“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Heb. 11:5). 

There is not much said about the man Enoch, the son of Jared of the line of Seth.  However, his story is a life to be studied.  He is noteworthy of a man of faith who pleased God.  That alone says something of value.  Consider three other lessons from Enoch.

1.  A Godly Progenitor.  The first lesson learned from Enoch is the bloodline of his fathers and his subsequent bloodline down to Noah.  It is written, “Adam, Sheth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth” (1 Chron. 1:1-4).  Genesis 5 is the record from Moses giving more details of this lineage.  While Adam had a fleshly line through Cain as seen in Genesis 4:16-24, such was a line that did not seek after the ways of God.  It is stated of the line of Seth, “And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord” (Gen. 4:25-26).  Here one sees that the line of Adam through Seth were godly men who looked to God.  While it is possible to be godly having come from a godless family heritage, it is a tremendous blessing to come from those who fear God and continue to pass that down to the next generations.

2.  A Godly Personage.  Moses wrote specifically of Enoch, “And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God; and he was not; for God took him” (Gen. 5:21-24).  Here are some details that show what kind of person Enoch was from a family and spiritual standpoint.  He walked with the true God which was a walk of faith (cf. Heb. 11:5) and showed his lineage for three hundred years what a godly man looked like.  When one does the math of how old Enoch was at the birth of Methuselah and Lamech, the grandson of Enoch, one sees that both of these men had Enoch’s godly life exemplified before them before he was translated.  Lamech could tell Noah, the great-grandson of Enoch, about his ancestor and the special person that he was.

3.  A Godly Prophet.  Jude wrote, “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 14-15).  Enoch did not live in a world where everyone was godly.  He is noted here as being God’s prophet to seek to turn the ungodly of his day unto the Lord.  The judgment day of the Lord was a major subject of his prophetic work.  The Lord would demonstrate divine judgment upon the world within three generations of Enoch in the days of Noah.  The final judgment was foretold by Enoch that all might heed and prepare.  Enoch’s translation shows life after this life.

Jimmy Clark

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Col. 3:15). 

Gratitude is a natural part of being a Christian.  One who is not thankful is characterized as one who turns from God.  Paul wrote to the Roman brethren, “Because that , when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Rom. 1:21).  Being thankful can be expressed in so many ways.  Consider three.

1.  Prayer.  How can the Christian not thank the Lord in prayer?  Paul stated of prayer, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men” (1 Tim. 2:1).  One does not have to look long in Paul’s letters to the brethren to see his thanksgiving to God for fellow Christians (cf. Rom. 1:8; 1 Cor. 1:4; Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3; Col. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2; 2 Thess. 1:3; 2 Tim. 1:3; Philemon 4).  How much do Christians need other Christians?  When a loved one is sick, there are prayers for their recovery.  When there is healing, there should be prayers of thanksgiving.  When a blessing comes in many different ways, being grateful should be a genuine expression.  Thank you cards are often sent to congregations due to the thoughtfulness of good people to show care.  May it always be the case that gratitude is the attitude toward grace.

2.  Praise.  Paul wrote to the Colossians, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16).  How many psalms are there which develop the theme of thanksgiving?  It is written, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Ps. 100:4).  The very concept of Paul’s words “sing with grace in your hearts” (Col. 3:16) reveals this same concept of praising the Lord through thanksgiving.  There is one translation that gives these very words: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16, ESV).  How can the Christian who comprehends the great gift of salvation through Christ not sing with thanksgiving?  It is as Paul wrote, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15).

3.  Practice of Life.  Paul closed the paragraph of Colossians 3:12-17 with the words, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col. 3:17).  Notice here that the life of the Christian is to reflect both in word and work a gratitude for all that God has done through Christ.  One would be an ingrate to have such blessings and then live contrary to the authority of the Lord.  One is to pattern their life after the model of Christ.  John wrote, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” (1 John 2:6).  Paul wrote to the Philippian brethren, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Phil. 4:9).  A life that is so attune with the qualities taught in the Bible is the godly, grateful life.         

Jimmy Clark

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you” (Phil. 3:13-15). 

Everyone wants to be a winner.  This is emphatically important in the spiritual sense.  Paul was zealous before he became a Christian (cf. Gal. 1:13-14) and more so afterward (cf. 1 Cor. 15:10).  Paul is a great example of one who knew what a winning attitude is like and how to speak of it to others.  Consider three of his inspired thoughts.

1.  Centralized Focus.  A divided heart is a certain setup for failure.  James wrote, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8).  Single-minded focus is a key to successful spiritual living.  The inspired apostle specifically stated, “this one thing I do” (Phil. 3:13).  Jesus had this as his driving purpose, where he said, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34).  There are so many things in this life that can choke out the efficiency of the word of God in life.  Jesus said, “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful” (Matt. 13:22).  Paul is an example of the good ground (cf. Luke 8:15) where nothing would be allowed to hinder the effect of the word of God in his life in Christ.

2.  Ceasing to Live in the Past.  One cannot move forward and continue to live in the past.  Jesus himself stated, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).  Paul wrote of pressing forward by first saying, “forgetting those things which are behind” (Phil. 3:13).  Only the Christian can fully do this.  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).  Having been forgiven of one’s sins now provides the opportunity to live a productive and winning life. 

3.  Confident in the Prize Set Before.  Paul’s life is an example in confidence.  His was not that of self-confidence (cf. Phil. 3:9) but of the assurance he had in Christ (cf. Rom. 5:1-2).  It is out of this confidence that he could write, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).  It is toward the end of his life that he would say, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12).  Again, Paul wrote at the closing of his life, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6-8).  As a confident athlete who finishes the racecourse to receive his crown of victory, Paul saw by faith his glorious crown given to him in the end.  A rock-solid faith like that has value for daily living as well for the challenges unto the end.

Jimmy Clark

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Col. 3:15). 

Gratitude is a natural part of being a Christian.  One who is not thankful is characterized as one who turns from God.  Paul wrote to the Roman brethren, “Because that , when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Rom. 1:21).  Being thankful can be expressed in so many ways.  Consider three.

1.  Prayer.  How can the Christian not thank the Lord in prayer?  Paul stated of prayer, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men” (1 Tim. 2:1).  One does not have to look long in Paul’s letters to the brethren to see his thanksgiving to God for fellow Christians (cf. Rom. 1:8; 1 Cor. 1:4; Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3; Col. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2; 2 Thess. 1:3; 2 Tim. 1:3; Philemon 4).  How much do Christians need other Christians?  When a loved one is sick, there are prayers for their recovery.  When there is healing, there should be prayers of thanksgiving.  When a blessing comes in many different ways, being grateful should be a genuine expression.  Thank you cards are often sent to congregations due to the thoughtfulness of good people to show care.  May it always be the case that gratitude is the attitude toward grace.

2.  Praise.  Paul wrote to the Colossians, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16).  How many psalms are there which develop the theme of thanksgiving?  It is written, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Ps. 100:4).  The very concept of Paul’s words “sing with grace in your hearts” (Col. 3:16) reveals this same concept of praising the Lord through thanksgiving.  There is one translation that gives these very words: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16, ESV).  How can the Christian who comprehends the great gift of salvation through Christ not sing with thanksgiving?  It is as Paul wrote, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15).

3.  Practice of Life.  Paul closed the paragraph of Colossians 3:12-17 with the words, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col. 3:17).  Notice here that the life of the Christian is to reflect both in word and work a gratitude for all that God has done through Christ.  One would be an ingrate to have such blessings and then live contrary to the authority of the Lord.  One is to pattern their life after the model of Christ.  John wrote, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” (1 John 2:6).  Paul wrote to the Philippian brethren, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Phil. 4:9).  A life that is so attune with the qualities taught in the Bible is the godly, grateful life.                                                                                        

Jimmy Clark

“But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the Lord of hosts. For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong” (Zech. 8:11-13). 

A study of the remnant or the faithful within the nation is a great necessity to see how God works among the saved.  The concept of the remnant is found even in the New Testament.  Paul wrote, “Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:” (Rom. 9:27).  Again, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Rom. 11:5).  These faithful had a proper understanding of spiritual things and thus were blessed by the Lord.  Consider three specifics that the remnant understood.

1.  Heavenly-minded is the Correct Perspective.  Whenever the nation turned away from God, the remnant within the nation kept their heavenly-minded perspective.  Isaiah wrote, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth” (Isa. 10:20).  The remnant do not place their dependency upon the strength of man, but upon the Lord.  Heavenly resources, not human and self-made strength, are the staple of true living.  Examples of this kind of thinking are found in the lives of people like the prophets of the Lord, Mordecai, Esther, Zerubbabel and the like. 

2.  Humbleness is the Attitude for Honor.  Solomon wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility” (Prov. 15:33).  Again, “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit” (Prov. 29:23).  The remnant were often objects of contempt and persecution, even among their own people.  Nevertheless, it is the remnant who ultimately survived to bring about God’s great purpose.  One must always remember that “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).

3.  Holy Living is the Proper Course.  It is written, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” (Heb. 12:14).  Paul wrote to the Roman brethren, “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Rom. 6:22).  Peter wrote, “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:14-16).  The remnant relied heavily upon the Holy One of Israel (cf. Isa. 10:20).  Those with the attitude of “I am holier than thou” (Isa. 65:5) would not stand in the end.  The Lord declares of the man that is blessed by God, “but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word” (Isa. 66:2).  He lives to approve what is acceptable to the Lord (cf. Rom. 12:1-2).                  

Jimmy Clark

“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple” (Ps. 27:4). 

David knew where true beauty was found.  While some seek fleshly beauty (cf. Gen. 6:2) and others value beauty in material things (cf. Eze. 7:19-20), true spiritual beauty is the ideal.  Consider three particulars that should be seen in their beauty.

1.  Heavenly Messengers.  Isaiah wrote, “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean” (Isa. 52:1).  Such a statement is set against the following statement.  “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (Isa. 52:7).  The Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul cites this passage as referring to the sending of preachers to proclaim the gospel of Christ (cf. Rom. 10:15).  The beauty of these messengers is in their good tidings of peace.  Truly is it a beautiful thing to know the gospel of peace (cf. Eph. 6:15) that brings a real peace with God (cf. Rom. 5:1).

2.  Humble Salvation.  The beauty of salvation is the blessing upon the humble, meek and lowly.  It is written, “For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation” (Ps. 149:4).  Hosea closes his writing with the promise of God, “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon” (Hosea 14:4-6).  And again, it is stated, “In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people” (Isa. 28:5).  Zechariah wrote, “And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids” (Zech. 9:16-17).

3.  Holy Worship.  True spiritual worship in keeping with God’s will is beautiful to embrace.  God purposed that the priesthood of Aaron and his sons wear beautiful garments (cf. Ex. 28:2, 40).  The place for worship was glorified and beautified (cf. Chron. 3:6; Ps. 96:6; Isa. 60:13; 64:11; Ezra 7:27).  Even the object of worship, God Himself, is identified as beautiful (cf. Job 40:10; Ps. 50:1-2; 90:17).  It is no wonder that there are so many passages describing the beauty of holy worship.  “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (1 Chron. 16:29).  It is stated of king Jehoshaphat, “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever” (2 Chron. 20:21).  David had written, “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Ps. 29:2).  See also Psalm 96:9.  Surely God’s people above all people see the beauty of true worship.        

Jimmy Clark

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11). 

The Holy Spirit through Paul is here indicating what God has provided for the soldier of Christ to stand against the devil.  When one looks at the equipment, there are various things that show the importance of the word of God in battling Satan.  It is no wonder that since faith comes through the word of God (cf. Rom. 10:17) that there would be “the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Eph. 6:16).  Especially of note is the offensive weapon of the Christian, where it is stated, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17).  Consider three aspects of significance when studying Satan and the word of God.

1.  His Attack on the Word of God.  The first indication of Satan’s conflict with the word of God is seen in the garden of Eden.  Moses wrote, “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Gen. 3:1).  Notice here that Satan attacked what God said to man.  The actual word of God is recorded by Moses.  “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17).  The woman knew what God said, as it is written, “And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die” (Gen. 3:2-3).  The serpent proceeds to deny the accuracy of the word of God.  Here begins a pattern of attack upon the truth of the word of God of which all must be aware.

2.  His Aim to Take Away the Word of God.  Jesus points out the meaning of the way side soil with the words, “Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved” (Luke 8:12).  One may appear to interpret Satan’s approach of taking the word out of the heart as against the will of the hearer, but such is not the case.  A Biblical illustration of Luke 8:12 is seen in Acts 13.  A certain Sergius Paulus wanted to hear the word of God (cf. Acts 13:7) and it is stated, “But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith” (Acts 13:8).  Paul accurately states, “O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:10).  Here is Satan again working to strive to meet his aim.3.  His Abuse of the Word of God.  When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he quoted Psalm 91:11-12 (cf. Matt. 4:6).  Jesus countered by saying, “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Matt. 4:7).  Jesus believed Psalm 91 but not the interpretation Satan was putting on it.  Satan was abusing the word to fit his purpose.  Jesus knew the Bible (cf. Deut. 6:16) and used the sword of the Spirit.  Twisting passages is one of Satan’s greatest tools (cf. 2 Peter 3:16-17).

Jimmy Clark

“So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water” (Ex. 15:22). 

Previous to the event of the crossing of the Red sea, God through Moses had lead the Israelites out of Egypt.  The leadership of Moses would be critical in the coming years as the wilderness times would demand his focused attention.  There are several points to consider of this wilderness experience, but three will be explored here as vital aspects of great leadership.

1.  Forbearance.  The history of the nation in the wilderness as they approached Moses with their problems can be summed up in a word: “murmurings” (Ex. 16:7).  The low grumbling of the people among themselves came to the ears of Moses on several occasions (cf. Ex. 15:24; 16:2; 17:3; Num. 14:27; 17:5).  Forbearing with such is a necessary quality of great leadership.  While some (and at times not a few) will not be satisfied with the conditions of the times, leadership leans on God for direction and strength.  The Holy Spirit through Paul cites this spirit of discontent as a quality not to be among Christians (cf. 1 Cor. 10:10).  Whether the leadership be in the home, the church, civil government or any such entity, forbearance must be the focus in difficult times.  Paul wrote of the Christian’s conduct under the subject of unity, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (cf. Eph. 4:2-3).

2.  Forgiveness.  When the nation committed a great sin (cf. Ex. 32:21, 30) in the worship of idolatry, Moses appealed to God to be merciful in remembering the covenant made to the fathers (cf. Ex. 32:11-13).  After coming down from the mountain and confronting the people, it is recorded, “And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin --; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book, which thou hast written” (Ex. 32:30-32).  Here is a strong appeal for forgiveness by the leader who had done no wrong in this case.  Leadership truly seeks to do everything in its power to bring forgiveness for the wrongs of others.  No greater service is there than for a people to be brought to a right condition before God.

3.  Fidelity.  While most of the nation turned to unbelief and died in the wilderness (cf. Heb. 3:19), Moses was steadfast with God.  It is written of him, “And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after” (Heb. 3:5).  While Bible students know that Moses was not sinless (cf. Num. 20:1-13), his fidelity as a leader was not faulty.  He stood with God and never had the slightest waver of doubt toward God.  He is listed among those whose faith is to be respected (cf. Heb. 11:24-28).  This is stressed explicitly of those who lead.  “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation” (Heb. 13:7).  “Wilderness” leadership will never be easy.  However, it will always be valuable and profitable.                                                                                                                                      Jimmy Clark

“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul” (Heb. 10:38-39). 

These words summarize the major thrust of the book of Hebrews.  The writer cites the Old Testament axiom of the just living by faith and those who are God’s people doing the same in that present time.  Ponder three questions pertaining to personal faith and consider the overall question “How is your faith?”

1.  How is the Earnestness of Your Heeding?  The book of Hebrews begins with the exhortation of heeding.  “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (Heb. 2:1).  Retaining what one has learned is key to a strong faith.  The book of Hebrews begins with a series of details about the greatness of Christ over many highly respected facts and people of Hebrew history.  Since faith is to be “toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21), then it is necessary to hold on intensely to the facts of the Lord.  His deity, his sinless life, his infallible teaching, his death, burial and resurrection along with his ascension to heaven to serve as High Priest (cf. Heb. 8:1) are all facts that support faith in the heart of the believer.  How strongly one holds to the facts and sees the practical implications of those facts says much about one’s faith.

2.  How is the Exercising of Your Senses?  When addressing the difference between one who is still a babe and one who is maturing in the faith, it is stated, “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Heb. 5:14).  What one eats spiritually affects the inner man in every way.  After having eaten the right things, one must then exercise them as a part of one’s sensibilities in order to profit.  This physical allusion paints the clear picture that retention of information is heightened by practice of living.  The Bible speaks of saving faith being a working faith (cf. James 2:14-26).  The more one puts into practice the things learned in Scripture the more one knows by experience the truth of those principles.  Memorizing and quoting verses of the Bible do not necessarily depict a strong faith.  Remember that the devil can quote Scripture (cf. Matt. 4:6).

3.  How is the Endurance of Your Willpower?  It is further stated in Hebrews, “And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb. 6:11-12).  Endurance is a theme in the book of Hebrews (cf. Heb. 11:25; 12:1-2).  While facts of the faith hold the intellect and the love of God motivates the soul, the promises of God lead one to stay with the faith in Christ who will see the believer to the end.  Whenever there is a lapse in dedication, one can often look at the patience or endurance of one struggling as a root cause.  It is written, “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Heb. 10:36).  Pondering these thoughts, how is your faith?              

Jimmy Clark

“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). 

This is the first reference to the word ekklhsia, ekklesia, i.e. “church” in the New Testament.  The word comes from the lips of Jesus and involves his personal building of the church; namely “my church” (Matt. 16:18).  It is stated in the Old Testament, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it” (Ps. 127:1).  While this particular passage in the psalm refers directly to building the family, the church is a family in a spiritual sense (cf. 1 Tim. 3:15).  It behooves all serious Bible students to ponder deeply and carefully into the mind of deity to see what are the real sensibilities of God toward the church.  What does the church mean to God?

1.  The Purpose of God from Eternity.  Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him” (Eph. 3:10-12).  Any who would say that the church was a mere afterthought in the mind of God due to the rejection of the Jews concerning Jesus and the kingdom cannot harmonize that position with Paul’s definitive declaration here.  The church is nothing more and nothing less than the very product of what God had in mind from eternity.  Before time and space, the eternal purpose of God was to bring the church into the world through the work of Jesus.  Those beings in heavenly places know that.  It is important for all mankind to know that.  The Old Testament is replete with citations of God’s purpose to establish the kingdom through the coming of the Messiah (cf. Dan. 2:44; 7:13-14).  That kingdom is realized in the church, the kingdom of heaven (cf. Matt. 16:18-19; Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9).  What does deity think of the church? It is the essence of the eternal purpose of God.

2.  The Purchased Possession Through His Son.  Paul stated to the elders from Ephesus, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).  What value does God place upon the church? The blood of Christ is the answer.  One must value the church from this vantage point and never despise what God values.

3.  The Pillar and Ground of the Truth.  Paul wrote to Timothy, “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).  The God of truth (cf. Deut. 32:4) expects his people to “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), loving while it “Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6), to “speak every man truth with his neighbour” (Eph. 4:25) and many other activities tied to truth with like passages of reference.  Each lost soul which came to the saved relationship with God became purified “in obeying the truth” (1 Peter 1:22).  One is sanctified by the truth, which is the word of God (cf. John 17:17).  Therefore, the church is to continue to have “the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thess. 2:10).                                    

Jimmy Clark