(This sermon is part of Dr. Manuel's sermon series: "What is Foremost?" Links to
each of the sermons in the series will be found here as they are posted.)
The typical student is concerned about his grades, because those evaluations reflect his performance and may affect his future—for example, if he is eligible for financial aid or, in extreme cases, if he will graduate.
When I was a student, then later, when I was a teacher, one of the most common questions from a class, especially when exam time drew near, was:
God has done something similar. While everything He has revealed in scripture is significant, He has indicated what is most important, What Is Foremost. We have considered three items thus far, all from the gospel of Matthew. Today, we will examine one from the epistles of Paul...
IV. The Foremost Comportment1
...your conduct on a regular basis, which exhibits...
If you were to list the many benefits of physical training, it could be quite lengthy. For example, when introducing a new class to the value of Tai Chi, a slow-motion Chinese exercise, I mention that it promotes...
No matter how many items make the list of Tai Chi benefits, however, they have one limitation in common: They are all restricted to this life, here on earth; none of them extends beyond it. That is the case with all physical training. In contrast. there is no aspect of life, present or future, that will not benefit in some way from godliness.5 In other words, the benefits of physical training are limited, but the benefits of spiritual training are limitless (Knight 1992:199).
There is, however, an important similarity between physical and spiritual training: Like an athlete, the believer matches his preparation to his destination. If he wants to receive the reward God has placed at the spiritual finish line, he must concentrate his efforts accordingly. Thankfully, that is not especially difficult—anyone can do it—but it does take diligence. Of all the skills a person could develop—from memorizing scripture to mastering Hebrew—Paul admonishes Timothy to focus especially on developing one thing in particular: "godliness" or piety, which is modeling one's character and behavior after God.6
One problem Paul addresses in this missive, a problem Timothy faces in his ministry, is competition from other views of reality, which he calls "godless myths and old wives' tales" in v. 7. These offer alternatives to God's view of reality. In addition to their being false, they lack morality; they do not promote godliness and, in fact, advocate that people can live to please themselves rather than God.7
As in Paul's day, so today, for those who want to know if there is more to life than what is evident in this world, there is no shortage of speculation, speculation that is often presented as factual. For example, in the second half of the twentieth century, some proposed that extraterrestrial beings called ancient astronauts came here from other planets and seeded the earth with life. They also introduced the cultures, technologies, and religions common today.8 To give this notion credence, advocates sometimes appealed to the Bible, claiming that passages describing angelic contact with man actually depict alien contact with man.9 For many people, including some Christians, this is as good an explanation as any of how things all began, and they accept it. Unfortunately, failing to distinguish the credible and reliable source of scripture from the incredible and unreliable source of speculation undermines the truth in people's minds and offers no basis for morality in people's actions.
The problem in Paul's day did not involve ancient astronauts, but its affect was similar in that it caused people, including some Christians, to accept alternative views to God's view. Here as well, failing to distinguish the credible and reliable source of scripture from the incredible and unreliable source of speculation undermines the truth in people's minds and offers no basis for morality in people's actions. So Paul instructs Timothy:
Linda and I are both science fiction buffs, in part because of the way that genre expands one's thinking about what may be possible in the future. We recognize, however, the distinction between theory and reality, between an author's conjecture and God's certainty, and that critical filter is always in place for us.
Paul's criticism is of those who blur this distinction; worse, who "teach false doctrines," believing them to be true. He says in...10
Here, in this second point, Paul identifies what is foremost. Timothy should treat this problem as a contest (or "race") and show, by his conduct, the character God's people should exhibit, the kind that draws them close to God. Paul tells Timothy to demonstrate godliness, which is simply copying the character of God. This is the foremost thing God expects and, as Paul informs Timothy, godliness has two advantages.
1. Your devotion will be beneficial now, in "the present life."
2. Your devotion will be beneficial later, in "the life to come."
Like Paul, the author of Hebrews employs the motif of a race as he offers this
encouragement when his readers find their efforts wearying.
Regular physical exercise can determine the quality of life you enjoy now, so it is good to have a regular regimen. Whether or not you have a physical exercise program, you must have a spiritual exercise program, because that will determine the quality of life you enjoy now and later. Thankfully, spiritual exercise is not limited by age or agility. In fact, as your physical abilities decline, your spiritual abilities can and should improve. There are many components to such a program, but foremost is your comportment, the way you should conduct yourself on a regular basis, which is by exhibiting the piety of God. So, when people watch you—and they do, be they your friends or your family—whose character do you display? ...Whose character do they see?
Having considered The Foremost Comportment, we will look next at The Foremost Commencement, which reveals the predestination of God, in Rev 20:6,14-15.
For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.
After receiving the results from an exam, a student entered his instructor's office and said, "Professor, I don't believe I deserve this F you've given me." To the student's surprise, his instructor replied, "I agree." ...then added... "but it's the lowest grade the university allows."The typical student is concerned about his grades, because those evaluations reflect on his performance and may affect his future.
When I was a student, then later, when I was a teacher, one of the most common questions from a class, especially when exam time drew near, was:
What will be on the test? Of all there is to know about this subject—and recognizing that it is far more than any one person can know (except, of course, the teacher)—what do we actually have to know to get a good grade?While an instructor might want to examine students on everything he has covered, that is simply not practical; so, he must decide between what to include and what to exclude. He must assign a relative value to the material, saying, "This is what is most important."
God has done something similar. While everything He has revealed in scripture is significant, He has indicated what is most important, What Is Foremost. We have considered three items thus far, all from the gospel of Matthew. Today, we will examine one from the epistles of Paul...
IV. The Foremost Comportment1
...your conduct on a regular basis, which exhibits...
- The piety of God (1 Tim 4:8) Please turn to...
1 Tim 4:8 [P]hysical training [has] value [for some things], but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.2Whether or not Paul participated in any regular or organized exercise program, the apostle is familiar with the demands of such training, mentioning it in his letters and noting, as he does here, an important distinction between physical discipline and spiritual discipline.3 He says in...
1 Cor 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.4The believer's preparation is different from an athlete's preparation because his goal is different. While he must be diligent, like an athlete, the believer's objective is more extensive, more far-reaching, and more enduring.
If you were to list the many benefits of physical training, it could be quite lengthy. For example, when introducing a new class to the value of Tai Chi, a slow-motion Chinese exercise, I mention that it promotes...
- Proper posture
- Improved balance
- Greater relaxation
- Deeper breathing,
- Increased circulation
No matter how many items make the list of Tai Chi benefits, however, they have one limitation in common: They are all restricted to this life, here on earth; none of them extends beyond it. That is the case with all physical training. In contrast. there is no aspect of life, present or future, that will not benefit in some way from godliness.5 In other words, the benefits of physical training are limited, but the benefits of spiritual training are limitless (Knight 1992:199).
There is, however, an important similarity between physical and spiritual training: Like an athlete, the believer matches his preparation to his destination. If he wants to receive the reward God has placed at the spiritual finish line, he must concentrate his efforts accordingly. Thankfully, that is not especially difficult—anyone can do it—but it does take diligence. Of all the skills a person could develop—from memorizing scripture to mastering Hebrew—Paul admonishes Timothy to focus especially on developing one thing in particular: "godliness" or piety, which is modeling one's character and behavior after God.6
One problem Paul addresses in this missive, a problem Timothy faces in his ministry, is competition from other views of reality, which he calls "godless myths and old wives' tales" in v. 7. These offer alternatives to God's view of reality. In addition to their being false, they lack morality; they do not promote godliness and, in fact, advocate that people can live to please themselves rather than God.7
As in Paul's day, so today, for those who want to know if there is more to life than what is evident in this world, there is no shortage of speculation, speculation that is often presented as factual. For example, in the second half of the twentieth century, some proposed that extraterrestrial beings called ancient astronauts came here from other planets and seeded the earth with life. They also introduced the cultures, technologies, and religions common today.8 To give this notion credence, advocates sometimes appealed to the Bible, claiming that passages describing angelic contact with man actually depict alien contact with man.9 For many people, including some Christians, this is as good an explanation as any of how things all began, and they accept it. Unfortunately, failing to distinguish the credible and reliable source of scripture from the incredible and unreliable source of speculation undermines the truth in people's minds and offers no basis for morality in people's actions.
The problem in Paul's day did not involve ancient astronauts, but its affect was similar in that it caused people, including some Christians, to accept alternative views to God's view. Here as well, failing to distinguish the credible and reliable source of scripture from the incredible and unreliable source of speculation undermines the truth in people's minds and offers no basis for morality in people's actions. So Paul instructs Timothy:
1 Tim 1:3b ...command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 4 nor to devote themselves to myths.... These promote controversies rather than God's work....Paul is not condemning fiction or fantasy, both popular today in literature and in cinema. His concern is rather the failure to distinguish fiction or fantasy from fact.
Linda and I are both science fiction buffs, in part because of the way that genre expands one's thinking about what may be possible in the future. We recognize, however, the distinction between theory and reality, between an author's conjecture and God's certainty, and that critical filter is always in place for us.
Paul's criticism is of those who blur this distinction; worse, who "teach false doctrines," believing them to be true. He says in...10
1 Tim 4:2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.Timothy should declare to those in his care the intellectual weakness of these false teachers, that "myths" and "tales" do not provide reliable information about what God reveals.11
1 Tim 4:6 If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching ["sound doctrine" NAS] that you have followed.Moreover, Timothy should demonstrate for those in his care the spiritual (and moral) weakness of these false teachers, that "myths" and "tales" do not provide reliable information about how God expects His people to behave.
Here, in this second point, Paul identifies what is foremost. Timothy should treat this problem as a contest (or "race") and show, by his conduct, the character God's people should exhibit, the kind that draws them close to God. Paul tells Timothy to demonstrate godliness, which is simply copying the character of God. This is the foremost thing God expects and, as Paul informs Timothy, godliness has two advantages.
1. Your devotion will be beneficial now, in "the present life."
- It will be especially so to others, because when you meet the opponents of godliness, your character will present an obvious contrast to those who have rejected the Lord and whose disobedience will separate them from God forever.
2. Your devotion will be beneficial later, in "the life to come."
- It will be especially so to you, because when you meet the object of godliness (God Himself), your character will present an obvious confirmation of one who has accepted the Lord and whose obedience will unite him with God forever.
Like Paul, the author of Hebrews employs the motif of a race as he offers this
encouragement when his readers find their efforts wearying.
Heb 12:1c [L]et us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 ...fix[ing] our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.While you are in the race, you are not the only one competing, and you will not be the first one completing. Others are running with you, and others have run before you, including the one who completed the race ahead of everyone else and who now awaits you at the finish line. Keep your eyes on Jesus, when in doubt ask what he would do, and what is foremost on this list of priorities will be uppermost on your list of priorities.
Regular physical exercise can determine the quality of life you enjoy now, so it is good to have a regular regimen. Whether or not you have a physical exercise program, you must have a spiritual exercise program, because that will determine the quality of life you enjoy now and later. Thankfully, spiritual exercise is not limited by age or agility. In fact, as your physical abilities decline, your spiritual abilities can and should improve. There are many components to such a program, but foremost is your comportment, the way you should conduct yourself on a regular basis, which is by exhibiting the piety of God. So, when people watch you—and they do, be they your friends or your family—whose character do you display? ...Whose character do they see?
Having considered The Foremost Comportment, we will look next at The Foremost Commencement, which reveals the predestination of God, in Rev 20:6,14-15.
For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.
(This sermon is part of Dr. Manuel's sermon series: "What is Foremost?" Links to each of the sermons in the series will be found here as they are posted)
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Jim Skaggs