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Ecclesiastes Lesson Eighteen

Ecclesiastes Lesson Eighteen: Ecclesiastes 9:11-18 – Wisdom’s Limits

Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them. 12 For man certainly does not know his time: like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, so people are trapped in an evil time as it suddenly falls on them. 

13 I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me: 14 There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works against it. 15 Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16 And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.” 

17 The calm words of the wise are heeded 

more than the shouts of a ruler over fools. 

18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, 

but one sinner can destroy much good. (HCSB)

I’ll be splitting this lesson into two parts.

  • Persevere in life – verses 11-12.
  • Power and limitations of wisdom – verses 13-18.

Persevere in Life

The author closed the last section by talking about death. Now, he turns his attention to making 

the most out of our lives.

  • One point the author puts forward here is that life is unpredictable, no matter our abilities.
    • The fastest don’t always win the race.
    • The strongest warriors don’t always win the battle.
    • The wisest don’t always have the most “stuff”: money and possessions.
    • In each case, those most seemingly destined for success can, and often fail, because of circumstances outside their control.
  • We may innocently believe that people are lucky when they succeed, and others are unlucky when they fail.
  • However, Christians shouldn’t believe in luck. That’s an abstract concept when compared against God’s sovereign will.
    • We shouldn’t carry a rabbit’s foot.
    • We shouldn’t place our faith in lucky or unlucky days or numbers. Friday the 13th is no different than Friday the 14th.
  • Our confidence should be in the loving providence of God, wholly based on His timing.
  • There’s a saying, “I’m a great believer in luck. The harder I work, the more I have of it.” 
  • From the human perspective, life can seem arbitrary. But from a theological perspective, it all makes perfect sense. God is working according to His eternal purposes.
  • The author’s final thought is contained in the last part of verse twelve.
    • The “evil time” is the event of our physical death.
    • In most cases, we have no idea when it will happen. 
    • There could be an accident.
    • A medical diagnosis could result in very little time before passing.
    • In each case, it is like falling into an unexpected trap that catches the person completely unaware.

Power and Limitations of Wisdom

In the second section of this lesson, we see that opportunities are not a guarantee of success. There is some disagreement among scholars on the interpretation of verses 14-15, but we’ll go over the possibilities.

  • The minority position is that the poor wise man was asked for his advice, but he was ultimately ignored.
    • But there are two problems with this position.
      • The Hebrew word for “delivered is malat. This word means to rescue or save. 
      • The wording of verses 17-18.
        • Calm words of the wise are heeded.
        • Wisdom is better than weapons of war.
    • Both phrases imply the advice was used.
  • The majority position is that the advice was heeded.
    • The poor wise man’s advice could have been in one of two areas.
      • Diplomacy – the advice led to some agreement without hostilities.
      • Military strategy – the advice led to a military victory against the invaders.
    • Regardless of which one it was, and regardless of the low stature of the man giving the advice, his advice was heeded, and it led to a satisfactory outcome of the city not being attacked.
  • There is another angle to this example. Was the writer referring to an actual siege he had witnessed, or is this an allegory?
    • Jewish allegory from a targum, which is an oral paraphrase or interpretation of the Hebrew Old Testament in Aramaic.
      • The city represents a person whose body has been invaded by an evil spirit.
      • The poor, wise man stands for the good but humble spirit that wages war against the evil spirit.
      • This targum would likely have been used in synagogues during Jesus’ time to represent the spiritual struggle that takes place within a person.
    • Christian allegory. There are parallels to the gospel message in the New Testament.
      • Man’s soul is under siege by the forces of darkness. Ephesians 6:12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. 
      • Christ is the wise man. 1 Corinthians 1:30 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
      • Christ became poor for our sake. Philippians 2:7-8 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. 
      • Christ’s atoning sacrifice is God’s wise way of delivering man from the city of destruction. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved. 19 For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the experts. 20 Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age?  Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. 22 For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. 24 Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom, 25 because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
      • Christ was greeted with ingratitude. Luke 17:11-19 While traveling to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He entered a village, 10 men with serious skin diseases met Him. They stood at a distance 13 and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When He saw them, He told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were healed. 15 But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God.  16 He fell facedown at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus said, “Were not 10 cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has made you well.”
  • The writer draws some conclusions over the final three verses.
    • Wisdom is better than strength.
      • God’s way is better than man’s.
        • The Gospel is a stumbling block to some and foolishness to others – 1 Corinthians 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.
        • Many will despise the Gospel and drown out its proclamation, but it should and will be heard.
        • Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill got a mixed reception. Acts 17:32-34 When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him. But others said, “We’d like to hear from you again about this.” 33 Then Paul left their presence. 34 However, some men joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. 
      • Looking back through the recent history of the Christian church, we see further examples of this.
        • George Whitefield, John and Charles Wesley often met violent opposition as they preached the Gospel in open-air meetings.
        • However, the message overcame the shouts and taunts, often turning the hearts of their loudest opponents.
    • The root of the entire problem is man’s sinful heart.
    • Sin entered the world through one man, and by the obedience of another, each of us is provided a way of deliverance. Romans 5:12-21 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned. 13 In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression. He is a prototype of the Coming One. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift overflowed to the many by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification.  17 Since by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 18 So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life-giving justification for everyone. 19 For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
  • The ending of verse 18, “but one sinner can destroy much good,” creates a natural link to chapter ten.

Applications

  • All of us will face challenges and adversity as we go through life. A measure of our faith is how we deal with and overcome them. Do you handle them calmly and trustfully, or do you worry and lash out when they happen? Place your trust in the God of the universe to see you through those times.
  • If you are in a leadership position, listen to advice from those below you, even if the advice comes from an unlikely source. It may just be a word from God at the right moment. 
  • Don’t be afraid to offer advice, regardless of your position. God may reveal to us a word of wisdom during a challenging or difficult situation. Don’t hesitate to offer solutions even if you’re not listened to.
  • The Gospel (wisdom) is mightier than the most powerful ruler. Share it whenever you have the chance. We have nothing to fear in this life if we’re walking with Jesus. Our eternity is secure. 
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3 John Lesson

3 John – Praise for Faithful Service and a Warning About Prideful Action

The Elder: 

To my dear friend Gaius: I love you in the truth. 

2 Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically just as you are spiritually. 3 For I was very glad when some brothers came and testified to your faithfulness to the truth—how you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 

5 Dear friend, you are showing faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers. 6 They have testified to your love in front of the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God, 7 since they set out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from pagans. 8 Therefore, we ought to support such men so that we can be coworkers with the truth. 

9 I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have first place among them, does not receive us. 10 This is why, if I come, I will remind him of the works he is doing, slandering us with malicious words. And he is not satisfied with that! He not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but he even stops those who want to do so and expels them from the church. 

11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. And we also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true. 

13 I have many things to write you, but I don’t want to write to you with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. 

Peace be with you. The friends send you greetings. Greet the friends by name. (HCSB)

I’ll divide this lesson into four parts.

  • John’s greeting – verses 1-4.
  • John’s commendation of Gaius – verses 5-8.
  • John’s condemnation of Diotrephes and commendation of Demetrius – verses 9-12.
  • John’s farewell – verses 13-14.

John’s Greeting

The basic theme of this section is: When believers walk in the truth, they bring joy to Christian friends and mentors.

John begins this letter with the same title he used in 2 John, “elder.” We don’t know much about the recipient of this letter, Gaius, but we can infer several things from the context of the letter.

  • John clearly loved Gaius, as he used the phrase “dear friend” four times in the letter. The English rendering of the original Greek weakens the intent behind the phrase. It conveys a feeling of deep agape love that John has for Gaius.
  • From the context of the letter, it is likely that Gaius is wealthy as he is well-known for his hospitality to traveling believers.
  • Since John mentioned in verse four that he receives great joy when his children walk in the truth, it is likely that Gaius was one of John’s converts.
  • Gaius may have been ill since John was praying for his physical health to be as good as his spiritual health.

John now goes on to praise Gaius for his conduct in the church and toward other believers.

  • Gaius was recognized by others for his faithful conduct.
  • He obeyed God’s Word.
  • He walked in the truth.
  • What made Gaius’ life a good testimony?
    • He walked in truth, God’s Word.
    • He meditated on the Word.
    • He practiced it in his daily life.
  • Gaius’ life was wrapped in the truth.
    • True living comes from living truth.
    • Jesus is the truth. John 14:6 – Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
    • Jesus is revealed in God’s Word, which is God’s truth. John 17:17 – Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
    • The Holy Spirit is truth. 1 John 5:6 – Jesus Christ—He is the One who came by water and blood, not by water only, but by water and by blood. And the Spirit is the One who testifies,  because the Spirit is the truth.
    • Jesus teaches us the truth.
    • The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to reveal the Son of God. This, in turn, enables us to obey the will of God and walk in truth.
  • Gaius was faithful in what he believed, and he was faithful in how he lived.
  • Loyalty to Christ and the Gospel marked his life.
  • John then says he has no greater joy than hearing that one of his children is a faithful follower of Christ.
    • This was similar to how Paul talked about his converts. 
    • Anyone who has led a person to Christ is joyful when they hear the person is continuing to walk in faith and not drift away.

John’s Commendation of Gaius

The basic theme for this section is: Extending hospitality toward traveling missionaries brings God’s commendation. Believers should help missionaries work together for the truth.

John’s commendation of Gaius, which actually began in the introduction to this letter, now continues. Let’s take a closer look at why John was praising the actions of Gaius.

  • First, there is nothing to indicate that Gaius was a preacher.
  • It appears that Gaius was an enabler to those who were traveling evangelists.
    • We need to remember that during the first century, lodging was not plentiful, and what did exist was often associated with the darker habits of society.
    • John praises Gaius for his support to brothers who were “strangers.” The Greek term for a stranger would mean someone unknown or from another area; they weren’t native to the place they were visiting.
    • In 2 John, we learned of the importance of Christian hospitality.
      • In that letter, John warned against helping false teachers.
      • In this letter, John commends Gaius for showing hospitality to faithful ministers.
      • Gaius’ actions were an encouragement to both believers in general, as well as to the traveling evangelists.
    • The idea of hospitality is a challenge in today’s world because of violence and false teachers.
      • In the early church, traveling evangelists often carried letters of recommendation from their home church. An example is in Romans 16:1 – I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchreae.
      • It is important that we know the background of those to which we may extend hospitality.
    • Not only did Gaius open his home to the evangelists, but he also provided financial assistance to them.
      • The term “send” doesn’t just mean wishing them well as they continue their journey.
      • The Greek term implies aid of some sort, most likely financial aid or food.
      • Gaius proved his faith through his works. James 2:14-16 – What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can his faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 
    • Gaius’ actions also served as a witness to others.
      • Jesus taught that God’s servants deserve support. Luke 10:7 – Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they offer, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Don’t be moving from house to house.
      • However, John points out in verse seven that believers are to provide support, not pagans.
      • Consider Abraham’s response when the king of Sodom made an offering to him. Genesis 14:21-24 – Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the possessions for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand in an oath to Yahweh, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take a thread or sandal strap or anything that belongs to you, so you can never say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing except what the servants have eaten. But as for the share of the men who came with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre—they can take their share.”
      • Many churches make it clear at offering time that gifts from unbelievers are not expected. 
    • Gaius’ actions displayed obedience to God.
      • Those who receive spiritual blessings from those who preach should share their material blessings with the preacher. 1 Corinthians 9:11 – If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?
      • Believers can support ministry endeavors outside their local church, but they should contribute a portion of their offerings to their local congregation.
    • Gaius was a coworker with the traveling evangelists.
      • Gaius received the truth.
      • Gaius walked in the truth.
      • Giaus was a coworker and helper to those spreading the truth.
      • Walking in the truth is the same as walking in love.
  • Unfortunately, not everyone in the church is a Gaius.

John’s Condemnation of Diotrephes and Commendation of Demetrius

There are two themes for this section is: 

  • Prideful people who slander and spread gossip oppose Christian hospitality.
  • We can recommend a person to other churches for hospitality and ministry when that person’s life supports God’s truth.

John now turns his attention to another church member, Diotrephes, who is the opposite of Gaius.As we take a deeper look at Diotrephes, I want us to think about how that looks in the church we attend, or maybe you’ve seen this same behavior in a previous church. Regardless of when or where you saw it, the behavior is an example of someone who operates on pride and wants to be the “boss,” often leaving a wake of bodies behind them as they go. Sometimes it can be the pastor, but often it is someone in a lower level of leadership within the church or a lay member who is trying to “empire build.”

  • It’s apparent from the context of John’s letter that Diotrephes was prideful.
  • We don’t know the position Diotrephes held, but it’s likely he was an elder because of the level of influence and control he had over the congregation.
  • What is clear is that Diotrephes shunned fellowship with one of the apostles, John.
  • Why would Diotrephes do this?
    • As previously mentioned, Diotrephes was a prideful and selfish individual.
      • These are two of Satan’s favorite tools to disrupt the church.
      • If John challenged or removed Diotrephes, then Satan would be the loser.
    • He placed himself before the preeminence of Christ.
    • John challenged his dictator-like actions.
    • John was a threat to the “authority” of Diotrephes in that local congregation.
    • John knew the truth about Diotrephes and was willing to expose his ungodly actions.
  • Diotrephes also lied about John.
    • He slandered John to the other church members.
    • It’s obvious from the context of the letter that Diotrephes had a circle of followers; otherwise, the congregation would have removed him from his position.
    • There are some people who will believe anything they hear about others without verifying whether it’s true or not.
    • This example reminds us of why we need to carefully weigh what others say and act on truth and not lies.
  • Not only did Diotrephes shun John, but he also rejected those associated with John.
    • Diotrephes treated John’s associates as “guilty by association.” 
    • It’s true that, as believers, we shouldn’t associate with certain groups of individuals.
      • Apostates – found in 2 Peter.
      • Alliances with unbelievers – 2 Corinthians 6:14-15.
      • Those who hold doctrinal positions that don’t agree with Scripture – Romans 16:17-19.
    • At the same time, there are doctrinal matters which don’t undermine the Gospel. We shouldn’t let those differences create discord in the body of Christ. Two examples:
      • The method of baptism.
      • Church government. 
    • We need to agree on the “majors,” the basic tenets of Christianity, and extend grace on the “minors.”
  • Diotrephes even went a step further than just rejecting John and his associates.
    • He disciplined those who disagreed with him.
    • Even though Diotrephes didn’t have the authority or the biblical basis for expelling those who disagreed with him, he still did it.
    • Scripture does contain instructions and examples of church discipline, which should be followed.
    • But church discipline is not a tool for a dictator to use to protect themself.
    • Church discipline is a tool for a congregation to use to promote purity and glorify God.
  • Diotrephes wanted to be served and not serve others.
  • It’s not difficult to identify church dictators.
    • They like to talk about themselves and what they’ve done for the Lord.
    • They have a habit of judging and condemning those who disagree with them.
    • They put labels on others and put them in categories.

John then switches the focus of his attention from Diotrephes to Demetrius. What a contrast between these two church members. Let’s take a closer look at Demetrius.

  • John warns his readers to imitate what is good, not to imitate what is evil.
    • Diotrephes represented evil. Those who practice evil don’t know God.
    • Demetrius represented good. Those who practice good belong to God.
  • We might ask if it’s ok to imitate a human leader. The answer is yes, as long as they are imitating Christ.
    • We can’t see God.
    • We can see God at work in the lives of His children.
  • Those who live a godly life dedicated to serving the Lord are an encouragement to fellow believers. Hebrews 10:24 – And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works.
  • Demetrius was a man worthy of imitating.
    • He had a good testimony from everyone.
    • He was well known.
    • He was well respected.
    • He was loved by the believers around him.
  • Not only did Demetrius have a good testimony from the believers in the church, but he also had a good witness from the truth, the Word.
    • Just like Gaius, Demetrius walked in truth.
    • He obeyed God’s Word.
    • Neither was perfect, but they were consistent in their lives by seeking to honor God.
  • Demetrius also had a good testimony from John.
    • John knew Demetrius had a good testimony from the church.
    • This aligned Demetrius with John, which would make Demetrius an enemy of Diotrephes.
  • Once John traveled to this church, there would be quite an alignment against Diotrephes.
    • There would be authority figures both from outside and inside this church to confront the actions of Diotrephes.
    • We don’t know the outcome, but the best solution is that Diotrephes would receive the rebuke, repent, and become a productive member of the congregation.

John’s Farewell

The theme for this section is: Personal friendship can be expressed through written means, but it is better expressed face to face.

John now concludes this letter in a manner similar to 2 John. It’s possible the format John used was the standard way to end letters in John’s time.

  • John planned to visit the church soon.
    • There is no indication of what “soon” might mean.
    • But it was likely an encouragement to both Gaius and Demetrius, as well as a veiled warning to Diotrephes.
  • John preferred to discuss things in person rather than through a letter.
  • Considering the turmoil that Diotrephes was causing in the church, John’s use of the phrase “peace be with you” must have been encouraging.
  • Those associated with John also sent their greetings.
  • John encouraged them to greet each other by name.

Applications

  • Open your home and assist others in ministry when you are able to do it. This can be challenging and uncomfortable at times, maybe all the time. However, Scripture instructs us to help one another in doing God’s work. When we assist others in ministry, we also receive a blessing in aiding their work.
  • When we do help others, don’t look to people for a reward. Our reward comes from God. Be content that what you are doing is “Kingdom work,” and don’t do it for public recognition.
  • Be careful that pride and temptations don’t cause you to fall away from the truth, especially if you occupy a position of leadership or influence. Our actions affect those around us, both positively and negatively. 
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1 John Lesson Twelve

1 John Lesson Twelve: 1 John 5:14-21 – Prayer and Three Christian Certainties

14 Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for. 

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not bring death, he should ask, and God will give life to him—to those who commit sin that doesn’t bring death. There is sin that brings death. I am not saying he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin that does not bring death. 

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the One who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 

19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one. 

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true One. We are in the true One—that is, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 

21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols. (HCSB)

I’ll be dividing this lesson into four parts.

  • Verses 14-15 – Effective prayer.
  • Verses 16-17 – Confronting sin.
  • Verses 18-19 – How Christians act.
  • Verses 20-21 – We know the truth.

Effective Prayer

As we dig deeper into the first two verses in this passage, talking about prayer, we need to focus on the idea that godly prayer is prayer that aligns with God’s will, not our wants. Let’s look at some points John is talking about regarding prayer.

  • We have confidence when we bring our prayers before God.
    • In the original Greek, confidence means “freedom of speech.”
    • We have the freedom to bring our petitions before God and tell Him our needs and the needs of others.
  • First, there are some conditions that must be met before our prayers are heard by God.
    • We need a heart that doesn’t condemn. 1 John 3:21-22 – Dear friends, if our conscience doesn’t condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and can receive whatever we ask from Him because we keep His commands and do what is pleasing in His sight.
    • Unconfessed sin is an obstacle to prayer. Psalms 66:18 – If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
    • Husbands must honor their wives. 1 Peter 3:7 – Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives with an understanding of their weaker nature yet showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
    • We must settle our differences with other believers. Matthew 5:23-25 – So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.
    • We must abide in Christ, demonstrating love and obedience. John 15:7 – If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.
  • Second, we must pray in alignment with God’s will.
    • Matthew 6:10b – Your will be done.
    • George Muller, who ran several orphanages in England during the 1800s housing thousands of orphans, said: “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of God’s willingness.”
    • There are times we can only pray, “Not my will, but yours be done.” (from Luke 22:42)
    • If we are immersed in God’s Word, we can determine His will by reading Scripture and listening to the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:26-27 – In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. 27 And He who searches the hearts  knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 
    • God wants to supply our needs, not our greed. Philippians 4:19 – And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever.
    • If we walk with God, obey His commands, and pray for things that glorify God and build His kingdom, those requests will be answered.
    • James warns about praying with the wrong motive. James 4:3 – You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires.
    • We also need to remember that God may answer the request in a way that is different from what we anticipated. Also, God will answer the request in His time, not ours. We may have to wait longer than we’d like to get the answer.
  • As we mature in our prayer life, we must learn to see things from God’s point of view, not from ours.
    • We study Scripture to learn about God’s will in a general sense.
    • As we face circumstances in life, we take these general principles and apply them to specific circumstances.
    • We pray for what God wants, not what we want.
    • When we do that, our prayers will be answered.
    • John Stott wrote – “Prayer is not a convenient device for imposing our will upon God, or for bending His will to ours, but the prescribed way of subordinating our will to His. It is by prayer that we seek God’s will, embrace it and align ourselves with it. Every true prayer is a variation of the theme ‘Your will be done’”.

Confronting Sin

John now talks about sins that don’t lead to death and sins that do lead to death. What could John be talking about when he mentions “sin that brings death?” Scholars and theologians have wrestled with this question and have come up with four possibilities, although none are clear-cut. Here are the four.

  • A terrible sin that God will not pardon. There isn’t anything in the New Testament that fits the definition of this kind of sin. Peter cursed and denied Jesus three times. That’s about as bad a sin as we could imagine. Yet, a short period of time later, Peter was eating a meal with Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
  • It’s talking about some type of apostasy, to deliberately turn from being a follower of Christ. However, 1 John 3:9 appears to teach that a true Christian can’t fall away from the faith. If some do, it’s an indication they were never a follower in the first place.
  • John is talking about blaspheming the Holy Spirit, a sin Matthew says will not be forgiven (Matthew 12:31-32) But how could John call someone like that a “brother?”
  • John is talking about a physical death. Some Christians in Scripture sinned so badly that God took their lives; Ananias and Sapphire (Acts 5:1-11), the man sinning with his stepmother in 1 Corinthians 5, the people who “fell asleep” in 1 Corinthians 11 because they were abusing the Lord’s supper.

Although we don’t know the correct interpretation, we can focus on a positive point from John’s message. We need to be praying for our brothers and sisters who are in sin. This type of request would align with God’s will. Jesus prayed for Peter on the night he was betrayed, and we should do the same for others.

One final point here. John is not being soft on sin. He writes that “all unrighteousness is sin.”

How Christians Act

John is not talking about the occasional or accidental sins that believers commit. John is talking about habitual and deliberate sins. Because a believer has a new nature, their desires should change from the realm of darkness to the kingdom of light. Let’s dig into this deeper.

  • A Christian faces three enemies, all of which want to lead them into sin.
    • Satan.
      • The whole world is under the sway of the evil one – 1 John 5:19.
      • Satan is the god of this age, meaning this world. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 – But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
      • Satan is the ruler of this world. John 14:30 – I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over Me.
      • Satan is the spirit who works in the children of disobedience. Ephesians 2:2 – in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens, the spirit now working in the disobedient.
      • Satan tells lies. Genesis 3 and 2 Corinthians 11:1-3. When people listen, they turn from and disobey God’s truth.
      • Satan may inflict physical suffering.
        • Job.
        • Paul: 2 Corinthians 12:7b-9 – Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.
        • David: 1 Chronicles 21.
    • The flesh.
      • The old nature still lies within us even after we are born again.
      • We have a new nature, but we don’t always yield to the new nature.
    • The world.
      • The world is our enemy. 1 John 2:15-17 – Do not love the world  or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16 For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.

A believer faces three very formidable foes. How does a believer keep from sinning? The answer is in verse eighteen. 

  • Jesus keeps us. The word “keep” has two meanings here.
    • One is to “watch over.” Jesus watches over us, so the evil one doesn’t touch us.
    • Because Jesus “watches over” us, we are able to obey His instructions.
  • We see an illustration of this in Luke 22:31-32 – “Simon, Simon, look out! Satan has asked to sift you like wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
  • Satan can’t touch a believer without God’s permission.
  • If God gives permission to Satan to attack us, it also means He has given us the ability to resist the attack through His power. God will never allow us to be tested beyond the capability of our strength in Him. 1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it. 

We Know the Truth

The truth John is talking about here is that the Son of God has come to redeem us, and He’s a reflection of the Father. Let’s take a deeper look at these last two verses,

  • Jesus is God the Son.
    • Jesus, in human form but fully divine, was a reflection of the Father.
    • The characteristics that Jesus displayed are the same that make up the Father.
    • When we study and understand who Jesus was, how He acted toward others, and how He acted in situations, we see the Father on display, and we see how we should act as followers of Christ.
  • Because we know, worship, and serve the true God, we are connected with reality.
    • The “true One” means the original as opposed to a copy or the authentic as opposed to an imitation.
    • Jesus is the true light. John 1:9 – The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
    • Jesus is the true bread. John 6:32 – Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the real bread from heaven.
    • Jesus is the true vine. John 15:1 – “I am  the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper.”
    • Jesus is truth. John 14:6 – Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
  • Jesus came into the world to give us an understanding of the truth.
    • The truth of Jesus repudiates the false teaching in the world.
    • Some of the false teachers claimed to have a special knowledge of God and salvation apart from Jesus.
    • God can only be known in one way, through Jesus.
    • Truth can only be known in one way, through Jesus.
    • Anything that claims something different from what Jesus taught is false and a work of Satan.
  • Christians live in an atmosphere of reality or truth, while unbelievers live in an atmosphere of lies and falsehood.
    • Followers of Christ have been given spiritual discernment to know the truth from lies.
    • Unbelievers don’t have this understanding.
    • Christians don’t choose between good and bad; they choose between true and false.
  • John doesn’t end Colossians with a typical farewell. Instead, he delivers a stern warning.
    • By using the phrase “little children,” John is indicating a deep love for the recipients of the letter.
    • It may seem out of place for John to be addressing the issue of idols here. But, a theme of the entire epistle was the idea of truth versus lies. John is warning them to reject idols and cling to Christ; reject the false and embrace the real.
    • What idols was John warning against?
      • The best interpretation is that John was warning against anything that would take the place of God.
        • 1 Thessalonians 1:9 – For they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.
        • Ephesians 5:5 – For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral  or impure  or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom  of the Messiah and of God.
        • Colossians 3:5 – Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.
      • In the context of this letter, John was most likely referring to the “idols” of the false teachers who were saying Jesus was less than God.
        • The god of the false teachers was not just less than a perfect god; it was an idol.
        • The god of the false teachers was not true but a god of men’s imaginations.
      • For believers today, it is essential that they guard against any God-substitute. What are some of the idols that control people today?
        • Covetousness. A person may “worship” their bankbook or stock portfolio.
        • Adultery. A person may be addicted to pornography.
        • The thing we “serve” is the thing we worship. Whatever controls our lives is our god.

Applications

  • Be active in prayers that align with God’s will. All believers should have an active prayer life. But being active in prayer is not enough. Our prayers must align with God’s will. As we mature in our spiritual walk, we will grow in our understanding of God’s will for any given situation. One question to ask ourselves as we pray is, “Does this request bring glory to God?” If the prayer is answered, will God be glorified? Or is it a selfish prayer that benefits the person praying or another individual? 
  • When we see a fellow believer involved in sin, we are instructed to pray for them. Are you praying for those around you who are involved in the sinful activity? Everyone sins, and we all need the prayers of others to help us in this life.
  • Guard yourself against false teachers. There are many false teachers who preach an “attractive” message. We should always compare what a preacher/pastor/Bible teacher says against what Scripture says. If the message and Scripture don’t agree, it’s a red flag for false teaching. If you find yourself in that situation, you need to discuss it gracefully with the teacher. It’s possible they made an honest mistake, and they’ll correct it with the group who received the false message. If they don’t accept the charge of false teaching, you need to warn others who heard the message. Everyone in that group is in danger of being led astray.
  • Guard yourself against the idols of this world. In today’s modern world, there are too many potential idols to list. Some examples are jobs, positions, social media, pornography, drugs, or alcohol. The bottom line is that anything that takes a primary place in our lives and pulls us away from God is an idol.
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1 Peter Lesson Nine

1 Peter 4:1-6 Lesson Nine – Following Christ

Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, equip yourselves also with the same resolve —because the one who suffered in the flesh has finished with sin — 2 in order to live the remaining time in the flesh, no longer for human desires, but for God’s will. 3 For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the pagans choose to do: carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and lawless idolatry. 4 So they are surprised that you don’t plunge with them into the same flood of wild living—and they slander you. 5 They will give an account to the One who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was also preached to those who are now dead, so that, although they might be judged by men in the fleshly realm, they might live by God in the spiritual realm. (HCSB)

The majority of this passage is relatively straightforward and easy to understand. It is only the last verse that presents a challenge, but more on that later. By starting this passage with the word “therefore” Peter is tying this section into what was discussed in 3:18–22, that Christ’s suffering was the road to victory. Since Jesus suffered in the flesh, believers should prepare themselves to suffer as this indicates that they are no longer letting sin have control over them. 

Verse 1

Peter’s point is for believers to prepare themselves for suffering. The term “equip yourselves” is related to military preparation and its use in other passages compares the life of a believer to the life of a warrior.

  • Romans 6:13b – But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness.
  • Romans 13:12b – So let us discard the deeds of darkness  and put on the armor of light.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:8 – But since we belong to the day, we must be serious  and put the armor  of faith and love on our chests, and put on a helmet  of the hope of salvation.

The military language implies that discipline and perseverance are needed to live as a Christian, with an attitude that suffering will come at some point. Just like soldiers prepare and train for battle, Christians must prepare for suffering.

The challenging part of this verse is the reference to “finished with sin.” The logical question is who this is referring to. There are three possible interpretations.

  • Jesus – The most apparent reason to reject this interpretation is that Jesus never sinned. Those who support this interpretation do so on the grounds that Jesus took on the sins of the world as He went to the cross. Still, this interpretation should be rejected.
  • Christians – Any believer who has died is freed from sin. Romans 6 says that believers have died with Jesus, via baptism, to the power of sin. However, this interpretation should also be rejected.
  • Christians who accept and embrace their suffering – These believers have finished with sin because they cease to participate in those activities and they endure the persecution that accompanies that decision. This commitment reveals a passion for a new way of life that is not yet perfect but is still different from the unbelievers around them. This is the correct interpretation.

Verse 2

Believers prepare themselves to suffer so that the remainder of their lives are a reflection of pursuing God’s will and not the desires of their flesh. However long they live, believers are to live with passion pursuing God. Pursuing God invests the remainder of our life in activity that is lasting and satisfying. However, following the world leads us to waste the remainder of life and face regret when we stand before Jesus.

Verse 3

For the person who has submitted to the lordship of Jesus, they’ve already spent enough time chasing the desires of the flesh. They are not to participate in those activities anymore. Peter gives a list of actions to be avoided.

  • Unrestrained behavior – Behavior completely lacking in moral restraint, often pertaining promiscuous sexual behavior.
  • Evil desires – To strongly desire what belongs to someone else, to covet or lust after the possessions of others.
  • Drunkenness – Means what it says, to be drunk.
  • Orgies – Out of control drinking parties with associated immoral behavior.
  • Carousing – Also describes out of control social drinking parties.
  • Lawless idolatry – Unholy and profane lifestyles.

The activities in this list were uncommon in religiously devout Jews, but were common place in the practice of Gentiles.

Verse 4

Because of the difference in behavior between the pagans and the Christians, they are now facing persecution for their faith. However, the persecution at this point is from individuals and not from any government or groups. The activities listed under verse three were normal and expected in the Greco-Roman culture and when people choose not to participate it was seen as going against societal norms. In the culture at the time of this letter public festivals, where the “gods” were celebrated was considered a civic duty of citizens, as well as worship of the emperor. Those who chose not to participate would be viewed as social outcasts. It is easy to envision that believers would be discriminated against and the object of abuse. 

Verse 5

As he does throughout this letter, Peter focuses the readers on the last days and judgment. At the present time for the recipients of this letter the pagans may have enjoyed the upper hand in society, with the perks of advancement and recognition. However, that was a temporal state that would be turned on its head on the day of judgment. Whatever advantages the pagans enjoyed at the moment was not to be desired by believers. By holding fast to the faith and pursuing the will of God they would be vindicated at the time of judgment. No matter how difficult the circumstances they must not fall back into old practices.

Verse 6

We now get to what I referenced in the introduction as the most difficult verse in the passage.

The first thing to note is that the word “for” links this verse to the preceding verses. At the same time “for this reason” points ahead to the purpose “so that.” But before moving on we need to determine what Peter meant by “the gospel was preached to those who are now dead.” Here are some possibilities.

  • Peter is referring to the spiritually dead. 
    • Avoids an interpretive problem of the Gospel being preached to those who are physically dead and agrees with Paul’s position that unbelievers are spiritually dead.
    • However Peter never used the word “dead” (nekros) to talk about spiritual death. Plus, the word “dead” in the previous verse is clearly talking about physical death.
    • Context doesn’t support this possibility.
  • Peter is talking about the physically dead.
    • Those who support this possibility often refer to 1 Peter 3:19. However, if you remember from the last lesson this verse talks about Jesus proclaiming His victory over sin and death, and not a proclamation of the Gospel message.
    • The verb “was also preached” talks about the preaching of Christ, not the preaching by Christ. This preaching was done by believers.
    • This view implies that the Gospel was preached to all the dead after their physical death. This would suggest a second chance for everyone. However, Scripture is clear that there is no second chance. Hebrews 9:27a And just as it is appointed for people to die once–and after this, judgment. 
  • Peter is talking about believers who have experienced physical death.
    • Unbelievers viewed the physical death of believers as proof that there was no advantage to being a Christian, as everyone dies.
    • However, the unbeliever’s viewpoint misses the understanding of the Gospel. A believer experiences physical death but receives eternal spiritual life in heaven. 
    • Physical death is not the last word. Rather, it is a new and eternal beginning.
    • We should embrace this interpretation as the correct understanding of the verse.

Applications.

  • Prepare yourself daily to live as a follower of Jesus. Every day the world slips further into depravity and sinful behavior. As a believer, we must spend time reading Scripture, praying, gathering with other believers, and sharing the Gospel with the lost. This won’t happen by itself, it takes preparation and dedication on our part.
  • Turn away from sinful desires and practices. Find an accountability partner or group to meet with and share your struggles. Don’t wait to ask for help as you might find yourself mired in sinful practices before you realize it. Challenge fellow believers if you see them participating in or even condoning sinful behavior.
  • We must never lose sight of the fact that we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Will we stand in assurance of salvation, or despair in eternal separation from God? Will we be rewarded for living fruitful lives, or will be ashamed of all the wasted opportunities? Regardless of what you’ve done before you can make a decision right now to living fruitful life, glorifying God in the process and resting in the full assurance of your salvation. 
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1 Peter Lesson Seven

1 Peter 3:8-12 Lesson Seven Do No Evil

8 Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers,  z and be compassionate and humble, 9 not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing. 

10 For the one who wants to love life 

and to see good days 

must keep his tongue from evil 

and his lips from speaking deceit, 

11 and he must turn away from evil 

and do what is good. 

He must seek peace and pursue it, 

12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous 

and His ears are open to their request. 

But the face of the Lord is against 

those who do what is evil. (HCSB)

This passage represents the summary or conclusion of 1 Peter 2:11-3:7 and contains the following concepts:

  • Relationships in the community.
  • Response to evil.
  • Controlling the tongue is necessary.
  • Seek peace and turn from evil.
  • Yahweh’s favor rests on the righteous.

Verses 8-9

These verses address relationships between believers (verse 8) and unbelievers (verse 9), although verse nine could also be talking about believers who were acting in an improper manner.

Verse 8 – Ethics for General Relations in the Church.

Verse eight is in presented as a chiasm, an A B C B’ A’ pattern. This verse is directed at how believers should interact with each other.

A Harmony

    B Sympathy

        C Brotherly love

    B’ Compassion

A’ Humility

Harmony and humility are grouped together as the primary way that harmony is disrupted is by prideful action and self-assertion, the opposite of humility. Sympathy and compassion are almost synonyms and are hard to distinguish from each other. Brotherly love is the middle term, indicating it is the most important of the five virtues, and the other four are embraced by the call to love one another as a family.

A short look at the term “like-minded.”

  • Describes a unity of attitude.
  • Division within the body of Christ should be unthinkable.
  • It doesn’t mean that the members of a church, or different churches, won’t have different opinions due to the very nature of each believer possessing different spiritual gifts.
    • The key is how the differences are handled.
    • Not handled properly, they’ll divide the church.
    • Handled properly, they’ll enrich the church.
    • Each believer should primarily pursue serving God and loving others.

Verse 9 – Ethics for Relations to a Hostile Society.

Verse nine is mainly directed in how believers interact and respond to unbelievers but can also refer to the response to a believer who is not acting in a Christ-like manner.

  • Don’t respond to insults or evil actions in the same manner, even if it is tempting to do so.
  • This is rooted in Jesus’ teaching. Luke 6:28-29 Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  29 If anyone hits you on the cheek,  offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either.
  • We are called to bless others, even when our flesh wants to retaliate.
  • As Christians, we are expected to respond in this manner.
  • Supporting passages for what Peter is saying here.
    • 1 Thessalonians 5:15 – See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. 
    • Romans 12:17 – Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.
    • Matthew 5:44 – But I tell you, love your enemies  and pray for those who  persecute you.
    • Ephesians 4:32 – And be kind  and compassionate  to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

10-12 – Foundation for Ethics: God is Watching.

Here Peter is citing Psalm 34:12-16. Peter altered the Psalm by switching from the second person singular to the third person singular. It is also critical to note that Psalm 34 focuses on suffering, and those who suffer will be delivered by the Lord. There are several essential points in why Peter picked this Psalm at this point in his discourse.

  • The Lord rescues His people when they suffer.
  • The Lord will judge the wicked.
  • The righteous display trust and hope in the Lord by renouncing evil and pursuing good.
  • The first word in verse 10, “for,” links verses 10-12 to verse 9.
  • Peter didn’t promise an easy life since trouble and persecution are to be expected.
  • Peter was giving a motivation for believers to bless their persecutors and live in a manner that promotes peace.
    • They are to refrain from speaking evil to obtain eternal life.
    • However, this doesn’t imply a works-based salvation or compromise salvation by grace.
    • Peter believed that the transformed life of a believer would provide evidence that they had been converted.

Verse 11

For Peter, the Christian life is not a life of passivity. It is through God’s grace that eternal life is granted to those who believe in Jesus. However, the primary place of grace in the salvation process is not an excuse to be idle. A life of righteousness doesn’t happen in a vacuum of seeking solitude in meditation away from others.

  • Believers must make a conscious effort to turn from evil.
  • Believers must devote themselves to doing good.
  • Believers must seek and pursue peace.
    • Peace is understood as an agreement between people.
    • “Pursue it” is a hunting term that denotes intensity, determination, and persistence. 
  • Believers must extend forgiveness to those who hurt them.

Verse 12

Peter explains why good behavior is important. He already touched on this in verse nine and the relationship between verse nine and verses ten to eleven.

  • The Lord’s favor is on those who live a righteous way.
    • They will be blessed with the inheritance promised in verses seven, nine, and eternal life noted in verse ten.
    • Their prayers will be heard if they truly are Yahweh’s people.
    • The Lord will turn away from those who practice evil.
    • The Lord will give eternal punishment to those who are disobedient.

Peter is not saying that believers will live a perfect life, nor that perfection is a requirement for salvation. He is saying that a transformed life is necessary as proof of salvation. 

Applications.

  • Make a decision to “love life.” We control how we view our lives. Do we display faith in God and see the best in every circumstance, or do we have a pessimistic attitude? We can choose to endure life, and it will be a burden. We can choose to escape life through alcohol, drugs, or other destructive pursuits. What we should do is enjoy life, secure in the knowledge that God is in control.
  • Do you have control over your tongue, or does your tongue control you? How often have you said the wrong thing at the wrong time?It happens to the best of us from time to time. Meditate on Psalm 141:3 – LORD, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
  • Do you shun evil? That is much stronger than just avoidance. We must shun evil because we hate it, just like Yahweh hates sin. At the same time, we should actively seek out and do what is good. Do you pursue good and righteousness in your life?
  • It’s easy to find trouble. We read or see about it all the time in the news. As a believer, we should be seeking out and promoting peace. However, it is not peace at any price but rather peace based on righteousness. We should never compromise biblical truth in the pursuit of peace. At the same time, when we are challenged with situations that are in conflict with Scripture, it doesn’t mean we can protest in an angry or violent manner. We must seek dialogue and change through peaceful methods.
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Sermon on the Mount Lesson Fourteen

God and Possessions – Matthew 6:19-24

Part fourteen in my series on the Sermon on the Mount looks at Jesus instructing the disciples on where to place their trust and priority regarding the use of their resources, whether financial or other resources.

Matthew 6:19-24  19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and consuming insect destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor consuming insect destroy and where thieves do not break in or steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore if your eye is sincere, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be dark. Therefore if the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and money. (HCSB)

This passage is connected with Matthew 6:1-18. In the earlier passage, there is a contrast between the temporal rewards and attention of men and the permanence of heavenly rewards. Here, Jesus is drawing the same distinction but using earthly wealth and heavenly wealth, one temporal and one permanent.

History, including Scripture, contains numerous examples of people who allowed the love of money to ruin their spirituality and negate their witness.

  • Solomon allowed the love of money and women to ruin his spiritual life.
  • Ananias and Sapphira lied about the sale price and were struck dead.

The Bible does not teach that money is evil. Money and possessions don’t create evil; it’s the people who misuse them that creates the evil.

Jesus is not speaking against possessions; He was teaching against an unhealthy preoccupation with them.

Verses 19-21  19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and consuming insect destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor consuming insect destroy and where thieves do not break in or steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

In the ancient world, wealth didn’t appear in the same form as we understand it today. Often it consisted of precious metals or cloth. Moths would eat away at the fabric, and rust could destroy precious metals. Theft is a timeless danger in a fallen world. All three indicate a form of wealth destruction regarding temporal treasure.

This passage does not imply that Christians can’t be wealthy. It does mean that riches bring serious dangers ranging from theft to destruction over time. Christians must be characterized by being generous givers and careful stewardship in using their resources for Kingdom work.

One of the greatest, if not the greatest, danger in the modern Western church is the lure of materialism with our affluent culture. This is especially true for those that have been seduced by the prosperity gospel lie. Often those who “minister” push this false teaching are driving six-figure cars, wearing designer clothes, and living in lavish houses. The amount of money that was misused for those luxuries could be used to impact communities either in-country or for those living in 2nd and 3rd world countries. 

Here Jesus is warning against three kinds of pleasures/possessions.

  • Those that will wear out like old clothes.
  • Those that can be eroded.
  • Those that can be stolen.

Jesus is painting a contrast between earthly treasures and heavenly treasures. This is an important distinction as it is an indicator of the heart and values of a person. The heart represents the core of a person’s being, the true inner self. What a person values and demonstrates with their life is shaped and driven by their heart.

Verse 22-23  22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore if your eye is sincere, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be dark. Therefore if the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

The reference to the eyes is a metaphor here. In Jewish literature, there is a close connection between the heart and the eye. Eyes enable the whole person to see. Good and bad eyes are a reference to a good and bad heart and where our treasure is stored. It is also a metaphor regarding our perspective on wealth. A person who has a healthy and generous attitude towards their wealth is full of light. A person who has a selfish or covetous attitude is filled with darkness.

Verse 24  No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and money.

A proper understanding of the terms “master” and “serve” is required to properly understand this verse. Master is referring to someone or something that requires total allegiance. The Greek word for serve, douleuo, indicates work done by a slave and not an employee. The master requires exclusive service from their slaves. It is a choice between two competing loyalties that are not compatible. We can’t serve two masters in the same way that we can work multiple jobs or even support multiple sports teams.

“Love” and “hate” in Semitic thinking are equivalent to “choose” and “not choose.” When we choose not to hate money, we are, by the cultural standards of Jesus’ time, choosing to love money. When we neglect God, we are, in Jesus’ understanding, choosing to hate God.

Jesus is saying that it is not possible to serve God and money at the same time. The term “money” is from the Aramaic word mamon, which means wealth or property. It is anything that a person places their confidence in and controls the person’s actions. If a person puts their trust in money, that will control their actions making it impossible to serve God in a selfless manner. However, placing their trust in God will allow them to serve generously regardless of how much money or resources they have. They will use the money and resources for the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

Applications

  1. Examine how you treat money and possessions in your life. Do they control you, or are you in control of them? Are you generous, or are you selfish? Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict and guide you in this area of your life.
  2. Are you always looking for your next “toy” to purchase? Often, we are blinded by our wants when we should be concentrating on our needs. It is not wrong to treat ourselves occasionally. However, big purchases or continuously treating yourself is a sign that mamon is in control of you.
  3. Are your eyes a portal to light or darkness? This requires an honest, and often uncomfortable, self-examination. Pray for conviction and revelation in this area, knowing that confessing and repenting lead to forgiveness.
  4. Do you understand that not choosing to follow God in any area of biblical guidance is the same as choosing to hate God? These are not my words; they are the words of Jesus.