, learned from his time with Jesus, are for us today. We should be humble. We are mere, finite creatures whom God created, protects, provides for, and loves. Nothing we can do extends our lives indefinitely. More importantly, nothing we do will cleanse us from every wrong thing we’ve done. God’s grace can and does cleanse us, and He gives eternal life to the person who believes in Jesus as Savior. Our getting things for ourselves, we think, is great. “Why do we need God?” Still, we are never satisfied when we get for ourselves. We envy, desire, lust, and allow things to make us adulterers. Only God gives and keeps on giving satisfaction because only what He gives is best, filling, and fulfilling. When He gives, we have no more need. If we submit to God and humble ourselves in relationship to Him, we will have no need because He gives and keeps on giving from His grace. From His bounteous supply, He gives eternally because of His never-ending love and His forgiveness of our sins.

                      “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”                                         

John 4:10 [NASB]

God gives and keeps on giving grace to the humble.

Lord, I am a mess of contradictions. I call myself a Christian, but then I want what my co-worker, neighbor, or family member has. Lord, I get so caught up in earning enough money to buy the things I want or getting the perfect spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend then I lose sight of You, forget about You, and don’t remember You are the giver of all good things. Please forgive me, God. Forgive my pride and envy. Forgive my turning my back on You. Help me trust in You more and remember Your Promises and Your past blessings. Help me withstand temptations and stand strong with You. Amen.

Intimate Assurance

“The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant.” Psalm 25:14 [NASB]

This verse, translated from Hebrew, means the intimacy of the Lord or the friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him, who are in awe of and reverence Him, and He makes known to them His covenant, His pledge to His people. David avowed to God he had an intimate friendship with the Lord because of his awe of Him and their covenant of faithfulness to each other. To David, what made a person intimate with the Lord and in a covenant with Him? He recorded from verses four through twelve who the person is that is a friend of God.

In verses four and five, and expanded in verse eight and nine, God teaches His friend His ways and paths. This assumes the friend of God yearns to have God in his or her life and seeks Him to grow closer to Him.  In verses four and five, David desired to know God-His ways, paths, and truth. He expressed his desire was so great he would wait for God all day. With verses eight and nine, David proclaimed God is good and upright and so He willingly and desirously wants to teach sinners, all people, His way. God desires to have a relationship with all people, not just the ones who are good, or who think they are good. David foreshadowed the Messiah’s coming for all people because God wants to have a relationship, a covenant with everyone. With verse nine, he said, “God leads the humble in justice and teaches the humble His way.” As a person draws closer to God, that person becomes renewed in the image of God and is humble. God continues to teach that person to transform him or her into Himself-to make him or her humble. As the person learns more, he or she learns to care for other people. Justice, like that of God’s, becomes what the person seeks for every person.

David continued to describe the person who desires to be in an intimate friendship of covenant faithfulness with God in verse six and ten. In verse six, he recognized his sinfulness and neediness, and remembered God’s everlasting compassion and lovingkindness towards Him and throughout history. God’s lovingkindness (His goodness, kindness, and faithfulness) David recognized and stood in awe of. Then, with verse ten, he said these paths of God, of lovingkindness and truth, are available for those people who keep His covenant and testimonies. To each person who desires God and seeks to be in an intimate friendship with Him, God leads in His ways, He teaches and instills in the person, His goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and His truth (truth of His faithfulness, stability, and continuance). To each person who comes to God, He leads them to know and learn, and then to become like Him with His characteristics of truth, compassion, faithfulness, goodness, and kindness. David desired an intimate friendship with God. He desired that which God freely gave to him to become part of his own being. David wanted to live out in the world what God gave to him, these characteristics. He wanted to keep this covenant with God by sharing with the world about God and what God put into him when He renewed him.

With verses seven and eleven, David recognized he was a sinner. He understood God is the One who can forgive and cleanse all people from their sins so they can be in a relationship with Him, be made new in His image. He asked the Lord not to remember his sins, but in His goodness, kindness, and faithfulness remember Him with love and cleanse Him. David went further in verse eleven. He recognized he could not save himself and pleaded with the Lord, because of His glorious name’s sake, to pardon his great sin. David realized his sins were all against the Lord; they separated him from God. He recognized God’s great love and wanted His glory proclaimed continually so asked for forgiveness so the world would hear again of His goodness and faithfulness.

David ended this segment of Psalm 25 with a rhetorical question that pointed to his thematic statement. He said, “Who is the man who fears and awes the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.” The person who awes and reverences the Lord is the one who seeks to be with God and is the one to whom God teaches His paths and ways. This person is the one who chooses God’s ways out of lovingkindness, that is goodness, kindness, and faithfulness, for Him.

The person who fears the Lord in awe and reverence is the one in an intimate friendship with Him and seeks to know and follow Him. That person chooses to be faithful to his or her pledge/promise of love to God. That person chooses God above all others.

Are you one of those people?

Have you recognized your sinfulness and separation from God?

Are you humble because of following the Lord, His ways, His teachings, and His paths?

Do you seek justice and truth?

Are you good, kind, and faithful because of God’s goodness, kindness, and faithfulness to you?

Do you crave and seek God in an intimate friendship?

Are you faithful to God and His covenant faithfulness to you?

Are you this person who fears the Lord? If you are, the intimate friendship with the Lord is yours and you have no need other than to be in His presence. Your eyes will continually be toward the Lord (vs 15). You will rest in assurance nothing can pluck you from His hand, neither loneliness or affliction, troubles or distresses, nor sins or enemies.

v  You know with assurance God is your Guard and Deliverer; He is your             refuge.

v  You will wait with assurance that God’s integrity and uprightness will preserve you.

You will wait with assurance for your covenant God because of His goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and compassion to you, and yours to Him. He redeems His own.

God doesn’t only seek the good and right. Jesus said He came for the sick. He came to call the sinners (Mark 2:17). God wants to be in a relationship with each of us. He makes sinners clean. God is intimate with the upright (Proverbs 3:32). He is the one who makes each of us upright (Psalm 25:7 & 10). Just as the Lord spoke to Moses as a friend, He sought Him out and Moses craved Him (Exodus 33:11), so today God desires to be in a covenant (a faithful, intimate friendship) with you.

Lord, God almighty, I do not deserve anything You offer to me. Yet, You keep calling to me to come to You. Lord, I do not understand this great love and mercy of Yours, still, I am drawn to You. I am sinful and should not be near You. Cleanse me so I can come before You. Draw me into an intimate friendship with You for which I can never be sated so that I continue to desire You. Don’t let me go. Keep calling to my heart. Thank you for Your patient calling to me, that you never gave up on me. Thank you for your unending love, mercy, and faithfulness. I am Yours; draw me to You and never let me go. My heart I give to You forevermore. Amen.

The Person Who Prays – Self-Controlled

Introduction

In earlier Bible studies on the person of effective prayer, we learned the Bible teaches this person is to be righteous, alert, and fervent, have belief God can do what we ask, pray in solitude, pray ceaselessly, and approach God with his or her whole being. This week we learn from Peter, Paul, Luke, David, and Solomon. Three main verses will help us understand what is meant by self-control when referring to prayer and the life of the person of effective prayer. As in approaching God, each part of our life – heart, soul, mind, and strength - must be affected by self-control.

The Basis

In 1 Peter 4, Peter wrote to several churches in Asia Minor. The Christians in these churches were experiencing suffering and oppression in their cities, towns, and country. Peter reminded them Christ suffered in the flesh and they would, too, so told them to arm themselves with the same purpose, to live for the will of God. He told these Christians not to be surprised the unbelievers harm them and their reputations and reminded them God will judge these “Gentiles”. In verse seven Peter stated, “The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” [NASB]

Our study today begins with this verse because by understanding what Peter meant here we will understand another facet of the attitude, attributes, and actions of an effective person of prayer. What did Peter mean by his words “sound judgment” and “sober spirit”? Did he mean not being intoxicated with alcohol and drugs? It would make sense if a person wants to be effective in prayer he or she would have a clear mind. Yet it means more than that.

“Sound Judgment”

The words “sound judgment” come from the Greek word sophroneo, which means of sound mind, exercise self-control as in putting a moderate estimate up of one’s self and to think of one’s self soberly (with a serious quality or without embellishment). Besides Peter, Paul and Luke used this phrase of “sound judgment”. Let’s consider how they used them as we try to understand what Peter meant when he wrote these words.  

New Testament.

Paul wrote in Romans 12:3, “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” Sound judgment in this book Paul wrote means not to have grandiose thoughts of one’s self.  It means to have humility. In 2 Corinthians 5:13-15, sophroneo is translated as “sound mind”. Paul said in this passage,

 “For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died, and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” [NASB]

This means if we are sound of mind, it comes from the love of Christ who controls us whom we made Lord and Master of our lives. Further in the Bible, Paul wrote to Titus in Titus 2:6. When speaking about the role of different people within the family and church, he said, “Likewise urge the young men to be sensible.” “Sensible” comes from the Greek word sophroneo. It means having sound judgment through Jesus Christ so Christians can deny ungodliness and worldly desires, and live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age (Titus 2:12). Even Luke wrote about this being able to happen in Luke 8:35 when he wrote about when Jesus healed the man of the demons who had taken over his life. Luke said,

“The people went out to see what had happened and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, and sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they became frightened.” [NASB]

When Jesus comes into the life of a believer, He makes a new creation. The old life is gone and the new has come because of Christ. Jesus made new three parts of the demoniac. The parts He made new were his heart, his mind, and his spirit.

These passages show us that “sound judgment” in the New Testament means being humble and letting the love of Christ control us. Sound judgment comes through Jesus Christ’s actions on the lives of the believers when they allow God to be Lord and Master of their lives. A believer’s self-control comes through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Old Testament.

A few Old Testament writers spoke about the characteristic of humility, just as Peter did, in regards to prayer. Both David and Solomon spoke of being servants of God in their prayer life. Solomon said in his prayer in 1 Kings 8:28, “Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today.” Solomon, because he knew God and His might and salvation, understood his smallness as compared to God’s greatness. He recognized himself in the lowest position of life – as a servant. His father, David, called himself a servant of God  many times in the Psalms while praying. In Psalm 35:13, David said, “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I humbled my soul with fasting and my prayer kept returning to my bosom.” David acknowledged his lowness and humbled himself. He actively recognized God’s greatness in his prayer to Him. We can read of David recognizing himself as a servant of God in Psalm 19:11 & 13, 27:9, 31:6, 69:17, 78:70, 79:2 & 10, 86:2, 4, & 16, 89:3, 20, & 39, 90:13 & 16, 102:14 & 28, 109:28, 116:16, 119, 132:10, 143:2 & 12, and 144:10. The important thing for us to realize is that David recognized for himself God’s greatness and worth to be praised and his own lowness. He recognized this and placed himself in this status. David and Solomon exhibited humility - "sound judgment".

Godly men and women of the Old Testament knew God and testified to His greatness as Creator, Provider, Protector, and Savior. They did not know Jesus Christ at that time, but they saw, understood, and recognized God in His actions and knew within themselves He is almighty and they were not. Paul spoke of this testimony in Romans 1:20. Jesus spoke of it in Luke 19:40 when He said even the stones would cry out about God’s plan of salvation for every person if people silenced His disciples. This tells us the person who recognizes God can choose to use “sound judgment” in life and in prayer to God. He or she can choose to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit put within him or her upon his or her confession of faith in Jesus Christ. If the person is not a Christian that person still can choose to use the sound judgment God gives each person in life and in prayer. Because God created us in His image, we can exercise sound judgment by following Him and not following the ways of Satan and the world.

“Sober Spirit” 

 The words “sober spirit” Peter used comes from the Greek word nepho, which means to be calm and collected in spirit, to be dispassionate and circumspect (cautious, wary, careful, and guarded). Soberness of spirit comes by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. What does “soberness of spirit” look like in a person? How is it used in prayer? Paul and Peter wrote about a “sober spirit” in three passages in the New Testament.

In 1 Peter 1:13, Peter spoke to the believers in Asia Minor concerning living during a time when Gentiles orally and physically persecuted Jesus-followers. He reminded them they have an imperishable and undefiled inheritance through Jesus Christ. Peter told them God protected them with His power through faith. They can rejoice, he said, even though they experience trials because their faith, though tested, will cause praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus. Peter told them they preached the Gospel to other people through their words, actions, and attitudes just as the prophets did before them. Peter said in verse thirteen, “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” The followers of Jesus can keep a sober spirit by being calm in spirit, by being dispassionate so that what is happening in action and word does not discourage them, and by being careful and guarded so they are not taken by surprise. This soberness of spirit comes through the indwelling Holy Spirit within the life of the believer. It comes when a person professes Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and allows the Holy Spirit to guide, guard, teach, remind, and admonish him or her each day. By following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a believer will be able to stand strong during trials and persecutions and will stay prepared because of his or her growing closeness with God, his or her growing love relationship with God, and his or her growth in Christlikeness.

Besides Peter, Paul wrote regarding soberness of spirit. In 1 Thessalonians 5:6 & 8, he spoke to them of the dark times the believers faced then. Paul reminded the believers they were sons and daughters of the light and of day (God) and are they are not of darkness or night (Satan). He encouraged them with these words.

“So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” [1 Thessalonians 5:6-9, NASB]

Christians do not sleep, but are ready. They are alert and sober. Believers are aware of what is going on around them, but are prepared by the Word of God teaching and empowering them through the Holy Spirit in their lives. With prayer Christians have put on the armor of faith as Paul taught in Ephesians 6:10-18. Soberness of spirit, Paul said, prepares you to overcome the darkness of the world and reminds you about the inheritance - the hope - you have through the salvation Jesus Christ bought for you. Be sober spirited and alert.

Paul wrote about a sober mind in 2 Timothy 4:5. He wrote to Timothy charging and encouraging him to do that for which God appointed him. Paul reminded Timothy God would judge the living and dead when His kingdom comes. So, he said, “preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” [2 Tim. 4:2, NASB] Paul continued telling Timothy that people would turn their ears away from the truth and would turn to myths. He said in verse five, “But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” Even though Timothy faced hardship and people would not listen to him when he preached the word of God, Paul exhorted him to be sober in all things. He meant to be calm and careful. Paul meant for Timothy not to let anger arise because the people did not heed him. Instead he said to know (this is the part to be careful and guarded about) that darkness is around and people will choose to follow what strikes their fancy instead of following Jesus, of whom he preached. If Timothy had allowed anger or frustration from the people’s lack of listening to enter his voice, actions, or attitude, his testimony for God would have been less powerful and may even have caused him to stumble.

• ·         For the task to which God appointed Timothy, he would need to rely upon the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide, guard, protect, teach, and encourage him. Self-control as a Christian comes from the Holy Spirit’s filling so he could have a sober spirit.

• ·         For the ability to stand in the light even as darkness surrounds one, Paul taught the Thessalonians believers to keep alert and sober minded. Stay calm and collected in spirit and be guarded. With prayer put on the armor of God and stand strong.

• ·         For the believers of Asia Minor, Peter taught them to keep a sober spirit. He told them to prepare their mind for what is coming. Be careful and hopeful. Fix their hope on the grace of Jesus Christ and be holy in all their behavior through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 4:7 Redux

What then did Peter mean when he told the believers in Asia Minor to be of sound judgment and sober of spirit for the purpose of prayer? Believers in Jesus Christ must exercise self-control and put on a moderate estimate of their selves. They must recognize God’s greatness and their smallness in relation to Him. Believers in recognizing this might consider themselves the servant of God as David, Solomon, and Paul did. These believers must recognize who God is and who they are not and exercise self-control that comes from the Holy Spirit in their daily lives recognizing that fact. That is “sound judgment”. Peter spoke of a sober spirit, too. The believer would, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, be able to stay calm and collected in the face of persecution, trials, and adversity remembering Jesus faced these without sinning. He testified to God’s love, mercy, and grace continually. Besides this, the believer would be cautious and guarded knowing that trials, persecutions, and adversity will come. Jesus said His followers would face what He faced and more. Yet, even with the knowledge trials will come and facing them, the Christians of Asia Minor were to realize, accept, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide and control them so God’s gospel continued to reach people in darkness. Having a sober spirit meant knowing trouble would come, but God’s Holy Spirit would protect and guide the believer through it.

Having sound judgment and sober mind enables a believer to pray as the Lord prayed. He prayed that no person would be lost to the darkness. Jesus prayed that everyone would come to know God’s love and mercy. He prayed for the sinner who died on the cross next to Him.

Relevance and Conclusion

Are our prayers reflective of this sound judgment and sober spirit? Do we allow our emotions to dictate our prayers to God or do we pray as God wills – for the salvation of that criminal, for that dying child, for that suffering depressed person, etc.? That is humility. Do we exercise self-control (Spirit-control) when praying each day so we recognize God’s will needs to be done, not ours? That is servanthood. Do we pray for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven? Do we pray for other believers to stand firm in their faith and do their God-appointed tasks? That is soberness of spirit.

• ·         We must recognize God’s greatness and our smallness.
• ·         We must seek His will that none be lost.
• ·         We must remember God is in control?
• ·         We must allow the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, hearts, actions, and words.

Remember, only when we are communing with God with each part of our being, that is loving Him with our heart, soul, mind, and strength, are we truly allowing the Holy Spirit to bring us to the depth of relationship with Him and the true purpose of prayer – for God’s will to be done that all people might be saved and enter a relationship with Him. Paul stated this in John 3:17 and 2 Timothy 2:4.

• ·         Yes, prayer is for your growth in your relationship with God.
• ·         Yes, prayer is for your growth in Christlikeness.
• ·         Prayer is also for the salvation of all people of the world.

Will you pray with sound judgment and sober spirit so that no one will be lost?

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” [John 3:17, NASB]