Correspondence: Rom. 13:14; Acts 2:16-18; 1 Tim. 5:8

From: Young Christian: Volume 2, 1912

1 Timothy 5:8; Acts 2:16‑18 • 4 min. read • grade level: 9

Question 41: What does Romans 13:14¹⁴But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Romans 13:14) mean? A. G. P.

Answer: Read Romans 13:11-14¹¹And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. ¹²The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ¹³Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. ¹⁴But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Romans 13:11‑14). We are waiting for the Lord’s coming, and our behavior is to correspond with our character as children of light. We are to walk honestly, as in the day. We are not to give way to the lusts of the flesh, but make the Lord Jesus our pattern, and thus put on in our practical life, the Lord Jesus Christ, making no provision to indulge in worldly desires and pleasures.

It is quite right to make provision for our households and bodily needs. The contrast in verse 13 will help to make plain what the Apostle meant.

Question 42:What is the meaning of Acts 2:16,17,18¹⁶But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; ¹⁷And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: ¹⁸And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: (Acts 2:16‑18): “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel,” in reference to “your sons and your DAUGHTERS shall prophesy?” W. H. E.

Answer: It was so marvelous to hear men speak “the wonderful works of God” in tongues they had not learned, that in amazement they say, “What meaneth this?” Others said, “These men are all full of new wine.” Peter answers, “These men are not drunken as ye suppose.” “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” Joel prophesied of the pouring out of the Spirit on all flesh when the millennial reign of Christ begins, in the time of Israel’s restoration; and extraordinary signs as in Acts 2:17-18¹⁷And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: ¹⁸And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: (Acts 2:17‑18), will accompany it. But, notice, Acts 2:19-20¹⁹And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: ²⁰The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: (Acts 2:19‑20), show signs of a different kind, in heaven and earth, in sun and moon. These will precede the blessing, as said, “before the great and notable day of the Lord come.”

What we see in Acts 2, is the same Spirit that now indwells believers only, and baptizes them into one body (1 Cor. 12:12-13¹²For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. ¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:12‑13)), and forms the limited aspect of the house of God (1 Tim. 3:15¹⁵But 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 Timothy 3:15); Eph. 2:22²²In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22)); but this is not yet the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy; it is a different people who now receive the Spirit.

In Acts 21:9⁹And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. (Acts 21:9), Philip’s four daughters prophesy. (See also 1 Cor. 11:4-5⁴Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head. ⁵But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. (1 Corinthians 11:4‑5).) We do not get women in Scripture praying in public or preaching to saints or sinners. So we need to think of them exercising this gift where and when it would be according to Scripture.

Question 43: Does 1 Timothy 5:8⁸But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. (1 Timothy 5:8) include the thought of one laying by in store against death: as by life insurance and the purchase of a house for the benefit of those dependent upon him? If not, what scripture would show the Lord’s mind in regard to those matters? F. F. S.

Answer: 1 Timothy 5:8 speaks of a believer’s duty to provide for the present need of those dependent upon him, and this extends sometimes to caring for a mother or sister (1 Tim. 5:16¹⁶If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed. (1 Timothy 5:16)), that they might not be a charge to the assembly. Unbelievers, with only natural affection to guide them, will care for their households. If a believer did not, it would be a reproach to the truth.

Matthew 6:19-34¹⁹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ²²The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. ²³But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! ²⁴No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. ²⁵Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? ²⁶Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? ²⁷Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? ²⁸And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: ²⁹And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? ³¹Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? ³²(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. ³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ³⁴Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:19‑34) tells us not to be anxious about the future. We can only provide for them according as God has prospered us; the rest we are to cast upon Him (Phil. 4:6⁶Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6)).

Man is a steward of what is committed to him. The believer with a heavenly calling is also a steward of all the Lord gives him. If he allows his heart to be taken up with earthly things, his spiritual enjoyment is hindered; he does not enjoy “his own” portion, the “true riches” (Luke 16:11-12¹¹If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? ¹²And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? (Luke 16:11‑12)). He is responsible, and therefore should seek guidance from the Lord (Prow, 3:6), when to spend, when to keep, when to give, and how to trade with it (Luke 19:13¹³And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. (Luke 19:13)).

It is against natural affection, and it would certainly be wrong, not to do our best to provide for our children (2 Cor. 12:14¹⁴Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. (2 Corinthians 12:14)): at the same time we should seek to teach them dependence on God, and exercise our own hearts to walk in it, avoiding a covetous spirit that desires what we have not, lest to get it, we leave the path of dependence upon God, for some invention of man’s, that appeals to our natural selfishness, by offering us something large for very little, and, what is worse— for it destroys dependence on God— promises immunity from need, thus depriving the soul of the exercise needed to walk with God.

The path of faith is to trade with what God has put into our hands; to go beyond this is getting into debt, to trade with other people’s capital. We should avoid debt, and seek to be content with what God has given us (Matt. 6:24²⁴No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24); 1 Tim. 6:9-11⁹But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. ¹¹But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (1 Timothy 6:9‑11)).

There is nothing to hinder us buying a house, or whatever we may need, if we pay for it honestly, thus doing all for the glory of God (Col. 3:17¹⁷And 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. (Colossians 3:17)).

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