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Psalm 119 and.
Verse 18.
Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things.
We asked the Lord something blessed are going to be acceptable, brethren.
To or occupy occupation.
For the old as well as the young.
That we find instruction in Second Timothy, chapter 2.
You live in a day in such a chaotic state.
But I believe we who are older need instructions to help us.
In these times of difficulty in trial.
In the world that we live.
And since we have so many young people and also we who are older.
We're not exactly from knowing all the word of God which brings before us.
For our pathways while we await the Lords return.
Chapter 2.
2nd.
Now, therefore, my son.
Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
And the things that thou hast turned me among many witnesses the same commit thou the faithful man, that we shall be able to teach others also.
Now, therefore, in your apartment as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
A man that wore us entangled himself with the affairs of this life, that he may choose him. To his children he would be a soldier.
And if a man also prescribed for masteries, and if he knocks down a piece, Dr. lawfully.
The husband and that laborers must be first partaker of the screws.
Consider what I say, and the Lord gives the understanding and all thinking.
Remember that Jesus Christ of the feet of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.
Wherein I suffered trouble as an evildoer even under bond, but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elected state, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
It is a faithful thing.
Would we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.
If we deny him, he also will deny us if we believe not. Yet He invited faithful, He cannot deny himself.
Of these things but the memory membrane charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words to no prophet, but to the security of the ears.
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Let's shine propane and vein babbling, they will increase unto more ungodly nature, and their word will eat as a changer of whom it is timeliness and politics. Who concerning the truth of the heirs, ain't this resurrection is passed already?
And overthrow the faint of some.
Nevertheless, the foundation of God's standeth sure having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are given, and let everyone that name it the name of Christ, depart from iniquity.
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But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of purges, some to honor and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from thee.
He shall be a vessel under honor, sanctified and meet for the Massachusetts and prepared unto every good work. Please also usefulness to follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace within the color of the Lord. I move to your heart. The foolish unrest question avoids knowing that they do gender strikes and the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men have to teach patience.
In neatness, instructing those to oppose themselves, if God for adventure will give them repentance, could He acknowledge you know the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil? You are taken by him at his will.
Just to compare.
Tennessee and Second Timothy.
The House of God is the subject.
And in the 15th verse of chapter 3 in First Timothy, we read.
But if I carry long that thou mayst know how thou art is to to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. So it presents things on both sides in order, you know. But in the second episode it's in ruin. You know, there is a ruined state depicted.
But in spite of this picture, that is painted very faithfully there by Paul.
He mentions things that abide.
For instance in verse one of chapter one.
Umm, he speaks of, uh, the will of God, he being an apostle according to the will of God, uh, according to the promise of life, which is in Christ Jesus that remains and grace, mercy and peace that remains in God the Father and Christ Jesus. There are even in the day of ruin things that we can cling to by faith we find ourselves.
In ruined condition in the Christian profession.
And we have contributed through that. We're part of it.
We cannot say that we have nothing to do with that. We have contributed to it. Just think of what has happened amongst the gathered things we have contributed to the ruin in the Christian profession. But there is a path for faith, and that is what is shown here in the second chapter especially.
The latter verses you know.
But it begins with individual separation.
But we are not expected to go as individual through this world with them. They call upon the name of the Lord out of a pure heart. There is a collective path even in the day of ruin, and that is so beautiful that that is clearly presented here in the second chapter, especially towards the end. And then God abides faithful. How wonderful.
Uh, he abided faithful we are unfaithful, but he abide faithful He cannot deny himself. So it's wonderful to see in spite of the ruin that is clearly presented, there are things to which faith can claim and rest him.
The setting of the epistle.
Is an old servant of God who has come to the end of his path of service for the Lord, as he indicates in the 4th chapter. And he's encouraging a younger servant of the Lord in the past to carry on and to carry the torch, to be faithful. And so it's a beautiful exhortation for those who have an exercise to serve the Lord and to be faithful in a day like we live.
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Some have thought that the epistles to Timothy are good for our young people, which they certainly are, because we have many young and many of them perhaps are careless and indifferent. Others are maybe lukewarm, not that particularly interested. But really the subject that's before us in the second epistle is that he's addressing his remarks to one who is very exercising concern. Timothy was not a loose and indifferent young person.
A younger brother, he was a servant of the Lord and he was seeking to press on and Paul gives him some helpful advice here as to how to meet the day in which he was living. The 1St chapter is Heinz has mentioned, really gives us the setting and that is the rune of the Christian testimony. You get that in verses.
A number of places, but verse 15 and so on tell us that the sphere where Paul spent most of his laborers in Asia.
That most had turned away from him. In fact, he says all they which be in Asia be turned away from me.
So there was a great giving away from the teachings that the apostle had labored for. And so the first chapter really gives us the setting, the ruin of the Christian testimony. But then the second chapter gives us the right needed spiritual condition to live in that day. And so we have some beautiful exhortations here in the second chapter.
I just mentioned that because often you think that the epistle could be used for exhorting young and indifferent and careless young people. But though we can certainly make our remarks to that end, the subject here is toward one who is extremely exercised in the past.
Timothy, as we read from Philippians chapter two was a man that had a sterling character and a care for the people of God. I just read a verse in Philippians 2 and verse 19 and 20. I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort. And I know your state, for I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state.
It could be translated who has a genuine feeling.
On how you get on.
For all seek your own, and not the things which are Jesus Christ. That was Timothy's character.
Just a couple more things about Timothy. So I just want to read verses and I found on them because sometimes we have the question, well, where do you get this from the book? Where do you get that he was a young man? Well, first Timothy 4 verse 12, let no man decide you to get a sense that he was perhaps a timorous young man. You know, he wasn't a perfect young man. He's a little encouragement, but he wasn't a young man, as has been mentioned, that was backsliding.
Umm, the next chapter comes to post Timothy 5 verse 23, that this bus can obviously be mistaken, but drink no water. No longer water, but use a little wine for my stomach sake. He wasn't a particularly healthy young man, not an athlete, someone that would perhaps naturally draw attention to himself by his physique. He was timorous, unhealthy.
The second Timothy boasts 1A chapter one verse.
Umm, 6 Wherefore I put the remembrance that they'll stir up the gift of God, which is in thee. He needed a little encouragement. Stir up that gift that's within you, Timothy. And then it was brought out, changing subject here, the 1St chapter, the first book of Timothy, we have the House of God in order. And brother Heinz read that post where it says that thou know how that oldest behave myself in the House of God. Well, how do we know that second Timothy, the House of God is in disorder?
Read the book just read it but one vote that comes to mind in particular is verse 20. It's now a chapter 2, the chapter we read but in a great house. There are not any vessels that go in the silver roasted water of earth and some on and some to dishonor. So we have to help God in the first book and help this young man Timothy was to behave himself and that it was a killer, which is the judge of the living God, the piling ground of truth. But in the second book to Timothy we find out that it's a great house and they're not only a vessels on but.
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Dishonored them.
Could someone explain what's meant by that term? The House of God has been used a few times. What does that mean in comparison with, say, the Church of God or the family of God? So we can get the context?
It's the sphere of Christian profession.
You know only true believers are members of the body of Christ.
But everyone who is baptized is in the House of God.
By nominee, he becomes nominally a Christian through baptism. They even use the term Christianing in connection with baptism. Yes, publicly you take the place as a Christian through baptism, but then you are in the House of God.
But you're not necessarily a member of the body of Christ. Only true believers are members of the body of Christ by 1 Spirit. Are we all baptized into one's body? Only true believers belong there. And we are the bride of Christ, you know. But the House of God is larger.
Than the body of Christ they are the true and the false, the good vessels and the vast vessels in Matthew. That's all Speaking of the same thing.
You know, those who nominally are part of the Christian profession, but hopefully.
Once one is in that position, one comes to realize that it is more important to be a true Christian. How do I become a true Christian to personal faith in the Lord Jesus? And what makes you and me a Christian is not that we are born again. We couldn't be a Christian without being born again. We need more than new birth. The Spirit of God takes a vote in our body and that makes us Christians and makes us different from any believer that ever lived before the day of Pentecost.
You know we become Christians through the indwelling of the Spirit. He couldn't indwell us unless we had new life. He doesn't seal a dead professor, but we have to have new birth. And then the Spirit comes to indwell that individual and we better remember that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that is used to exercise the conscience of the Saints. What you sin with that body and with the Holy Spirit dwelt.
You're a Christian and remember that.
And act like that. We can't do it in our own strength.
But the Lord has given us what it takes to live Christian lives if we walk independence upon the Lord Jesus and allow the Spirit of God to control us. And the Spirit grows in US individually and in the assembly collectively, you know, so we become Christians through the indwelling Spirit, and the Spirit dwells in the assembly and he is to be in charge. You know, it's really a terrible thing when they hire a man to head up a local church.
You know that is really replacing Christ and ignoring the fact that the Spirit is there. You know there is a difference between the Spirit being amongst believers and the person of the Lord Jesus to whom we are gathered by the Spirit of God whenever Christians come together.
They do not have to pray as some do, that the Spirit would come. He is there. All they have to do is let Him control, and if He is in control, He will magnify Christ and make people to come to realize the most wonderful thing on earth today is to be truly gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, where He is in the midst, recognizing Him as it, and let Him be in control by the Spirit.
Good, we had two that brother Heinz at the House of God is seen in two different ways, is it not? One is Christ is the builder in which he puts in living stones which we see the the work of Christ going on and all of his perfection. But there is also the House of God committed to man and responsibility. And we know from first Peter that judgment must first begin at the House of God, that which bears the name of God and of Christ and testimony. And we see that in a little example in the seven churches. Admittedly there is the 7 golden candlesticks.
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But we see the Lord among His people as a judge, because there was things that had come in into the way of testimony that were not according to his mind and according to His will. But there still is that work where Christ is the builder, where all is according to God.
We know from Paul's ministry too, that the two main aspects of the assembly that he brings out are the House of God in those two aspects and also the body of Christ. But our brother mentioned the family of God. That's primarily John's ministry, isn't it? Because you read in first John 3, Behold the manner of love the Father asked bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons, or more properly the children of God. Because John brings out the fact that we all have eternal life, and that was what is what brings us into the family of God.
We have that same life and that same nature, whereas John does not develop the truth of the assembly and either its aspect of the of the House of God or the body of Christ. And so as we go to the second epistle of Timothy, we do see the House of God. It's still the House of God. But such confusion has come into it is likened to a great house where there is all sorts of things that are not according to his mind nor according to his will. And so in that context, how wonderful that we have guidance and principles for us.
To go through the Christian pathway not only individually but collectively, according to the will of God.
Brother Darby makes it cool and one in his collective writing that goes I think it's something like this. He says in these days, it is all important that Christians should understand that they are to be Christians. And I just I've always taken that quite to heart because it's it comes right back to one. How do we walk in the world? How do we present ourselves? How do we appear for those in the world around us?
Do we represent as ambassadors for Christ? We represent Him and all that we encounter in the world around us, in our dealings and our association.
Vitally important, especially if it was true in Darby's day that he could make such a quote. How much more so in our day today when we see so much, it is contrary to Christian principles, contrary to Christians behavior. How another has said, you know, in our day that we Live Today, we don't need to say much. We don't need to say much, but we desperately need to live like we are Christians. We need to be.
Christians because more when we observe by those around us as to what we do, how we behave, possibly more than what we can say.
In this difficult day that we live, and you know, that's so good to put that out. The secular world has a word for the great house. It's called Christendom, meaning the Kingdom or the dominion of Christ. And how do Christians act if they recognize?
That they are under the dominion.
Back to our chapter.
Where does the therefore what? What is the point from which Paul is saying, Thou, therefore my son, be strong?
Is it the 15th 1St I. I'm not answering my question, I'm asking further this. Thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me. Thou therefore my son, be strong in the grace.
I wonder if there is no one.
Not a neglect of that which is vital in life and it's brought out in in this chat in these chapters, the first verse of the the book it speaks of the promise of life call an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus that reality, isn't it? And then in the the 10th verse.
We have the presentation of life, but it's now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Who has abolished death and has brought light and immortality to light? Light through the Gospel?
Then we have the participation of Light in the second chapter, in the 11Th verse.
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It is a fateful thing, for if we be dead with them, we shall also live with him.
Then in the third chapter, in the 12Th verse, someone has given this to me and I I'd like to share it. And I think it's very apropos in the sense that there has to be reality. Now we have the pattern of life, yay. And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Then in the 4th chapter.
We have the purpose of life. I charge thee therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the data at his appearance and His Kingdom, preach the Word, etcetera, and so on, the purpose of life.
So in this great House, there's that which should continue on and invite and vitality.
In other words, there's no excuse for giving up.
And it's great. That needs to be emphasized, you know?
It's strong in the grace.
You know God is willing to give this kind of grace to everyone to live for Him.
You know, as I already pointed out, we have no excuse for sin. We have to given everything we need to live Christian lives. But it is the grace of God that has given it to us, and so we should be strong in the grace the law was given to man in the flesh.
And it was testing man in the flesh.
You didn't have to be born again to be on the ground of the law. Every Jew was on that ground. There were those who had true life. You know, they weren't Christians, but it was given to men in the flesh. But in Christianity, we're on the ground of grace and be strong in the grace. Let that grace be demonstrated in your life and.
We are not Speaking of physical strength as it was with the Jew. When he was to overcome his enemies, he was to kill him. That's not the kind of a strength that is given to the Christian.
But it's given to us as Christians is to suffer for the Lord, suffer for the truth, and to be strong in demonstrating what the grace of God has made us to be.
There's another portion or another portion that we should turn to in first Timothy chapter one gives us another little insight as to what the apostle Paul was trying to say Timothy and the force of what was going on in the day that Timothy lived in first Timothy chapter one and verse three it says.
In verse three there, as I besought to abide still at Ephesus.
When I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine.
And so there was the tendency.
In the natural heart, perhaps in the church, in the early church, even in Ephesus, you know, we read that there were 12 Persons there when that assembly began in Ephesus in the book of Acts. And he had to exhort them that they would teach no other doctor. Now doctrine just means that it's an old English word to, to really mean the teaching. And the apostle Paul uses this word doctrine.
Or teaching throughout the epistles to Timothy and both First and Second Timothy, and in Titus particularly.
He uses this word and he says here to take heed of the doctrine. But if you turn back to First Thessalonians chapter 4, you find chapter 5. I'll just read one verse there in verse 21.
First Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 21, it says prove all things, hold fast that which is good. And what is it that we're going to use to prove what is good? It's the word of God. And so This is why he says here in second Timothy in chapter one, he says hold fast the former, the outline of sound words which thou have heard of me and faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
And so he speaks of those that had forsaken him. They had left off the Apostle Paul. Now what had they left? Had they ceased to be his friend, so to speak? No, it was really they were laying aside his doctrine, his teaching, and they were going on with something other than what they had originally been delivered. And so the Spirit of God just very carefully would desire to give the instructions that the doctrine, the apostles doctrine, is that which is of exceeding value in connection with the Church of God.
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The bride of Christ, the body. It's the entire teaching that the apostle Paul brought out, but there was that which they would desire to have in its replacement. And so he says it's something that the Papa Paul brings out particularly he says hold fast in verse 13, hold fast the form of sound words and it's the the thought is two thoughts is that I'm to grip it with tenacity that I'm not to let it go.
And to hold it dearly to my heart, those two things and the tendency in Timothy's day in Second Timothy was to release the grip just to loosen the hand as it were, and to let it slip away. And so now he says in verse two of our chapter, the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou the faithful man, he said, don't change anything. I've got what I received from the word from the Spirit of God.
And don't change anything. And so that's the tendency. Our brother Bruce mentioned that there were some he gave a little bit of background that Timothy was a man that had a desire to please the Lord, to walk in the truth of God. And he's now he's being encouraged to hold fast and not to let it slip away because of what was an exceeding value. And he was going to test everything that he had there by the word of God. And the apostles doctrine was going to be something that he withhold and dearly to his heart.
He doesn't say give it to smart men. No, you know, intelligent, mentally intelligent people, faithful men. A faithful man is one who accepts the truth and walks in a you know, and that is to be our exercise. But you cannot hold anything. You don't have young people. Do you have it? Do you have it?
You know, I'm so thankful when I look back on my life, I had grandparents already that loved the truth, you know, and what a privilege to grow up under that influence. You know, there might be people here who didn't have that kind of a background, you know, but what a privilege to go to meeting.
You know, are we going to attempt the meetings? Are we faithful in attending the meetings?
Well, the first thing is we believe the Lord is there.
Would you want to miss the opportunity to meet the Lord? And then of course, by the Spirit the truth is presented. You know, of course, if we only limit our influence of being influenced by the word of God and Lord, say, and on Wednesday we don't grow very much. You have to expose yourself to it every day. Read the Bible, have a time.
Every day to read the Bible for yourself.
And begin early, you know, begin early to get into that habit. And then when you're reading, ask the Lord in your military, please help me to understand it. And then you will have questions and go to some brother and say, what about that question? I don't understand that I read it. The brother will be pleased to leave sometimes might not have an answer for you that might even lead to that brother looking into the Scriptures to get the answer, you know.
But that there's nothing like feeding on the Word of God individually. You know, if you only had two meals a week, you wouldn't live very long. Speaking of natural food, you don't survive spiritually if you only go to meetings. You know, you need to get into the habit of reading prayerfully the word of God for yourself and then prayerfully read it and you will grow spiritually and it will.
So I work have I hit in my heart not in my head. The scripture says, you know, let it penetrate your heart when your heart's affections for the Lord. You know, of course, if you would never mind. We couldn't take anything in any way, but but it's important is that the Spirit of God uses the mind you know as a tool. The power is the spirit, not the mind and so read the Scriptures prayerfully.
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And get into that habit early.
At go to meeting you know.
And hopefully.
Brothers in the meeting that will take part will remember that there are young people in the BT2 That don't know very much, you know, and that they don't always talk over their heads, you know, to prevent things that they can get a hold of. Sunday school is nice, you know, but of course, if children wouldn't get anything at home, they wouldn't benefit even from going to Sunday's group, not very much by going to Sunday school once a week.
Sunday school is wonderful, you know, but it wasn't started for the children of the same that was started for the children of the world. You know, I'm not against Sunday school, but remember it was started to reach the children of the world. You know, it's a nice thing that we have Sunday school with and, but hopefully the children are not limited to learning the scriptures in Sunday school, learn it at home.
The second verse is really God's Bible school, isn't it? On the corner of Hamden and University here in Denver.
A beautiful piece of property used to be called the Denver Seminary or some such. Well, some businessmen recognize that that piece of property could be used for much greater value and so they bought it out and a few miles down Santa Fe.
They purchased 20 acres and now they can advertise that their Bible school has this, this new facility of 20 acres, just just pristine. They must have gotten a handsome price for it. But you know God has his way. The things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou of faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. This is God's seminary. This is God's Bible school.
Because we are in God's school, aren't we? How important. And, and I'm thankful that that not too far up university a little further is another seminary. And I overheard a conversation that the one further off on the campus of the University of Denver is modern. And the one down by Hampden was what we would call evangelical.
But you know, God doesn't want either one of them. He wants us to learn in consort with the Spirit of God and His people. This is God's training school, isn't it? The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit out of faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. This is the only type of training and school that Timothy got, wasn't it?
4 generations there isn't there?
Tell it well, you probably could tell us better, but if you have in that second verse that things was thou hast heard of me, so you have it from Paul. And then it was given to Timothy among many witnesses. Then he was to take it and pass it to faithful men. That would be the third who were able to teach others also there will be to the 4th. And so that's how the truth is passed on. And So what he's saying here to Timothy, as I understand it.
In these opening verses of the second chapter is in view of the Great Giving Way.
Which he's mentioned in the first chapter, Great. Giving up of his doctrine. In view of that, Timothy was to be involved in disseminating Paul's doctrine. And he tells him the way not set up the school, as you were saying, not set up some university and have a classroom, so to speak, but that he should seek out a faithful man that we're going to walk in the truth and then pass it on to others. That's the thought you're able to teach others also.
Is not referring to gifted men or gifted teachers, but the idea of competency, of wanting to pass it on.
If that were the if that were the what the the verse meant, you might take from this to Timothy was to go look for teachers and have a teachers conference or a teacher meeting and you teach these ones and they would go out and teach others. That's not the thought. He was not to look for gifted men. He was not to look for intellectual men. He was not to look for anything that perhaps the world might seek after, but for faithfulness. And then he used to commit what Paul had given to him or entrust that word should read.
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The very same thing that Paul gave him. You know, the danger today in passing on the truth is to not give it in the same way in which we have heard it or received it. Now, how is that possible? Well, we take our own thoughts and we add to it a little bit, and then we pass it on. And if each one of us did that, after a few generations, you can imagine that it wasn't hard to resemble what was first given. And so we have to be very careful to do as he says here, the same. Commit thou to faithful man.
Not take it and give it a little twist of your own and then pass it on. Things would be lost quickly, wouldn't it?
I might add to that. In First Chronicles chapter 29, I believe we have a beautiful parallel passage.
Because in Second Timothy we have the heart of the apostle desiring that this young man, who he could call my son.
So in the Lord and the blessedness and the enjoyment of the truth, that the House of God might be furthered, you know that Timothy's father, according to the flesh, was a Gentile, perhaps not even a believer, but the heart of the apostle went towards him. And in First Chronicles 29 we have a similar scene, in that we have one generation going off the scene and another generation coming on regarding Solomon and David. Just to read the first few verses there. First Chronicles 29.
Furthermore, David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon, my son.
Whom alone God hath chosen is yet young and tender, and the work is great. For the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. We can understand the House of God. It's for God, it's the House of God. Everything should be according to the mind and will of God. It's not for man, it's for God. Now verse two. Now I have prepared with all my might for the House of my God.
The gold for the things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass. The iron for things of iron and wood for things of wood. Onyx stones, and stones to be set blistering stones, and of divers colors in all manner of precious stones and marble stones of abundance in abundance. Moreover, because I have set my affection to the House of my God, I have of my own proper good of gold and silver which I have given to the House of my God.
Over and above all that I have prepared for the Holy House will.
Just a couple of points here. One is David had set his affection to the House of his God. Is there love?
For the Church of God and his character as the House of God, if the affection is not there, it's going to be an empty, sterile thing.
But further in verse two we see the energy of David to lay up for the next generation.
He is prepared with all his might that Solomon might build this temple. But this comes to mind with respect to what we read about the same. There was gold for the things of gold, and there was silver for the things to be made of silver. It wasn't silver for the things to be made of wood or brass for the things to be made of iron or something of the sort. There was certain things that were to be made of gold, and he given him gold to make the things with gold, not to make things that were should be made out of gold to make it out of silver.
To mix and match, to change things, there was things that were to be made according to certain material, and it was designated that this material is for that. And so how important it is that we rightly divide the word of truth. We cut it in a straight line, that we commit the same to faithful men, that there is a proper understanding of what becomes the House of God. And then two, to recognize it only not only needs a receptive heart to take in the truth, but a willing heart.
To share it and give it forth for that generation coming on.
Amen and remember.
It's not always easy to be a Christian.
Accept that as a fact, and that's what's indicated in verse 3.
Doubt therefore endured sufferings. Mr. Darby Render that is a good soldier of Jesus Christ. You know it's not always easy to be a Christian.
In our land here, we don't have to be afraid of physical suffering. We might be ridiculed, made fun of, and so on, but never mind our brethren in Muslim land and in North Korea in places that killed for the Lord.
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And they are faithful unto death, you know. But there is still suffering connected with being a Christian.
Even in the West here, you know, when students are in school and they don't get involved in things that other students want them to be involved in, they might be ridiculed, made fun of, you know, never mind. That is part of the Christian life. So endure sufferings. We are soldiers. There's a war going on and a soldier is not expecting.
To have a picnic, you know a soldier is expected that he will be shot at, you know when he is in the front line. So expect.
Difficulties. But we're not going through these difficulties alone. The Lord is with us, you know, and He strengthens us and helps us to endure whatever He allows. And it is for His glory if he suffer with Him.
And for him, you know, so we find some of these things explained in Matthew, you know, so we have to be willing to suffer.
And be a soldier.
And don't surrender.
You know the soldier keeps on fighting until the Lord relieves him of the conflict.
Just to go back to verse one for a minute.
Saying it's strong, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. It doesn't say be strong and intestinal fortitude so you can endure or be strong and knowing all these things be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Well, that's not grace that's inside of us being gracious to others. I believe it's the fact that we depend on the grace of the Lord Jesus to help us and if we read biographies of people that have done great things for God, we find out that they.
Feel that they're not able, but they depend on the grace of God to help them in each situation. And so as we're enduring hardness, we might say, I'm not capable of this. It's it's too much for me. But we, like Timothy, can be encouraged to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. We can depend on his grace to help us. And so as we think of things like the doctrine and we say, well, it might be more than I feel I'm capable of.
To correctly layout everything and I have someone that the school or work has asked me a question and do I just kind of dock or for what we say? Well, no. We can be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and we can say I'm I'm not capable of this, but we can look to the Lord and give an answer. And it's not that we're each going to be superheroes and and perfect soldiers and knowledgeable and all the doctrine.
No one achieves that status. All of us have to depend on the grace, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. So no matter what level you might say we might feel we're at, we can do this for the Lord, depending on Him, His grace to help us.
And there's going to be a cost involved, isn't there? But it's going to be worth it all.
By the truth and sell it not in the cost. And here it says in in JMD take my share of suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. I'm going to be suffering connected with it, but it's going to be worth it all, isn't it? And so I just like to encourage the young people and if we're older too, to buy the truth. Don't sell out. Go forward, encourage.
Take the suffering.
It's going to be worth it all in ECG.
You know, it says in Revelation chapter 22 and verse 12, behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me.
With me to give every man according as his work shall be. And so the Lord Jesus uses that term with me so often in his umm, in the Gospels and here in the Book of Revelation. And he says, as it were, I'm going to appreciate it If you suffered with me, if you were partakers in the sufferings of Christ. And you know, the Apostle Peter, he didn't want to suffer with the Lord Jesus that he, he denied the Lord and he it's as if he got to the point where he was going to have to suffer.
00:50:33
It's not worth it. I'm going to just deny that I know the man and but you know, sweet in first and second Peter, the apostle Paul, the apostle Peter uses that word suffering. He uses it and he uses it and he used it and he says, you know, it's worth suffering for the Lord. And so you know, beloved brethren, there's only this time that we live in this scene that we're able to suffer for the Lord when we get home to the glory, the suffering time is going to be over. And now he says my reward is with me. Is he going to appreciate it if we have associated with him in his rejection?
When He comes for us and receives us unto Himself, He's going to appreciate it and we're going to be thankful that we were associated with Him in His rejection. May I also say suffering for Him and suffering with Him.
You know, suffering for him is if we go out with the gospel and we are attacked, that's suffering for him.
But when we see the condition amongst God's people.
And we grieve over it. We're suffering with him. We have feelings like he has, you know, and have fellowship with him, seeing things the way he sees it. You know, it's really sad when you see the divided state among God's people. They ought to be one. That's what we find in the high priestly prayer, that they may be one.
Even as we are one. But what a shameful course has been.
Manifested among so-called Christians, and I'm Speaking of two Christians, you know, and uh, we ought to be exercised to feel these things the way the Lord does, you know, and not get proud and say, oh, we are faithful, you know, we ought to feel the shame that has come upon the name of the Lord to the divided state.
Say 3 or gathered. We have had several risks amongst the gathered things, you know. Do we really feel these things? Humble ourselves, you know, and suffer with him? You know, what does he think when he looks down and sees these things? You know, He is grief. He suffers and we can suffer with him.
In verse four, there is a battle line drawn here.
From the Christian solar. Perhaps someone can speak to where that line exactly lies.
Would you repeat your point in verse four or in verse three We're.
The metaphor of being a good soldier, Jesus Christ, suggests a warfare here.
But then there's a line drawn in four that that warfare is limited to a certain spirit, if you will. Maybe someone could speak to that.
Well, you have to be asking yourself.
Will this interfere with my life for Christ?
You can get married that doesn't necessarily interfere with your life for Christ. You can together live for the law, but there are also things that we can get involved in that uh, uh, is entangling ourselves in the affairs of life. It is not that what we are involved in then can be for the glory of the Lord Jesus, you know, so marriage, there is nothing wrong with it. You know, if you have a.
Merge partner that is a help to you in a spiritual way. What a wonderful thing that is and to be exercised to give a demonstration in our own feeble way of what is true of Christ and the church. Husbands, love your wife as Christ loved the church.
Does any of us that is married?
00:55:02
Can we say that we have loved our lives like Christ loved the Church? But that is nevertheless the standard put before us. You know, in our own feeble way we can demonstrate in our marriage relationship, but we better be careful that some of these natural relationship are not predominant.
We are in these relationships for the Lord, you know, and then we can glorify Him.
In these relationships.
And I won't interfere with our responsibility as a social, you know, the wife can be a tremendous help and assistance in fighting that war.
In verses three and four, he uses the figure of a soldier here and there's two things that he's really bringing out. The third verse, as we've already commented on the the need for enduring hardness and being prepared to suffer for Christ. But then the fourth verse we have another side of things and that is that the soldier needs to be careful to keep himself free from getting entangled in things of this world.
So that he may be free to serve the Lord. And we have to be careful that we don't bring things into our lives that are only going to tie us down and get us occupied with the world and the earth so that we will not be free to use our time and our energy for the Lord. And so he's warning Timothy, be careful here at this point because it's so easy to get entangled with the fares of this life and therefore not be able to be as free as we should be to.
To answer the call of the our commander and the one who has enlisted us.
Are there affairs of this life that seemeth right unto a man seem justifiable in the course of Christian warfare that when you look a little closer, really aren't Amen at the work of the enemy to try to introduce things into our lives that look very things that you should be looking after responsibilities. They may take a certain form.
And, uh, we bring them into our life and then we realize that, uh, afterwards we pay the price and get entangled so that we're not as free as we should be. It's an exercise that we should all be concerned about who live in North America when there's so much that we could bring into our lives because there's so much that offers, it is offered to us as far as things of this life are concerned. You know, those who live in 3rd world countries where there isn't the same opportunities that we have.
Uh, have an advantage over us in some sense. I mean, this is one.
Let's use an example. There's nothing wrong in having a house, right?
But do you have the idea of building a mansion that is way beyond your means and you have a hard time even though meeting your expenses? You know, there's nothing wrong in having a house, but you better live within your means. What about a car? There's nothing wrong to have a car. We couldn't hardly get anywhere in the United States without a car. You know, unless we live in New York, then you can have public transportation.
But so there's nothing wrong in having some of these things, but these must not be the purpose in our life, you know? So we have to be careful. And then of course, we have three things here. We have the affairs of life, Then we have an athlete, and then we have a farmer. These are three types used to explain the Christian life, you know.
When you're running.
Uh, arrays. You better don't step out of line, even though you may end up the first crossing the winning line. You're not crowned because you stepped out of the line, you know? In other words, stay in line as an athlete and then.
The husband man has to later before he can partake. That's the better rendering.
This rendering is misleading. The husband meant that labourers must first be partakers. No, he has to labor before he can't partake. That's the thought that is expressed in verse 6. So we are.
In all of these different ways for the Lord, hopefully, the affairs of this life.
01:00:05
He has chosen us a soldier, let be a soldier and.
And, uh, let's be running the race according to the rules. There are rules even for a Christian. We're not under law, but there are regulations for us as Christians. And then we better labor and we have to labor before we can expect fruit of our labor. You know, hopefully whatever we do, we do. It is the strength that he provides.
Appropriate portion. I'll just read it in First Corinthians 7. But this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remains that both they that have wives be as though they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not. And they that rejoice as though they rejoice not. And they that buy as though they possess not. And they that use this world as not abusing it. For the fashion of this world passes away. And they that use this world as not abusing it.
How? How appropriate isn't it?
Yeah, fits in very well the word of God.
I want to refer to that Mark's Gospel chapter 10 and the Lord Jesus spoke the same thing really to a young man there. And there's 21. Well, let's read verse 20, Mark 10 and verse 20. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. This is particularly a snare in youth, isn't it?
What we're talking about here is, uh, the acquiring of wealth and the acquiring of, uh, the goods of this world and setting our hearts upon a career that would get us farther in this world and so on and so on. The Lord Jesus said to him. Then Jesus, beholding him, loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest, There was just one thing missing. He had everything that life could possibly provide him with, But he said gold eyed way, sell whatsoever thou hast and give the poor, and thou shalt have the treasure in heaven and come.
Take up the cross and follow me. And he was sad at that thing and went away Greece where he had great possession. And so what's a danger to us to have possessions? And so the world is just taken up with the things that manufacture, that manufacturers, and it takes and polishes them up real well. And the heart is distracted, It's divided from Christ. And that's what idolatry is. It's something that comes in between my heart and the Lord.
And my heart is distracted and the Lord said to this young man, he just was missing just one thing and he needed to go and sell all that he had and then there wouldn't be that hindrance. And so it's a warning that each one of us is brothers said that we need to just war and not entangle ourselves. Otherwise it's the spiritual conflict that we have that will take that will suffer. We're not going to have that success as it were in the spiritual realm of things. There's going to be the enemy will gain an advantage.
And so we need to be aware of his tactics in that way. There's nothing wrong for a Christian to have things.
But what he holds in a material way is only a steward. It belongs to another. Luke chapter 16. If one isn't faithful in that which is another, that's the material things. The true riches will not be entrusted to him. I have related that at different times my grandpa was taking a laborer to visit the homes of the Christians, you know, and he went to a home.
Of a man and a brother that was taking the labor said Now we're coming to the House of a brother who is rich, but he's poor.
You see, he did look at the possessions he had in the right way. And then they came at a House of another brother and the brother said, now we're coming to a brother who is poor, but he's rich. He was rich in the things of God. Well, there's nothing wrong in having things.
But do we look at it in the right way? I'll be faithful to us. It belongs to another. You know, we're only stewards and we better conduct ourselves in such a way that we can get his approval.
We said that verse five is the figure of an athlete being used here. You would better see that if you looked at the Jan Darby translation that made something like this. And if a man also strives in the Games, it adds for masteries he's talking about, it's an allusion to the Olympic Games, whether they're athletes striving for the medals or the crown or whatever that was given. And the point here, as we know the context of the chapter, is the serving the Lord.
01:05:27
At this young labor was to do and the point is Heinz is mentioned is that he was to serve him according to the rules of the of the game, so to speak. And so God has principles in his word, the way in which we are to serve him if we're going to meet his approval and get rewarded in the coming days.
Is possible for a person to not serve along the lines of the principles of the Word of God, and we're going to lose our reward?
We will bring into the House of God wood, hay, and stubble with our energies and with our laborers. And so it's important that we would strive lawfully, as He says, or according to the principles of His Word. There are many. I'm not picking on any Christian groups or anything, but I'm just saying there are many Christians who do things in their service as they seek to serve God that I just don't feel with my conscience before God and with an open Bible that I could do and.
We leave them with the Lord, and He will weigh that in the coming day. But with the light that I have, I just don't feel that I should bring to my gospel service or work that I seek to do for the Lord a electric guitar and a rock band or whatever to try to win souls for Christ. I for my own conscience. I believe that I would not be striving lawfully. I would not be serving according to the principles of God's Word and bringing in what is of the world and what is of nature to draw upon and to work upon the senses of the audience.
To create some effects, I want to leave it open for the Spirit of God's work in a soul. So I present the Word of God in that only and Christ from the Scriptures. I give that as an example of striving lawfully in our service.
But music hath charm.
And it does. I mean I I could envision myself.
In a group like you mentioned are overhearing a group and it has a charm. I may not enjoy that particular piece. I may not enjoy that particular piece, but music has charms. But what does the Spirit of God want to use to charm? If we can use that word, charm our hearts, the person of his beloved Son.
No substitute for it.
The condition of the heart is so important.
You know, why don't we as brethren have no musical instruments?
That was acceptable under Judaism, right? Because it was a worship for men in the flesh.
But in Christianity.
It's the spirit of God that leads to singing at the hemorrhagic says join the singing that he leadeth is an expression in one of the hymns you know so there's nothing wrong in singing as good as we can sing but.
We are not.
Introducing things that were acceptable in Judaism. Robot singing is what will even be in heaven. Our portion, they sing a new song. Wasn't there a little bit of honey in the offering? What's that? There was no honey, no honey in the offering to bring sweetness was there. And we're not saying that we we decry music.
We are not saying that music is wrong for a Christian. What we are saying is using it in our service for the Lord to draw souls to Christ, or as Heinz has alluded to, even worshipping the Lord.
I have very much enjoyed to listen to the Messiah.
You know, beautiful music, scripture, put in melodies, you know, and I feel personally the tunes fit with what is expressed in the song, you know, but we won't introduce that kind of a thing in the meeting. But I can enjoy it and we have listened to it in the car, you know, and it's an enjoyable thing, but.
01:10:03
To be better, remember that in the meeting the Spirit of God is spiritually the Lord Himself. In Hebrews 2 in the midst of the church will I sing that phrase, you know, And He leads to singing. Join the singing that He leadeth.
So let's see and prayers and praise of Christ as this sweet pursue, yes and love the sense of reason to consume right?
Philippians 3 Three. We are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit.
Rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.
Worship God by the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Adding music to our service for the Lord is only one thing that we could mention with regard to perhaps not serving according to the principles of God's Word.
Music, as you know, does stir the emotions. I think of. You mentioned handle, but I think of.
Largo by I got married to that when they we walked down the aisle. Every time it's played and I listened to it, it brings still a tear to my eye. It is so an emotional.
Umm, music. But uh, is emotion what we should be seeking to use to reach souls? It's possible even to to preach in such a way as we use the emotion to to create an effect in our audience, Maybe stories or whatever. No, I think that if we would rely upon the power of the Word of God as used by the Spirit of God.
That would be striving lawfully and God would use it, and there would be a real work and a soul. But if a person gets saved or converted by some other means, umm.
You know, we can't ever hinder the Word of God. And as it says in this chapter, the word of God is not bound. He God uses His Word wherever it is it is proclaimed. But for the servant of the Lord, he needs to be an exercise before God as to serving according to the principles of God's Word.
Some may have more light as to this than others. We have to leave them with the Lord. As we said, we're not here. We're trying to bash other Christians or anything like that what they may do.
But each one of us is our conscience before God with regard to our service for the Lord. Lord gives a little light on that in Deuteronomy chapter 22, and it's worth reading. And it says in Deuteronomy 22 and verse nine, I'll just read that verse 9. Thou shalt not show thy vineyard. That's a place of fruitfulness for Christ, your own work for the Lord. Thou shalt not so thy vineyard with diverse seeds, two different kinds of seeds, the flesh vineyard and the spirit. Perhaps you can save lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown.
And the fruit of thy vineyard be defiled. Mr. Darby translation, he uses the word forfeited. And so you could read it this way, that less the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard be forfeited. And so someone might get saved, if I bring musical instruments, and we preach the gospel of grace and kindness of God, and so on, and thank God that souls are saved. The word of the Lord is not found, and the Spirit of God is at work.
And yet if I work in disobedience to the word of God and the principles of the truth of the word of God, the Lord says I'm going to forfeit that that reward. You won't get the reward. You could have got it if you striven lawfully. You knew what the truth was, but you didn't walk in it. And so isn't it lovely the the apostle Paul here just encourages Timothy to strive lawfully and we just need to encourage one another veteran to strive lawfully according to the truth of God. And we may not understand the way we ought to understand And if we just have someone just come to us and.
Come up to the sign and say, you know, you might see things a little bit differently, but I just suggest a word of Scripture that would give you a little light to help you in that little work that you're doing in your vineyard for the Lord. And then, you know, there's we might correct one another and what grace, what kindness just to say a word to one another. And so this is what the apostle Paul was saying to Timothy. Don't just do a work for the sake of doing the work for the Lord. That's not what he wants. No, he wants it done in accordance to his word.
You have to be patient and allow people to grow, you know?
01:15:06
We have had the experience that a couple came to meeting, they were saying but she wouldn't cover her head.
We didn't pressure her and say, listen here, you're not scriptural. We just left it up to the Lord. But it didn't take long and she came with her head covered. You know, I'm using that as an example. Just give people an opportunity to see things without making it a rule.
You know, but uh, had the subject come up, you know, we would have faithfully pointed it out. But uh, still we have to give people a chance to grow in their understanding, you know, and the Spirit of God will give them more light. We still need more light every one of our side. I believe This is why the Spirit of God uses this word in in first in the verse 7 considered what I say.
And.
The Lord will give the understanding in all things.
So we're to be spiritually exercised about those things that are brought to our attention and those principles that would give us more light, or to consider those things and how thankful we can be for those that will consider and then walk in a clean path with the Lord in connection with head coverings. I won't give you all the circumstances of it, but there's a brother in fellowship and that.
Wanted to remarry because his wife had died.
And he had this Christian friend that just couldn't see head coverings. And So what did he call? He went. He went to the Internet and there he found an 18 page article by a Presbyterian minister that was the finest presentation that he had ever read. And the brethren that he showed it to said it was absolutely the finest of the fine in cash with a head coverage.
Presbyterian minister, 18 pages and also he found and this strikes very close to home. I even forget the family name but this sister meets in Buena Park and it's 6 pages and she is a triplet so you know them far better than I and.
She came to the point. Apart from the 18 pages of the Presbyterian minister, she came to the point.
That, she said, I must bow to the word of God.
And that was her testimony.
And some of you know her personally.
So God has his representatives.
And has his truth that is adhered to and we can be thankful for it.
Be safe for what we know in what you know, and He will give more life.
As thou goest step by step, I will open up the way before you.
Sweet the song may be no heart, but of the spirit thought makes melody to thee, 206.
17.
Unpleasant is the sound of praying, and well becomes the things of God that we refuse our songs to raise the stones might tell I came by for him who watches his blood. Let us our sweetest songs prepared. He thought it's one reason far from God, and now preserves us our history.
Connection with the two hymns that we've sung.
I want to read Ephesians 5 verses 19 and 20.
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
A couple of more verses, uh, Luke 1464748 And Mary said, My soul that magnifies the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior, for he hath regarded the lowest state of his handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all generation shall call me blessed. Thinking of the thought of the prodigal son coming home, it says. And they began to make marries, it began to course.
01:20:27
Standard. Sometimes that course goes a little dim and we need to be restored to the Lord, to that joy and that song. But we can bless Him for it so that He does restore our soul.