Do not judge (wrongly)

Matthew 7:1 1"Do not judge so that you will not be judged."

John 7:24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment"

As a Christian, I constantly hear cries everywhere to "not judge". In fact, when someone denounces what is a patently immoral action, people will rise up and say: "Don't judge that person" or even ask the question: "who are you to judge"? Some well meaning Christians will even cite Matthew 7:1 as proof that as Christians, we need to exercise love and not judge other people.  Is that accurate?  What was it that Jesus was exactly teaching in Matthew 7? Was He telling his listeners (and us) to not exercise any judgment whatsoever? If you will notice in the opening of today's blog, I included John 7:24 to  shed light on the intent behind Jesus' words. I would like us to take today and tomorrow to reflect on this topic of judging.  Today we will focus Jesus's words and other scriptures to understand first of all what it means to wrongly judge.  The premise of this blogger will be that only wrong types of judgment are prohibited in scripture. 

What does it mean to judge in general?
When you do a word study on the Hebrew and Greek words translated "judge" or "judgment", you gain the following meanings: "to discern, to guide correctly, to reach the right conclusions with the right perspective." To not exercise judgment in any circumstance takes away the Christian's responsibility to exercise discernment between right and wrong which lies at the heart of spiritual maturity. (Hebrews 5:14)  However, for many people, whenever they see Jesus plainly say: "Do not judge", they conclude that judging is prohibited.  Only without reading the rest of Matthew 7 or other scriptures could one reach such a conclusion (ironically, to reach any conclusion, you have to judge!) The Bible never once prohibits people from judging. The only thing the Bible prohibits is judging wrongly.

Wrong kinds of judgment
So what happens when people judge wrongly? Consider what constitutes incorrect forms of judgment:

1. Judging with the intent to harm is wrong judgment
Jesus is not prohibiting judging others in Matthew 7, rather He is prohibiting the wrong kinds of judgment. Often we will make pretty positive assessments about ourselves and yet find ourselves tearing down other people. In Matthew 7:5 Jesus warns: "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye."1

2 Judging with Incomplete information is wrong judgment
Scripture tells us of another type of wrong judgment: namely judgment that operates on incomplete information or surface level facts. The prophet Samuel for instance went to the house of a man named Jesse to anoint the next King of Israel.2 God warned Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7 "But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” With this counsel Samuel ended up anointing the least likely candidate: David. Jesus' comments in Matthew 7:1-5 also address this type of wrong judgment.  In order to judge correctly, I need to be made aware of my own blindspot which is getting in the way of having all the information!

3. Judging that ignores God's Word is wrong judgment
As we saw above, Samuel's judgment had to be corrected by God's known will - the word of God, in order for Him to correctly judge and discern who would be the next king of Israel. When we come to John 7:24, the wrong kind of judgment is contrasted with the right kind of judgment. The Christian who attempts to discern or judge without giving the scriptures a second thought can run the danger of judging wrongly.3 Thus the righteous judgment being advocated by Jesus in John 7:24 and Matthew 7 is a judgment that consults scripture within its proper setting and context.

4. Judging impatiently is wrong judgment
In 1 Corinthians 4 the Apostle Paul is dealing with a group of arrogant people at the church who need to be admonished. As you read down through the chapter, it is very clear what his pastoral duty is: confront the sin. Though the duty is clear, Paul is also aware of the fact that if not carried out in the right timing - the admonishment could backfire. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:19 - "But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power." Paul is guarding himself against the wrong types of judgment we looked at already: namely judging with the intent to harm, judging with incomplete information and judging that ignores God's Word. Paul has all the facts and He has scripture and Apostolic authority. However he is exercising the much needed attitude of patience and timing. Right judgment, excercised at the wrong time, has the same net effect as wrong judgment.

Tomorrow we will consider right types of judgment, and why the Christian has the duty and right to judge rightly. 

Endnotes:_________________
1 James 5:11-12 gives a similar warning to his readers, warning them not to "speak against" their brother. True and correct judgment aims for what is right or just, whereas wrong judgment has no regard for the well-being of the other person. Destructive judgment and hypocritical judgment are variations of this first type of wrong judgment, which Jesus here in Matthew 7 is denouncing.

2 For Samuel, he thought he was going to anoint a man who was like King Saul: tall, prominent and strong. Jesse had seven sons who in the eyes of men were fit candidates to be the next king of Israel. Jesse had all of them pass before Samuel, who thought "surely this one is the Lord's anointed". (1 Samuel 16:6)

3 Certainly we have the ability to reason and to observe, however those are the means by which we gather information about whatever we are about to judge. However what authority or base are we using to evaluate the rightness or wrongness of something? Psalm 19:8 reminds us: "the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes."

Fellowship with God Strengthens Assurance

1 John 1:7  but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Relationship and Fellowship with God
What is the difference between your relationship with God and your fellowship with God? Relationship has to do with the eternal security of my salvation rooted in Christ's completed work.  Relationship is looking at your post-salvation-life from a vertical, God-to-you perspective.1 The idea of fellowship on the otherhand views your post-salvation-life in a horizontal perspective, that is, from a you-to-God perspective.  Fellowship is dealing with how close you are to God in your day to day walk. 

An Illustration
To illustrate this distinction, let's say my wife and I have a difference of opinion.  Our relationship is based upon the marriage vows that state: "till death do us part."  The relationship will not be in jeopardy if she and I differ over a matter.  However, our fellowship or closeness to one another can vary from day to day or moment to moment, depending upon how much we communicate, how much time we spend and whether or not we immediately resolve differences.2 

What particular ways do we find fellowship with God to be the strength of our assurance?
In the Apostle John's little ltter of 1 John, we find some 70 different statements in 105 verses about the topic of assurance of salvation.  John talks about the impotance of fellowship some four times in 1 John 1:5-2:6, the focal text of today's blog.  In the above opening verse of 1 John 1:7, I underlined two phrases: "fellowship" and "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin".  I did this because John here is reminding us that our Eternal security rests in Christ's finished work, whereas our fellowship or awareness of our assurance of salvation rests upon our proximity to Christ Himself. 

How is it that your fellowship with God is determinitive of the level of assurance you can enjoy as a Christian in your salvation?  Consider the three main thoughts below from 1 John 1:5-2:6

1. Closeness to God clarifies Assurance.  1 John 1:5-7
Relationship to God is based upon the cross, whereas fellowship is measured by how close I stay to the cross.  One of the phrases we find John repeating throughout these verses is the phrase: "if we say". (1 John 1:6, 8, 10, 2:4,6)  These statments have to do with those who are claiming to be Christians.  John's point is to exhort His readers to evaluate the nature of their claim.  Do they walk in the light as He is in the light? If not, then their practice will demonstrate what they profess.  Only when we are intentional walking close to the Lord will we then have clarity as to how healthy we are as Christians.  

2. Confession of sin restores assurance.  1 John 1:8-2:2
Notice what this second thought is not saying: namely that confession of sin will restore salvation.  In the larger doctrine of perseverance, we have two aspects; eternal security and Assurance.  Eternal security cannot be lost for a Christian, since by faith they are resting on the completed work of Jesus Christ.  Thus Eternal security fits in the relationship aspect of salvation, which we have already discussed.  Assurance on the other hand can fluctuate, and even at times be virtually non-existent in a Christian's life who is persisting in unrepentant or hidden sin.  1 John 1:9 is key, since the sin between me and my closeness to God is keeping me from enjoying the immediate awareness of His presence in my life.  Once you confess your mess, the Bible says you will be cleansed from all unrighteousness.  Much like if I apologize to my wife, our closeness is restored.  The relationship was never in jeopardy, since it is based upon an institution ordained by God - marriage. 

3. Commitment to the scriptures proves assurance.  1 John 2:3-6
Time and time again John draws the link between our level of assurance and our level of exposure the Word of God.  Not only exposure, but obedience to what we have been exposed to.  Are you and I walking out the measure of light we are given from the scriptures?  If anything, this was the main reason why John wrote this little book, as stated in 1 John 5:13 - "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."  That underlined phrase "you may know" occurs over 25 times in this little letter.  Unless you and I have our noses in the book, and in turn take the book in our hearts, we will never defeat the doubts in our minds.  I know who I am and whose I am because of the Bible. 

May you and I dear friend walk in closer fellowship with God so as to enjoy greater assurance. For as we do, we can rejoice in the fact that because of Jesus Christ, our salvation is eternally secure. (John 10:27-28; Jude 24-25) 

End Notes__________________

1.   God the Father planned salvation and set His affection upon you in eternity past. (Ephesians 1:3-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13) The Son agreed to come in the virgin birth as a man, live a perfect life of 33 years and purchase your salvation by way of crucifixion and affirming His accomplishment by way of His resurrection. (Ephesians 1:7-10; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5)  The Holy Spirit then agreed He would apply salvation, convicting you, calling you and convincing you of Jesus Christ, which in turn you then believed and are saved. (John 16:8-11; Ephesians 1:11-14)  The Baptist Faith and Message 2000, in it's Article V,  refers to the Father's planning as His "Purpose of Grace", with The Son's Purchase and Spirit's Application of salvation included under Article IV: "Salvation".

2. Relationship is fixed, defined by someone outside of us - namely God.  God ordained marriage and of course He is the Author of salvation.  He ordained grace as the base and faith as the means of receiving such grace.  The cross is the grounds of the relationship and God's glory is the end-goal of the relationship.  Christ alone is the Mediator between the believer and God.  Fellowship on the otherhand will vary depending upon how much I hear God in prayer, take time to study His word and live obediently to what He says.   

Mon 3/4Poem: The God Who is and is known

The God who is and is known

 

God in of Himself, uncreated glory

 

Chose to create everything to reveal His story

 

He is One in essence, unending and bright

 

The Eternal God who dwells in uncreated light

 

He who is One reveals Himself as Three

 

Father, Son, Holy Spirit - the Holy Trinity

 

The Father is God who loves

 

Eternal in His activity

 

He directs His love to the Son, Equal in Divinity

 

The Son is the Beloved, with the Father in perfect unity

 

He is the one who reveals the inaccessible Deity

 

The Father planned all things in the wonder of His will

 

with the Son agreeing to perform His work, the cross to fulfill

 

History was made by the Father and entered into by the Son

 

To finish in history what in eternity had been begun

 

The Father and The Son, united in perfection

 

The Father being light and the Son His reflection

 

For such Perfect Love to have been in constant activity

 

A Third Person had to be sharing in the union of Deity

 

The Holy Spirit is the love between the Father and the Son

 

Equal to the two, all three being One

 

The God who is, has revealed in His word

 

He has sent forth the truth to be spoken and heard

 

The Spirit opens the truth in the sacred scriptures

 

Come by faith to Jesus, the source of endless treasures

 

The Spirit's call proclaims the truth: salvation has been won

 

The barren cross and empty tomb, Christ's work has been done

 

The Gospel tells you plainly, make your heart His throne

 

Praise God Who is and Who desires to be known

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behold your God - Isaiah 40

Isaiah 40:9 "O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!" (KJV)

Isaiah 40 is among the greatest chapters in all of the 1189 chapters of God's Word.  In one chapter we get thoroughly introduced to the God of sacred scripture.  In today's blog I want to give you the reader an outline of this marvelous chapter, with the aim to make you more eager to know and pursue the God of glory. The chapter begins with God being the source of comfort and ends with the same truth.  May your Lord's day be blessed as you reflect on Isaiah's words in this fortieth chapter of His book.

What kind of God is the God of the Bible and Who is he revealed to be in Isaiah 40?  

1. God is the Personal God.    Isaiah 40:1-9

God is the Personal God that is the One True God.  Isaiah 40:1
This Personal God is God the Father.                       Isaiah 40:2
The Father is made know by the Son.                       Isaiah 40:3-5
The Son is revealed in scripture by the Spirit.           Isaiah 40:6-9

2. God is the Powerful God.    Isaiah 40:10-26

All-Good God (Omni-Benevolent)                             Isaiah 40:10-11
All Wise God (Omni-Sapient)                                    Isaiah 40:12
All Knowing God (Omni-scient)                                 Isaiah 40:13-14
Infinite                                                                        Isaiah 40:15-17
Self Existent (Aseity)                                                 Isaiah 40:18-20
All Present (Omni-present)                                        Isaiah 40:21-22
All Powerful (Omni-potent)                                       Isaiah 40:23-26    

3. God is the Providing God.   Isaiah 40:27-31

He is able to provide                                                Isaiah 40:27-28
He knows how to provide                                        Isaiah 40:29
He knows to whom to provide                                 Isaiah 40:30-31

To God be the glory! May you and I dear reader find our strength in Him as we enjoy Him!

T.R.U.E Love that waits and succeeds - P3

1 Timothy 6:11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

Yesterday we featured details about the message behind a very important movement called "True Love Waits".  As a pastor I plan on preaching on this subject at our church this Sunday in lieu of what will be our youth pledging themselves publically to abstinence until marriage.  The message, based out of 1 Timothy 6:6-16, will  propose that: true love that waits and is faithful succeeds when you and I are a t.r.u.e man / woman of God. I would urge the reader to look back over the past couple of posts to review how we have defined the term "man of God", as well as gain an understanding of the message of "true love waits". 

Today I want us to interract with 1 Timothy 6:6-16 to understand Paul's message to young Pastor Timothy, urging him to be the man of God to that flock.  The principles we glean from this text can be used in gaining victory in the realm of moral/spiritual purity.  Thus in regards to "True Love Waits", we can be spiritually/morally and physically pure when as t.r.u.e men and women of God we consider the following four truths...

Trust in the Lord.  1 Timothy 6:6-11a
Paul writes beginning at 1 Timothy 6:6 "But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment."  Godliness in this passage simply means a man or woman of God who is trusting in God.  The last word in that passage - "contentment", is the motive that plays a major role in moral decisions.  Often whenever people are seeking fulfillment or contentment, they will attempt to attain it at whatever price. 

Scripture is very clear - there is only one way to be content - through Jesus Christ. Paul writes in Philippians 4:12-13 "know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."  People will spend hundreds and thousands of dollars to achieve lasting contentment - only to find that the the pleasure of the moment dwindles, requiring "more stuff" or "more excitement".  As the middle verse of the Bible tells us in Psalm 118:8 - "it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." 

As you go down through 1 Timothy 6:7-11, Paul warns Timothy about what happens when people try to find contentment outside of trusting the Lord: "ruin and destruction". (verse 10)  The godliness spoken of in 1 Timothy 6:6 is repeated in 6:11. A man or woman of God who is true to God and entrusts their future or current circumstances to Him are those who are trusting the Lord.  But notice secondly what we find in these verses, namely the man/woman of God also must....

Run faith's race.  1 Timothy 6:11b-12
Paul gives Timothy the command: "pursue!".  The Greek word translated "pursue" refers to "run or aggressively chasing after" and could be translated - "keep on aggressively chasing after righteousness, faith, love, perserverance and gentleness."  A man or woman of God who is operating in true love will not only wait but succeed in their relationships and life because of the fact they are running the race of faith.  Success here is measured not by immunity from trouble in so much as it is marked by persistent faithfulness and reliance on the power of the Lord. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Passages such as Philippians 3:12-14 and Hebrews 12:1-2 urges Christians to run the race of faith.  As we run, we are also to "fight the good fight of faith" and hold onto our place in the race, not retreating back or losing our spot.  Moral and spiritual purity is not sprint but a marathon.  Like any good marathon runner, you need to be replenished with water.  Truly the water of the word, which communicates all of the qualities explained by Paul in 1 Timothy 6:11 is what you daily need if you aim to succeed as a t.r.u.e man or woman of God. (Ephesians 5:26; 2 Timothy 3:17)  So a true man or woman of God, in order to both wait and be faithful before and after marriage and in life, must trust God, run faith's race and thirdly.....

Understand God's Word.  1 Timothy 6:13-14a
Paul's kicks his words to Timothy up a whole bunch of notches when he reminds the young pastor that everything he is writing is done in the presence of God and of Jesus Christ.  In verse 14 he tells Timothy, the man of God, to "keep the command without stain or reproach until Christ's appearance."  The more you study and apply God's Word to your life, the more you will understand who you are and whose you are. (Joshua 1:18; Psalm 119:11) 

Is Paul saying here to understand and obey God's word without sin?  Hardly.  Only Jesus did that.  Frankly, who of us can say we have kept every word of scripture perfectly?  It is important to understand that Paul is not advocating obedience to God's Word in sinless perfection, rather he is advocating what the Bible calls "blamelessness".  A blameless person is someone who lives their life in such a way as to not be subject to accusation.  Blamelessness has to do with my conduct or behavior, which can be pure before men and the Lord.    Psalm 101:3 explains how to be "blameless" - "I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me."  In a commitment like true love waits, what you allow your eyes to see or not to see can make all the difference in what you do. (Matthew 6:22)

Can we keep the commands of scripture in such a way as to build a testimony of faithfulness over time?  Absolutely!  God's grace is available for every command He gives us.  1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds us -  "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." Moral and spiritual purity in the realm of our physical relationships is perhaps the greatest test of how much we view ourselves to be in the eternal presence of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.   In understanding God's word, we aim to read it, memorize it and meditate upon its words so as to have correct thinking. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)  With the above points about what it means to be a t.r.u.e man/woman of God who aims to succeed in true moral/spiritual purity, lets consider one final thought...

Endure till Jesus Comes.  1 Timothy 6:14b-16
Unless we understand that all of our efforts in godliness have an eternal significance, we will become quickly discouraged.  Jesus Christ's second coming is the main motivation used in the New Testament for encouraging Christians to live holy and moral upright lives. (1 Thessalonians 4:18; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 John 3:1-3)  A man or woman of God is someone who trusts in the Lord, runs faith's race, understands God's word and endures untill Jesus returns.  His second coming signals the end of this age of grace and the finish line for every child of God. (Titus 2:13)  Christians we will be rewarded and judged based upon their level of faithfulness before Christ's throne. Such a realization should motivate us to carry out such commitments as "true love waits". (Matthew 12:36; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11)  

T.R.U.E Love that waits and succeeds - P2

1 Timothy 6:11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.


Reviewing yesterday's definition of a man/woman of God
In yesterday's post we spent some time exploring what the scripture has to say about what it means to be a man of God.  We closed with this thought: true love that waits and is faithful succeeds when you and are a t.r.u.e man / woman of God.  In the post we looked at four characteristics that we drew from 1 Timothy 6:6-16 to define a man / woman of God:  

Trusting in the Lord. 1 Timothy 6:6-11a

Running faith's race. 1 Timothy 6:11b-12

Understand God's Word.  1 Timothy 6:13-14a

Endure till Jesus comes.  1 Timothy 6:14b-16

For today I want to explain why being a t.r.u.e man/woman of God is vital in a particular message I will be presenting centered around the event called "True Love Waits".

The message of true love waits
The reason we labored yesterday to define a man/woman of God is due to what I wanted to write about regarding the call to abstinence until marriage.  Back in February 1993 a small youth group of teenagers at a Southern Baptist Church had made a pledge to moral purity before marriage.  God took the message embraced by those teenagers and used it to launch a movement that became known as "True Love Waits".  In a featured article of the Baptist Messenger, Editor Brian Hobbs layed out the purpose and outcome of the movement:1

"What is surprising is that since its beginning, literally millions of teenagers have taken the pledge for abstinence until marriage, unleashing a positive peer pressure trend upon this nation. Connected to 'True Love Waits' pledge cards and even jewlery have acted as reminders of the commitment to God and before man."

So what is the pledge made by teenagers who resolve themselves to purity until marriage? Hobbs references the statement from the card each teenager signs:

"Believing that true love waits, I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, my friends, my future mate, and my future children to be sexually abstinent until the day I enter a biblical marriage relationship."

This message is something which I as a pastor and the church of which I am blessed by God to pastor strongly supports.  This Sunday our morning service will feature our youth pledging themselves in front of our church body to the commitments they made during the several weeks they participated in the "True Love Waits" program.2  For me personally this weekend will be especially touching, since my 15 year old son will be among them. 

The message of "True love waits" can only be achieved by those who are committed to being t.r.u.e men/women of God
The morning message will be based around 1 Timothy 6:6-16.  The only way young people and older people alike can carry out the Biblical vision of moral and spiritual purity is by being a man or woman of God.  In reflecting once again on Brian Hobbs' feature article about "True Love Waits", Hobbs notes from his interviewing other key Southern Baptist leaders that: "at the core of sexual integrity is our very walk with God." 

Moral/spiritual purity is not just about one area, but every area of the Christian life
The area of our physical relationships is of major significance, since it is a key battle ground being attacked by our enemy in 21st century society.  Everyone is wanting to redefine marriage, erase it all together, or replace it with lifestyles that define human beings only as biological entities who can have relationships free of moral constraints.  When we think about the message of "True Love Waits", as much as it does center on abstinence before marriage, the principles of moral and spiritual purity do not cease once that young person says "I Do".  The New Testament's vision of a Christian life of holiness entails presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) and commiting our thought-life to Christ (Romans 12:2).  Furthermore, this vision includes serving the Lord with purity of devotion (1 Peter 1:15-16) and praying for our leaders, both spiritual and political, with clean hands and a pure heart (1 Timothy 2:1-3).  Without these truths of scripture, marriages fail, families deteriorate, churches suffer and society crumbles. 

Being a man/woman of God is how moral/spiritual purity is maintained and effectively lived
Being a man/woman of God who trusts God, runs faith's race, understands God's Word and endures until Jesus comes is an identity that touches every aspect of the Christian life.  When Paul wrote 1 Timothy, he was writing to a Pastor who was to be an example to everyone around him.  No one said being a man/woman of God would be easy.  In fact, unless you by grace through faith have trusted in Christ and are submitting daily to the Spirit's leading, scripture, prayer and weekly church attendance, the call to moral and spiritual purity in Christ will never be successfully achieved. 

However if you make it your aim as a young person, or middle aged person or older person to be through the strength of Christ the best man/woman of God, you can have a glowing testimony for the Lord.

In tomorrow's post we will unfold in more detail the reasoning of Paul in 1 Timothy 6:6-16 as it pertains to being a t.r.u.e man/woman of God. 

End Notes:

1. The article of which I referred to can be found at baptistmessenger.com

2. To find out more information about "True Love Waits", you can check it out at lifeway.com, where in the site you can key in "True Love Waits" and read featured articles and discover resources connected with its message.

T.R.U.E love that waits and succeeds - P1

1 Timothy 6:11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

A God-centered church in need of a man of God
The Apostle Paul is writing to a young pastor at the church of Ephesus by the name of Timothy.  The Ephesian church was a great church that was founded by Paul in Acts 19-20.  For 2 1/2 years Paul ministered at Ephesus, with his time ending in a riot of the citizens wanting to kill him.  With the fledgling congregation attempting to minister the Gospel in such a hostile environment, their greatest need was stable leadership.  With that background, it was within a span of a few years that Paul's young protege, Timothy, came on the scene and was installed as the new Pastor of what was a growing church at Ephesus.  As Paul wrote 1 Timothy, his aim was to urge Timothy to be a man of God and lead this flock to be a God-centered church. (1 Timothy 6:11)

What is a T.R.U.E man of God?
In 1 Timothy 6:11 Paul refers to Timothy with a title that we only find in one other place in the New Testament - the title "man of God".1  Even though this title is used only twice in the New Testament, its background and usage in the Old Testament is quite extensive.  In over 70 places we find the Old Testament refer to people like Moses (Deuteronomy 33:1), Elijah (2 Kings 1:9); Elisha (2 Kings 8:4); King David (2 Chronicles 8:14) and various other prophets as men of God.  To be called a "man of God" is no light title, and for Timothy and ultimately every Christian to be called a "man (woman) of God" means that certain qualities are in mind. 

We could certainly do a character study on those Old Testament passages that speak of Moses, David and others as being "men of God", however I want to use 1 Timothy 6:6-16 as our key text - since Paul undoubtedly had at least one of those 70 plus other passages coursing through his mind as he wrote under Divine inspiration to young Timothy.  For today's blog, we will just list the key qualities of a true man/woman of God by utilizing the acrostic T.R.U.E as we see in 1 Timothy 6:6-16.  A t.r.u.e man/woman of God is defined by the following four characteristics...

Trusting in the Lord.   1 Timothy 6:6-11a

Running Faith's Race.  1 Timothy 6:11b-12

Understand God's Word.  1 Timothy 6:13-14a

Endures until Jesus comes.  1 Timothy 6:14b-16

When you think about men of God like Moses, David or Elijah, they each had all four of those qualities.  Moses and David both appear in the famous faith chapter of Hebrews 11 exhibiting every single one of those qualities.  In James 5 we see reference to Elijah, who being called by the title "man of God" at least 8 times in the Old Testament, evidence all four traits as well.2  Truly men like them and Christians today are called to be t.r.u.e men/women of God. 

Conclusion and upcoming blogs
This little study on what it means to be a true man/woman of God will be used for the next couple of days to encourage young and old Christians alike to aim for moral and spiritual purity.  Only a t.r.u.e man/ woman of God will see the necessity and have what it takes to heed such a call of God on their lives.  As we go into this coming weekend, our church and many congregations nation-wide will be participating in a biblical emphasis that will encourage young people to pledge themselves to abstinence until marriage.  This emphasis, called "True Love Waits", will be explained in more detail over the next couple of blogs. Our main idea will be that true love that waits and is faithful succeeds when you and I are t.r.u.e men / women of God. Until then, Lord bless.

End Notes:_____________________

1. The only other place we find this title "man of God" used in the New Testament is in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. "

2. Elijah evidenced trusting in God (James 5:17) running faith's race by praying repeatedly to God (James 5:18). By using men like Elijah as an example, James emphasizes the need to keep people accountable who turn from the truth - thus telling us that Elijah and those like him operate in the understanding of God's Word (James 5:19-20). Then of course since Elijah did endure to the end describes his overall life as a true man of God as we see in his life story recorded in 1 Kings 17 - 2 Kings 2.