ORIENTING OUR WISDOM

Rom. 16:19 ... "I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil."

      Knowledge is a wonderful thing and greatly to be desired. The tens of thousands of schools and the billions of dollars spent to operate them are evidence of the value we place upon education, the effort to plant knowledge in the minds of our youth. We admire those who store up great amounts of knowledge in their minds, and honor them with awards of many kinds. When an activity or situation promises a degree of acquiring knowledge to those who participate in it, we are usually willing to sanction it on that grounds if no other. There is a possibility, however, that benefits do not always result from knowledge. In the novel The Long Ships by Gunnar Bengtsson there is the story of a renegade priest named Willibald. For many years he sacrificed his comfort and risked his life to try to convert the heathen Vikings of Scandinavia to Christ. Then he came upon a copy of Ovid's The Art of Love, which he read with the most intense interest. What he learned  reshaped his mind and changed the course of his life. The knowledge he derived from that book, so scandalous that Caesar banished Ovid for publishing it, put the priest to thinking about things he had never thought of before. His appearance as a priest became no more than a guise for preying upon innocent women who put their trust in him as a man of God.

      This world is a mosaic of good and evil. We are challenged day by day to seek out the good and try to incorporate it into our lives. At the same time we must try to avoid the evil and exclude its influence from our lives. There is great reward in gaining knowledge of what is good, and there is often much misery that comes with the knowledge of what is evil. Jesus said in Jno. 8:32, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Although He probably spoke mainly of the truth revealed by God that leads one to salvation and liberation from the bondage of sin, Jesus' statement also applies to the knowledge of truth in the general sense. The knowledge of what is true and good is a powerful force to motivate us to live by truth and fashion our lives by goodness. In Rom. 16:19 the inspired apostle expresses his desire that those who read his words will make it their goal to become knowledgeable of what is good and then develop that knowledge into wisdom that will guide their lives in the proper course. We should want to know no more about evil than what is necessary to identify it, realize its disastrous ends, and be able to avoid it.

      In the second part of the exhortation the apostle holds forth the hope that his readers will be "innocent in what is evil." In some versions this phrase is translated "simple concerning evil." The word "simple," however, does not convey the meaning of "easy" or "uncomplicated" (and hence "uninformed") that we now attach to it. The word in the original Greek is akeraios, which means "untainted." It was the term used of metal to denote that it was unmixed with an alloy, and of wine and milk to certify they had not been diluted with water. It therefore signifies something that is absolutely uncontaminated and pure. The knowledge of evil which goes beyond what is necessary to resist and defeat it will, in time, corrupt the soul that acquires it. Thus we are advised in I Ths. 5:22 to "abstain from every form of evil." It seems we all have a natural curiosity about things that are evil. They have a strong, enticing, seducing force to them. (For example, if a movie is banned because of unsavory content, people feel a great urge to see it as soon as it is available somewhere.) It is far better to deny yourself the inclination to learn every alluring detail of evil and spare yourself the devastating power of its deception and consequent corruption.

SELFISHNESS, TEMPTATION'S OPPORTUNITY

Rom. 15:1-2 ... "We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification."

      A very strong case can be made for the affirmation that selfishness is at the base of every sin. The first recorded temptation is that of Satan beguiling Eve in Gen. 3:5 to eat of the forbidden tree: "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." The woman's appetite was whetted to gain something desirable for herself, namely, insight and wisdom comparable to God's. She was encouraged to seek for herself what was only within the province of God. And so it has been ever since with sin and the temptation to commit sin. The urge to gain something for one's self is the opportunity for temptation, and the concession to get it constitutes the temptation.

      It was the work of Christ to restore to man what was lost by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. To make His efforts effective in human life requires that a person learn to break free from the bondage of selfishness. Jesus stated in Mat. 16:24 that "if anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." The disciple of Christ must conquer the basic urge of our unregenerate nature to seek his own good first at every turn in life. One must develop the overriding policy of putting the interests of the Lord first in his life. The Christian's attitude must be that of Php. 3:7-8, "Whatsoever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I might gain Christ." Also, in this Christian requisite of self-denial, one must learn to consider other people, especially fellow disciples, before oneself. In Php. 2:3-4 the standard is set: "With humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself. Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."

      Rom. 15:1-2 centers on this fundamental principle that Christians must purge themselves of selfishness and benevolently consider the state of being of others, at least those who are also in Christ. The consciences of some brethren are more sensitive than those of others because their knowledge and understanding are not as advanced. To apply one's greater knowledge in a way that will cause a weaker disciple to be offended is a glaring case of selfishness. In the reference to eating meat in Rom 14:15 the admonition is given, "Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died." Rather than demand "our rights" to practice something, which the Lord left to our consciences to decide, without regard to the impact it might have on weaker brethren is the epitome of selfishness and amounts to sin. Too many Christians ignore the view of brethren in certain matters, saying when challenged, "Well, it is THEIR problem if they object to what I do, not mine!" How insensitive and destitute of brotherly love is such an attitude! The verse following our text reminds us that "even Christ did not please Himself." In like manner, those who would follow Christ must not put pleasing themselves before the spiritual welfare of their fellow disciples, even when they consider that their choices are matters of opinion rather than matters of faith. Our goal should always be to seek that which is "good to his edification" for those in our fellowship whose faith and consciences are yet untrained and weak. Such a considerate, unselfish approach will work to build up weak faith and tender consciences to the height of knowledge and understanding where they can see clearly the reality of things. Otherwise, weak brethren are often offended to the point where their Christianity collapses under a weight of disappointment and confusion so that they desert their place in the family of God.

THE PROBLEM OF JUDGING

Rom. 14:10 ... "Why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God."

      The Latin phrase, E PLURIBUS UNUM, "one from many," is the motto of our nation. It calls attention to the way in which our citizens are a blend of people from many diverse countries, cultures and languages. This idea applies just as well to the church of Christ. Its commission is to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation," (Mk. 16:15). As people believe and accept baptism (v.16), they are added by the Lord to the church, (Acts 2:47). A common bond is then established among all these redeemed souls which Eph. 4:3 refers to as "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." A fellowship of faith, love and obedience to God's will is thus established that prevails among Christians even though they might differ greatly in race, speech, social customs and the like. That, of course is the ideal. As everyone knows, however, it is not always the practice.

      Where the Lord has specifically spoken about something, for Christians that is the end of the matter. The pronouncement is to be accepted by faith and enacted without question. Any violation of this is sin, since Rom. 14:23 declares that "whatever is not from faith is sin." In other words, when an idea or action does not proceed as a response of faith in God's direction for us, it is sin. When such transgressions occur, the Lord Himself will judge the offender. Thus v.12 states that "each one of us shall give account of Himself to God." Beyond the specific declaration of the Lord's will, however, there are myriad things that lie within the realm of opinion or personal preference. As long as one does not cause another Christian to stumble by these things, or try to impose them as obligatory upon others, or violate his own conscience by them, the Lord permits the individual to believe or practice them. This is the context of the apostle's discussion in Romans 14. Lying on your side on a mat or couch at a dinner table, greeting others with a kiss, and washing the feet of strangers are customs peculiar to society in apostolic times and are optional for Christians. Abstaining from meat, wearing no makeup or jewelry, and praying to God in 16th Century English are also optional for us.

      We promote peace and true fellowship in the church by acquiring the wisdom to separate what is opinion from what is faith and by developing the self-control to respect the difference. Any violation of faith in practice must be addressed by the instructions in Mt. 18:15-18, both for the sake of the integrity of the church and for the rectification of the offender. When we notice someone acting on a matter of opinion, it is not our prerogative to challenge him and demand that he change. Unto this purpose our text asks, "Why do you regard your brother with contempt?," and then answers in v.13, "Let us not judge one another anymore." The church of God is too precious and important to disrupt and bring it into disrepute it by our petty scruples. Paul writes in v.20, "Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food." The reference to food (in some versions "meat") is general and may refer to any other item of personal preference. We do much and needless damage to the fellowship of the saints when we make an issue of faith out of something that is really only opinion. At times we may be so emotionally involved that we are unable to see the difference. In such cases we need the calm, detached counsel of third parties, (themselves being men of faith and truth). Our grand object must be always to "pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another," (v.19).

A CHRISTIAN'S DEBT TO EVERYONE

Rom. 13:8 ... "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law."

      The gospel of Christ perfects relationships between people when they internalize its precepts and implement them in their behavior. The reason for this is simple, when one understands the basic precept of Jesus' teaching. That precept is love, which means unselfishness. When a person interacts with others on the principle of unselfishness, he is hardly apt to offend them. His consideration flows outward to them rather than inward unto himself, as in the case of a selfish person. Typical in the gospel is the exhortation of Php. 2:3, "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself." Jesus would turn each of us away from self indulgence and cause us to take into consideration the needs of people about us, especially of those who are involved in some kind of suffering. So rather than having debts to each other that are paid by acts of getting even, we should owe nothing but love to one another.

      There is another important point in the text that must be considered carefully. It is expressed in the words, "for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." The object of "the law," whether it be the law of Moses or the law of Christ, is to establish a mode of life which God approves. This text (Rom. 13:8) and many others like it declare that love, when it is the kind that dwells in God, will achieve the same goal as law. When it is incessantly expressed in pure form, it will lead a person into the lifestyle which pleases God. At this point, however, many people draw a faulty conclusion. They decide that one can magnify the action of love in his life and pay less attention to the details of the law. In other words, one need not take the New Testament too seriously or be overly concerned with its detailed requirements. Just devote your life to the way of love, and all will be well. The fallacy in this line of reasoning is that it gives too much credit to our human ability to deny selfishness and surrender ourselves totally to the principle of absolutely unselfish love. The strongest man is still, after all, just a man and therefore subject to human frailty. As long as we live in the flesh there is always the dark side to our nature, something which I Cor. 2:14 calls the "natural man." This wild potential needs to be controlled, for its desire is to satisfy itself. God, who knows our constitution far better than we ever will, is fully aware of our inner "natural" character. He has given us a law by which to subdue it and then keep it under control. The more one takes his attention off of the law God has given us to govern our lives, the more that person makes himself vulnerable to corruption by his basic human urges. We are thus admonished in I Cor. 10:12, "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."

      Love is not, therefore. a substitute for strict attention to the New Testament law and its details. In fact, in the words of Christ Himself, one cannot truly love Him without being attentive to His law. In Jno. 14:15 He said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." It is erroneous for someone to say, "I will love Jesus and my fellowmen without reservation, so I need not pay any great attention to every jot and tittle of New Testament scripture." Jesus declares that we can keep His law only by the love that we have for Him. It is actually a reciprocal thing in that love leads to obedience, and obedience leads to greater love. We need to preach and practice love far more than we do, but not at the expense of devotion to the law of Christ.  Love and obedience to Christ cannot be separated.

OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD

Rom. 12:21 ... "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

      It would be wonderful if we lived in a world where no one ever got in another's way, where no one ever offended another, where people never became each other's enemies. One of the conditions that make heaven so appealing to us is that it is just such a world where offenses never occur. All relationships there are peaceful, happy, and encouraging. But while we yet live in this world we must learn to cope with offenses, emotional injuries, and enemies. We are told in Jas. 3:2 (KJV) that "in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body." Not only do we suffer offenses by others, but we ourselves offend others. Many times these occurrences are not intentional; but whether unintentional or deliberate, the one offended still feels the emotional pain.  If that pain is not relieved by satisfactory reconciliation, the one injured will probably become an enemy to the offender. Enmity always involves anger, and Jas. 1:20 informs us that "the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God." To have enmity toward another person is to harbor an evil attitude, and to incur the enmity of another, when you can avoid it, is also within the province of sin.

      Romans 12:21 gives us the Christian formula for dealing rightly with offenses, given or received, and the enmity which they generate. First, it teaches us to "not be overcome by evil." The context shows the "evil" under consideration is allowing yourself to respond to provocation with vengeance. In the preceding verses it says, "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. ... Never take your own revenge, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." As Satan watches our lives, he is very alert for the opportunity where one person provokes another. Nature urges us to apply the rule of getting even by giving back an equal measure of hurt for what we have suffered. Satan has to encourage us but very little to induce us to resort to this rule. Furthermore, our family and friends are usually quick to offer us their support, advising us to take revenge and praising us after we have done it. But such reaction is allowing yourself to "be overcome by evil." It is impossible to defeat evil with evil, (Mat. 12:25-26). When hatred is met with more hatred, then hatred is only compounded. Enmity gradually escalates until those who feed it are themselves consumed by it. Thus are we warned in Gal. 5:15, "If you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another."

      The second part of the formula for dealing with offenses is given in the words, "but overcome evil with good." Experience tells us that such a response is not natural; people do not instinctively return good attitudes and actions for offenses inflicted upon them. This is a mode of thought and behavior which must be learned, and the gospel of Jesus emphatically teaches it to all who are willing to learn.

In Mat. 5:44 (KJV) Jesus instructs us to "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you." Not only did He teach this way of response to us, but He practiced it Himself. Though reviled and hated throughout His ministry, He never returned to His oppressors anything but goodness, kindness, forgiveness and mercy. Meeting hatred with such sterling qualities of spirit is the only effective antidote for its poison. They break the vicious cycle of escalation and give the best opportunity for transforming enemies into friends. Booker Washington, (1858-1915), the imminent Negro educator, once said, "I will not allow any man to make me lower myself by hating him." The only real way to destroy an enemy is make him a friend.

THE KINDNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD

Rom. 11:22 ... "Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off."

      The focal point of all existence and all reality is God. God is self-existent, but man owes his existence to God's decision in the beginning to create him. The psalmist declared, "Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves." Our continued being is in God's hands every moment, and we enjoy the progress of life from day to day because He is so gracious as to give us everything we need. From this understanding it is obvious that our first interest should be God, and our greatest goal should be to do whatever He has created us to do. We can be sure that God always watches us to observe how we conform to His will for us. The true meaning of life can be discovered only in this context of God's scheme for us and our response to it.

      Rom. 11:22 deals with this basic theme as it pertained to Israel on the one hand and the Gentile nations on the other. God chose Israel to be unto the Gentiles a light of truth, of faith in Him, and of righteousness in keeping His covenant. Sadly, however, she failed in this uniquely favored role as over the centuries the people looked elsewhere for truth, turned to the service of idols, and defied the divine covenant.  In Paul's word they "fell." Having been exalted above all other nations, Israel fell by way of infidelity, rebellion and sin. Consequently, just as He had promised when He instituted the covenant (Dt. 28), God judged Israel severely in many ways to recompense her for her waywardness. More is required of those who have greater advantages than of those who have less. Then God turned to the Gentile nations with a new covenant, one of grace in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He displayed amazing goodness in granting them the favors and privileges which Israel had spurned. Through Christ He offered them salvation from sin, citizenship in His universal kingdom, and eternal life in His glorious home in heaven.

      Now the burden of responsibility lies upon Gentiles, namely, all of us who are not of Jewish heritage. As we enjoy God's blessings and the special favor of His benevolent outreach to fellowship with us as our Father and us as His beloved children, we must recognize that grave conditions are attached to the relationship. What happened to Israel can happen to us, if we carelessly and foolishly repeat her mistake of taking God lightly, disregarding His plan for us, and myopically focusing our attention upon this present earthly life with its transitory pleasures and interests. Thus the inspired apostle warns us to "continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off."

      It has been said that "those who ignore the tragedies of history will eventually also fall victim to them." This is true of secular history, but it is even more true in the spiritual dimension of life. So often the Holy Scriptures urge us to consider carefully the errors of those before us, lest we wander  into the pathway of destruction as they did. We read in I Cor. 10:11, "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." These lessons teach us to covet God's grace upon us, appreciate it supremely, and respond to it with true faith and unwavering obedience to His will. We find this enlightening statement by God to us in Isa. 66:2, "To this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word."

      (Someone having read the above article may conclude that Jewish people are now excluded from God's covenant of grace and salvation. That is by no means the case! Paul, who wrote Rom. 11:22, also wrote in the same chapter, v.1, "My heart's desire and my prayer to God for them (Jews) is for their salvation." If Jews put their faith in Christ, as well as in God, and submit to the gospel, they will be accepted into His eternal kingdom equally with Gentiles. Historically, the gospel was first offered to Jewish people, and the church during its earliest period was composed entirely of Jews. In fact, in the kingdom of God the Jewish-Gentile dichotomy no longer exists. We are assured in Gal. 3:28 that "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for all are one in Christ Jesus." The factors that divide us as physical beings no longer operate in the spiritual context of the eternal kingdom of God. It is a beautiful and wonderful thing that the issues of earth life that so grievously polarize us are excluded forever from heaven life. Therefore, heaven is a place of peace, prevailing good will, and mutual acceptance without reservation,)

THE ORIGIN OF FAITH

Rom. 10:17 ... "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."

      How can faith be overrated within the value system of Christianity? Without it no one can please or even approach God, for Heb. 11:6 declares, "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is." A person deficient in faith need not expect blessings from God, even though he should pray for them. It says in Jas. 1:6-7, "Let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord." Lack of faith limits a person in the effort to make an effective contribution with his life. The Lord taught in Mt. 17:20, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you." One who does not develop faith in Christ has no hope of salvation, but instead makes himself an object of God's wrath. Jesus said in Jno. 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Faith is truly an essential part of the life which God will approve, support, and eternally reward.

      When a person realizes that something has true value, he usually develops a powerful urge to gain access to it. If the thing also gives promise of enhancing the quality and perhaps also the quantity of one's life, that urge grows persistently stronger. The apostle wrote in I Pet. 1:7 about "the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which is perishable." If the proof (or trial) of faith is more precious than gold, then wonder what is the value of faith itself. History is replete with cases when people went nearly berserk in the mad rush to the site of the ore deposits. And yet, that precious metal, even when found in abundance, cannot benefit one forever. But faith can! When this life runs to its close, as all too soon it does, faith in Christ will continue its benefits on into eternity. In v.9 (of the last-quoted text) Peter went on to say, "obtaining as the outcome of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."

      When gold was discovered in California in 1849, thousands of people from all over the world spared no effort in going there as quickly as possible. The same thing happened when gold was discovered in South Dakota in the Blacks Hills in 1874 and in Alaska in 1892. But where does one go to gain the far more valuable treasure of faith in Christ? The answer is given in Rom. 10:17; it is found in the word of God. In essence that verse says:  Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message comes through the word of God. The "message" is the gospel; it is the virgin source of Christian faith. Whether one reads that message for himself from the Bible, or hears it being taught accurately and fully by men of God, he is tapping into the source from which faith springs. There is no need to risk one's life and material resources in a hazardous trip to some remote place as the gold-seekers did. The ever flowing fountain of truth that generates faith is as near and accessible as the closest Bible. And in this, the Gospel Age, that is not very far. In Rom. 10:8 Paul declares that "the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith which we are preaching." The word of God is available to anyone who wants it. And whosoever will can fill his heart with it and confess it with his mouth unto the salvation of his soul, (vs. 9-10).

QUESTIONING THE MASTER POTTER

Rom. 9:20-21 ... "On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, 'Why did you make me like this.' will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use?"

      The gospel declaration that God in Christ had called the Gentiles unto grace and mercy was a stumbling block to the Jews. Having been taught for dozens of generations they were God's chosen people, they drew a circle that shut all others out. They refused to fathom the idea that God might have changed his policies to embrace the varied nations. The sermons of Jesus, the appeals of the apostles, and the ministry of the Spirit did not persuade the Jews to widen their circle of fellowship to include Gentiles. Even Peter, subject to Jesus' influence and teaching for three years, required a vision directly from God to be forced to the conclusion that Gentiles were now eligible for salvation and citizenship in the elect nation, (Acts 10). As Paul preached the gospel, he ran headlong into resistance over this new concept. And so here in Romans 9 he is debating a typical Jewish teacher about it.

      Paul informs this opponent that in the debate he is not calling the Christian teacher into question, but rather God, who commissioned the teacher. Then he reaches back to Isa. 29:16 to illustrate how absurd it is to criticize God. When the potter sat down at his wheel to turn a vessel, the clay in his hands was powerless to resist his will. If he wanted to fashion a delicate vase to grace a queen's bedroom, he could do it. If he chose instead to make a common pot for boiling lentils, he could do that. The clay being formed into a functional object could never protest that it should be made instead into an objet d'art. And so it is with man. We read in Isa. 64:8, "But now, O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand." It is just as absurd for a human to question God's will and policies as it is for a lump of river bank clay to contend with the potter over its future design.

      The wisest decision any of us can make is to yield ourselves into the brilliant hands of the Master Potter to be fashioned into the kind of living vessel that He would have us to be. The ancient potter was never perfect, though he might have been a highly skilled artisan. In spite of his best efforts, some vessels just did not turn out well. They would be broken up and used to fill holes or gullies. Archaeologists excavating the ruins of Palestinian cities dig up countless tons of the potsherds. But God is the Perfect Potter! With quality clay in His hands He never fails to fashion a living vessel that is graceful and precious. The person who yields himself to God to be transformed into a new creature is this quality clay. It says in II Tim. 2:21, "If a man cleanses himself from these things (wickedness, v. 19), he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." To purge yourself of lust, the unholy desires that are the breeding ground of sin, (Jas. 1:14-15), turns you into the sort of living clay that God will make into an honorable vessel, set apart from mundane things, fully fitted out for the Master's service. How badly we fail ourselves and abuse our potential when we question God about the meaning of life, the use of life, and the value of life. Humanistic philosophies, which dominate the thinking of the majority, not only criticize the divine scheme for the optimum human condition but proceed even further to doubt the existence of God. Consequently, in the masses of mankind we see only the vessels of human lives misshapen by human will in the pitiful, doomed effort to outdo the Master Potter, who not only designed the perfect archetype but also created the raw material of clay from which we are made.

   

OUR FAILURE AND GOD'S MERCY

Rom. 8:32 ... "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?"

      It is the fate of people in this life to be participants in the war between good and evil. In every circumstance of our daily experience we must make a choice whether we will take the side of good and oppose evil, or embrace evil and oppose good. Jesus once said, "He who is not with Me is against Me," and also, "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree rotten, and its fruit rotten; for the tree is known by its fruit, (Mat. 12:30,33). These statements yield no middle position between good and evil, or between Christ and Satan. The evil presents itself to us as temptations which entice us with appealing rewards for accepting them. We are never free of these temptations, since evil is always present about us. Furthermore, it is a fact that everyone falls victim to some of these temptations and thus involves himself in evil, and with this sin in our lives we know that we incur the wrath of God. 

      It is very discouraging to realize that sin corrupts us in spite of our best efforts to prevent it and that God is daily offended at our failures. There are people who hold back from Christian profession because they are aware of this discouragement and unwilling to experience its tension. Others, who make a start in the Christian life, eventually forsake it when this problem begins to build. In Matthew 13 in the Parable of the Sower, Jesus described the disciple who "when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately falls away," (v.21). It is indeed depressing to declare by one's faith and obedience that he is taking the side of righteousness when he knows from the outset he will often fail.

      The eighth chapter of Romans addresses this problem with a strong message of encouragement for the Christian who wants to live true to his Lord. Although God condemns sin and will judge the sinner, He nevertheless still loves those whose lives are colored by sin. His justice demands that sin be punished, but His mercy appeals for patience. And so we find in II Pet. 3:9, "The Lord ... is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." In infinite wisdom possessed only by God, He found a way to meet the demands of divine justice and yet extend mercy. This way is presented most succinctly in the initial text above. First, "He ... did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all." Jesus took the place of everyone who lives in this world when He went to the crucifixion and paid the ultimate price for our sins. As the prophet said, "He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed," (Isa. 53:5). Second, God shows us great mercy in our sins, for as the lead text above says, "How will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" That is, just as the Father supplied His Son with everything He needed to complete His mission of human redemption, He will likewise give us everything we need to be recipients of that redemption in the end. 

      God did not sacrifice His Son for nothing; He gave Him up to a cruel death to save us from the same fate for our sins. He knows our struggle against evil and our frequent defeats, but He wills that, though we lose many battles, we should not lose the war and suffer our souls to be destroyed. He will daily supply us with "all things" by which we can recover from our failures and be saved. We are assured in Rom. 5:21 that "as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." In short, God will remit our sins day by day if we continue to repent and keep up the struggle against sin, and if we never cease to "keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God," (Col. 3:1).

GOOD INTENTION-BAD PERFORMANCE

Rom. 7:14b-15 ... "I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate."

      This Scripture addresses one aspect of the human condition, the relation between one's intention to act and the actual performance of that act. People fall into three categories in the way they manage this relationship. There are those who intend to do good and then execute that good in their course of life. Second, there are those who intend to do good, but are not always able to accomplish it. Third, there are those who intend to do evil and are usually able to carry it out. Only one person on earth has ever fitted himself into the first category, and He was the Lord Jesus Christ. It says of Him in I Pet. 2:22-23, "[He] committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return." This perfect self-control in the face of severe opposition reveals a heart that was untainted with evil intentions. Furthermore, in Acts 10:38 Jesus is described a Man who "went about doing good." Jesus willed to avoid evil and do good as the invariable rule in His life, and it is evident He accomplished both.

      The third category mentioned above is crowded with people the world over. There is never a shortage of those who plan out evil deeds and then apply their energies and resources to enact the plan. The perfection of this black art was the prime reason why God resolved to send the great Flood upon the antediluvian world. We are told that in those days "the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually," (Gen. 6:5). Evil must be recognized and resolutely resisted, or else it will take over a person's mind and pervert it to invent and execute evil. We are forewarned that as the present age progresses, this perversion will build in people and become prevalent in the world. We read in I Tim. 4:1-2, "The Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron."

      Conscientious Christians are in the second category. By instruction in the gospel of Jesus we are enlightened as to what is good and then exhorted to fashion our behavior to model it in daily living. Then, like Paul, knowing what is good and sincerely willing to do it, we often fail to carry it out. Or, knowing what is evil and fervently willing to abstain from it, we often proceed to do it nevertheless. In either case sin is the result of our failure to perform what our intellect knows is right and what our will determines that we ought to do. This condition is the background to the apostle's declaration in I Jno. 1:8, "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us." The difference between a Christian and one who isn't is not that the latter sins while former does not. No, indeed! Both the Christian and the worldly person sin. The difference is that the Christian wills not to sin and aims at doing good, while the worldly person is not particularly concerned about either, at least not as the guiding rule of his life. The Christian frequently fails to follow through with his noble intentions, but he never becomes comfortable in these failures. He daily appeals to God for pardon and rectification, (I Jno. 1:9), and continues his efforts to close the gap between what he wills and what he actually does. Rather than despair over shortcomings, he looks to a better future with the attitude expressed in Php. 3:13-14, "Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

WHO IS YOUR MASTER?

Rom. 6:16-17 ... "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed."

      This Scripture involves three ideas which have become quite objectionable to contemporary thought. First is the idea of opposing absolutes. Second is the idea of being in subjection to an external authority. Third is the idea of being delivered from sin by obedience. In recent decades we have generally come to accept the philosophy of relativism, which denies the existence of absolutes and holds that in everything there is a spectrum of reality. For example, in the sphere of morality there is no supreme standard. Rather, there is a range of moral behavior that depends on the situation of those involved. For a specific case, in certain settings it might be justifiable to commit fornication, or lie, or kill. Or, because of one's particular station or vocational responsibility it could be moral for him to engage in acts that are usually taken to be immoral. But our text above presents only two opposing alternatives, sin and righteousness. There are no relative positions in between. A given behavior is Biblically classified either as sinful or righteous. One of the objectives of God's word is to provide us with the criteria for discerning the two. We are urged, therefore, in I Ths. 5:21 to "examine everything carefully" and "hold fast to that which is good."

      Our text also presents the idea that there are external authorities to which we are in subjection. We of the present generation rebel at the thought of having our liberties denied us. Our goal is unfettered freedom to do whatever we want to do, whenever we want to do it, and however we want to do it. Even when one's exercise of freedom intrudes into another's life to the extent it inflicts harm, or even causes death, we have a tendency to mitigate his action in all sorts of rationalizations. The featured text, however, proclaims that there are only two masters, sin and righteousness, which rule over the life of an individual. The choice we have is not whether to be absolutely free of all external authority, but rather to which of these two masters we will belong. Everyone is at liberty to choose whether he will be the servant of sin or the servant of righteousness, but no one can choose to be free of both. Those who think they can defy all authority and be "liberated people" are, in reality, enslaved to the lord of evil without realizing it.

      It is commonly taught that obedience has nothing to do with deliverance from sin. Eph. 2:8 is often quoted: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." That is, when a person puts his faith in Christ, He bestows salvation upon that person as a gift. Thus, obedience is not an operable factor, for Eph. 2:9 continues: "Not as a result of works, that no one should boast." And yet, the same apostle who wrote those statements also wrote the words, "You became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness," (Rom. 6:17-18). Freedom from sin came after their obedience to what they were taught (the Gospel). Salvation is indeed by the grace of God and comes through faith, but it also involves obedience. This obedience, however, is not a work that merits one's salvation; it does not obligate God to save its performer. It is God's will that a person should respond to His grace by faith and obedience. The ability to respond constitutes the essence of responsibility, and everyone bears responsibility in his salvation. One who will not accept that responsibility will deny himself the benefit of God's grace and continue his journey through life as a servant of sin.

ADAM AND CHRIST

Rom. 5:19 ... "As through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous."

      In this important statement Paul by inspiration is talking about two men, two acts they committed, and the consequences of those acts in the lives of other people. The first man was Adam, whom God made from the dust of the ground in the beginning. Placing him to live in the paradise of Eden, God commanded him, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die," (Gen. 2:16-17). In the course of time Adam and Eve, his wife, violated this commandment at the instigation of Satan, disguised as a serpent, and thus became sinners. The penalty of death for sin was executed upon them, though they did not actually die for quite a number of years. In this act Adam lost his innocence and introduced sin as a present reality into the world. All future human beings were thus subjected to the influence of sin. Something also happened to man's moral constitution, producing a weakened spiritual nature which we refer to as "fallen man." Not only was man subjected to the daily presence of sin in his environment, but he hitherto lacked the spiritual power to stand up against it. Thus Rom. 3:23 proclaims that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

      The second Man in Rom. 5:19 is Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God, who left His place in heaven to dwell for a while on earth among men. He, too, was given a commandment by God to govern His life, for He stated in Heb. 10:9, "Behold, I have come to do Your will." But unlike Adam, Jesus never violated the commandment given Him. Although Satan tempted Him in every way he had tempted Adam, Jesus never succumbed to his enticements. It is affirmed in Heb. 4:15 that Jesus was "tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." Having never sinned, Jesus was not under the penalty of death. Then came about the most wonderful event in all human experience. Jesus took upon Himself the totality of sin of all other people and paid its penalty, death, even death by crucifixion, the most humiliating death of all. Therefore, whereas Adam introduced sin and death into human experience, Jesus established righteousness and eternal life for us.

      Contrary to the application many make of this Scripture, it does not teach that when Adam sinned, the entire lot of humanity sinned likewise, since all were genetically present in him. It no more teaches this than it teaches everyone is made righteous in Christ through His perfect life and vicarious death. In spite of Jesus' sacrifice, many people are presently sinners, will continue in that sin until death, and will then be eternally lost. Adam introduced sin and its penalty of death into the world; Jesus introduced righteousness and eternal life. No one is born with Adam's sin and bears its guilt from birth. We enter into sin when we ourselves commit sin, for we are told in Ezek. 18:20 that "the person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity." It is true we inherit Adam's weak nature, a result of his having sinned, just as a child will suffer from the drug abuse of its mother. In that weakened nature, we surrender on many occasions to temptation and commit sin. Jesus' perfect life and atoning death, however, will free us from those sins and avert the penalty which is their due. It is necessary that we put our faith in Christ and obey His gospel. Without this response His work will not avail us. We will continue to suffer the weakness that leads to sin, and practice the sin that leads to eternal death.

FAITH RECKONED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS

Rom. 4:20-21 ... "With respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform."

      For many years after Christianity was launched in the world at Jerusalem in 33 A.D. it had a very strong Jewish identity. Within the church the influence of Jewish thought and customs was indeed powerful and posed no little challenge to Gentiles who came into the church without this mental and cultural baggage. One of these challenges specifically centered on the doctrine of justification. Jews thought that because they were genetically descended from Abraham justification was their birthright. Abraham was their spiritual hero, being the "father of the faithful" and having the distinction of being called "the friend of God," (Jas. 2:23). His faith was the epitome of human response to divine promise, so much so that Gen. 15:6 reports that "he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness," (quoted by Paul in v.3). Since all of Israel were genetically in Abraham, (cf. Heb. 7:9-10), when righteousness was conferred upon him in reward for his faith, it was conferred upon every unborn Jew as well. To be born, therefore, in descent from Abraham was to be justified from the day of one's birth. The Jews also thought they accumulated righteousness through the scrupulous performance of the rituals and other religious acts taught in the Mosaic Law. The Pharisees carried this doctrine to the ultimate, hedging the Law about with endless deductions from Mosaic statutes to ensure that everything would be done that could be to increase one's righteousness by participation.

      In Romans 4 Paul refutes the entire Jewish doctrine of justification. He points out that Abraham was not saved by works, but rather through his faith which prevented him from "wavering" as he considered "the promise of God." Even the works that he did, in response to God's commandments, were not the works of the Mosaic Law, for that law was still some four hundred years in the future after Abraham. In the previous chapter (vs. 28-29) Paul had argued that being a Jew genetically was unimportant. What mattered was being a Jew spiritually, an identity available to anyone through faith in Christ and obedience to His gospel.  The same logic applies to being a "child" of Abraham. There is no distinction in being lineally descended from Abraham; his righteousness is not inherited by his offspring. It is only when, like that patriarch, we put our faith in God who "raised Jesus our Lord from the dead," that our own faith is reckoned to us for righteousness, (see vs. 23-24). Although this faith involves obedience (Rom. 1:5), it is not meritorious obedience that obligates God to save.

      The lesson we must learn from this is that we cannot construct a doctrine of justification to suit ourselves. We must study the Scriptures to see what is taught there about the problem of human sin and how it may be forgiven. As our text says, what God has promised, He is also able to perform. But the crucial point is "what God has promised." It is not for me or anyone else to speak for God and demand that others accept my word about justification. God has already spoken clearly and has given us the intelligence to understand what He has said. He will be pleased if, like Abraham, we respond in simple faith to the gospel. When we have done that, just as He has promised, He will reckon our faith unto us for righteousness, and we will be justified in the Lord Jesus Christ.

THE REALITY OF SIN

Rom. 3:23 ... "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

      One of the arts cultivated by people of the twentieth century is that of denial. We have become masters of the ability to deny the existence or the active influence of certain things that people in former times readily, though often painfully, confessed. Our sophistication, our pride in humanity's advances in certain areas, and our feeling that we have been liberated from old superstitions have together blinded us to realities. And when some rather persistent entities refuse to disappear through our denial, we just hide them behind a cover of redefinition. One of these entities is sin.

      Although there is abundant evidence that people have always tended to deny the existence of sin in their own lives, generally they admitted that sin itself was a reality in human life. Sermons from the pulpit were often devoted in their entirety to the subject of sin. Specific attitudes and behaviors were identified as sin. People who held those attitudes, or who practiced those behaviors, were said plainly to be sinners. There was public consciousness of sin, even among those who did not profess religion or attend church. In recent decades, however,  this awareness and understanding has changed. An attitude has been established that sin, in the traditional sense, is a bogus concept. Few are willing to admit that sin is resident in their lives. It has become publicly offensive to apply the label of "sin" to any attitude or behavior, and to call someone a "sinner" is considered a terrible insult, almost, in fact, sufficient grounds for a lawsuit. Today we hide the reality of sin behind a cover of redefinition. Instead of being a sin, the action is an "error in judgment," a "social malfunction," a "disease," an "inherited trait," a "syndrome," or any other of multiple terms current in our lexicon.

      To deny a sin is also to deny the Bible, for it explicitly declares both that sin is a reality and that it is universal in human experience. So, it is not unexpected that the Bible is another thing which a great many people have also come to deny. And to deny the Bible as truth and authority in human life is to deny God who gave us the Bible. Ultimately, therefore, to deny the reality of sin is to deny the reality of God. Through His wisdom revealed in the Bible, God has repeatedly declared that certain attitudes and behaviors in people are sin. Furthermore, He has stated that every person holds some of these attitudes and frequently engages in various of these illicit behaviors. Such is the message of Rom. 3:23, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

      It does a person no good to deny that sin exists in his life and that he is a sinner. To admit guilt of sin does not harm the psyche; much the rather, it is the first step to the salvation, reclamation, and reconstruction of a healthy soul. God has a perfect cure for sin, but He will apply it only to the person who confesses his sin and seeks that cure. We are assured in I Jno. 1:9 that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Sin is truly an insult to a person, and to be declared a sinner is disturbing. But a person insults himself far more by denying the reality of sin in his life and not seeking God's help in removing it. Sin is our greatest enemy, for its impact upon our souls is eternally destructive. The wisest thing anyone can do is to confront his sin and then appeal to God for salvation by obedience in faith to His gospel, (Rom. 1:6,16).

THE FULLNESS OF CHRISTIAN IDENTITY

Rom. 2:29 ... "He is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God."

      After Paul opened the Letter to the Romans with greetings and a prayer, (1:1-15), followed by a statement on the theme and text of the gospel, (1:16-17), he proceeded to establish the fact that not only Gentiles but Jews also were sinners before God, (1:18-3:23). The conclusion is stated in absolute terms in 3:23, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." With all mankind reduced to the same miserable level before God, the need for the salvation offered through the gospel is thus emphasized. Beginning with 3:24 Paul systematically presents the nature of that gospel. The lead text above is a part of the argument that Jews are as guilty of sin as Gentiles and have an equal need for the gospel. For their part, however, they by no means accepted this declaration of their spiritual condition. They prided themselves that they were the chosen people of God, the inheritors of the promises made to the patriarchs, and the stewards of the Holy Scriptures. In their minds they were guaranteed God's special favor and eternal salvation just because they were Jews by race. Even Paul did not deny that there were indeed great racial privileges in being Jewish, (see 3:1-2). But these advantages did not include salvation. This great blessing was available to them on exactly the same terms it was to Gentiles.

      In vs. 28-29 the apostle is defining what a true Jew is spiritually rather than racially. Racially, a Jew was a person descended from Abraham according to the promise in Gen. 12:2. But here Paul emphasizes that, spiritually, a Jew is one whose commitment to God is from the heart and not from the flesh. Notice the contrast between "circumcision that is outward in the flesh" and "circumcision that is of the heart." Judaism emphasized external rituals, but the gospel emphasizes the state of the mind and heart. Later in this letter Paul will write, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect," (12:2). These statements echo the constant insistence of Jesus during His ministry among the Jews that a person's character is based in the heart, that one's personality reveals the condition of his heart, and that good and evil flow outward from a person's life according to the good or evil state of his heart. The "letter" of the law addressed the external life, one's visible behavior; but the "spirit" of the law addresses the all-important inner nature. Religion which emphasizes external things has a view toward the praise of men, while religion which emphasizes the inward character is more concerned with the approval of God, for "the Lord looks at the heart," (I Sam. 16:7).

      Although the message in vs. 28-29 was directed to Jews, the principle involved is still applicable to Christians. There is always a tendency to place great value upon and confidence in things external, such as rituals, forms and methodology. We can make our religion Pharisaical by emphasizing these externals and forgetting the spirit of the gospel. We must not rest our case in proper terms and names and visible orthodoxy, while we forget that God is interested in the perfection of our hearts as well. As Jesus said in Mat. 23:23, "these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others." Our Christianity must embrace the totality of our being, the inward as well as the outward. We must be Christians both in name and in truth, in letter and in spirit.

A FAITH WIDELY PROCLAIMED

Rom. 1:8 ... I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world."

      Paul's letter to the church in Rome is generally reckoned to be the most profound book of the New Testament, and the most systematic presentation of the gospel. It differs from the rest of Paul's epistles in that he had never been to Rome and had nothing to do with the founding of the church there. However, he was planning to visit Rome on his way to Spain, (Rom. 15:24). Paul felt a great urge to be with the disciples there in order that "I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles," (v.13). It is not known who founded the church at Rome, but we do know that "visitors from Rome" were present in Jerusalem on the Pentecost when the church was established, (Acts 2:10). It is likely that some of them were among the 3000 who obeyed the gospel that day and were added by the Lord to the church, (Acts 2:47). When they returned to Rome, they would have taken their new-found faith with them, thus introducing the church to the Roman capital. The Christian community in Rome seems to have been very active in the years before Paul came to them with their first apostolic ministry. The historian Suetonius mentions the zeal of people devoted to one Chrestos, (probably Christ).  It is reported in Acts 28:15 that as Paul was being conducted as prisoner up the Appian Way from southern Italy, "the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there (Rome) as far as the Appian Forum and Three Taverns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage."

      Paul must have often thanked God for the strong faith and great zeal of the church in Rome, for the lead text above finds him opening this letter with another expression of thanks to God for them. They were to be highly commended because their faith was "being proclaimed throughout the whole world." Although one would expect the church in the first city of that vast empire to be known far and wide, it is still to their great credit that their faith was remarkable. And here is a lesson for each congregation of the Lord's church today. We face the challenge to develop our faith to the level where its expression is obvious. Faith that is worthy of the name makes itself evident in the deeds that it accomplishes in Christ's name.

      Some think that a major emphasis in this epistle is that God's grace dominates everything, paling man's participation in the divine drama to nothing. But one must observe that as early as the fifth verse of the letter Paul mentions "the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles." God's grace is the only context in which man's salvation and union with God are possible, but within that context man must participate by "obedience of faith." That is, faith must lead us to obey God's instructions and commands. That is what the brethren in the church at Rome had done to the extent that the results were known across the empire. The same can, and should be, the case with each congregation of Christians today. Although a given congregation, especially a small one, may not obtain a reputation that is known around the world, or even across the nation, it can still make a good name for itself that is known beyond its local setting. And to do that, it must devote itself to building up strong faith among its members that expresses itself in sustained obedience to the requirements of God in all things.

THE SECT SPOKEN AGAINST EVERYWHERE

Acts 28:22 ... "We desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere."

      After a long, difficult journey by sea that included shipwreck and spending the winter in refuge on the island of Melita, Paul at last was able to reach Rome. For many years he had planned to visit Rome to preach the gospel of Christ, (Rom. 1:15-16).  Now he had arrived and would do this work for the Lord, but not under the circumstances he had expected. Paul would spend the next two years in Rome as a prisoner and would minister only through those who were allowed to visit him.

      As soon as possible Paul called the Jewish leaders of the city to come to him so that he could explain the reason for his being there under arrest. They answered him, "We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you," (v.21). From this report it seems that Paul's bitter enemies in Judea lost all interest in his case once he was in a far distant land out of their sphere of influence. Then the Roman Jews said, "We desire to hear from you what your views are ... concerning this sect ... that is spoken against everywhere."  Here we are given an interesting insight into current public opinion regarding Christianity. In most of the New Testament records we are told how the Lord and also godly men in the church thought of Christianity. Their statements, of course, speak of Christianity, (often called "The Way"), in the highest, most complimentary terms. We would expect that outside the brotherhood of disciples there would be a very different assessment, and this frank statement of the Jewish leaders in Rome reveals it to us. First, they call it a "sect" as though it were an upstart religious movement similar to the many that were then making their appearance throughout the Empire. They did not see Christianity as a unique system from God and not from man. Second, they said that Christianity was "spoken against everywhere." There still survive many ancient sources which bear out the truth of this report when the church was young.

      It is necessary for Christians to live in such a way that their conduct makes a good impression upon society at large and draws credit to their religion. Jesus instructs His disciples in Mat. 5:16 to "let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." In spite of our best efforts and most beneficial effects upon the world, however, the Way of Truth will still be maligned, opposed, and even persecuted by some people. Even the perfect, exemplary life of Jesus drew heavy criticism and hostility so great that it led to His crucifixion. Sometimes the excellence of one's life is indicated as much by the resentment it provokes as by the praise conferred upon it. To be denounced by worldly, ungodly people is to be expected in the great struggle between good and evil. We should therefore never be discouraged or dissuaded in our efforts to live for Christ when we are criticized, ridiculed, or even ostracized in our world. With an understanding of the nature of our struggle and our hope fixed on the glorious rewards in store for those who continue "faithful until death," we must with humility and perseverance hold out resolutely for the glorious Lord we honor and worship.

THOSE WHO SAVE IN TIMES OF PERIL

Acts 27:42-43 ... "The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, that none of them should swim away and escape; but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention."

      Paul had spent nearly two years in prison in Palestine and had endured many hearings and trials before he appealed his case to the Emperor in Rome. Along with other prisoners he was turned over to a centurion named Julius and a contingent of Roman soldiers. Leaving Caesarea, they sailed in a ship of Adramytium as far as Myra of Lycia, where they transferred to a ship of Alexandria carrying grain from Egypt to Rome. All went well until they reached Fair Havens, a port of Crete. It was already late autumn, and the storms of winter were threatening. Any day sailing on the Mediterranean would become hazardous, if not impossible. So Paul advised Julius to winter the ship at Fair Havens. The centurion, however, took the advice of the ship captain, who wanted to make a run for Phenice, a more commodious port of Crete. Hardly had the great ship set sail than a tremendous storm swept it into the open sea, where the sailors had no reference points and were virtually lost. For the next two weeks the ship was blown helplessly about, so that almost all on board lost hope of ever reaching land again. Having been visited by an angel, Paul assured the people they would reach land, if they followed the instructions of the Lord.

      The next day the sailors saw land ahead and made a dash for shore. But quite a distance from it, the ship struck something like a reef or bar. Although the pounding waves demolished the stern of the ship, it was close enough to land, a beach on the island of Melita, that the people could swim or float there on debris from the disintegrating vessel. But the soldiers, fearing that the prisoners, whom they guarded with their own lives, should escape, advised their commander to kill them. Then comes a very significant statement:  "But the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention."

      The lives of the other prisoners were spared because of the presence of one man, the apostle Paul. For the past two weeks Julius had observed the godly and virtuous behavior of this unusual prisoner and had learned to respect both his counsel and his trust in the God he worshiped. There is a great lesson here for every Christian. In Mt. 5:13 Jesus said to His disciples, "You are the salt of the earth." Since salt is primarily a preservative, this indicates that Christians should be saving agents of their environment and the people about them. Most of the 276 men on the Alexandrian freighter were unregenerate sinners, but the Lord was willing to spare their lives for the sake of Paul. Because Paul had the attitude, behavior, and speech that befitted a committed Christian, he so influenced Julius, the officer in charge, that this man acted to save all the other prisoners. Christians today are surrounded by a host of people who are either irreligious or indifferent to religion. Our world is becoming more sinful and ungodly with each passing day, increasingly ripe for destruction as divine retribution. But the presence of a few faithful, stalwart Christians may be just the key agents that are staying God's hand. Except for these occasional lights in a dark world of evil, God would at once extinguish the whole. This realization should encourage Christians to redouble their efforts to live pure and holy lives, reflecting through them the glory of the Lord Jesus.

ALMOST PERSUADED

Acts 26:28 ... "Agrippa replied to Paul, 'In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.'"

      After Paul had spent about two years in prison in Palestine, he appealed his case to the Emperor in Rome. But before Festus, the Roman governor, could send Paul to Caesar it was necessary that he prepare the formal charges against him. To Festus this was very difficult, for it seemed as though the issues centered more on religious differences than on criminal conduct. When King Agrippa came to welcome Festus to his office, the governor now thought he had access to valuable help. With Agrippa being both a Jew and a Roman functionary, Festus thought surely he would be able to fathom the intricacies of this challenging case. He therefore set a time for the apostle to present his case before Agrippa. Thus we read that "on the next day, when Agrippa had come together with Bernice, amid great pomp, and had entered the auditorium accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in," (Acts 25:23).

      It is noteworthy that, when Paul was given license to speak before the court, he did not launch out into a vigorous refutation of the charges against him nor eagerly defend his character, motives, and behavior. Rather, he first gave a brief account of how he had been converted from a champion of the Jewish persecution of Christians to an advocate for Christ. Then he began what was, in effect, a basic gospel sermon designed to appeal to the dignitaries arrayed in their finery before him. His message was interrupted by Festus with a declaration that Paul's great education had made him mad. Paul denied this with the statement that all he had just said was a matter of open knowledge which could easily be verified by witnesses. Then, turning directly to the king, he asked, "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets?" (26:27). Paul was suggesting that a man of Agrippa's erudition should be able to see that Christianity is the fulfillment of ancient prophecies. Also implied in his question was the idea that such perception should induce one to obey the gospel and become a Christian. Agrippa at once perceived Paul's motive and answered, "In a short time you will persuade me to be Christian."

      The king's answer may be interpreted in either of two ways. It could be he was flippantly casting aside Paul's appeal to him. That is, he was sarcastically saying, "Paul, do you really think you can persuade me to become a Christian during this short session? (The sense of the NAS used here.) Or, it might be that Agrippa had been cast into a serious frame of mind and was telling Paul that he had brought him almost to the point of conversion. (The sense of the KJV.) Actually, it does not matter whether the king was serious or being sarcastic. The important point is that he did not accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. He assumed the tragic position of anyone, then or now, who is given an opportunity to renounce sin and accept salvation but chooses instead to continue in the course of sin to which he is accustomed.  To be "almost persuaded" is to be lost. To exchange eternity in heaven for whatever hinders you from accepting Christ as Savior and Lord is a bad trade, one that will be bitterly regretted forever.

TO OFFEND IN NOTHING

Acts 25:9 ... "I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the Temple or against Caesar."

      Paul remained under arrest in Caesarea for two years while Felix ruled as the procurator of Judea. Soon after Festus succeeded Felix in 59 AD, he arranged a hearing in Caesarea at which he had the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem present their case against the apostle. It says in v.7 that they brought "many and serious charges against him which they could not prove." When he was given license to speak for himself, Paul proclaimed, "Neither against the Law of the Jews or against the Temple or against Caesar have I committed an offense." Then, refusing to go up to Jerusalem for a formal trial before the Sanhedrin, believing he would be ambushed and murdered along the way, (see v.3), he exercised his right as a Roman citizen to appeal his case to the Emperor in Rome.

      Paul's disclaimer that he had offended in any way the Law of the Jews, or the Temple, or Caesar is actually the ideal behavior for every Christian. Followers of Christ are to be model citizens in their communities in order to bring honor to the Name which they wear. We are exhorted in I Pet. 2:12-16, "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as to one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bond slaves of God." This passage is telling us that our behavior is on display before the public, and since we are Christians, it broadcasts an important message about the effects of Christ in our lives. If our conduct is blameless with respect to community standards, it speaks well for the beneficial power of Christ acting within us. But if we occasionally disregard or defy those standards, it gives occasion for critics of Christianity to speak out against us and ridicule our Lord.

      To behave oneself is no guarantee, however, that malicious people will not still make accusations and seek occasions to vilify our Lord and His gospel. Paul had done absolutely nothing for which to be arrested, reviled as a public nuisance, and held in custody for a period of about four years. It is entirely possible, in fact even quite probable, that the irreligious, filled with venom against Christ, will make atrocious charges against Christians. Rather than be surprised and discouraged when such unjust treatment comes, Christians must be prepared. We are forewarned in the New Testament that if we are the witnesses for Christ we must be, such adverse reactions will come against us. Then Paul's ordeal becomes valuable inspiration to us. Finally, there is Peter's encouragement in I Pet. 4:16, "If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that Name let him glorify God."

A MORE CONVENIENT TIME

Acts 24:25 ... "And as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, 'Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you.'"

      After Paul's arrest in the Temple and the aborted hearing before the Sanhedrin the following day, he was transported by the Romans to Caesarea. Five days later a Jewish delegation came down to place formal charges against Paul. The apostle defended himself well against this inimical group with the result that Felix, the Roman governor, postponed any decision until the centurion from Jerusalem should come and give testimony about what had happened in the Temple. Paul was then placed under the guard of a Roman officer, but allowed the privilege of receiving visitors. Several days later, Felix and his wife Drusilla decided to hold a private hearing with Paul.

      When Paul was brought before this couple and permitted to speak, he "discussed righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come." It is significant that, rather than attend to the needs of his own personal security, the apostle  turned his attention to the spiritual needs of the pair who sat before him. He directed his words to the matter of righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come. His words hit home, for there was nothing Felix and Drusilla needed more to hear and consider than these grave matters. They were quite devoid of righteousness and self-control; in fact, their conduct had been a public spectacle of the opposite. He was completely unscrupulous and willing to hire thugs to murder his closest supporters if they displeased him. Drusilla, the daughter of Herod Agrippa, the king who had beheaded the apostle James and imprisoned Peter, was first married to the King of Emesa, but had yielded to the seduction of Felix to forsake her husband to marry him. This couple became very uncomfortable as they listened to Paul's pertinent message, especially when he related everything to the final accountability in the judgment.

      When the inner tension became so great he either had to repent or cancel this disturbing meeting, Felix chose the latter. At once he exclaimed, "Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you." What a frightful decision this was that Felix made, for there is no record that he ever obeyed the gospel of Christ and obtained release from his lifetime of sin. The more convenient time that he supposed he would have never came to him or his wife. This ancient politician is a prototype of the countless individuals who have come face to face with God's will for human life, and seeing it is contrary to what they enjoy and desire, decide they will turn away from the moment of truth to find what they think is comfort in the deception of sin.

      Because of the hardening effect of sin, (Heb. 3:13), it is dangerous to circumvent the opportunity to become a Christian. The growth and influence of sin in the heart will make it less sensitive to the appeal of the gospel and less likely to renounce that sin in submission to Christ's call. The "more convenient time" to obey the gospel is the first occasion when your heart indicts you as guilty and challenges you to seek redemption. Thus we are told in II Cor. 6:2, "Now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation."