July 17, 2016

I realize that my topic for today is a touchy one with many Christians. Differing views on the doctrine of election have created a huge divide in the Christian world. Some have left this church because they didn’t like what I have taught on it. So it would be easier just to skip it or touch on it lightly and move on. Why risk upsetting some people? Why preach on such a divisive subject?

There are several reasons: First, it’s in our text and I preach whatever the text says without dodging it. Paul didn’t say, “I thank God knowing how you all decided to choose Jesus,” but rather, “I thank God knowing His choice of you.” To accurately handle God’s word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15) we need to be faithful to what the Bible says, not to what we may wish it said. By the way, if the text says, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13), I preach that. You can look it up!

A second reason to preach on this subject is that it’s a frequent theme in Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. In Genesis 12, God chose Abram out of a city of idolaters and promised to work through him to bring His salvation to the nations. He didn’t choose Abram’s entire city or even his entire family. God chose Abram, but He didn’t choose anyone else in Asia, Africa, Europe, or the Americas. Then He refused to choose Abram’s son Ishmael and chose Isaac. He rejected Isaac’s son Esau and chose Jacob, whom He renamed Israel.

Centuries later, Moses said to Jacob’s descendants (Deut. 4:37), “Because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them. And He personally brought you from Egypt by His great power.” He repeated (Deut. 7:7-8), “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” To drive the point home, he repeated again (Deut. 10:15), “Yet on your fathers did the Lord set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.”

We would be here all day if I traced this theme through all of Scripture. The New Testament often refers to believers as God’s elect or those chosen by God (Matt. 22:14; 24:22, 24, 31; Luke 18:7; Acts 9:15; 11:18; Rom. 8:29, 30, 33; Eph. 1:4, 5, 11; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:10; Titus 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:10. See, also, Luke 10:21-22; John 6:37, 44, 65; 10:26; 15:16; 17:2, 6, 9; Acts 5:31; 13:48; Rom. 9:11, 15, 16; 18 11:5, 7, 28; 1 Cor. 1:27, 28, 30; Gal. 1:15; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:1-2; 2:8, 9; Rev. 5:9; 7:10-12). We can’t skip over such an important biblical theme. We need to understand it properly.

A third reason not to skim over what Paul states in our text is that this doctrine is profitable for us, including new believers. As Paul states (2 Tim. 3:16-17), “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Although Paul had only been with these new converts, many out of pagan backgrounds, for a few months, he had taught them this truth so that here he just mentions it in passing and assumes that they were tracking with him. In 2 Thessalonians 2:13, he repeats it, “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”

So if you’ve struggled with this doctrine or just skipped thinking about it because it’s difficult, I’m appealing for a hearing. Look up the many verses (listed above) and ask God to give you understanding and a teachable heart.

I’ve had people ask, “Since election is a mystery hidden in the secret counsel of God, how can you know if you’re elect?” Since we’re talking about the matter of our eternal destiny, it’s not just an academic question! Paul’s assurance that God had chosen the Thessalonians rested on what he observed about their faith and their changed lives. Thus we can say:

You can know that you’re elect if God has powerfully changed your life through your reception of the gospel.

As a result of preaching the gospel, Paul saw that these people had received the word in spite of much tribulation (1 Thess. 1:6). They had become imitators of the evangelists and of the Lord. Their faith in God was evident by their good works (1 Thess. 1:3, 8). So he was confident that God had chosen them for salvation.

There are a number of objections that are often raised against the doctrine of election. One of them is, “If God has predestined everything, including who will be saved, why pray? What will be, will be, right?” Wrong!

1. Election does not negate prayer, but rather encourages it, since salvation is God’s doing.

1 Thess. 1:2: “We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers.” Also, “constantly bearing in mind” (v. 3) refers to Paul’s frequent, repeated prayers. Later, he exhorts these new believers (1 Thess. 5:17), “Pray without ceasing.” He didn’t mean “without a break,” which would be impossible, but rather that we should pray repeatedly and often.

Some who deny the doctrine of election argue that God has done everything that He can do to save people, but now the choice is up to them. They say that God never forces His will on anyone. So salvation depends upon people’s free will. But Jesus said that if we sin, we’re slaves of sin (John 8:34). We’re not free. If salvation depended on free will, then you shouldn’t waste your time praying for anyone to be saved, because God would be in heaven saying, “I’d like to see them saved, too. But they’ve got that free will. I can’t override their choices. Let’s hope they decide to choose Me!”

But Scripture shows that God always accomplishes His purposes (Isa. 46:10; Job 42:2). He sent His Son to earth to save a people for His glory (Eph. 1:4-12). He doesn’t leave that purpose up to sinful human will. Jesus said (John 6:44), “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” Although some of His larger company of “disciples” grumbled and turned away from Him because they didn’t like this teaching, He repeated (John 6:65), “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” If the Father is able to draw lost people to Christ, then we should pray that He will do so.

God ordains the means as well as the end. Prayer and proclaiming the gospel are His ordained means to save His elect. So we should pray for open doors for the gospel, both for ourselves and for other believers (Col. 4:3). God works in response to our prayers. We don’t know the ones to whom God has granted that they will come to Jesus until after they get saved. None of us would have predicted that Saul, the persecutor of the church, was one of God’s elect. Even after he came to faith, many of the disciples were skeptical that his conversion was genuine (Acts 9:13-14, 26).

But God’s hand is not so short that He cannot save whom He chooses to save (Isa. 50:2). If He wants to save the wicked people of Nineveh, He does it in spite of the lackluster preaching of His reluctant prophet, Jonah. So we should pray for God to accomplish His sovereign purpose by saving a people for His glory.

2. Because election is God’s purpose which cannot fail, it results in changed lives.

1 Thess. 1:3: “constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father.” Paul knew that God had chosen these people for salvation because he could see the results in their lives: work stemming from faith; labor motivated by love; and steadfastness flowing from hope in the Lord Jesus Christ in spite of severe persecution. He goes on to mention how they had become imitators of himself and of the Lord and that the gospel was sounding forth from them all over the region (1 Thess. 1:6-10). So their dramatically changed lives were evidence that God had chosen them for eternal life.

Paul mentions three cardinal virtues, faith, love, and hope, which showed that the Thessalonians’ faith was genuine. John Calvin (Calvin’s Commentaries [Baker], p. 239) called these three qualities “a brief definition of true Christianity.” Gene Getz builds his book, The Measure of a Church [G/L Regal Books], around these three qualities, showing how they are a biblical standard for maturity (Paul mentions them in Rom. 5:2-5; 1 Cor. 13:13; Gal. 5:5-6; Eph. 1:15-18; Col. 1:3-6; cf., also, Heb. 6:10-12; 10:22-24; 1 Pet. 1:21-22). Paul mentions them again in 1 Thessalonians 5:8: “But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.” Later, the Lord indicts the church in Ephesus because although they had deeds and toil and perseverance, they did not do these things out of love for the Lord (Rev. 2:1-7). So motivation is important.

A. A changed life is evidenced by work stemming from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The genitive (“of”) points to the source: work that comes from faith. This mainly points back to their saving faith in Jesus Christ. While Paul taught that we are saved by grace through faith apart from works, he also taught that genuine saving faith always results in works. If you know Ephesians 2:8-9, you should also be familiar with verse 10: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Paul and James are not at odds. Paul was battling the Judaizers, who taught that you must keep the Jewish law to be saved. So he emphasized that we are saved by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. James was confronting those who claimed to have faith, but had no works to show for it. So he emphasized that genuine saving faith produces good works. But both men agree that we are saved by faith that necessarily works (see my sermons on James 2:14-19 & 20-26 on the church web site).

By “works,” Paul is referring to all of the good deeds that we are called to do as believers. This includes helping the poor, visiting the sick and helping them with whatever they may need, giving comfort to the grieving, or spending time listening to and counseling a needy brother or sister (1 Thess. 5:12-14, where Paul uses both “labor” and “work”).

It also includes sharing our faith, which the Thessalonians were actively doing (1 Thess. 1:8). A frequent charge against the doctrine of election is that if God has determined who will be saved, then they will be saved. So we don’t need to share the gospel. But as I said, God ordains the means along with the end. He has ordained whom He will save, but He does it through our proclaiming the gospel. As Paul said (2 Tim. 2:10), “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.” God has His elect, but Paul had to suffer and preach so that they would obtain salvation. (See, also, Acts 18:9-11.)

B. A changed life is evidenced by labor motivated by love for the Lord Jesus Christ and for others.

“Work” and “labor” are somewhat interchangeable, although “labor” emphasizes the difficulty and toil. I understand “love” here to refer both to love for the Lord, which is our motivation, and love for others, both believers and unbelievers, which is the result (1 Thess. 3:6, 12; 4:9; 5:13). As we’ve seen, love is a self-sacrificing, caring commitment that shows itself in seeking the highest good of the one loved. The highest good for every person is to know Christ and be conformed to Him, to the glory of God. And, love for Jesus is the primary motivation for serving Him. When Jesus restored Peter after his denials, He asked three times (John 21:15, 16, 17), “Do you love Me?” As I mentioned, the church in Ephesus was doing good deeds and toiling for the Lord, but He rebuked them because they had lost their first love for Him (Rev. 2:1-7).

This labor motivated by love should be evident in our homes. We should display the qualities of love that Paul mentions (1 Cor. 13:4-7), “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Such love often involves labor or work. It isn’t effortless ecstasy! Husbands, loving your wife often means getting out of your recliner in front of the TV and helping her with the dishes or dealing with the kids. It involves putting down the newspaper and listening to your wife’s concerns. It’s labor motivated by love for the Lord and for her.

This labor motivated by love should also be evident in our church. Helping those in need is usually inconvenient. It sometimes requires physical work, such as helping an elderly person clean up their yard or house. It will cost your time and sometimes some money. By using the word labor, Paul implies that it’s not always easy. It involves self-sacrifice.

C. A changed life is evidenced by steadfastness produced by hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the hope of His coming that enables us to endure trials and even persecution with joy because we know that Jesus is coming back to reign. In New Testament Words ([Westminster], p. 144), William Barclay comments on the Greek word for “steadfastness”:

It is the spirit which can bear things, not simply with resignation, but with blazing hope; it is not the spirit which sits statically enduring in the one place, but the spirit which bears things because it knows that these things are leading to a goal of glory; it is not the patience which grimly waits for the end, but the patience which radiantly hopes for the dawn.

He goes on (p. 145) to tell of the Scottish hymnwriter and pastor, George Matheson. Even though he was blind by age 18, he wrote a prayer in which he pleads that he might accept God’s will, “not with dumb resignation, but with holy joy; not only with the absence of murmur, but with a song of praise.” That kind of steadfast joy under trials comes from hope in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will right every wrong and reward every good deed done in His name.

Paul adds (1 Thess. 1:3), “in the presence of our God and Father.” Some translations (NIV, ESV) and commentators connect that phrase with Paul’s “constantly bearing in mind.” In other words, his prayer was “in the presence of our God and Father.” But others (e.g. F. F. Bruce, Word Biblical Commentary, 1 & 2 Thessalonians [Thomas Nelson], pp. 12-13; Gary Shogren, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, 1 & 2 Thessalonians [Zondervan], p. 60) argue that the phrase is grammatically too far removed from the start of the verse to be connected with Paul’s remembrance of them. Thus it probably means that the Thessalonians’ work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope are exercised in God’s presence. We should be aware that all we do for the Lord is done in His loving presence.

So the point of verse 3 in the context is that if God has chosen us for salvation, it will be seen in changed lives. Faith in Christ results in work for Him. Love for Christ results in labor for Him and love for others. Hope in Christ results in steadfastness through trials and even persecution. Finally,

3. The main reason we receive the gospel and our lives are changed is that God loved us and chose us for salvation.

1 Thessalonians 1:4: “knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you.” Here, as elsewhere (cf. Deut. 4:37; 7:7-8; 10:15; 2 Thess. 2:13), election is linked with God’s love. As Paul says (Eph. 1:4-5), “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” The doctrine of election means that God took the initiative in our salvation because of His great mercy and love.

But this raises an objection: Doesn’t God love everyone (John 3:16)? And if He does love everyone, why doesn’t He show mercy to everyone? But we need to recognize the obvious fact that God has not shown His love and mercy to everyone in the same way or to the same degree. He loved Abram and chose to reveal Himself to him and bless him, but He didn’t choose any others around the world. As Paul says (Acts 14:16), “In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways.” God showed mercy to the Jews in Egypt, but He did not show mercy to Pharaoh or to any of the Egyptians (Rom. 9:15-18). The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s already hard heart and he and all the Egyptians lost their firstborn in the final plague (Exodus 12).

Was God unloving or unfair to do this? In Romans 9, Paul argues that He is the potter who has the right to do with the clay as He chooses, and that we don’t have any right to challenge Him. He does not owe us an answer! The only answer Scripture gives is that God does what He does, including the salvation of His elect and the judgment of other sinners to display His glory (Rom. 9:17, 22-24). Rather than causing us to stumble, this should fill us with gratitude that in His kindness, He chose us to hear His gospel and respond in faith.

Conclusion

So, how can you know whether you’re elect? Have you truly repented of your sins, received God’s word as true, and put your trust in Christ to rescue you from the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:6, 8, 9, 10)? If so, you’re elect. Your repentance and faith did not come from you, but from God, who chose you in love and grace.

But why does Paul bring this up in verse 4? Why mention this doctrine here? We can’t say for sure, but John Stott (The Message of 1 & 2 Thessalonians [IVP Academic], p. 28) offers a plausible thought: “Because he knew the insecurity felt by a young and persecuted church, he wanted to remind them that in the midst of their trials their security was in God.” He adds (p. 31), “The topic of election is nearly always introduced for a practical purpose, in order to foster assurance (not presumption), holiness (not moral apathy), humility (not pride) and witness (not lazy selfishness).” Or, as Leon Morris states (The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians [Eerdmans], p. 55), “Nothing gives security to the idea of salvation like the concept of election. Salvation, from first to last, is a work of God.”

My desire and prayer is that if you struggle with assurance of your salvation, this biblical truth will make you feel secure in His love. And if you’re going through trials, I pray that this truth will comfort and encourage you that you are His child and that nothing can separate you from His love.

Application Questions

1. To further study this difficult topic, I recommend The Doctrines of Grace [Crossway] by James Boice and Philip Ryken.
2. How does the doctrine of election encourage prayer, not negate it?
3. Why is evangelism a futile prospect if it depends on the fallen sinner’s “free will”? See Rom. 8:8; Eph. 2:1-3; 2 Cor. 4:4.
4. Does the doctrine of election bring you comfort or consternation? If the latter, why? How can this be changed?

Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2016, All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation

Introduction

Waiting is a familiar experience, so much so that it is often found in writings and sayings Thus Longfellow wrote, “All things come round to him who will but wait,”¹ a saying which is commonly rendered, “All things come to those who wait.” Several old well-known songs speak of waiting. For example: “Wait Till The Sun Shines Nellie,” “Wait For Me Mary,” and “Waiting For The Robert E. Lee.” Likewise watching is often found in lyrics, such as in the hymn “My Father Watches Over Me.” As well, patience is often cited. Thus a character in Shakespeare’s King Henry The Fourth said, “I am poor as Job, my lord, but not so patient”; or as Tolstoy wrote, “The strongest of all warriors are these two—time and patience.”² As well, the Chinese often spoke of patience. For example: “One moment of patience may ward off great disaster; one moment of impatience may ruin a whole life”; and “A second’s patience can save you months of trouble.”³

In what follows we shall note significant scriptural passages in which waiting, watching, and/or patience are featured. A summary together with their importance will conclude the study.

Scriptural Lessons Concerning Waiting

Old Testament

In Psalm 27 David concludes his teachings by saying,

Wait for the LORD;
Be courageous and let your heart be strong.
Wait for the LORD. (Ps. 27:14; HCSB)⁴

Despite life’s many difficulties, the believer finds courage and strength to meet them in waiting on the Lord, for “God is our strong refuge” (Ps. 46:1).⁵ A practical lesson for doing so is found in Psalm 104, where all creatures are said to wait for the Lord, “to give them their food at the right time” (v. 27; HCSB), for “You give them food and they receive it; you open your hand and they are filled with food” (v. 28). Such may well be a good lesson for humans, As Vance Havner said: “Simply wait upon Him. So doing, we shall be directed, supplied, protected, corrected, and rewarded.” ⁶

Psalm 33 is designed for readers to give full praise to the Lord. David gives many reasons for doing so. He begins his psalm with a call to rejoice and praise the Lord (vv.1-3). He follows this with several reasons to praise the Lord (vv. 4-9). He then proceeds to contrast the Lord’s dealings with both the unrighteous and the righteous (vv. 10-12), before once again magnifying God’s sovereign control over all the earth (vv. 13-19). He brings the psalm to a climactic conclusion by urging all believers to place their full trust in the Lord and to pray for His continued and everlasting faithful love:

We wait for the LORD;
he is our deliverer and shield.
For our hearts rejoice in him,
for we trust in his holy name.
May we experience your faithfulness, O LORD,
for we wait for you. (Ps. 33:20-22)

David’s declaration of waiting for the Lord (v. 20) emphasizes the need for complete dependence on God. In so doing a believer can rejoice and trust “in his holy name” (cf. vv. 1-2).

By God’s “name” the psalmist intends complete trust in the Lord himself in accordance with what the term “name” entails when referring to God as the eternally existing source and sustenance of life. For as Strong declares, “God is the infinite and perfect Spirit in whom all things have their source, support and end.”⁷ Christians may join with David’s praise because of all that they have in their Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Thus Martin remarks in his hymn,

The name of Jesus is so sweet,
I love its music to repeat;

It makes my joys full and complete,
The precious name of Jesus.⁸

David ends his psalm by beseeching the Lord, “May your faithful love rest on us” (v. 22; HCSB). By ”faithful love” (Heb. ħesed) is meant God’s loving-kindness toward mankind (cf. Pss. 116:1-2; 136), and especially his covenant people, Israel (cf. Deut. 7:9, 12; 1 Kings 8:23). God’s love is often attested in the Scriptures (e.g., Ps. 36:7). It is better than life itself” (63:3). It is an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3) so that God’s people may always call on Him with confidence in all circumstances (Ps. 86:7). The Lord is also faithful to His person and standards, and also in His promises to His people...Because of His faithfulness, God’s people may rejoice in His presence and praise Him with joyful hearts (Ps 92:1-4).⁹

If God displays such concern and affection for mankind, should believers do less? Certainly not! Even all nature waits on God;

All of your creatures wait for you
to provide them with food on a regular basis.
You give food to them and they receive it;
You open your hand and they are filled with food. (Ps. 104:27-28)

Believers may also be assured that the Lord’s help and strength are available for any and all situations. Thus Isaiah observes:

He gives strength to those who are tired;
to the ones who lack power he gives renewed energy.
Even youths get tired and weary,
even strong young men clumsily stumble,
But those who wait in the LORD’s help find renewed strength;
they rise up as if they had eagle’s wings,
they run without growing weary,
they walk without getting tired. (Isa. 40:29-31)

Accordingly, Smith remarks that believers should and need to exercise genuine hope:

This hope is an active dependence on God that patiently awaits his timing with confident expectation. This trust in God will replace any false leaning on a person’s own strength. Placing hope in God implies that a spiritual bond exists that allows people to admit their own helplessness and commit their welfare completely into the hands of his strong power.¹⁰

The psalmist gives an example of the need of putting hope in the Lord in times of trouble:

I long for your salvation; I put my hope in your word.
My eyes grow weary looking, for what you have promised;
I ask, “When will You comfort me?”
Though I have become like a wineskin dried by smoke,
I do not forget your statutes. (Ps. 119:81-83; HCSB; cf. Ps. 38:15)

As Leupold observes, till help comes he fixes his hope on the Word in which God has promised His children such help as may be needed by them.¹¹ Quite obviously the psalmist is in deep, troubling circumstances, but he knows that his only hope of deliverance lies with the Lord. Therefore, he puts his full trust in the Lord and remains faithful to God’s revealed standards. It is a good lesson for all believers.

Such is clearly expressed by the prophet Micah as well (Micah 7:1-6). Micah points out further that even the members of family or the best friends we may have may not be able to alleviate fully the overwhelming difficulties that may come upon us. Ultimately, it is the Lord in whom we must put our full confidence:

But I will keep watching the LORD;
I will wait for the God who delivers me.
My God will hear my lament. (Micah 7:7)

Micah’s trust was not in self—whether power, prestige, or wealth but in God. It was the Lord in whom he put his trust, for God was his help (cf. Pss. 27:9-10; 33:20: 40:17; 46:1; 63:7; 121:1-2). Without going into the specific background of the setting and or occasion of Micah’s prophecy, we nonetheless conclude that Micah reinforced the truth that the Lord is a God who cares for his own and is available for help in all circumstances.

We note that Micah goes on to say:

My enemies, do not gloat over me!
Though I have fallen, I will get up.
Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. (Micah 7:8)

Likewise, though we may feel humbled or crushed by life’s unexpected or even unprecedented happenings, we can rest assured that the Lord is with us through it all.¹² Indeed, the spiritually wise will not live for self or conduct themselves unethically toward others, but live in close fellowship with the Lord. Their desires will be fulfilled when they are in harmony with God’s desires for them.

The author of Proverbs gives a further lesson, “Do not say, ‘I will pay back evil!’ Wait for the LORD so that he may vindicate you” (Prov. 20:22). As McKane points out, the truly righteous man, the genuine believer, “Has no need to take the law into his own hands, since he can rely on Yahweh to avenge evil and should await his retributive action.”¹³

In so doing believers may then echo the psalmist’s testimony:

I waited patiently for the LORD,
and he turned to me and heard my cry for help.
He brought me up from a desolate pit,
out of the muddy clay and set my feet on a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD. (Ps. 40:1-3)

No situation, however desperate, is beyond the Lord’s sustenance for those who wait patiently for the Lord’s intervention and help. As John Sammis remarks:

Not a burden we bear, Not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He does richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, Not a frown nor a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.¹⁴

David’s praise of the Lord and petition to him in Psalm 25 (a psalm that is built around the Hebrew alphabet) demonstrates the high value of waiting for God’s assistance. Having declared his hope and confidence in God, (vv. 1-3), David prays to the Lord that in accordance with His “faithful love” (vv. 6-7) God will enable David to understand his situation and fully rely on the Lord (vv. 4-5). Thus David declares, “I wait for you all day long” (v. 5b; HCSB). David continues to point out his full trust in the Lord’s leading and help in the following verses (vv. 8-14), in which he says,

All the Lord‘s ways show
faithful love and truth
to those who keep his covenant and decrees. (Ps. 25:10; HCSB)

The Lord is indeed a God who teaches his faithful followers “the way they should live” (v. 12), with the result that they only live so as to experience God’s favor and guidance (vv. 13-14).

David begins the final section of the psalm (vv. 15-22) by reaffirming his continued confidence and dependence on the Lord: “I continually look to the LORD for help, for he will free my feet from the enemy’s net” (v. 15). Therefore he can pray for God’s help in his present distress (vv. 16-20). He caps all of this off with a petition to the Lord for so living as to gain God’s protection (v. 21a), for indeed, “I wait for you” (v. 21b; HCSB). David closes his psalm with a plea to the Lord that not only David himself but all Israel will be rescued “from all their distress” (v. 22).

Psalm 25 thus stands as a strong acknowledgement of and testimony to the necessity and high value of waiting in full reliance on the Lord as well as the need to live in compliance with the Lord’s revealed standards. As Perowne rightly observes, the psalm is also that “God is the teacher of the afflicted and the guide of the erring.”¹⁵

Psalm 27 serves as a fitting conclusion and climax to Old Testament instances of the necessity and importance of waiting on the Lord (cf. vv. 1-9). It also confirms the basic underlying source of being enabled to do so, namely, living out a faith that is permeated by a whole soul commitment to God: intellectually (v. 3), emotionally (v. 4), and volitionally (vv. 5-6). Our mind, emotions, and will should be in full compliance with the Lord’s will as revealed in his Word. When such is the case, the believer may “wait confidently for him” (v. 7). As I have pointed out elsewhere,

When real faith resides in an individual, it enables the believer to “rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (v. 7; NASB; NKJV). Where such strong faith and trust exist there is a proper perspective on the issues of life. Rather than envying the seeming successes and state of the wicked or worrying needlessly concerning various matters, the believer can be assured that the Lord’s way is the best way. God’s plans will ultimately succeed and the believer’s faith will be fully rewarded.¹⁶

In distinction from the unbeliever or unfaithful (vv. 8-10), “The oppressed will possess the land and will enjoy great prosperity” (v. 11). Indeed, a bright and glorious future awaits the faithful believer who lives in full faith and compliance with the Lord’s revealed standards. Thus the Old Testament teachings display the necessity and blessings associated with living a life in full dependence on the Lord, namely in genuine, continuous waiting on him. Such becomes magnified in the New Testament, especially in association with faith in God’s Son and man’s Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

New Testament

Paul tells the Philippian Christians that in sharp contrast with those who are anxious and obsessed with the things of this world, “Our citizenship is in heaven—and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). Why should believers, then, be overly concerned with things that ultimately will not endure? Quite the opposite, we believers await the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who will “transform theses humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself” (v. 21). Indeed, when Jesus returns and sets up his eternal kingdom, believers will share in a glorious everlasting life with him (cf. 1 Thess. 4:16-17). As O’Brien remarks,

The particular of the Lord’s saving activity at his parousia here singled out by the apostle is his transformation of our weak mortal bodies into the likeness of his own glorified body…. So in place of earthly bodies characterized by frailty, physical decay, weakness, and mortality, believers will have bodies that are suitable to the life of heaven (1 Cor. 15:38-49 and thus imperishable, spiritual, glorious and powerful.¹⁷

What a blessing awaits us! This does not mean that we should be idle. Quite the opposite, Paul reminds his readers that even a chosen apostle like himself needed to keep spiritually maturing while living in consecrated, dedicated service to the Lord: “I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let those of us who are ‘perfect’ embrace this point of view” (Phil. 3:14-15a; cf. Rom. 12:1-2; Phil. 2:3, 13-18; Col. 3:17). As the hymn writer expresses it,

Give me a faithful heart, likeness to Thee,
That each departing day, henceforth may see
Some work of love begun, some deed of kindness done,
Some wandr’er sought and won, some-thing for Thee.
All that I am and have-Thy gifts so free—
In joy, in grief, thru life dear Lord for Thee!
And when Thy face I see, my ransomed soul shall be,
Thru all eternity, some-thing for Thee.¹⁸

Elsewhere Paul commends the Thessalonian believers for their salvation and service to God, while watching for Christ’s return: “For… you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath” (1 Thess. 1:9b-18). As Comfort reports, “This categorically expresses the fervent expectation of the early Christians who believed the Jesus, who only recently ascended to heaven (20 years prior), would soon return (1 Thess. 1:3; 2:19; 3:13; 4:14; 5:10, 23; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:1,8).”¹⁹ It is of further interest to note as Morris observes, “The word for ‘to wait’ is found only here in the New Testament, and Grimm-Thayer suggest that in addition to the thought of awaiting someone expected, it includes ‘the added notion of patience and trust.’”²⁰ As Fanny Crosby asks in song,

Have we been true to the trust He left us?
Do we seek to do our best?
If in our hearts there is naught condemns us,
We shall have a glorious rest.
Blessed are those whom the Lord finds watching,
In His glory they shall share;
If He shall come at dawn or midnight,
Will He find us watching there?²¹

As we shall note below, a dedicated believer not only waits for the Lord but watches patiently for Christ’s blessed return. How is this accomplished? Peter gives his readers a splendid example. It is found in no less than God himself. After Peter Speaks of Christ’s self-sacrifice for the sins of mankind, he tells of Christ’s preaching to a generation of disobedient people in the days of Noah:

Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust,
to bring you to God by being put to death in the flesh
but by being made alive in the spirit.
In it he went and preached to the spirits in prison,
after they were disobedient long ago
when God patiently waited in the days of Noah
as an ark was being constructed. (1 Pet. 3:18-20)

For our purposes it is important to focus on God’s great patience with those who were disobedient during the 120 years of Noah’s constructing of the ark, before the flood overwhelmed the earth.²² Thankfully, the Lord still exercises patience with mankind. If God can be patient with mankind, should not believers show great patience, regardless of their trouble, as they await the second coming of Christ and his putting an end to sin? Moreover, as they do so believers should display a distinct contrast with the disobedient (cf. 1 Pet. 4:7) even in the midst of any possible suffering as did their Savior. Then, they may “rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice and be glad” (1 Pet. 4:13). As Osborne observes, “We never enjoy our afflictions, but we rejoice because God is in charge and because we know what the future holds.”²³ May we bear this in mind so as to reflect God’s “awaiting patiently” for the Lord’s return.

Moreover, as Jude challenges his readers, believers should reflect God’s love in their relations with one another:

But you, dear friends, must continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit. Live in such a way that God’s love can bless you as you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you. (Jude 1:20-21; NLT)

Living a Christ filled life thus has great benefits not only for this earthly life, but “The believer receives eternal life at the Second Coming (also Matt. 19:29; Rom. 2:7; Titus 3:7).”²⁴ Thus regardless of our tribulation here and now,

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrows will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.²⁵

Scriptural Lessons Concerning Watching

Old Testament

Solomon advises his readers to:
Watch the path of your feet,
and all your ways will be established.
Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
turn your foot from evil. (Prov. 4:26-27)

Beneath the surface reading of these words lies the deeper wisdom that Solomon wishes to convey. As Schwab points out, “Understanding circumstance and situation, one puts this into practice, actually doing the deeds consistent with wise counsel (4:26), careful not to turn aside to the right or left (4:27).” ²⁶ Thus Solomon challenges people to consider carefully the things they do and places where they go. One is reminded of the song that encourages people (especially the young ones):

Be careful little feet where you go,
Be careful little feet where you go,
There’s a Father up above
And He’s looking down in love,
So be careful little feet where you go.

We should put a watch not only on our feet but all of our being. As David says,

“I will watch what I say
and make sure that I do not sin with my tongue.
I will put a muzzle over my mouth
while in the presence of an evil man. (Ps. 39:1-2)

The psalmist in Psalm 141 pleads with the Lord:

LORD, set up a guard for my mouth;
keep watch at the door of my lips. (v. 3)

The psalmist was apparently in some great difficulty, in which only God could help (cf. vv. 1-2, 8-10). The psalmist’s prayer to the Lord is that he would keep the psalmist from responding rashly or in an ungodly fashion (v. 4). Cohen suggests that, “His enemies had resorted to language of a blasphemous character; may God withhold him from allowing similar words to pass his lips!”²⁷ May this be a timely warning for all of God’s people. One must trust in the Lord and not speak or act rashly even in the most oppressive of situations, such as being accused falsely of some sinful word or act. The believer must seek never to bring discredit to the Lord or worship any other god (cf. Deut 4:23). Indeed, “When harassed, the wise trust in the Lord as guard ‘Over the door’ of their lips.”²⁸

This in turn is reminiscent of Job’s pleading with the Lord: “

If I have sinned, what have I done to you,
Watcher of mankind?
Why have you made me Your target,
so that I have become a burden to You?
Why not forgive my sin and pardon my transgression?
For soon I will lie down in the grave,
You will eagerly seek me, but I will be gone. (Job 7:20-21; HCSB)

Job is concerned. Has he committed some sin so that the Lord has brought on his troubles? Is this the reason that the Lord, who supervises all things, is treating him this way? Later Elihu will remind Job of his further remarks, which have been misguided (cf. Job 33:8-11):

I tell you that you are wrong in this matter,
since God is greater than man.
Why do you take Him to court
for not answering anything a person asks? (Job 33:12-13)

After all, Job is a mere human being and as such had no right to summon God to court. Moreover, if he has sinned, he cannot find fault with God. Still further, God is gracious and forgiving to all who follow Him (cf. vv. 14-31). Let us learn a lesson from Job. Rather than living self-righteously or failing to follow God’s will and revealed standards, let us live in close fellowship and dependence on the Lord. Assuredly, the song writers are correct in affirming:

I trust in God wherever I may be,
Upon the land on the rolling seas,
For come what may, from day to day,
My heav’nly Father watches over me.²⁹

The old proverb is also most specific: “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; he who watches his way preserves his life” (Prov. 16:17; NASB). Living in accordance with God’s standards is a key to a far better life, even here on earth. As Kidner remarks, ”The highway consists in shunning what is wrong; and by keeping on this straight course, one is guarding one’s whole being.”³⁰ This includes one’s social life and especially one’s spiritual life, which is infinitely most important. As McKane remarks, “The upright man who walks along a road with an even surface, built up from a good foundation, keeps out of harm’s way.”³¹

The psalmist adds to this truth that not only should a person watch his course of life, but even more so he should look to God for guidance and strength, even in the face of harsh adversaries:

I will keep watch for you, my strength,
because God is my stronghold
My faithful God will come to meet me;
God will let me look down on my adversaries. (Ps. 59:9-10; HCSB; cf. Ps. 18:1-3).

Thus after God had delivered Israel from the mighty Egyptian army that had pursued them, Moses could sing, “The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation” (Exod. 15:2). Moses’ song of redemption (Exod. 15:1-18) is echoed in several other scriptural texts (cf. especially Ps. 77:16-19: Hab. 3:3-15). Similarly David declares:

The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom should I be afraid?

…

Though an army is deployed against me,
my heart is not afraid;
though war break out against me.
still I am confident. (Ps. 27:1, 3; HCSB)³²

The prophet Habakkuk, having uttered two complaints to the Lord (cf. Hab. 1:5-17),wisely steps aside and looks to God for wisdom:

I will stand at my watch post;
I will remain stationed on the city wall.
I will keep watching, so I can see what He says to me
and can know how I should answer
when He counters my argument. (Hab. 2:1)

As I have commented elsewhere, the prophet

is not so much challenging God with a complaint as he is desiring to have his perplexities alleviated and his viewpoint corrected.

Habakkuk also probably wanted to know God’s will and wisdom that he might respond properly to God’s correction and also communicate God’s intentions to others.³³

Knowing that God is keeping watch over all things, including our lives, believers should be encouraged to seek God’s wisdom and his approval in all that they do. As in the case of Habakkuk, such will have a proper effect on their spiritual condition and their daily lives.

New Testament

The theme of watching is also found in the New Testament. One of the most significant places is in association with Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was just after what has become known as the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:26-35) that Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him as he went into the garden to pray. Having told his disciples to “remain here and watch with me” (v. 38; ESV), Jesus went apart from them a little way and began to pray for the Father’s will with regard to his own life (v. 39). After doing so for awhile, he came to the three and found fast asleep: “And he said to Peter, ‘So you could not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak’” (vv. 40-41; ESV). Not only should they have been concerned for their master’s life but their own spiritual condition, especially at this crucial time. Interestingly, France suggests: “To his earlier instruction to ‘keep awake’ Jesus now adds “Pray.” Their prayer is not to be for him but for themselves, who have been shown to need it even more than he does.”³⁴

Believers should learn from all of this that being spiritually alert and prayerful are key elements in spiritual growth. Where such is realized, “A sure remedy is set before us, which is not far to seek, nor sought in vain. Christ promises that [people] earnest in prayer, who can fully put away the idleness of their flesh, will be victorious.” ³⁵ Let us, indeed, be faithful and consistent in our prayer lives.

The author of Hebrews says that such is particularly essential for Christian leaders. For it is their responsibility to, “Keep watch over your souls and will give an account of their work” (Heb. 13:17; NASB). Thus Bruce remarks, the

Readers are invited to cooperate with their leaders, to make their responsible task easier for them, so that they could discharge it joyfully and not with sorrow… [for local leaders] had a real concern for the welfare of the church and a sense of their accountability to God in this respect. If the discharge of their responsibility and the ultimate rendering of their account were made a burden to them, the resultant disadvantage who fall on those who were led as well as on the leaders.³⁶

Although this was designated especially for conditions in the early church, where good leadership was an essential commodity, it is still applicable to today’s churches. Such should be accompanied by Christian love and fellowship in the assembly, which radiates in the community. Where such is the case, “It will be found that not only does love promote fellowship but also that fellowship stimulates love, because it is by meeting together as a true community that Christians have the opportunity for encouraging one another by mutual support, comfort, and exhortation.”³⁷

Underlying the command is the spiritual truth that in good and proper Christian living, especially in the church in its work and witness, is the need for spiritual togetherness. Where a genuine concern for God’s name and standards is lived out, there will doubtless be spiritual growth in the church, in the community, and in personal lives. Thus the author’s closing charge is still relevant today:

Now may the God of peace who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, equip you with every good thing to do his will working in us what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. (Heb. 13:20-21; cf. 2 Pet. 3:18)

Spiritual Lessons Concerning Patience

The high value of patience has often been attested. An old Chinese saying declares, “One moment of patience may ward off great disaster; one moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.”³⁸ Tolstoi remarked that, “The strongest of all warriors are these two: Time and Patience.”³⁹ Ste. Theresa adds that, “Patient endurance attaineth to all things.’⁴⁰ The high value of patience is also mentioned in the Scriptures. Thus it is listed among several fruits of the Spirit such as, “Joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23). Paul points out that not only is personal patience an admirable quality (Col. 1:11), but living in loving unity entails honesty, gentleness, and a patience while, “bearing with one another” (Eph. 4:2; cf. Col. 3:12).

As noted above, such a character quality originates in God himself (1 Pet. 3:20). Indeed, “Patience is a characteristic of God we may often overlook, yet…God’s patience with his people is an outstanding example of the virtue.”⁴¹ Personal patience may be said to begin with a person’s constant waiting for the Lord’s guidance. Thus having reminded his hearers of the necessity of a whole-soul committal to the Lord (Ps. 37:3-6), David adds: “Wait patiently for the LORD! Wait confidently for him! (v. 7).⁴²

While instructing Timothy, Paul points out that a good Christian, especially a leader, should show distinct patience with all people, including those who oppose him (2 Tim. 2:24). Lashing back when wronged or criticized by others is not a proper response. Thus Laansma remarks,

Quarreling is beneath the dignity of the King’s representative, it misrepresents and demeans the Good News, mistakenly believes that the power resides in us rather than in God’s work, empowers the lie, distracts from the truth, and entangles and discredits the messenger. In every way it is counterproductive.⁴³

A fitting example of human patience is that of Abraham:

When God made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater by, He swore by Himself:
I will most certainly bless you,
and I will greatly multiply you.
And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise. (Heb. 6:13-15; NASB)

God had promised Abraham that He would make of him a great nation that would prove to be a blessing for many (Gen. 12:2-3). The citation here in Hebrews 6, however, is from Genesis 22:16-17, where God promised him that because he had not withheld the possibility of sacrificing his only son, Isaac, “I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore” (v. 17; NASB). So it would prove to be that while he was still alive that Abraham began to see the fulfilling of God’s promise (cf. Heb. 6:15).

The author of Hebrews goes on to say that God’s promise through Abraham is available also to Christian believers. For as Westcott points out:

This promise partially, typically, yet not exhaustively fulfilled, has been handed down to us doubly confirmed so that we cannot doubt as to its uttermost accomplishment (16-18); an accomplishment which is presented to us in the exaltation of the Son, whom hope can follow now through the veil (19-20).

Moreover, that promise has eternal rewards. As Olivers declares:

The God of Abraham praise, at whose supreme command,
From earth I rise, and seek the joys at His right hand.
I all on earth forsake, it’s wisdom, fame and pow’r;
And Him my only portion make, my shield and tow’r.⁴⁴

Such may include helping others in their time of need. As Paul tells the Thessalonian believers, “Admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all” (1 Thess. 5:14). Morris makes Paul’s instructions very explicit by saying,

The Christian should not be putting his own interests first, and taking a strong line with those who do not agree with him. Rather, must be patient with all men, bearing their manners and patiently seeking to lead them in the way of the Lord. It is more important for him that he be able to render some service than that his ego should be satisfied.⁴⁵

Rather than satisfying our own desires, above all else we would be advised to follow the time honored observation of C.T. Studd: “Only one life, ‘Twill soon be past; Only what’s done for Christ will last.” Indeed, it has often been said, “Patience is an admirable quality.” May it be one that believers seek and is vastly appreciated by all.

James (probably the brother of Jesus) urges his fellow believers to be patient, “Until the Lord’s return” (James 5:7). As a further encouragement he adds, “Be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the Lord’s return is near”(v. 8). Theirs was to be a warm fellowship (v. 6) despite whatever they were experiencing. Still further, he reminds them of the old prophets: “As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name” (v. 10; cf. Heb. 11:32-38). No matter how difficult the times, believers may rest in the Lord, while waiting patiently for Christ’s return, which can come at any moment. James’ advice serves as solid instruction to serve in the face of whatever good or troubles they encounter. The believer may indeed endure all things with patience, confident of a blessed future with the Lord Jesus Christ. “The path to blessing, therefore, is patient endurance.” ⁴⁶ As the hymn writer expresses it:

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
to guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.⁴⁷

Concluding Thoughts

We noted above that there is a distinct need to wait confidently for God at all times, especially in times of trouble (Mic. 7:1-7; cf. Ps. 40:1-3). Indeed, God is ever available to all (Ps. 104:27-28). Therefore, we may take courage and find our strength in God, for he alone can provide true deliverance and protection, A we saw in Psalm 33, David serves as a prime example of one who placed full trust in a holy, righteous and sovereign God. The Apostle Paul points out the high value of waiting expectantly for Christ’s return to set up his everlasting earthly kingdom (1 Thess. 4:16-17). In support of all of this, David clearly points to the need for believers to wait in full reliance on the Lord and live in accordance with his standards (Pss. 25:27:1-9).

The Scriptures also challenge believers to watch how they carry on their lives before God, for the Lord watches over all things (cf. Ps. 141:1-3; Prov. 4:26-27). Such will enable believers to fulfill the charge that God communicated through the author of Hebrews to do the Lord’s will (cf. Heb. 13:20-21).

Waiting and watching should be accompanied by distinct patience, even as exemplified in the life of Abraham (cf. Heb. 6:13-15). This entails not only striving to live a righteous life before God, but doing so in whole-soul committal to him, as well as desiring to be of help to all, especially to those in need. Because true patience and strength exist and originate in God, believers should “also be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the Lord’s return is near” (James 5:8). This should be done with a whole-soul commitment to God in genuine heart-felt patience (Ps. 27:1-7).

What great truth underlies all of this? It is simply that believers should wait for the Lord’s guidance and direction, keep a distinct watch to be certain that they reflect the character of God and his holy standards, and live patiently and expectantly before Him who is their deliver, refuge, and guide as they await Christ’s return.

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¹ See John Bartlett, Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, ed. Justin Kaplan, (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 16th ed. (1992), 431: note 2.

² See further, ibid. 183;510.

³ Lloyd Cory, Quotable Quotations (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books (1989), 276.

⁴ Unless otherwise cited (as here), all scriptural citations are taken from the Net Bible.

⁵ See further, my remarks in, “The Source of True Strength,” Biblical Studies Press, 2013.

⁶ Vance Havner as cited in Quotable Quotations, 421.

⁷ Augustus Hopkins Strong, Systematic Theology (Philadelphia: The Judson Press (1907), 52.

⁸ W. C. Martin, “The Name of Jesus.”

⁹ Richard D. Patterson, “Singing The New Song: An Examination of Psalms 33, 96, 98 And 149,” Bibliotheca Sacra 164 (2007), 419.

¹⁰ Gary V. Smith, “Isaiah 40-66,” in The New American Commentary, ed. E. Ray Clendenen (Nashville: Broadman and Holman (2009), 122.

¹¹ H. C. Leupold, Exposition of The Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House (1969), 841.

¹² See Richard D. Patterson in “A God Who Cares,” Biblical Studies Press (2014), 13.

¹³ William Mc Kane, Proverbs (Philadelphia: Westminster Press (1970), 548.

¹⁴ John H. Sammis, “Trust and Obey.”

¹⁵ J.J. Stewart Perowne, The Book of Psalms (Grand Rapids: Zondervan (1966) 2 vols. in one) 1: 258.

¹⁶ Richard D. Patterson, “Rest in Troublesome Times,” Biblical Studies Press (2014), 6.

¹⁷ Peter T. O’Brien, The Epistle to the Philippians, in The New International Greek Testament, eds. I. Howard Marshall and W. Ward Gasque (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, `991), 463, 465.

¹⁸ Sylvanus D. Phelps, “Something for Thee.”

¹⁹ Philip W. Comfort, “1-2 Thessalonians” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary; 18vols. (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2008) 16: 340.

²⁰ Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians in The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959), 63-64.

²¹ Fanny J. Crosby, “Will Jesus Find us Watching?”

²² For a full discussion concerning the problems associated with these verses, see E. Schulyer English, The Life and Letters of Saint Peter (New York: “Our Hope,” 1941), 202-212.

²³ Grant R. Osborne, “James, 1-2 Peter, Jude,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, 18 vols. (Carol Stream, Il: 2011) 18:248.

²⁴ Osborne, op.cit., 389-90.

²⁵ Esther Kerr Rusthoi, “When We See Christ.”

²⁶ George M. Schwab, “The Book of Proverbs,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, ed. Philip W. Comfort, 18 vols. (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House (2009) 7:495.

²⁷ A. Cohen, The Palms, in Soncino Books of the Bible (London: Soncino Press, 13th ed. (1985), 458.

²⁸ Willem A. VanGemeren, “Psalms,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, eds. Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, 13 vols. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008) 5:972.

²⁹ W. C. Martin and Chas. H. Gabriel, “My Father Watches Over Me.”

³⁰ Derek Kidner, The Proverbs, in Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove: InterVarsity (1964), 120.

³¹ McKane, Proverbs, 500-501.

³² The psalmist’s words have been adopted and set to music. See, Frances Alliston, “The Lord is My Light.”

³³ Richard D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (Richardson, TX. Biblical Studies Press (2003), 150.

³⁴ R.T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, in The New International Commentary on The New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans 2007), 1005.

³⁵ John Calvin as cited by Grant R. Osborne, Matthew, in Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on The New Testament, ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan (2010), 980.

³⁶ F.F. Bruce, The Epistle to The Hebrews, in The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans (1964), 408.

³⁷ Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans (1977), 408.

³⁸ See Lloyd Cory, Quotable Quotations (Wheaton: Victor Books,1989), 276.

³⁹ Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoi, “War and Peace,” in Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, 510

⁴⁰ Ste. Theresa, as cited in James Dalton Morrison, Masterpieces of Religious Verse (New York: Harper, 1948, 39.

⁴¹ See Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, eds. Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, and Tremper Longman III (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1998), 632.

⁴² For further details, see, Richard D. Patterson, “Faith, Hope, and Love,” (Richardson TX: Biblical Studies Press, 2016), 3-4.

⁴³ Jon C. Laansma, “2 Timothy, Titus,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, ed. Philip W. Comfort, 18 vols. (Carol Stream, Il: Tyndale House, 2009) 17:180.

⁴⁴ Thomas Olivers, “The God of Abraham Praise.”

⁴⁵ Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians in The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959), 169.

⁴⁶ George H. Guthrie, “James,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, eds. Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, 13 vols. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 13: 267.

⁴⁷ Katharina von Schlegel, trans Jane L. Borthwick, “Be Still, My Soul.”

Multiplying the Life Through Redeeming the Time

Introduction

There are many inequities in the world, but one thing we all have in common is the same amount of time each day. God has allotted twenty-four hours to each one of us. Perhaps, because we are products of our fast-paced society, we tend to think and act as though God has short changed us when it comes to time. It is not uncommon to hear comments like, “There just isn’t enough time in a day to do everything I need to do.” “I just don’t know where the time goes.” “I’ll try to find time, but I’m hard pressed for time at the present.” In our day when many people meet themselves coming and going, most people feel pushed for time. The feeling is that there simply aren’t enough hours in a day. Life with all its demands is far too busy.

We fill our conversations with phrases which convey the rush of our modern times. Along with the statements just mentioned, we speak of the peak or rush hour of the day, or we tell family members to get a move on because we don’t have all day. We regularly use words like urgent, priority, or pressing. There was a time when we viewed telegrams as adequate for sending vital information. But today, not only do we have the telephone, fax, email, and the Internet, but we have priority mail, even next-day delivery so we can send an important document or package the very next day thousands of miles away.

With all our modern conveniences and technological advances we should have more leisure time than any period in history, but the opposite is really the case. For most people it’s run, run, run, go, go, go, and so much so most people seem to be out of breath. How ironic.

Robert Banks has an interesting note on this for the Christian.

With respect to time, Christians are a good deal worse off than many. This is especially the case if they live in a large city, belong to the middle-classes, have managerial or professional positions, or combine outside employment with substantial household responsibilities.

Christians and people raised in a Christian setting tend to take their work more seriously than others. They also place a high value on family obligations. And they are often in the forefront of community and charitable associations. The upshot of this commitment to work, community and family is, as my eldest son commented: ‘Christians are like trains—always on the move, always in a rush, and always late.’¹⁰⁴

If you are a pastor of a large church (and many pastors of small churches don’t fair much better), time is even more critical. Due to the extreme demands and unreasonable expectations placed on pastors, finding time to fulfill all these expectations is virtually impossible. They literally bump into themselves in the process of trying to meet their schedule. Pastors and their wives are often like ships passing in the night.

The Purpose of This Study

The design of this study and its focus is certainly not to get Christians busier. It is not busier lives that we need. What is needed is a better use of the time we have combined with a biblical view of time on earth from the standpoint of who we are as Christians, where we are, what we should and should not expect from this world, and why we are here.

In our performance-oriented society, activity that produces some kind of result is placed at a premium and time is viewed from a utilitarian standpoint. Unless we can see some kind of obvious yield, the time spent is viewed as wasted time. Whatever we do must be accomplishing something tangible and this includes even our time spent in worship whether alone or gathered with the body of Christ.

Most of us sense something else about time: it is a resource. Moreover, it is a unique resource. It cannot be accumulated like money or stockpiled like raw materials. We are forced to spend it, whether we choose to or not, and at a fixed rate of 60 seconds every minute. It cannot be turned on and off like a machine or replaced like a man. It is irretrievable.¹⁰⁵

Of course, time is a resource and we should not waste the time God has given us. Scripture addresses this issue. But is play, leisure, rest, and simply smelling the roses a waste of time? Hardly! We have reached the point, however, where even leisure time has taken on a kind of utilitarian bent. We must see our time off from work, no matter what the reason (worship, leisure, play, etc.), as a means of making us more effective in the workplace or in Christian service. Though there is some truth to this, have we not carried it too far?

Writing to draw our attention to the importance and need of learning to relax and enjoy leisure time, Swindoll says:

Work is fast becoming the American Christian’s major source of identity. The answer to most of our problems (we are told) is “work harder.” And to add the ultimate pressure, “You aren’t really serving the Lord unless you consistently push yourself to the point of fatigue.” It’s the old burn-out-rather-than-rust-out line.¹⁰⁶

The problem we each face in our society today is not the amount of time a sovereign God has allotted to us, but our view of time and life itself, and how we use the time we have.

As the Eternal One, God is not limited by time as we are. He is the sovereign of time. With Him one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day (1 Tim. 1:17; cf. 2 Pet. 3:8). He sees the past, present, and the future as one. But unlike God, temporal and finite man is confined to twenty-four hours each day and to a certain number of days in the life which God allots him.

This does not mean, however, that man’s temporal life is meaningless and without eternal ramifications. True, the Bible teaches us that time is a resource and a stewardship for which we are all responsible before God. But if we are not careful, we can fall into the trap of the western mindset which sees time strictly from the utilitarian standpoint where performance and accomplishments or doing something productive is the all-important goal. When this happens, we lose the capacity to simply enjoy God, people, and the life God has given us. Again, as is the case in all of life, we need a biblical balance. Without this balance we become feverish, legalistic joy killers, and will destroy our capacity to be the people God has called us to be.

The Problem of the Tyranny of Time

Rather than a friend, we have turned time into a tyrant. And we have allowed this tyrant to invade and dominate our lives. If you look carefully at our society, you can easily see the decline in our social life and in our relationships with people brought on by the tyranny of time and by our failure to grasp the meaning of time from a biblical perspective. Regarding this decline, Robert Banks has this to say:

Seizing on the image of a familiar children’s toy, Don McLean compares the average person to a spinning top:

Round and round this world you go,
Spinning through the lives of the people you know …
How you gonna keep on turning from day to day?
How you gonna keep from turning your life away?

Consequently our encounters with others are becoming more and more limited and instrumental. We associate rather than interrelate, hold ourselves back rather than open ourselves up, pass on or steal by one another rather than pause and linger awhile. The number of our close friends drops and the quality of our married life diminishes.¹⁰⁷

Developing vital relationships with people is tremendously time consuming and, because of our utilitarian or production-oriented mindset, our tendency is to economize our commitment to spending the time needed to develop deep relationships with family and friends.

The life of the church is detrimentally impacted by these time pressures. There are too many meetings, programs, organizations, and other constraints calling the body of Christ to go, go, go, and do, do, do. The results are debilitating on our relationship with God, with one another, and with time needed to think, meditate, and grasp God’s truth. In this rat race of always being on the go, we are failing to grasp who we are, why we are here, and where we are really going. We are like the bus driver who told his passengers, “I have some good news and then some bad news. The bad news is we took a wrong turn and are on the wrong road. But don’t worry, the good news is we are making great time.” It’s as though the going itself, the movement at a fast pace, is its own reward regardless of where it takes us. We have become enamored with speed for the sake of speed itself. We want our computers to run with the speed of light. If it takes ten seconds to save a thirty-page file, we become impatient and complain. We want it done in a split second. But doesn’t it seem only logical that the traveler, if he is unsure of the route, should stop and ask where he is and where the present road is taking him rather than continue on in the same direction regardless of his speed?

There is a passage in Mark that speaks powerfully to this very issue of being preoccupied with activity or how much we have and can accomplish. We are told in Mark 6 that the disciples, having returned from a very busy time of ministry, gathered around the Lord Jesus and began to inform Him about all that they had done and taught (vs. 30). In the Greek text it is obvious that the disciples were quite preoccupied with their performance, with what they had done. This is seen in the repetition of the Greek word hosos, “everything.” Literally, the text reads, “Then the apostles gathered around Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught.” But then in verse 31 we read these very interesting and thought provoking words, “He said to them, “Come with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while” (for many were coming and going, and there was no time to eat).” This was not just a problem of time, but of the responsibility to deal with the use of time in a way that would enhance the time they had.

This is dramatically illustrated in the story about the feeding of the five thousand which follows. This event was surely designed to teach them how much more they needed time alone with Him to draw upon the resources of His glorious life to be effective in the use of the time they had. It was not just a matter of “everything” they did, but of who was in charge of their lives. And for this, they (as it is with us) needed to hear the word of God to Elijah, “Leave here and…hide out” (1 Kings 17:3).

The Perspective of Time in the Bible

An Overview

In modern society, we tend to look at time as an abstract quality, but just how is the concept of time used in the Bible?

There is no general word for ‘time’ in the ot, nor are there specific words for the categories of ‘past,’ ‘present,’ or ‘future.’ The Hebrew word most commonly translated as ‘time’ is ayt, which really refers to the instant or duration of time during which something occurs (1 Sam. 9:16; Eccles. 3:1-8; Ezra 10:13; 2 Chron. 24:11). Another word, `olam, refers to immeasurable time, whether past (Eccles. 1:10) or future (Mic. 4:7). While it does not mean ‘eternal’ in the sense of without end, it does point to a length of time beyond human comprehension. Another common word, mo`ed, means ‘fixed time,’ i.e., a time designated for a specific occurrence like a festival (Lev. 23:2, 4). In other words, time in ancient Israel was not conceived as an abstract dimension but primarily as related to specific happenings whether of short or long duration.¹⁰⁸

The New Bible Dictionary adds the following with regard to the concept of time in Scripture:

The Hebrews had their ways of measuring the passing of time … but the most frequent contexts for the words translated ‘times’ and ‘seasons’ suggest a concern for appointed times, the right time, the opportunity for some event or action. The commonest word is `e„t ( cf. Ec. 3:1ff. for a characteristic use); z<sup>e</sup>ma„n has the same meaning. Mo`ed comes from a root meaning ‘appoint’ and is used of natural periods such as the new moon ( e.g. Ps. 104:19) and of appointed festivals ( e.g. Nu. 9:2). In particular, all these words are used to refer to the times appointed by God, the opportunities given by him ( e.g. Dt. 11:14; Ps. 145:15; Is. 49:8; Je. 18:23). In NT the Gk. kairos often occurs in similar contexts, though it does not in itself mean ‘decisive moment’ ( cf. Lk. 19:44; Acts 17:26; Tit. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:11).

The Bible thus stresses not the abstract continuity of time but rather the God-given content of certain moments of history. This view of time may be called ‘linear,’ in contrast with the cyclical view of time common in the ancient world; God’s purpose moves to a consummation; things do not just go on or return to the point whence they began. But calling the biblical view of time ‘linear’ must not be allowed to suggest that time and history flow on in an inevitable succession of events; rather the Bible stresses ‘times,’ the points at which God himself advances his purposes in the world (*Day of the Lord).¹⁰⁹

C. H. Pinnock, in his article on time in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia warns us against making sweeping conclusions in the study of the words for time in both the Old and New Testaments. Before discussing the words for time, he has this to say:

Study of the biblical words for “Time” out of their contexts will not yield a scriptural doctrine of time. Biblical teaching on time (or any given subject) is based not on the linguistic method of treating words in isolation, but upon direct biblical statements and word usage …¹¹⁰

This does not mean we ignore the meaning of these words, but that we must consider them within their contexts, and Pinnock then discusses the Hebrew and Greek words used for time and comes to basically the same conclusions as the above articles. Then, concerning the biblical conception of time, he says:

Primarily, the Bible views time as the limited succession of days in which human experience of the world flows. Human beings are allotted their appointed span of time; the Lord gives, and He takes away (Job 1:21). … Ultimately, God controls human destiny (Ps. 31:15; 139:16). Through sin, history has become the record of the activities of fallen human beings.

God displays His redemptive grace toward lost humanity through the medium of history. His sovereignty over history (Eph. 1:11) is seen in the historical acts of redemption (Isa. 46:4-10) …¹¹¹

Principles on Time Stewardship

I have been a little surprised by the relatively small number of passages that directly address the use of time in comparison, for instance, to the number of passages devoted to the stewardship of money. Dozens of passages are devoted to wealth and money, but very few to time. Perhaps my surprise can be attributed to our modern concern for time management and the way we see time as a resource like money.

The fact that fewer passages are devoted to the time issue doesn’t mean that our use of time is not important because it obviously is. This difference does suggest, however, how much emphasis western society has put on time and how we have become preoccupied with it as a commodity that must be hurriedly spent before we lose it.

This modern-western view of time can be illustrated in the differences that exist in other cultures. For instance, Banks notes that “Whereas the English clock runs, the Spanish clock walks.”¹¹² This has tremendous implications on the way people view life. “If time is moving rapidly, as Anglo-Saxon usage declares, we must hurry and make use of it before it has gone. If time walks, as the Spanish-speaking say, one can take a more leisurely attitude to it.”¹¹³

What then are some of the lessons we can learn from God’s Word regarding the stewardship of time?

Old Testament Passages

Psalm 90:12

So teach us to consider our mortality,
so that we might live wisely.

Psalm 90 is a meditation (vss. 1-11) and a prayer (vss. 12-17). The prayer flows out of the Psalmist’s meditation on God’s greatness and eternality which stands in stark contrast to man’s frailty, sinfulness, and temporality. In this Psalm, Moses prayed for the practical outcome of his meditation, mainly, that he would have the ability to make the life God had given him more meaningful and that God might confirm or establish the work of his hands (vs. 17). He wanted his life to count for God and that it might have eternal value, but an essential part of this was an awareness of the value and purpose of his time on earth. Man’s problem is that he tends to live for the moment rather than for eternity. But where does time management begin? By calculating not only the brevity of life, but also the approximate days he might have left according to the average life span. With that life span in view, he prayed that he might devote himself to bringing in a harvest of God’s wisdom so he might live wisely, walking circumspectly in the light of God’s wisdom (cf. Eph. 5:15-18).

Numbering our days would include evaluating the use and management of our time. This means evaluating where and how we spend our days. If we are too busy to spend time in the Word, then we need to ask ourselves why. Let me suggest four reasons why people are too busy, but are going nowhere in terms of eternal investments, or in accomplishing God’s will.

(1) People may stay busy because of their egos. People want to appear important. In our society, the crowded schedule, the incredible number of hours and heavy demands are supposed to show how successful or important a person is. Somehow we have come to gauge people, including ourselves, by activity and performance, so we overload our schedules.

(2) People may stay busy as a cover up for laziness. Running around in a lot of extracurricular activities is sometimes a way to avoid the more important or difficult responsibilities. This is particularly true for pastors. Some would rather be busy with all kinds of things rather than spend many hard hours working and thinking through the Word or a text of Scripture. If a Pastor doesn’t take the time to study and know the Word, how can he lead people to the quiet and still waters of God’s Word? The same principle applies to all of us.

(3) People may stay busy because of greed. People are greedy or materialistic. Matthew 6 is a classic commentary on this problem. People are busy, busy, busy because they have up-side-down priorities and they are never satisfied; enough is never enough. As a result, they pursue the details of life from morning to evening. If they make $70,000 this year, next year they figure with just a little more work, they might make $90,000. Greed for money is only one aspect. This can also involve greed for power, praise, prestige, position, possessions, and security.

(4) People may stay busy because they are more concerned about pleasing men rather than God. They have never learned to say “no” which is important to our ability to keep God’s priorities before us. If we do not plan our schedules and decide what we should and should not do, others will decide for us. Our business will be a form of betrayal rather than commitment. A good illustration of this seen in Acts 6:1-7. When confronted with how to meet the needs of the people, they first approached the problem by establishing priorities according to biblical principles. They said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. 3 But carefully select from among you, brothers, …whom we may put in charge of this necessary task.” Instead of adding this job to their present responsibilities, they delegated the task to others. Biblical priorities and God’s will for us individually must determine our activities rather than the wants or even the needs of people.

Numbering our days also means evaluating the quality of our time spent. The amount of time we spend at something is often not as important as the quality of the time spent. Not only must we consider where our time goes, but how we spend it and why. By how I mean how well. Is it quality time? Do you take time for God’s Word and other projects which require solid thinking and alertness when you are not beat, or when you are at your best? When you spend time with your family, is your mind and heart somewhere else? Are you distracted? When in church, for instance, what exactly are you thinking about?

The why is also very important. We need to consider our motives and goals in the use of time. As believers we need goals and a plan. All we do should be structured around fulfilling biblical goals. We need (a) objectives (immediate, short-range), (b) goals (intermediate), and (c) a mission (long range). Then everything we do in the use of our time should be structured around that. This includes rest, recreation, relaxation, fun, as well as our work, service, and ministry.

Some of the greatest thinkers and inventors have been people who took short naps (catnaps). Why? Because it helped them to think and use their time more effectively. They were goal oriented (1 Cor. 10:31).

Psalm 39:4-5

O Lord, help me understand my mortality
and the brevity of life!
Let me realize how quickly my life will pass!
5 Look, you make my days short-lived,
and my life span is nothing from your perspective.
Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor.

The setting for this Psalm consists of God’s disciplinary reproofs in David’s life (vss. 8-11). We are not told when this occurred or of that which the discipline consisted. We see only that David felt the heavy hand of God in his life and was in great emotional and spiritual torment. But Scripture teaches us that such reproofs are tools used by God as the master craftsman to purify and mold the life of His people. He uses them to turn us away from sin and from lives of self-centered independence into greater levels of maturity and spiritual dependence on God Himself. As He is the source of life, so He is to be our means and reason for life. But typically, in rebellious independence, man seeks to find from this life what it simply cannot and was never designed to give. Man looks to his comforts, pleasures, pursuits, accomplishments, and wealth to find meaning, significance, satisfaction, and security in and with this life. But one of the great messages of the Bible is such can only be found in God.

Man’s life is fleeting, like a handbreadth, which was the shortest means of measurement in David’s time. Man’s life is like one’s breath seen on cold morning that quickly vanishes. Without God, man’s life is without substance; he is like a phantom or a shadow. Man can amass great wealth, but he can’t take it with him. He must leave it behind and who knows what will become of his fame or fortune.

David knew that without God, man is without hope and meaning in life. As a godly man, though frustrated and in pain, rather than express his frustration before others which might dishonor God, he made a commitment to muzzle his mouth (Ps. 39:1). As he meditated on his life and life in general, his silence was broken, not before men, but as it should be, in prayer to God. He prayed for answers, indeed, for wisdom that he might learn what God wanted him to know and apply in view of the shortness of life. David’s prayer shows us just how hopeless the perplexities of life are unless seen in the light of an eternal and all-wise God and His plan for us as revealed in the Bible.

So what was David asking when he prayed, “Lord, make me to know my end and what is the extent (measure) of my days; Let me know how transient (short lived) I am”? Some would say that he is asking, in view of man’s fleeting life and shadow-like existence, what is the purpose and meaning of my life, of all my days? But perhaps this is not the full substance of David’s request. He was asking, Lord, help me to not put all my eggs in such a fragile basket, one that is so fleeting and passing away. As Israel was to be kind and give aid to the stranger and sojourner (Deut. 10:18-19), so David was asking God to help him live as a stranger or sojourner in total dependence on the Lord (vs. 12) rather than trust in this fleeting world.

Note how he concludes his reflections on the fleeting and frail nature of life in verse seven. “And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.”

“And now” is the Hebrew `atah, an adverb of time meaning simply “now.” But this adverb is often used to introduce what should follow in the light of present conditions, i.e., “as things are now this is where I stand,” or “as things are now, what should be done?” David was saying that with things as they are in this present form of the world, with man’s life on earth as it is, fleeting and insubstantial, “for what do I wait?” The verb “wait” is qawa which means “to wait, look for with eager expectation, hope.” It contains the idea of an enduring expectation in faith trusting that the object of faith will meet the expectations. David put this in a question. Do I look expectantly to this fleeting life with its phantoms to enchant me or give meaning to my life? He then quickly gave his answer in the positive. “My hope is in You.” God alone was his place of confident expectation.

Being good stewards of time does not mean we cannot enjoy the many good things God gives us in this life. Indeed, 1 Timothy 6:17 teaches us God “richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.” But we must also realize that in our enjoyment, we are not to fix our hope on the fleeting uncertainties of this world whether comforts or pleasure or power or position or wealth, but on God alone (1 Tim. 6:17; Ps. 62:1-12). So David concluded the Psalm with a request for God to remove the discipline that he might enjoy the time he had on earth (vs. 13).

1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.

Psalm 62:1-12 For God alone I patiently wait;
he is the one who delivers me.
2 He alone is my protector and deliverer.
He is my refuge; I will not be upended.
3 How long will you threaten a man?
All of you are murderers,
as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence.
4 They spend all their time planning how to bring him down.
They love to use deceit;
they pronounce blessings with their mouths,
but inwardly they utter curses. (Selah)
5 Patiently wait for God alone, my soul!
For he is the one who gives me confidence.
6 He alone is my protector and deliverer.
He is my refuge; I will not be upended.
7 God delivers me and exalts me;
God is my strong protector and my shelter.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people!
Pour out your hearts before him!
God is our shelter! (Selah)
9 Men are nothing but a mere breath;
human beings are unreliable.
When they are weighed in the scales,
all of them together are lighter than air.
10 Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression!
Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery!
If wealth increases, do not become attached to it!
11 God has declared one principle;
God is strong,
12 and you, O sovereign Master, demonstrate loyal love.
For you repay men for what they do.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

For everything there is an appointed time,
and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
time to mourn, and a time to dance.
5 A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to search, and a time to give something up as lost;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7 A time to rip, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent, and a time to speak.
8 A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

Solomon is teaching that all the events or activities of life as illustrated in verses 2-8 have their proper “time” ( zeman, point in time, appointed time) and season ( eth or etz, duration, opportunity). Some of these events occur only once in life while others occur repeatedly. The important thing is to recognize that God has ordained times for the various events of life (opportunities, responsibilities, trials) and that we are to take the time to do what is needed. As Banks points out, “The character of the event, experience, stage in life or relationship will determine the type and length of time that should be placed at its disposal.”¹¹⁴

Ecclesiastes 3:9-11

What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?
10 I have observed the burden
that God has given to people to keep them occupied.
11 God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time,
but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart
so that people cannot discover what God has ordained,
from the beginning to the end of their lives.

As verses 1-8 indicate, those things which fit into God’s appointed time are filled with polar opposites and these are both destructive and constructive. This might produce the question raised in verse 9, “What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?” But this is answered in verses 10-11. God has made everything appropriate, proper (same word is translated “fitting” {NASB} or “proper” {NIV} in 5:18) in its time … Literally, the Hebrew means beautiful. In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) it is translated by kalos which means fair, beautiful, fitting, useful. Without maintaining the perspective of eternity, men will fail to see this. For this reason, God has placed the eternal perspective in man’s heart so that he can see beyond this life, the polar opposites, and the often rut-like routine of the daily life God has appointed for each person. Every culture, no matter how primitive, seems to have some concept of eternity. This, of course, is particularly true for those who have the time perspectives of God’s Word. In the New Testament it is described from the perspective of living as ambassador/sojourners.

Unfortunately, it is not always easy to recognize the significance of a particular point in time. Along with Paul we may be ‘perplexed’ on some occasions, but we need not be ‘driven to despair’ (2 Cor. 4:8). We do not always recognize the significance of large blocks of time … yet we can still echo the Psalmist’s affirmation: “But I trust in you, O Lord! I declare, “You are my God!” 15 You determine my destiny!…” (Ps. 31:14-15a).¹¹⁵

Ecclesiastes 9:15

for there is nothing better on earth for man to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life.
So joy will accompany him in his toil
during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.

Here Solomon gives us the attitude all men need. They are to live life as unto the Lord and make the most of the opportunities God gives, but they must always understand that “the issues and length of life are quite unpredictable. No one can guarantee success or foresee how God will deal with him.”¹¹⁶ Ecclesiastes 11:2 adds, “Divide your merchandise among seven or even eight investments, for you do not know what calamity may happen on earth.

So the lesson is that we can and should enjoy life and the time on earth God gives us, but apart from knowing and loving God, nothing on earth will have any eternal value. Purpose and meaning to life cannot be found in material or temporal things. God alone can give us that. Since that’s the case, He must be our priority in life (Matt. 6:33-34).

New Testament Passages:

Romans 13:11-14

And do this because we know the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers. 12 The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. 13 Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to arouse its desires.

“And do this because we know the time …” The Apostle teaches us that there is the need for time orientation according to the truth of the Word and what it reveals to us concerning the times. Knowing this becomes a strong motivation to the kind of godly living just described in the preceding verses. “Time” is the Greek kairos. In contrast to chronos which may refer to elapsed time, or to the duration of time, kairos more often looks at fixed or definite time, and especially of the quality or characteristics of a particular time with its accompanied events. So it may refer to a seasonable time, a time of opportunity, a fruitful time, the fullness of time or times, a welcomed time, a time of salvation, or a difficult time (Gal. 6:10; Col. 4:5; Acts 14:17; Gal. 4:4; Eph. 1:10; 2 Cor. 6:2; 2 Tim. 3:1). Kairos is used 85 times in the New Testament and 30 of these by Paul.

The decisively new and constitutive factor for any Christian conception of time is the conviction that, with the coming of Jesus, a unique kairos has dawned, one by which all other time is qualified.¹¹⁷

Mark 1:15, Galatians 4:4, and 2 Corinthians 6:2 make it clear that with the coming of Jesus Christ a new time has dawned which is the acceptable time, a time of salvation, a time of opportunity to find God and experience His salvation through the person and work of the long-awaited Messiah Savior. And this Savior, in the fullness of time, entered into human flesh, ministered among men, died for our sin, was raised from the dead, and now ascended sits at the right hand of God. From this exalted position, through the work of the Holy Spirit and the body of Christ, He seeks to draw all men to Himself.

The suffering, death, resurrection, and ascended session of Jesus is not just a fact of past history. Rather, these momentous events in time have ushered us into a present time of salvation which Paul has defined as a time of proclamation for the body of Christ. By God’s mercy, this is a day when men from every tongue, tribe, and nation can find salvation through Christ if we will but proclaim the message.

But while today is the kairos of salvation, it is also another kind of kairos, a time described as difficult (2 Tim. 3:1), as existing amidst days that are evil (Eph. 5:17), and as a time of night. It is a time, however, when the night is almost gone and the day is near (Rom. 13:11). The day that is near is the day of Christ’s return when He will usher in the fullness of times (pl.) in the millennial kingdom of Christ’s personal reign on earth (Eph. 1:11).

While faith brings salvation and forgiveness of sin, it also brings a special responsibility in relation to time. Faith calls on us to live wisely in view of the nature of this kairos as difficult and filled with evil while also bearing in mind the reality of the coming day when this present time will end. The call for godly living in the preceding verses is based on possessing a proper grasp of God’s sovereign purpose for this age of darkness because it is moving toward the consummation of all things through the final phase of salvation that comes to men in Christ. The issue is a need to grasp the nature of this time as a time of opportunity for salvation, but also as temporal and evil in contrast to the glory of the future which is a time of eternal light and the fullness of times (Eph. 1:11). So living godly is related to one’s grasp of the nature of time in the plan of God.

Ephesians 5:15-17

Therefore be very careful how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is.

The Apostle calls us to a guarded walk because the days in which we live in the present form of the world are evil. “Evil” is poneros which means, wicked, evil, bad, base, worthless, vicious, degenerate.¹¹⁸

Satan is called “the evil one” ( ho poneros) and certainly, the evil of these days is greatly magnified by Satan’s activity as the ruler of this age (John 12:31; 14:30; Eph. 2:2; 6:12). The days are undoubtedly described as evil because they are full of ideas, values, and uses that are destructive and contrary to the purposes of God, but they are also evil because of the many delusions and temptations designed by the evil one to draw men away from God and His will (2 Thess. 2:10; 2 Tim. 2:26; Rev. 12:9).

“Taking advantage of every opportunity, “redeeming the time.” Time is kairos which was described earlier. The verb is ejxagaravzw, ( exagarazw), “to redeem, ransom, buy, buy up.” This verb is used in the sense of “to buy back” or “take off the market” in Galatians 3:13 and 4:5 in connection with the believers redemption from the Law. In the middle voice as here it may carry the idea, “to buy up for oneself.”¹¹⁹ The use of the middle voice would stress the benefits received by rescuing the time God has given on earth from the many evil uses promoted by the evil one.

The former life of darkness as children of disobedience is now to become a life of light as children of God who seek to prove what is pleasing to the Lord (Eph. 1:1-14). With this comes the responsibility to make wise use of this time. The reason, remember, is that the days are evil. They are filled with deceptions and temptations designed to cause us to miss the will of God. Ephesians 5:15-18 challenges believers to a watchful and careful walk in wisdom and by the Spirit so that they can grasp God’s will and overcome the evil of these days. So, a further result of such a careful walk in wisdom is the capacity to rescue time from the bondage of unprofitable uses and activities while here on earth that displease the Lord and have no eternal value.

Galatians 6:9-10

So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.

Based on the laws of the harvest (vss. 7-8), the Apostle exhorts us to a life of benevolent good to others, to all men, but especially to the household of faith (vss. 9-10). In the process of his exhortation, he uses kairos twice, once in verse 9, “due time,” and in verse 10, “opportunity.” In verse 9, kairos is used with the adjective idios, “one’s own, private, personal,” or of what is “peculiar, distinct, appropriate, proper.”¹²⁰ Literally, “in its own season or time,” meaning a time appropriate and proper and this would be the time of reaping, the time of harvest. There is a time coming that will be characterized by a harvest, a time of rewards for faithful service. Verse 9 then becomes a motivation for verse 10.

In verse 10, kairos is used with $ws, used here as a temporal conjunction meaning “while, as long as.” While kairos in verse 9 anticipates the future time of rewards, verse 10 looks at the present kairos that God has allotted to each of us as a time of opportunity for doing good or sowing good seed in the form of benevolent acts of love to others. The guiding principles in doing good are two fold: (a) our sowing will not go unrewarded, a time of harvest will follow, and (b) we are to do good while we have opportunity, as long as the Lord leaves us here on earth. This is the season we have for sowing good.

Colossians 4:5-6

Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone.

This verse is similar in wording to Ephesians 5:15, literally, buying up the time. It is also similar in thought to Galatians 6:10 from the standpoint of making the most of opportunities. Whereas in Galatians 6:10 the context dealt with benevolent good of all types, the context here is on having an effective witness to the unbelieving community. Doing good to all men and having an effective witness obviously go together. “Opportunity” is kairos and again, rather than emphasize a point of time, the focus is on a period of time filled with all kinds of opportunities through the privileges and responsibilities given.¹²¹

In connection with our witness to the unbelieving world, we are responsible for two things: (a) Our conduct, which includes our behavior, must be opportune in relation to the time in its various possibilities; and (b) Our conduct, as it is occurs in our speech, must be appropriately seasoned to fit the person we are seeking to reach for Christ.

1 Peter 1:17, 2:11

1:17 And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence…2:11 Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul,

“Time” in 1:17 is chronos which simply focuses on the duration of one’s life on earth as well as its temporality. On the other hand, the word “live out,” while also pointing to the element of temporality, focuses our attention on the attitude and the manner of life that should characterize how we should conduct ourselves during that time. We are to live as sojourners.

The foundation and motivation for this exhortation is found in the preceding context in a number of things:

(1) We have a living Savior and a living hope through the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and we look forward to an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for believers who are heavenly citizens (1 Pet. 1:3-4). In other words, our heavenly inheritance is everything our earthly inheritance can never be. The Lord pointedly reminds us of this in Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

(2) As those whose salvation is also protected by the power of God, we look forward to the future aspect of that salvation which will be revealed at the return and revelation of Christ (1 Pet. 1:5-14).

(3) In the meantime, we must remember that we are children of a holy God. This means we are to be holy and live like exiles, becoming set apart to Him in all our manner of life (1 Pet. 1:15-19). Indeed, though we were once not a people of God, we are now. In fact, we are now a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, and a people with a special purpose—that we might proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (2:9-10).

As believers in Christ, we are now citizens of heaven from whence we are to be looking for the Savior (Phil. 2:20-21). This truth and hope is to dynamically impact the way we live. We must not settle down as “earth dwellers” who live as though this world were our permanent home or all there is to life. You know the attitude I am talking about—“we need to get all the gusto we can because we only go around once.” Instead, believers in Christ should live as temporary residents whose citizenship and real home is in heaven. “Live out” in 1 Peter 1:17 is the Greek paroikia ( paroikiva) and refers to the life of a sojourner who lives in a strange or foreign land. It describes the life of one who lives as a temporary resident in some foreign place in order to work, perhaps as an ambassador. But for this person, their permanent home and longing is elsewhere. Paroikia is used of Israel’s temporary stay as strangers in a foreign land, the land of Egypt (Acts 13:17) because they were to be longing for the land of promise, the land of Israel.

So, in 1 Peter 2:11, as an exhortation against fleshly desires that war against the soul and can spoil our witness in the world, the Apostle Peter combined paroikia with parepidhmos ( parepivdhmo) to more forcefully drive home how we should live and view our time on earth. Parepidhmos is a synonym which means “stranger, exile, sojourner, resident alien” and is used here of Christians who should not feel at home in this world because they are really just foreigners ( xenos, stranger, foreigner) and exiles ( parepidhmos) on the earth (Heb. 11:13).

I have tried to define the key words used here to paint the picture of just how we are to view our time and the use of time on earth, but perhaps nothing says it better than the old hymn which reads:

This world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through,
My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world any more.

While I do not remember the exact wording, I remember reading a comment by Harry Ironside in one of his commentaries several years ago about being ushered into the foyer of the magnificent home of a very wealthy family. When he saw the size of the foyer (which was as large as some people’s entire house) and the lavish furnishings, he thought, “No wonder some folks have a hard time longing for the glories of heaven.” His point was that people with such possessions tend to think they have heaven here on earth and are living as such.

If you lived in the cold Northwest as I do, but knew that in a few months you would be moving to southern Arizona for the rest of your life, would that affect the way you live? If your present overcoat was just about worn out, would you purchase a new one? What about your studded snow tires or your snow blower? Would you sell them or take them with you to Arizona? Knowing that your time in the cold Northwest was temporary and that you would soon be a citizen of sunny Arizona would definitely impact the rest of your time in the Northwest.

Peter is warning us that fleshly desires war against the soul and form the basis of our attachment to this present world. We look to the acquisition of these things to give us security, satisfaction, and a sense of significance, but we are to find this in Christ and in our heavenly home which is truly secure. This forms the foundation needed to win the battle. So there is a sequence in the two parts of verse 11. Though other truth is involved like the control of the Spirit, the ability to defeat fleshly desires is greatly dependent on our attitude toward our time on this earth and what we are seeking to get from this life.

Principles From the Life of Christ

Have you ever looked over your shoulder and found that you were pulling what seemed like a long freight train with boxcar after boxcar loaded with unfinished tasks, things you really wanted to accomplish, but there they are, unfinished and dogging your tracks. Undoubtedly, one or more of those boxcars are full of guilt, frustration, feelings of failure, and a sense that there is always more work than I can do. Have you ever wondered where the time went? We may wish for more hours in the day but that’s just not an option, is it? God has allotted to each of us twenty-four hours in a day and not one minute more. Evidently, twenty-four hours is enough for us to do what He has called us to do. The amount of time in a day is simply not the problem.

Well then, what is the problem? One answer we might come up with is that it must be a matter of organization and proper time allotment. I don’t have any figures on this, but I know that one of the hot items in the office supply stores are calendars and daily planners like “Day Timers” and the “Five Star Diary.” No doubt, these are helpful and needed. I have one myself. But that’s not the problem because many people who are pulling those boxcars of unfinished tasks are the most organized people in the world. The problem is much deeper and more complex.

The fact is there will always be more to do than we can ever accomplish whether we are talking about needs, work, leisure, travel, or you name it. The need, however, does not constitute the call. The Lord Jesus who only had about three years of ministry on earth could have been totally frustrated, but He never appeared to be in a dither over time and tasks. A study of the Savior’s life shows that while He was tremendously busy and often exhausted at the end of the day, His life was never feverish or rushed. He always seemed to have time to love and minister to people, sometimes spending an extended time with just one person like the woman at the well. He would accept interruptions in His schedule as God’s opportunities. A case in point is found in Mark 6 and the feeding of the five thousand. The plan was to get away to a secluded place to rest awhile, but when He saw the people who followed, He was filled with compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He used the situation as an opportunity to both teach them and give an object lesson to His disciples (Mark 6:30-44).

Yet, consider this about the Savior’s ministry. He cared deeply about people and their hurts. He was full of compassion, yet for every hundred he healed, there were thousands He did not heal or minister to. Was it because He did not care? Of course not. It was because He knew the need did not constitute the call. He constantly walked in dependence upon the Father and His time and ministry were regulated by the Father’s direction or will. Perhaps the most obvious illustration of this is found in Mark 1:32-39.

When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered by the door. 34 So he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. But he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. 35 Then Jesus got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. 36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 He replied, “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” 39 So he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

That there was tremendous need with the people clamoring for His ministry is obvious in this passage. Peter tells us that everyone was looking for Him, but He was never driven simply by the needs or by His own compassion or abilities or sense of importance, though He was the very Son of God Himself. Instead, He prioritized His life: He put first things first. He took time to get alone with the Father (vs. 35), sought the Father’s will and enablement from the standpoint of His humanity, and did the Father’s will. Simon’s behavior in this passage is so typical of people and gives us a good example of our problem. While Simon would never have thought of the Lord as uncaring, the implication is that Simon saw the Lord’s absence or time alone in prayer as unproductive, perhaps even as a sign of wrong priorities when in reality it was just the opposite. Simon looked only at the needs. Jesus saw the needs, but He saw them through the Father’s will. Simon was impressed by a sense of their importance with so many flocking after the Lord and His disciples. After all, it was at the home of his wife’s mother, but the Lord was not so impressed. Simon was perhaps driven by a desire for obvious results, numbers of people healed, but not the Lord.

Certainly the heart of Jesus was burdened with all the pain He saw at the home of Simon’s mother-in-law. Certainly He took this to the Father. But the result of His time in prayer was to walk away from these needs and continue on to the nearby towns to preach. Why? “For that is what I came for,” He said. He knew God’s will for His life and He refused to be deterred no matter how much He was burdened by the needs He found all around Him. It was a matter of priorities according to God’s will for Him. Though the world was still full of people with needs, at the close of His earthly ministry, just before the cross, He could pray, “I glorified you on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4). God had given Him enough time to do what He had called Him to do and that was what mattered. There were no boxcars laden down with unfinished tasks over the shoulder of Jesus.

It doesn’t matter who we are or how gifted or how able or strong, we will never be able to meet every need around us nor accomplish all that we see needs to be done. However, we can find time and the ability to do what God is calling us to do.

So why are we pulling a train loaded with unfinished tasks, guilt, and frustration? We live in a society that worships work. It is a society that has made work and the accomplishments of work the primary source of fulfillment, security, and satisfaction. Many have cultivated such an unrealistic standard of achievement that they have developed a neurotic compulsion to produce and perform. It has become like an intoxicating drug that they use to get a high. But why such a compulsion? It is undoubtedly prompted by the desire to succeed, to have what others have, or to have more than others have, to feel good about themselves, or to prove something to someone, perhaps a parent, or just to themselves. Remember, the Apostle Peter defines this as “fleshly desires that wage war against the soul.” And what is this success that people are chasing? In terms of the world, it is sought in position, power, prestige, pleasure, and possessions; or in brains, bucks, beauty, and in our world of super athletes, brawn. Regarding this, I just read an intriguing statement about success:

It is a temptation, a trap, an intoxicant, and a sedative. It is seductive, appealing, addicting, and confusing. It is the fuel that drives the engine of the world’s dynamic, open-market economies. It begins as an aspiration and becomes an assumption, a right. It starts as an occupation and eventually becomes a preoccupation. And we want it.¹²²

The irony of all of this is that no matter how much a person does, or accomplishes, or has, it never seems to be enough. Enough is no longer enough. No wonder, with this mentality or intoxicant, people never seem to have enough time. They are pursuing a path that leads to nowhere or climbing a ladder that is leaning against the wrong wall.

Conclusion

Being a good steward of the time God gives is not really a matter guarding the minutes so we can spend our time productively. Certainly we need to wisely use our time, but even more importantly we need to have a grasp of time in the sense of understanding the great events of God in history, past, present, and future as they are set forth in Scripture in the grand scheme of the plan of God. As mentioned at the beginning of this study, the goal concerning the stewardship of time is not to get Christians busier. It is not busier lives that we need. What is needed instead is a better use of the time we have combined with a biblical view of time on earth from three important elements:

(1) As it is made so evident in 1 Peter, we must grasp exactly who we really are as Christians. We are children of God and citizens of heaven who are exiles, sojourners, and aliens. The world, on the other hand, lives as earth dwellers who search for their meaning and purpose in life from this world alone. For the Christian, following Peter’s instruction means adopting and maintaining this new attitude toward our time on earth and what we do with our lives.

(2) As Paul reminds us in Romans and Ephesians, we must comprehend exactly where we are. We live in a time described by Paul as a time of darkness or night and as an evil age, the form of which is passing away. Everything in this world is designed to get us to make life in this world our ultimate aim. Our need then is to walk carefully so we can rescue the time God has given us on earth from the many evil uses and perspectives promoted by the evil one.

(3) We must also ask and respond to the issue of just why we are here. We are here as ambassadors of Christ called to a world-wide mission of making disciples of all nations starting in Jerusalem (home base) and reaching out to the uttermost part of the earth (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). We are here to represent the Savior, to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.

2 Corinthians 5:20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!

1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!

¹⁰⁴ Robert Banks, The Tyranny of Time: When 24 Hours Is Not Enough, InterVarsity, Downers Grove, IL, 1983, p. 32.

¹⁰⁵ R. Alec Mackenzie, The Time Trap, McGraw Hill, McGraw Hill, New York, 1972, p. 2.

¹⁰⁶ Charles Swindoll, Leisure, Multnomah Press, Portland, 1981, p. 1.

¹⁰⁷ Banks, p. 51.

¹⁰⁸ Harper’s Bible Dictionary, Electronic Media.

¹⁰⁹ The New Bible Dictionary, Electronic Media.

¹¹⁰ C. H. Pinnock, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, Q-Z, Revised, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1988, p. 852.

¹¹¹ Ibid.

¹¹² Banks, p. 144.

¹¹³Ibid.

¹¹⁴ Banks, p. 175.

¹¹⁵ Ibid.

¹¹⁶ The Ryrie Study Bible, NASB, Expanded Edition, Moody Press, Chicago, 1995, p. 1028.

¹¹⁷ The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Colin Brown, Gen. Ed., Vol. 3, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1975, p. 837.

¹¹⁸ Walter Bauer, F. Wilbur Gingrich and Frederick W. Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1979, Logos Library Systems, electronic media.

¹¹⁹ G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, T & T Clark, Edinburgh, 1973, p. 158.

¹²⁰ Abbott-Smith, p. 212.

¹²¹ Fritz Rienecker, A Linguistic Key To The Greek New Testament, edited by Cleon L. Rogers, Jr., Regency, Grand Rapids, 1976, p. 584.

¹²² Ramesh P. Richard, “Success, The Consuming Addiction,” Dallas Theological Seminary’s Kindred Spirit, Winter 1996, p. 10.

自从耶稣完成了山上的伟大演讲下山后，不管祂往那里去，都有一大群民众追随祂。 祂在山上的信息，足以赢取这么一群人的追随，但祂得到注意的原因是祂所说所行都带着权柄。 马太在接着的数章经文，透过一个又一个的事件，给我们展示耶稣的权柄：治病的权柄、管治大自然的权柄、超越灵异世界的权柄、胜过罪的权柄和掌管生死的权柄。 这都表明祂是王，祂得胜，并且提供了一个异象。

研经时可尝试探究为何经文作出这样的安排，马太透过这些事件要告诉读者甚么信息？ 这福音书的第八章和第九章共有九个显示基督大能的事件，它们被安排成三组，每组有三个事件。 在每组的三个事件后面，随即产生一些即时果效。 首三个事件是洁净痲疯病者，医治百夫长的仆人和彼得岳母，接着便有一个人对耶稣说：「夫子！ 你无论往那里去，我要跟从你。 」耶稣以教导作门徒的代价回应。

接着的三个事件超越物质世界，耶稣透过平静风浪显示祂的权柄超越大自然；赶出污鬼显示祂的权柄在灵异世界之上；医治瘫子显示祂有赦罪的权柄。 这三件事件发生后，即时有人感到惊奇，归荣耀与神。

接下来第三组更是不可思议的神迹，它们是：叫一名女童复活、医治一名触摸祂的女人和医治瞎子。 这些事件以后，群众都惊叹。

马太福音第八章的开始部份是首三个事件。 第一个是医治痲疯病人，用了四节经文简单讲述了一名患上了这可怕疾病的男子到耶稣那里去，并且得到洁净。 这个神迹显示耶稣不单止能够把病治好，祂并且在过程中满足了律法的要求。 律法宣告痲疯病人不洁，并禁止他到圣洁的地方；耶稣满足了律法的要求使他洁净，并且吩咐他让祭司察看和献祭，使他可以恢复参与圣殿的敬拜。

这章的第二个事件就是我们研读的经文：一个百夫长为他瘫痪的仆人求耶稣医治。 这个故事强调主的话语具备能力，主可以透过祂的命令把病者治愈。 耶稣还简单扼要地给我们教导信心。 这信心出自一位外邦人，而不是出于犹太人，这情景在马太福音出现，给人不祥的预感。

第三个事件（ 14-17 节）是医治彼得的岳母，她可能患了虐疾。 简单的触摸，耶稣便把她治愈。 接着只用一节经文交代很多被鬼附和有病的被带到耶稣跟前，他们都得医治。 福音书的作者接着引用以赛亚书53:4指出受苦的仆人担当、背负我们的忧患和痛苦。

马太明显是使用这三个事件来支持耶稣就是应许的弥赛亚。 这位主的仆人医治他们。 以赛亚书第53章指出医治是透过祂的死，祂担当世人的罪。 马太稍后指出这是十字架上所付的赎价。 弥赛亚耶稣不单处理罪，还处理罪、疾病和死亡所引致的问题。 耶稣完全明白人类没有能力解决这些问题，祂并且纠正了罪所带来的後果。¹  医治痲疯病人、百夫长的仆人和摸祂的女人，是基于十字架代赎的大能；这些事件在历史性十字架代赎之死真实发生之前出现 ² ，是为了使人注意祂就是弥赛亚，祂到来是要恢复那失落了的秩序，神起初的计划。 我们要从这亮光去研读祂怎样使人完全。

从这些事件中，我们看到主的谦逊和怜悯。 祂并没有留在山上作出宣告，祂并没有即时进入圣城，祂从人类最底层的需要：痲疯、瘫痪、热病和正在忍受苦楚的个人着手。 这些事件回应了受折磨的人的诉求，耶稣自愿地、亲自地作出回应。 首先、祂摸那长大痲疯的人，他是一位被弃绝的人，没有人愿意触摸他，但耶稣触摸他，使他洁净，使他附合圣殿敬拜的要求。 跟着祂医治被厌恶的罗马人的仆人，祂和这人并没有直接沟通。 接着，他摸一位在大多数人眼中被忽视的女人。 把这些事件合起来，便组成了受苦仆人的初形。 当祂向这些可怜的、忍受被弃绝的人展示怜悯的时候，祂并没有半点犹疑去控制罪和它的影响。 起初人们感到惊奇和害怕；接着他们把人带到祂跟前让祂医治。 透过祂的怜悯，他显示祂处理罪和罪的影响的能力。

阅读经文

5 耶稣进了迦百农，有一个百夫长进前来，求他说：「6主阿，我的仆人害瘫痪病，躺在家里，甚是痛苦。 」

7 耶稣说：「我去医治他。 」 8 百夫长回答说：「主阿，你到我舍下，我不敢当；只要你说一句话，我的仆人就必好了。 9 因为我在人的权下，也有兵在我以下；对这个说：去！ 他就去；对那个说：来！ 他就来；对我的仆人说：你作这事！ 他就去作。 」

10 耶稣听见就希奇，对跟从的人说：「我实在告诉你们，这么大的信心，就是在以色列中，我也没有遇见过。 11 我又告诉你们，从东从西，将有许多人来，在天国里与亚伯拉罕、艾萨克、雅各一同坐席；12 惟有本国的子民竟被赶到外边黑暗里去，在那里必要哀哭切齿了。 」

13 耶稣对百夫长说：「你回去罢！ 照你的信心，给你成全了。 」那时，他的仆人就好了。

平行经文

路加福音（ 7:1-10 ）也记载了这事件，并且也有一些额外的资料。 路加说这位百夫长托了几位犹太人代他向耶稣作请求。 假如这位百夫长敏於犹太和罗马关系，又或许因为言语之间的障碍，这也合情合理。 犹太长老恳请耶稣帮助他时，他们说这位百夫长配得帮助，他爱以色列的百姓，给他们建造会堂。 当耶稣到距离他的家不远的时候，百夫长本可亲自向耶稣作请求，但他感到不配耶稣到他的家，他再次托几位朋友恳请耶稣只需说一句话。 路加将焦点放在细节上，并且描述百夫长怎样和耶稣沟通；马太却简单记载百夫长的请求，并聚焦耶稣关于信心和外邦人进天国的教导。

经文观察

在这里，我们有一个神迹的报告和一个教导。 圣经里有很多经文都使用这种形式，因此，我们要找出在这里的独特之处，把它和别的经文分开。 这篇经文的处境是独特的，因为这是一位罗马士兵为他的仆人作出请求。 我们的研究将会处理它在福音书带来的影响。

按百夫长的言辞，可以断定这个故事的焦点在于「话语的权能」。 这里有一个人明白权威的命令的能力，并且明白耶稣拥有这能力。

这促使耶稣希奇地表达在以色列找不到和这人同等的信心。

因此，这个医治故事在诠释上的三个要素中，最重要的是话语的权能；因为其它两个都被比下去了，因而成为主题。

这篇经文的结构很明确，主要由对话和教导组成。 在第5-7节是医治的请求：百夫长为他的仆人恳求耶稣医治，耶稣立即起程去医治他，但却被百夫长打断，表示他不配，并且请求耶稣只要说一句话（第8-9节）。 在耶稣关于信心和外邦人进天国的简短教导中，百夫长的信心得到称赞（第10-12节）。 最后是耶稣所说的话和医治（第13节）。 因此，经文的结构如下：

(A) 医治的请求

(B) 恳求只要说一句带权柄的话

(B’) 耶稣对恳求的回应

(A’) 医治

明白处境

首先，我们要确保我们知道背景的实况和这些事实的重要性。 这个故事在迦百农发生，这城是耶稣的「基地」。 迦百农是湖边一个有规模的地方，一个天然的捕鱼地点，因此彼得住在这里（或许耶稣与他同住）。 但迦百农也在一条主要的大道上，这条路由北面的大马士革，在迦百农这地方经过加利利湖，再穿过一些山脉和关隘，经过耶列斯河谷再到达岸边，又穿过一些山谷，再连接岸边通往埃及的大道。 这是大篷车、商人和军队的要塞。 因迦百农是要塞上的一个重要城市，因此它有军队驻扎，故此有百夫长。 百夫长顾名思义是统领百人的官长。 由此可知迦百农有相当规模的驻军。

迦百农也是利未的家乡，他又称为马太，是一位税吏（马太福音 9:9-13 ）。 在这样的一个城市，有得到罗马士兵撑腰的税吏，向当地人和通过当地的商旅征税，并不奇怪。 犹太群体既不接受罗马人，也不接纳税吏。

马太并没有特别提到这位罗马人的特点，但路加却提及了（故此，在这里我们要小心，不可过多着墨於犹太人对罗马人的憎恶）。 这是一位爱以色列百姓的罗马人，并且为他们在城中建会堂。 这种情况在加利利较易发生，因为在那里，人们习惯和外邦人接触；而在耶路撒冷，人们因有较大的欲望和外邦人分隔，因而为此纠缠。

耶稣刚治愈一位痲疯病人，一位被弃绝的人；现在祂转向一位罗马人的仆人，一名非犹太人。 这场景的意义，并没有因为这是一位好罗马人而减退。 耶稣宣告祂来是要寻找和拯救失丧的、绝望的、被弃绝的和求救无门的。 耶稣转向这名罗马人和他的仆人的需要，看到他的信心和在以色列看到的信心成明显对比。

这里所强调的，正是旧约经常出现捍卫被弃绝或受欺压的人的需要，并作为真正公义的明证，也绝对是正义的君王首要的任务。 但很多「敬虔」的犹太人对他们期待的弥赛亚有不同的标准。 以诗篇第七十二篇对于受膏的君王的期盼（期待弥赛亚的来临）为例：「因为，穷乏人呼求的时候，他要搭救；没有人帮助的困苦人，他也要搭救。 他要怜恤贫寒和穷乏的人，拯救穷苦人的性命。 他要救赎他们脱离欺压和强暴；他们的血在他眼中看为宝贵。 」（诗篇72:12-14）。 我们研读的篇章还可以加入其它预言：弥赛亚代替我们的软弱，担当我们的疾病。 耶稣没有浪费任何时间，祂透过祂的事工表明祂来是要应验这些或更多的预言。

经文分析

医治的请求（8:5-7 ） ：这几节经文并没有需要多说甚么。 路加解释百夫长是个好人，但我们同样可以在这段经文清楚看到。 一名百夫长为他瘫痪的仆人求耶稣，要不是一位极好、难以替代的仆人，便是这名百夫长是一位良善、有责任感的主人；或两者皆是。 从他的请求看到他的谦逊。 首先，他为他的仆人代求；其次是一位罗马官长向一名犹太人恳求，他因需要来寻求协助。

故事揭盅，那位仆人被治愈，与此同时，我们也可以提出这位展示极大信心的百夫长在灵性上也得医治。 耶稣有关信心的简短教导隐含这位百夫长是一位将来在天国里坐下来的人。

第七节记录耶稣的回应：「我去医治他。 」这句子有两件事值得留意：首先，耶稣愿意前往。 在8:1-4已带出「愿意」这信息，而在这里再次表示愿意，并且是愿意前往非犹太人的家中。 第二件值得留意的事是耶稣的信心。 祂说：「我去医治他。 」毫无疑问，它将会发生。

百夫长所说的话（8:8, 9 ） 。 这番话包含陈述、一个请求和请求的原因。 百夫长陈述他不配耶稣到他的家。 这陈述告诉我们他并不是犹太人，他是一位罗马士兵，他不配。 他清楚明白他在一位比先知更大的人跟前，他听闻这人的能力与权柄，故此向祂作出请求。

因此他「请求」耶稣只要说一句话，耶稣并不需要到他的家看那病人，无须按手在病人身上；祂只需要说一句话。 这显示百夫长有极大的信心。 可以说，他的信心在于他认为他所信的客体大有能力，他相信耶稣拥有大能和权柄，所以耶稣只要说一句话就足以治愈他的仆人。

在这里或沿着我们的研经，去看看耶稣单凭口中所说的话作伟大的事：医治、驱鬼、起死回生、平静风浪等，应该很有趣。 若继续去查考关于权柄的事迹，例如耶稣说死后成就的事，或将来发生的事，像：「今日你要和我在乐园里了」，或「离开我」等。 但你不能在这里花太多时间，因为那是一个很大的课题，但可以把有用的、相关的事件简单列表。

接着是解释。 这名百夫长在军队任职，权力架构赋予他权柄，在他的权力范畴，别人要服从他的命令，他也要服从上司的命令。 因他明白甚麽是权柄，他明白在权力架构之下，他可以向他人运用他的权柄，他认为这也适用于耶稣。 在权力架构之下，耶稣也可以运用加给祂的权柄，但祂的权柄比百夫长大多了。 百夫长能命令人做一些物质世界的事情，并且有权要求他们达成（例如透过刑罚或纪律）；但耶稣却有权柄命令那些对物质世界而言是不可思议的事情，这些事超越人类的能力、疾病、邪灵、死亡等。 祂的命令有效的原因是祂的话本身有效力。 这是圣经里对神基本属性的其中一个描述：神命令光照在黑暗里、神命令瞎子看见、跛子走路和聋的能听见。 就如人们说：「若非神与祂同在，没有人能做这样的事。 」马太在福音书愈来愈清晰地展现这是神与他们同在。

耶稣的回应（8:10-12 ） 。 耶稣首先称赞他的信心，接着预期在天国里有许多犹太人被外邦人取代。 耶稣称赞他时说：「这么大的信心，就是在以色列中，我也没有遇见过。 」耶稣周游那地，在祂公开事工期间，遇到各种各样的反应，而这是祂当时所遇见或所见到的最大信心，远胜以色人的信心。

若你稍为研究「信心」这词语，对你会有帮助。 耶稣在这里称赞「信心」，并且说很多以色列人欠缺它，因此，你需要为「信心」下定义，但在这个故事你却不需要花上大量的时间钻研，一本好的神学辞典会给你足够的资料。 信心是对所信的客体表示信任或倚赖；它领悟事实，赞同他们的真理和按着去行。 在这里，百夫长有某程度关于耶稣的资料，他接受这些资料是真确的，他充满信心去行。 值得我们强调：对主强大的信心来自极大的谦逊，依赖主去作自己不能做到的事情。 那些自给自足的人极少有机会建立这信心。

但耶稣说祂在以色列没有见过这么大的信心。 没有！ 祂常常见到的是自义和自给自足的人，或要求祂行神迹去证明祂所说的，或一些只短暂追随祂，而当祂说一些艰深的话便离祂而去的人。 就是相信祂的门徒，当遇到风浪或生命的挑战时，亦只表达出微弱的信心，不过，他们继续追随祂，表示他们的信心成长。

到底耶稣在这人的信心中找到了甚么奇特的事情呢？ 或许是单纯地接受耶稣拥有生命至高无上权威的司令与及其它各方面的权柄；也许他很有智慧、很有见地和逻辑；又或许他只简单地接纳耶稣拥有这权柄。 大部份犹太人并不接受耶稣拥有生命的主权，不接受祂拥有神全部的能力来到世上；但这位百夫长却明显地接受。

由于这人的信心有别于犹太人的信心，耶稣就趁这个机会预言许多犹太人 - 祂称他们为「天国子民」 - 当有很多从世界各地来的人进天国，与先贤同坐时，他们便会被弃绝。 约翰在他的福音书开端告诉我们：耶稣来到自己的地方，自己的人倒不接待祂，但凡接待祂的人，祂就赐他们权柄，作神的儿女。 耶稣预先见到了犹太人不信的阴暗面，并且作出宣告：因有些人没有这种信心到衪那里去，将会哀哭切齿，这是盛怒审判的图画。 圣经表明若非有信，就不能得神的喜悦。 而现在，必须对神的儿子有信心（希伯来书第一章和十一章）。

医治 （ 8:13 ）。 耶稣的宣告已清楚表明因着这人的信：「给你成全了。 」这是第一世纪信心的基本原则：因着你的信，就会达成。 在这里耶稣认定这人的信心，并且按他所求医治他的仆人作为表扬。 而且，祂乐意以这方式去作，向当时在场的所有人、也向我们展示祂有医治的权柄。

与其它经文的关连

有关耶稣带有权柄的话，我已经给你足够的提示去思考，但还有一个和医治相关的圣经题材，那就是世上疾病的原因和消除疾病的应许。 马太福音第九章提供一个较佳的机会去讨论疾病的原因；在这里我们可以思考神有关疾病的计划。 如前所述，旧约的预言，特别是以赛亚书和新约新天新地的异象：不再有疾病、悲哀和死亡。 圣经预告主要擦去他们一切的眼泪、不再有死亡和疾病，所有事物成为美好（或许透过死人复活，或仍活着的圣徒被提，在空中与主相遇、得荣耀）。

假如你稍为阅读这方面的神学典籍，你很快便会有一组合的概念和圣经篇章进行研读。 那么，当你研读像这样的独立课题时，你可以将它放进这幅图画里。 耶稣在世上并没有把每一个人都治愈，祂现在也没有医治每一个人（可记得保罗吗？ 他的刺并没有被除掉），因为作这事的时候还没有到来。 耶稣先要处理「罪」这个问题，祂才会将一切改好。 但透过祂所选择做的奇事，耶稣表明祂就是那位应许的弥赛亚，祂能够做这些事，当祂再来时，祂会做弥赛亚所要做的所有工作。

结论和应用

这篇很短的经文的主题，我们已经有足够的讨论，无须在这里详述。 马太记述这事迹，为了表示君王的权柄在疾病之上，祂可以透过祂大能的话进行医治；马太同时表示医治是对人信心的回应，而这信心并未在大部份色列人身上找到。

我相信你若再次详细地思考细节，你可以从这故事得出多个教导和应用。 其中一个明显的应用是当你或你的一位亲友患病时，向主祷告是信心的极重要表达，也是使身体康复的一个途径。 经文指耶稣的权柄在这些事情之上，故此，作为信徒，你可以凭信心，简洁地向主祷告，「只要说一句话」，我、他、她、他们就会痊愈。 你还可以连接其他新约为病患者祷告的经文（例如雅各书5:13-18）。

但你要记着这是叙事文体，它记述耶稣在某情况下所作的事。 我们称它为「记叙」体裁，因它报告了耶稣为百夫长的仆人所作的事。 这课启示了耶稣能作这类事情；但它并没有教导耶稣经常这样做。 你需要和新约书信的经文连合，作为给信徒特别的应许。 不过，我们会发现神可能会、也可能不会按我们的祈求进行医治，又或许在我们祈求时，便即时医治，我们不应作出假设。 保罗被告知：「不，我的恩典够你用。 」因此，祷告时，我们要向主耶稣学习，在祈求后加上「然而，不要成就我的意思，只要成就你的意思」。 这并不是祷告没有「功效」时作逃避的借口，我们仍可忍耐地和有信心地求祂医治。 这结语是承认主是拥有主权至高的神，如果医治我们代求的人附合祂的旨意，祂便会进行医治。 若非如此，整个过程就变成机械式和可预测的，无须任何信心了。

第二个相关的应用是怎样建立这种信心。 但故事并没有加以解释，只说他的信心比耶稣见到的很多以色列人大。 在这里，你需要把圣经作为一个整体教导搜集怎样建立这种信心。 最理想的情况是从信徒的家开始教导（参大卫的经历，诗篇22:9,10；提摩太后书 3:15），那里给我们一些典范。 如果你成年后才信主，你要像一个小孩般开始学习，即从神的话语开始认识主（信心的强弱在于对所信的客体的认识程度），其次是看见信心生命的模范或由真正的信徒所活出的信心。 当你愈在神的话语当中，你愈会和信徒团契交通，他们学会了透过祷告和赞美，把他们的信心化为行动，你信心的成长也就会加快。 当你成长，你会开始祈求主和看见主在你生命里作工，而在这个过程中，你又会增强对主的信心。

有些人的信心强些（例如百夫长因他生命扮演的角色导致他快快地信），有些人却因生命中有很多艰巨的经历使他们难以相信（他们童年遇到被失信的经历或因关系破裂使他们难以相信）。 不管你曾经历甚么事情，你会看到建立信心是基督徒的生命历程。 建立强大的信心包括在神的话语中属灵成长，透过圣灵的大能，在其他圣徒的熏陶，并透过与神的个人关系向神祈祷。

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¹这并不是说那人患痲疯、仆人瘫痪或那女人的热病直接从罪而来。 虽有这个可能，但经文并没有这样告诉我们。 但总括来说，所有的疾病和死亡，都是世上的罪的结果，故此，我们经常看到耶稣从原因作出处理。

²在研读这些课题的过程中，你若看看耶稣死亡带来的果效（即耶稣死亡所成就的一切）将会有帮助。 基督徒普遍地认为那基本上是为罪付赎价。 这当然的正确的，但却不够全面。 耶稣在十字架上是为世上所有的罪和罪带来的结果付赎价。 因祂完美的牺牲，祂弥补了罪所带来的全部破坏（以赛亚书53:10）。 当祂为我们的罪付赎价时，祂也让我们变得完全。