3/23/20

"STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS" Zechariah - I Am Zealous For Zion (4:1-6:15) by Mark Copeland

                    "STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS"

              Zechariah - I Am Zealous For Zion (4:1-6:15)

INTRODUCTION

1. Our previous study introduced us to the book of Zechariah...
   a. A prophet of God who worked together with Haggai
   b. Whose work focused mainly on the rebuilding of the temple - Ezra 5:1-2; 6:14-15

2. The book starts out in typical fashion with a call to repentance
   (Zech 1:1-6), but then we find eight visions that occurred in one night...
   a. We briefly considered the first four in the previous study
      1) The rider and the horses - Zech 1:7-17
      2) The four horns and four craftsmen - Zech 1:18-21
      3) The man with the measuring line - Zech 2:1-13
      4) Joshua the high priest - Zech 3:1-10
   b. These visions were designed to motivate the people in completing the temple
      1) As God related His zeal for Jerusalem and His house - e.g., Zech 1:14,16,21; 2:4
      2) As God reassured Joshua the high priest of his role - e.g., Zech 3:6-7
      3) As God revealed even greater things to come pertaining to His Servant
          (the Messiah) - e.g., Zech 3:8-10

3. In this study, we shall examine...
   a. The remaining four visions - Zech 4:1-6:8
   b. The command to crown Joshua the high priest - Zech 6:9-15

[From Zech 4:1, it appears that Zechariah had fallen into a deep sleep
after the first four visions.  Awakened by the angel, he is shown four more...]

I. VISIONS IN THE NIGHT - Part Two

   A. THE GOLD LAMPSTAND AND TWO OLIVE TREES...
      1. Awakened from a deep sleep, Zechariah is shown a golden 
         lampstand with seven lamps and seven pipes, with olive trees on both sides - Zech 4:1-3
      2. Asking the angel what they represent, he is told...
         a. That it is a message to Zerubbabel (the governor) - Zech 4:6a
         b. That by God's Spirit, not man's might or power, Zerubbabel
            shall bring forth the capstone (finishing stone) of the temple - Zech 4:6b-7
         c. Thus Zerubbabel will finish the temple - Zech 4:8-9
         d. For the eyes of the Lord (represented by the seven lamps)
            which scan the whole earth, rejoice to see the plumb line
            in the hand of Zerubbabel - Zech 4:10
         e. And that the olive trees represent "two anointed ones" 
            (Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor?) who 
            stand beside the Lord - Zech 4:11-14
      -- With such encouragement, who can "despise the day of small 
         things?" (as the temple looked when its foundation was first 
         laid - cf. Ezra 3:11-12; Hag 2:2-3)

   B. THE FLYING SCROLL...
      1. Turning and raising his eyes, Zechariah sees a flying scroll,
         twenty cubits long and 10 cubits wide (approx. 30 feet by 15feet) - Zech 5:1-2
      2. The scroll is explained as being the curse going out on the whole earth - Zech 5:3-4
         a. According to what is written on one side, every thief will be expelled
         b. According to what is written on the other side, every perjurer will be expelled
         c. Thus it will enter and consume the houses of thieves and those who swear falsely
      -- Such people were responsible for the downfall of Israel and
         Judah (cf. Hos 4:2-3; Mic 2:2-3); this vision ensures such 
         will be removed from God's people

   C. THE WOMAN IN THE BASKET (EPHAH)...
      1. Zechariah is directed to see a large basket, in which sits a woman - Zech 5:5-7
      2. As the woman is explained to represent wickedness...
         a. She is thrust down into the basket with a lead cover over the top - Zech 5:8
         b. Two women with wings like those of a stork lift the basket
            to take it a house in the land of Shinar (Babylon) - Zech 5:9-11
      -- This vision symbolizes that wickedness will be removed from the land

   D. THE FOUR CHARIOTS...
      1. Zechariah sees four chariots coming between two bronze mountains - Zech 6:1-3
         a. The first chariot had red horses
         b. The second chariot had black horses
         c. The third chariot had white horses
         d. The fourth chariot had dappled horses
      2. He is told what the chariots represent - Zech 6:4-8
         a. They represent the four spirits of heaven
         b. The chariot with the black horses is going to the north 
            country, followed by the chariot with the white horses
         c. The chariot with the dappled horses is going to the south country
         d. The chariots go throughout the earth, with those going to
            the north giving rest to God's Spirit in the north country
      3. This final vision appears to correspond with the first (cf. Zech 1:7-11)
         a. In the first vision, the four horses report that the earth
            was at peace, while the temple lay uncompleted
         b. Now, it is God's Spirit which is given rest in the north country (Babylon?)
      -- Perhaps this vision reflects that God would be at ease once 
         His purposes concerning Jerusalem (restoration of its temple)
         and Babylon (judgment for its sins) were completed

[With these eight visions in one night, Zechariah had a message to 
encourage Zerubbabel and Joshua in their efforts to rebuild the temple.
The message would be reinforced with yet another given to Zechariah...]

II. THE COMMAND TO CROWN JOSHUA

   A. THE INSTRUCTIONS TO ZECHARIAH...
      1. Take the gift from the captives and make an elaborate crown - Zech 6:9-11a
      2. Set the crown on the head of Joshua the high priest - Zech 6:11b
      3. Speak the following words to Joshua - Zech 6:12-13
         a. Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH!
         b. From His place He shall branch out
         c. He shall build the temple of the LORD
         d. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and reign on the His throne
         e. He shall be a priest on His throne, with the counsel of peace
      4. The elaborate crown to be a memorial in the temple - Zech 6:14
      5. Those from far away will help build the temple - Zech 6:15

   B. THE MESSIANIC ELEMENTS OF THIS SYMBOLIC CROWNING...
      1. Certainly this symbolic crowning was intended to encourage
         Joshua and those captives who had returned to build the temple
      2. But Joshua appears to be a type of the coming Messiah., i.e.,Jesus
         a. Jesus was called "a Nazarene" (branch) - Mt 2:23; cf. Zech 3:8
         b. He would "branch out" - cf. Isa 11:1-2; 53:2
         c. He would build the "temple of the Lord" (i.e., His church) - Mt 16:18; Ep 2:21-22
         d. He would "rule on His throne" - 1Co 15:25; Re 1:5; 2:27-28
         e. He would be "a priest on His throne" - He 8:1-2; Re 3:21
         f. He would provide the "counsel of peace" - Ep 2:14-17
      -- And so this symbolic crowning was not only to encourage 
         Joshua, but those who looked forward to the coming of the 
         Messiah, whom Joshua represented!

CONCLUSION

1. Through the use of such visions and symbolic representations...
   a. Zechariah succeeded in motivating Joshua, Zerubbabel, and the
      captives who returned with them to rebuild the temple - cf. Ezra 6:14-15
   b. Zechariah likely increased their anticipation of the future as
      well, as they would wonder about the fulfillment of these visions

2. Zechariah's work is not finished, however...
   a. He will provide answers to questions the people had regarding certain fasts
   b. He will have more to say about the future of Jerusalem and the coming Messiah
   ...which we shall consider in the next couple of lessons

Having been reminded in this study of our Lord's role as both king and
priest, perhaps we can close by asking:

   Are you submitting to the Kingship of Jesus Christ?

   Are you making proper use of His intercession as our High Priest?

How you respond to His gospel will answer such questions!
  

Differences Do Not Demand Discrepancies by Eric Lyons, M.Min.


http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=459

Differences Do Not Demand Discrepancies

by  Eric Lyons, M.Min.

Sometimes statements differ because they are contradictory. The fact is, nothing can both be and not be for the same person, place, or thing, at the same time, and in the same sense (cf. Jevons, 1928, p. 117; Aristotle, 3:4). It is impossible for a single door to be completely shut and completely open at the same time. It is contradictory for a man to say, “Yesterday I never left my house to go to the store,” if indeed he did leave his house yesterday to go to the store. Differences in stories may very well be the result of lies and contradictory statements.
At the same time, differences do not necessarily mean that various accounts are discrepant. For example, a person may affirm, “I went shopping with my daughter yesterday.” That same person might also tell someone, “Yesterday, I went to several different stores with my best friend.” Both of these statements, though different, easily could be true. Perhaps the mother went shopping with her daughter and her best friend, Melissa. Or, it could be that the daughter is the mother’s best friend. Either way, it would be irresponsible and unreasonable to interpret such differences as contradictions.
People generally understand that differences can abound in various accounts without a person needing to resort to charges of discrepancy. Imagine how long an employee would keep his job if he operated under the assumption that every time one of his colleagues said something that differed from a previous comment or from what another colleague stated, “someone was lying.” Such an employee would soon find himself unemployed. Generally speaking, people who make accusations without sufficient evidence to prove their case are quickly marginalized and distrusted.
Sadly, when it comes to the Bible, many people leave behind reason and fair-mindedness. Different accounts must be “contradictory.” Different wordings by different writers must mean someone was wrong. Though unproven and unprovable assertions in nearly every other area of life are quickly exposed as baseless allegations, when it comes to the Bible, differences are often thought to equal discrepancies.
The fact is, the different but truthful wordings in Scripture are exactly what a person should expect to find in a book composed of 66 smaller books written by approximately 40 different writers, who wrote to different people, at different times, and in different places. Furthermore, the differences in Scripture are parallel to the justifiable differences we expect from each other’s accounts in modern times.
  • Why must Luke be mistaken about the temptations of Jesus because he wrote them in a different order than Matthew (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; see Lyons, 2004)? Can a person not give an honest description of something without everything being in chronological order? If a person never said the details are in the precise order in which they occurred, would he not have the freedom to arrange his story however he chose (e.g., climactically or thematically)?
  • Was it essential for the apostle John to mention every woman who came to the tomb of Jesus on the morning of His resurrection, or was he at liberty to mention as few as he wanted (John 20:1; cf. Matthew 28:1; Luke 24:1; cf. Butt, 2004)? If Mary Magdalene was at the tomb on that Sunday morning, and John recorded that she was there, without ever denying that others also were there, could his record of the events be truthful? Of course. Differencesexist among the gospel writers’ accounts, but no one can prove that they are dischordant. Just as a person might say, “I went to the park with Bill, Bob, and Bubba,” he might also truthfully say, “I went to the park with Bill and Betty.” These statements are not contradictory. One merely supplements the other. A person may only mention Bill and Betty in one setting (e.g., at worship where the church knows the married couple), while at another setting (e.g., at the office where only the men are known) he may truthfully just mention the men.
The fact is, if the apostles and prophets wrote independently of each other, and penned their accounts at different times, in different places, to different people, and for different reasons, differences should be expected. However, the differences are not demonstrated discrepancies. They are only “contradictions” in the minds of those (1) who reject reason, and/or (2) who refuse to “retain God in their knowledge” (Romans 1:28).

REFERENCES

Aristotle, Metaphysics, trans. W.D. Ross, http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/metaphysics.4.iv.html.
Butt, Kyle (2004), “Addition Does Not a Contradiction Make,” Apologetics Press, http://apologeticspress.org/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx?article=541.
Jevons, W. Stanley (1928), Elementary Lessons in Logic (London: Macmillan).
Lyons, Eric (2004), “In What Order Did Satan Tempt Jesus?” Apologetics Press, http://apologeticspress.org/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx?article=746.

Did Paul Endorse Slavery? by Eric Lyons, M.Min.


http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=5496

Did Paul Endorse Slavery?

by  Eric Lyons, M.Min.


Thousands of years prior to the establishment of the Lord’s Church, and long before Paul addressed the conduct of Christian slaves in the first century, various forms of slavery were commonplace. In fact, virtually every ancient civilization used slaves.1 Slavery was prevalent enough in Babylon in the 18th century B.C. to be mentioned numerous times in the Code of Hammurabi.2 The Egyptians enslaved hundreds of thousands of Israelites in the 16th century B.C. (Exodus 1; cf. Numbers 1:46). Historians estimate that, by the time Paul wrote his New Testament epistles in the first century A.D., five to eight million slaves resided within the Roman Empire,3 including 15-25% of the total population of Italy.4

“Slavery”—A Broad Term in the First Century

The English term “slave” is translated from the Greek word doulos. Some translations use the term “servant” (or “bondservant”), but doulos is best translated “slave” (especially since “in normal usage at the present time the two words [“slave” and “servant”—EL] are carefully distinguished”).5
So what is meant by “slave” or “slavery”? Americans often envision ancient slavery as the kind of oppressive bondage that was popular among many slave owners in North America in the 18th and 19th centuries, when millions of Africans were stolen from their homelands and shipped across the Atlantic. Certainly, some first-century slavery was similar, but often it was quite different. For example, slavery in New Testament times was not based on race. Many foreign soldiers and their families became slaves after being captured during times of war.6 What’s more, “[s]ome became slaves because they could not pay back the money they had borrowed. The government would also take people into slavery if they could not pay their taxes. There were also many cases of poor people selling their children as slaves to richer neighbours.”7
Consider the fact that the ancients would likely interpret certain modern American practices as forms of “slavery.” For example, hundreds of thousands of Americans who work, labor nearly one-third of every year for the government. That is, Americans are forced by the government with the threat of fines and imprisonment to pay over 100 days wages to local, state, and federal governments every year in the form of taxes. Many Americans hand over more money to the government each year than they spend on food, clothing, and shelter combined.8 According to irs.gov, U.S. citizens who fail to pay government-mandated taxes can be prosecuted and imprisoned for up to five years. And what about the military draft—“the practice of ordering people by law to serve in the armed forces”?9 To this day, all 18-25-year-old males in the U.S. are required to register with the Selective Service System in case of “a crisis requiring a draft”10—a draft in which thousands or millions of men would be forced to go to war, and possibly die for their country, whether they wanted to or not.
Please understand, I am not suggesting that we should defraud the government, or that we should refuse to submit to its authority if the draft is reinstated. I am simply suggesting that “slavery” was broadly defined in the first century. When people ask questions such as “Did Paul endorse slavery?” we must understand that there were various kinds of slavery in the first century, including some forms that resemble certain practices today which may be generally accepted and morally justified.

Define “Endorse”

Did Paul “endorse” slavery? The word “endorse” means “to publicly or officially say that you support or approve of (someone or something).”11 To endorse is to advocate or champion an idea, a thing, or a person. Did Paul “endorse” slavery? Did he champion it or publicly promote it as one advocates a particular product or political candidate? No, at least not the kind of slavery most people think of when they hear the term.
In truth, Paul specifically condemned “kidnappers” (andrapodistais) or “menstealers” (KJV) as lawless and insubordinate individuals who practice that which is “contrary to sound doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:10). Danker, et al. defines this kidnapper as a “slave-dealer.”12 Far from endorsing such activity, Paul groups these men-stealing, slave traders with murderers, liars, and other ungodly sinners (1 Timothy 1:9-10).
Yet, five chapters later Paul wrote: “Let as many bondservants [doulos, slaves] as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed. And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things” (1 Timothy 6:1-2). What did Paul instruct Timothy to teach the various Christian slaves in the first century? To respect, honor, and even serve their masters (i.e., to set a good example of Christianity before them).

Paul Endorsed Godly Submission, Not Sinful Forms of Slavery

Paul’s instruction for slaves to honor their masters is perfectly consistent with the rest of God’s Word regarding all Christians submitting to those in positions of authority. To the Christians living in the heart of the Roman Empire, Paul taught: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities…. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:1,7; cf. Matthew 22:21).13 Similarly, Peter wrote: “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors…. For this is the will of God…. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (1 Peter 2:13-17). Was the Roman Empire corrupt in many ways? Certainly. Was a Christian’s submission to Rome a blanket endorsement of the Empire? Not at all. But Christians were (and are) to be humbly compliant.
God expects all Christians to have a spirit of submission. Children are to submit to their parents (Ephesians 6:1-3). Young people are to be submissive to older people (1 Peter 5:5). Wives are to submit to their husbands (1 Peter 3:1-2). Members of local churches are to submit to their overseeing elders who rule over them (Hebrews 13:17; Acts 20:28). Local shepherds are to submit fully to the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:1-4). In short, all Christians, including those in leadership positions, are to “be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5). And, yes, God expects His people to humbly “submit…to every authority instituted among men,” whether to kings or to slave masters (1 Peter 2:13,18, NIV).

Submission for a Higher Purpose

God did not create the practice of slavery. Furthermore, Paul’s inspired instructions regarding a slave’s submission to his master were not given because God favors a master over his slave (Galatians 3:28), or because He simply wants some people to have harder lives than others. The specific purpose that Paul gave for Christian slaves submitting to their pagan masters was “so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed” (1 Timothy 6:1).
Imagine if Christian slave after slave in the first century became less submissive to their masters as they learned more about the equality of all mankind (Genesis 1:26-27). Consider how the reputation of Christianity would have been greatly tarnished in the eyes of the unbelieving world if Paul explicitly taught that all slaves should be set free. As William Barclay noted: “For the Church to have encouraged slaves to revolt and rebel and rise against their masters would have been fatal. It would simply have caused civil war, mass murder, and the complete discredit of the Church.”14
God, in His infinite wisdom, commands all men to do their best to make the most for the cause of Christ in whatever situation they find themselves. “Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave” (1 Corinthians 7:21-23). Whether a person becomes a Christian while in slavery or in a terrible marriage, God wants His people to change from the inside out and have a positive spiritual impact on others. Be obedient to parents, husbands, governing officials, and yes, even slave owners. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Rather than giving people reasons to curse Christ and His doctrine, be obedient to all those in positions of authority “for the Lord’s sake” (1 Peter 2:13). Be honorable at all times so that you may “put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” and “by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:15,12; cf. 3:1-2). In short, “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 2:6).

Taking Paul’s Teaching to Its Logical Conclusion

Over time, with the spread of Christianity (cf. Acts 19:10,26; 21:20) and with increasing numbers of slave masters becoming Christians, the physical lives of many slaves would have improved dramatically. As slave owners with honest and good hearts learned (1) to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and (2) to love their neighbors (including their slaves) as themselves (Matthew 22:36-40), they would give up “threatening” (Ephesians 6:9). As Christian slave owners contemplated treating others how they want to be treated (Matthew 7:12), they would give their slaves “what is just and fair,” knowing that they, too, had a Master in heaven (Colossians 4:1). As slave owners submitted to Christ, they would be transformed by the Gospel, learning to be “kindly affectionate” to everyone (Romans 12:2,10), including all those who served them. In short, far from endorsing sinful slavery, Paul’s teachings, taken to their logical conclusion, would eventually lead truth-seeking masters and government officials to help bring an end to any kind of cruel, sinful captivity.15

Endnotes

1 “History of Slavery” (no date), History World, www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac41.
2 “Code of Hammurabi, King of Babylon” (no date), https://archive.org/stream/cu31924060109703/cu31924060109703_djvu.txt.
3 Walter Scheidel (2007), “The Roman Slave Supply,” p. 6, https://www.princeton.edu/~pswpc/pdfs/scheidel/050704.pdf.
4 Scheidel, pp. 3-6.
5 Frederick William Danker, William Arndt, and F.W. Gingrich (2000), Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Chicago: University of Chicago), p. 260.
6 John Simkin (2014), “Slavery in the Roman Empire,” Spartacus Educational, http://spartacus-educational.com/ROMslaves.htm.
7 Simkin.
8 Scott Greenberg (no date), Tax Foundation, https://taxfoundation.org/tax-freedom-day-2016-april-24/.
9 “Conscription,” Merriam-Webster.com, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conscription, emp. added.
10 “Who Must Register” (2008), Selective Service System, https://web.archive.org/web/20090507213840/http://www.sss.gov/FSwho.htm.
11 “Endorse,” Merriam-Webster.com, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endorse.
12 Danker, et al., p. 76.
13 All bold text in Scripture quotations has been added for emphasis.
14 William Barclay (1956), The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (Philadelphia: Westminster), p. 141.
15 For a more extensive response to questions regarding slavery, and especially slavery in the Old Testament, see Kyle Butt (2005), “Defending the Bible’s Position on Slavery,” Reason & Revelation, 25[6]:41-47, June, https://www.apologeticspress.org/pub_rar/25_6/0506.pdf.

UNDERSTANDING GOD'S DOCTRINE by steve finnell

http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/2017/04/understanding-gods-doctrine-by-steve.html

UNDERSTANDING GOD'S DOCTRINE  

by steve finnell


Do most church leaders understand God's teaching? Where do preachers, priests, Sunday school teachers, elders, and pastors receive their knowledge? It does not come from prayerfully studying the Bible. Most church leaders receive their religious instruction from parents, church catechisms, books about the Bible, fellow church members, religious seminaries, denominational teaching booklets, their own opinions, denominational Bible colleges and various man-made creed books.

If understanding God's doctrine comes from the Bible? Then, how...........

1. Then, how could church leaders believe that there are other ways to heaven, other than Jesus Christ.

2.Then, how could church leaders believe that infants are guilty of Adam's sin, before they are born?

3. Then, how could church leaders believe that water baptism is not essential in order to have sins forgiven?

4. Then, how could church leaders believe that praying to the Virgin Mary and other dead saints is not a sin? We are only to worship God. Prayer is worship.

5. Then, how could church leaders believe interdenominational worship and interdenominational charities are approved by God? Denominations teach various ways of salvation. There is only one way to be saved.

6. Then, how could church leaders believe that non-believing infants are candidates for water baptism? First, infants have not sinned. Second, if they had sinned, they are not capable of believing. There are no conversions in the Bible where a non-believer is baptized.

7. Then, how could a church leader believe in theistic evolution? God created the universe in 6 twenty-four hour, days. Not millions or billions of years.

8. Then, how could a church leader believe once you are saved you can never be lost?

9. Then, how could a church leader believe that men are saved by, grace alone?

10. Then, how could a church leader believe that men are saved by, faith only?

11. Then, how could a church leader believe that certain men are select for salvation and that God selects all others to burn in hell?

12. Then, how could a church leader believe new testament Christians need to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, as well as keeping other old testament laws? Saturday is the Sabbath.

13. Then, how could a church leader believe that contemporary Christians have the gift of miracles and the gift of tongues, as the apostles did on the Day of Pentecost?

14. Then, how could a church leader believe that God is inspiring new books of revelation, in addition to the Bible?

15. Then, how could church leaders believe that Christian can continue a sinful lifestyle and still be saved? Can murders continue to murder and still be saved?

Church leaders are not learning 1 thru 15 by reading the Bible.

 Matthew 15:9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.'" (NKJV)

Owe no one anything except to love one another by Roy Davison





http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/025-owenooneanything.html

Owe no one anything except to love one another  Romans 13:8

 
We owe each other love for ever. But what about the first part: “Owe no one anything.”

This passage presents a problem for many. Some do not understand what it means and for everyone the application is sometimes difficult.

What are Biblical principles of dealing with money?

“Owe no one anything.” Does this mean that we may never commit ourselves financially? At Rome “Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house” (Acts 28:30). Thus he obviously had agreed to pay rent. Financial commitments are part of life. As long as we pay on time, we owe no one anything.

But what if we pile up commitments that are beyond our means? After a while we will no longer be able to pay.

Actually we are all stewards of other people’s money. Most of our income each month belongs to someone else. Part belongs to the government, and the State is smart enough to deduct its portion from our wages before we get them! If we rent a house, a portion belongs to our landlord. If we have loans, a part belongs to the bank. Our family needs food and clothing, so a part belongs to the shopkeepers. We need energy, so a part belongs to the utility companies. There is only a small amount left that we can spend any way we want. If we are not good stewards, we can easily misappropriate someone else’s money, and no longer be able to give them their due portion.

I knew a woman who opened a shop and went bankrupt in a few months because she thought she could freely spend everything that came into the cash register!

Also in money matters, the temptations of Satan must be resisted. Problems can be “love of money” (1 Timothy 6:10); “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16); covetousness (Colossians 3:5); not paying your workers a fair wage (James 5:4); “the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things” (Mark 4:19). Materialism can cause us to get in debt and be unable to pay what we owe.

“Owe no one anything.” What are some dangers?

We are warned in Scripture about the danger of putting up security for someone else. “A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, and becomes surety for his friend” (Proverbs 17:18). Why is this dangerous? If your friend can easily pay, he will have security of his own! If you decide to provide security anyway, keep in mind that you may have to pay the whole debt yourself! Thus, you must be able to do so without jeopardizing your own financial condition.

The principle behind this warning is that we must avoid excessive debts. If we allow ourselves to become insolvent, there is a great danger that we will not be able to pay what we owe. Being solvent means that we can pay all we owe by selling things we own.

Does the command, “Owe no one anything,” mean that we may not borrow? Borrowing is not forbidden in Scripture, but it is viewed as something negative, which of course it is. A loan is negative money.

When the Lord promised to bless Israel if they remained faithful, He said: “For the LORD your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow” (Deuteronomy 15:6). The one who lends has power over the one who borrows: “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7).

Yet, borrowing is sometimes needful. In the next two verses in Deuteronomy we read: “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs” (Deuteronomy 15:7, 8). Thus, it is not wrong to borrow for things we really need, on condition that we will be able to pay it back.

It is wrong not to repay: “The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives” (Psalm 37:21).

Thus, to obey the command, “Owe no one anything,” we must be careful not to borrow more than we can repay. When we have a loan, we do not owe until payment is due. If we repay the loan at the agreed time, we do not owe anything.

A loan should be covered in some way. If because of unexpected circumstances, for example, you are not able to make your car payments, you should be able to repay the loan by selling the car.

Insurance can also be part of the coverage. I know someone who had to pay off a loan for five years on a car that no longer existed because it caught fire while he was driving and was not insured. And, he was an insurance salesman!

The same applies to the purchase of a house with a mortgage. If you cannot make your house payments, you should be able to pay off the loan by selling the house.

It is not sufficient, however, that the principal is covered by a countervalue, the repayments must also be within our means.

Many get in trouble at this point. In our society it is easy to borrow more than we can repay. Since we can get something on credit, we may be tempted to buy a more expensive house or automobile than we can afford.

Why is it so easy to get credit? Because those who offer us credit want to make money off of us even if it is to our financial disadvantage.

In my pocket I have something that is extremely dangerous: a credit card. First, one must understand that a credit card is NOT MONEY. With it you only promise to pay money.

It is dangerous because it enables you to promise to pay more than you can afford. You can make purchases with money you do not have. You can go to the airport and get a ticket to fly halfway around the world and back, even if you do not have the money.

A credit card can be valuable for one month’s credit. If you pay your credit card bill completely every month, no interest is charged!

If you do not pay it off every month, the interest charged is exorbitant, and you can easily build up a debt that you are no longer able to repay. It can become a form of debt bondage. You owe your soul, not to the company store, but to the credit card company.

This is how it works: One month you use your card to buy more than you can afford. So, at the end of the month you are not able to pay the whole amount. Or if you do, you do not have enough money for the next month’s expenses. So now you are forced to use your credit card because your money is gone. And if you buy more on your card than you can afford again (it is so easy to do), your negative balance grows even larger. Your debt snowballs because each month you must pay high interest on your growing debt.

When you go shopping with a credit card there is no hard limit to what you can spend.

Credit card companies set a high maximum credit to lure the card user into deeper debt, which results in more profit for them. They also make it easy for you not to pay off your debt by setting a low minimum payment each month. After all, they collect high interest on what you do not pay!

Credit card debt is a major cause of personal bankruptcy.

A survey by the US Department of Justice in 2000 determined that in 74% of personal bankruptcy cases, credit card debt played a significant role, and that 42% of bankruptcies involved credit card debts of $10,000. to $50,000, 7% involved credit card debts of more than $50,000 and 3% involved credit card debts of more than $75,000. Those with high credit card debts usually had several credit cards they obtained through the aggressive marketing of credit card companies.

Someone who uses more credit than he can repay, is not obeying the command: “Owe no one anything.”

To obey God in this, our expenditures must be less than our income. It is that simple. If we spend even a little more than we earn each month, we will go deeper and deeper into debt. The first rule if you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging! The hole must be filled up!

If you have become a victim of credit mongers and you find yourself in a seemingly hopeless situation, ask for advice, possibly from someone in the church or from a free independent family finance counseling service. But beware of loan sharks who profile themselves as debt advisors! Someone who wants to loan you money is not the best source of advice.

Christians must pay their taxes: “For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:6, 7).

Christians are to give as we have been prospered (1 Corinthians 16:2) and as we have purposed in our hearts (2 Corinthians 9:7). This is possible only if we do some planning.

To obey the command to owe no one anything, we must also save for extraordinary expenditures. Even under normal circumstances, there are certain times of the year and certain occasions in life, when expenses are higher than otherwise. This requires saving, which means that our regular expenses must be less than our income. During lean years it is not possible to save. And most of us have experienced such times. But when things go better, it is wise to put something aside.

“There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it” (Proverbs 21:20). Remember the prodigal son? ‘Prodigal’ means wasteful. He wasted his whole inheritance. He repented and returned to his father, but his inheritance was gone.

So far, we have spoken mainly about frugality so we can obey the command, “Owe no one anything”. But frugality does not help if we have no income!

The world does not owe us a living. We must work to pay our own way. “But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing” (1 Thessalonians 4:10-12). We are to work, not only to provide for our own needs, but also that we “may have something to give him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).

Paul also wrote: “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread” (2 Thessalonians 3:6-12).

A brother who is unemployed asked me about this passage recently. I pointed out to him that it does not say, “If anyone is out of work”, but “If anyone will not work.”

Circumstances can vary, but in the first instance it is the man’s responsibility to provide bread for his family “in toil” and “in the sweat” of his face (Genesis 3:17-19). Women are to be “homemakers” (Titus 2:5; See also 1 Timothy 5:14).

Jesus promised that God will provide for our needs if we “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

Let us pray and work for our daily bread that our needs might be provided and we might have extra to give to the Lord and to share with the needy. Let us be careful to “Owe no one anything except to love one another” (Romans 13:8). Amen.

Roy Davison


The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers.
Permission for reference use has been granted.
Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)


Of cartoons, shopping carts and FAITH by Gary Rose



 








Today, as I perused Facebook, I saw a cartoon that depicted Jesus sitting on a rock saying: Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth”, then someone in the crowd says: “What about toilet paper”? Jesus responds with:Let me speak more s-l-o-w-l-y… I thought to myself – since when did a common item like toilet paper become a “treasure”. The answer came to me very quickly- When you don’t have it, Gary. As I continued my browsing, I came along this picture and I thought to myself: how ridiculous! But then, its not that ridiculous, its very sad. In the mad scramble to gather what we need before the stores run out of everything, we can very easily cross a line from need to greed. I wonder, if we leave the store with a cart like this, filled to the brim with EVERYTHING, exactly what does that say about our faith?

Jesus said:

Matthew 6 ( World English Bible )
Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal;   [20]  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal;   [21]  for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 
And
Which of you by being anxious, can add one moment  to his lifespan?   [28]  Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin,   [29]  yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these.  [30]  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? 
  [31] Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’   [32]  For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.   [33]  But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.   [34]  Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient. 

Now, let me speak more s-l-o-w-l-y
 

Have faith in God; do not worry!