Finding Contentment: In Any Situation

Let as many servants as are under

the yoke count their own masters

worthy of all honour, that the

name of God and His doctrine

be no blasphemed. And they that

have believing masters, let them

not despise them, because they

are brethren; but rather do them

service, because they are faithful

and beloved, partakers of the benefit.

These things teach and exhort.

1Timothy 6:1-2

     Duty, a word that is tossed around with several meanings and understandings: i.e., the military a duty demanded by superiors that a person in the military do this or that and only say something against an order if it is Constitutionally wrong or immoral; and a duty for all citizens to have and do in all things: i.e., driving the speed limit, obeying laws that are for the good of all and are not Constitutionally wrong, or immoral. A student has a duty to oneself to learn, to study, and to apply self to become a productive person for society, to learn to be a good citizen. Christians have a duty, in fact they have several duties, but in these verses I will keep it to the duty of being a Christian even if under the yoke of slavery as was the case for many people in the days of the early Church. Slavery often only refers to the type of slavery that was harsh, or as seen in the Southern parts of the United States were slavery flourished and often with harsh slave owners. Slavery was more than that, it was often a way for a person who under a debt he could not pay offered himself as a slave to the one who held the debt. There was a way for a person to be relieved of slavery and often many took that way. Slavery as we have come to know it is wrong and the Bible speaks much about wronging a person whether free or slave. 

     Christians under the yoke of slavery must attend to their duties and not to use Christianity or any religious knowledge or Christian privilege to have a right to despise their heathen masters, or to disobey laws, and lawful commands, or to expose their faults to others, they are to live a quiet life: "Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread" (2Thessalonians 3:12); "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you" (1Thessalonians 4:11); "For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (1Timothy 2:2); "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God of great price" (1Peter 3:4). All Christians, not just slaves are to act this way, to live so as not to blaspheme the name of God, or Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Christians are live in truth and worship to the glory of God. Those believing masters must not put profit ahead of being a Christian, and are not to withhold respect and reverence to others who are also their brothers and sisters in Christ. There may be, and are, different levels of position in this life, but all Christians are on the same level as one another are simply sinners saved by grace and all have the one same hope, and that is: eternal life, salvation. 

     Slaves no matter how they became slaves have the same goal to have food, clothing, shelter, and some privileges. You who are not considered as a slave: are! At least in the same manner you want, money, food, clothing, shelter, and some privileges. You work, even though you may be doing work you extremely enjoy, or even work that you do not enjoy, all is work for the same goals. Slaves under a harsh master may be beat, even killed, or reprimanded in some manner for not doing as requested or commanded. You who are working have not to fear, at least in the United States to be killed for not doing what you are to do, but you will be fired, reprimanded, have loss of money, position because you did not do as requested or commanded. So, in some major sense, we are all slaves, to someone, or something. As Christians we belong to God, to Jesus Christ for He is our absolute and final master and all we do is to be done for His glory and not just for our self aggrandizement. Yes, we work for our employer, but in actuality what we do if first and foremost for Jesus Christ and our employer gets the benefit. 

     I am saying that we are to sit quietly by the sidelines and allow wrong things to just happen quietly? No! I am saying to work as to the Lord, and if there is wrongfulness affecting you and others you take proper steps to attempt to remedy the situation. Whatever you attempt to do must be done by prayer, and all according to Scripture, with good Scriptural counsel. Christians are not required to consent to any words as wholesome, whether it be in employment or by those who are teaching falsely or heretic teachings. But we are to do all things according to godliness and to keep to the doctrines given to Christians by the Holy Spirit. Should you be patted on the back for living this way? Not really, you are doing just what you are supposed to do, your duty. Do not think by being a good citizen, a good employee, a good slave that somehow this makes you godly. It does not! You are saved not by what you do or say, you are saved because God saves you in whatever condition He finds you: it is God who makes you godly. 

     Do you want contentment? It is there for you! Live a quiet and productive life, and live according to Scripture and your contentment, no matter the situation is present with you, you know that you final home is with God, eternally, nothing can take that away from you, so then, we live now as though we are living in heaven. If we fail, our God will chastise and will forgive, but do not continue to fail for this will displease God so much that He may not continue to aid you, and you will have to wait for heaven to find the contentment you can have now. 

Now therfore hearken unto me,

     O ye children: for blessed are

they that keep my ways. Hear 

    instruction, and be wise, and

refuse it not. Blessed is the man

    that heareth me, watching daily 

at my doors. For whoso findeth me 

    findeth life, and shall obtain favour

of the LORD.

                       Proverbs 8:32-35

Seek and you shall find: Contentment

Richard L. Crumb 

Is It Wrong To Have Wine For Communion, Or Drink Alcohol?

Lay hands suddenly on no man,

neither be partaker of other

men's sins: keep theyself pur.

Drink no longer water, but use

a little wine for they stomach's

sake and thine often infirmities.

Some men's sins are open beforehand;

and some men they follow after. 

Likewise also the good works of 

some are manifest beforehand:

and they that are otherwise

cannot be hid.

1Timothy 5:22-25

     It is interesting that in the middle of Paul's advice to Timothy that he would suddenly address Timothy's health issue. Why? First, Timothy had a stomach issue and often this issue of poor stomach health had to do with water. Remember, the water did not come to each house as it does today, and the water did not have the cleanliness that it does today, causing many to have stomach illness. This is one reason that often the water was diluted with 20% wine. In the military we carried iodine pills for our canteens for the same reason. If we took water for our canteens from a stream it may be unhealthy and iodine would clean up the water. But there is more to this: The Holy Spirit was inspiring Paul to write so this is not some uninspired insert by Paul. We have this similar problem today, as in some Churches that will not use wine (and that is ok), and say to use wine is wrong (that is not ok), as this is more holy to stay away from wine. It is not! In Paul's day asceticism was abounding and the superstitions that were associated with this principle, or pretences that this was a superior holiness, and that abstinence from even those things declared to be lawful was condemned. Now, to drink alcoholic beverages and get drunk is wrong and even if drinking alcoholic beverages brought on condemnation is wrong. Timothy was admonished to keep himself pure so he must take care in all that he does. This is true of you and me today. Example: I like wine, have wine with dinner sometimes, even a beer, or another alcoholic drink. Not to get drunk, not to imbibe until my mind is a stupor, no,  I enjoy tea, coffee, milk, cokes, and some alcoholic beverages. Now, if I invite people over I do not go around and hide my alcoholic beverages, that would be false pretence. I don't offer any alcoholic beverages to anyone that is opposed to this type of drink, (I do the same for soft drinks, i.e., coke, pepsi, etc., that people do not drink for whatever reason), so this means I must take care to know what is best for me to serve. I also do not make a big deal out of it, as though I have the right way, and others the wrong way and do not throw philosopy, or theology to prove my position. Love for my brothers and sisters demands that I know what is best for the situation. 

      As ministers of the Gospel then we must consider how we speak, and how we act, even though at times a person may be considered inappropriate and if true and this is brought to a person's attention; then he/she must change. We must take heed to ourselves and to the doctrine delivered once by the Apostles, and others the Holy Spirit inspired to write. Timothy was placed among many snares, several different opinions theologically, and even among the philosophies of the Greek that they held so dear, and this is true of us today for we are struck on all sides by Atheism, Evolution, Abortion, and a pluralistic society that holds that everyone has truth and there is no single truth. We must hold to Scripture, it is the instrument that must be at the foundation of our conversations, our actions, in our times of entertainment, amusement, and even in our adornment, our dress. God's word must be written upon our souls enabling us to meet the challenges of this culture and with all the ....isms.. that confront. We are to bring forth fruit and this we can do if we allow ourselves to convert to Jesus Christ and live Authentic Christian lives. 

     Legalism has no place in the Christian Church, in our lives, and if need be, we must thresh out our minds, our beliefs and bring them into conformity with Scripture. We are the hands, feet, the mouths, for our Savior Jesus Christ, the Gospel, this is our responsibility that God has placed upon all His children. Will you meet it? I pray that this will happen.

And thou shall speak my words

     unto them, whether they

will hear, or whether they will

    forbear; for they are most

rebellious.

                  Exekiel 2:7

You are the light of this world

Richard L. Crumb

Keeping The Church Of God Pure

Let the elders that rule will be

counted worthy of double honour,

especially they who labour in the 

word and doctrines. For the Scripture

saith, Thou shalt not muzzel the ox

that treadeth out the corn. 

 And, The labourer is worthy of his

reward. Against an elder receive not

an accusations, but before two or

three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke

before all, that others also may fear.

I charge thee before God, and the

Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels,

that thou observe these things

without preferring one before another,

doing nothing by partiality.

1Timothy 5:17-21

     In God's dispensation His economy is toward His people, the call-out ones, (the Church), and by His economy God has arranged the Church to be led by elders. The Greek word for elder is: Πρεσβύτερος (Presbyter): in the Christian Church those who being raised up and qualified by the work of the Holy Spirit, were appointed to have the spiritual care of, and to exercise oversight over, the Churches. To this term ε˘πισκο˘πος (Bishop), or overseers, is applied (Acts 20:17; Titus 1:5). This is the divine arrangement for the Church. In today's Churches we find three modes of oversight: 1. Congregational; that is the congregation makes the major decisions. 2. Bishops, as in the Anglican Church whereby the Bishop makes the major decisions, and 3. Presbyterian, whereby the elders make the major decisions, and mostly in all cases the congregation has some input. No matter the mode, the overseer must be vetted, this to ensure that the one to oversee has the qualifications to be an overseer according to Scripture. And as overseers they have a right to expect some remuneration for their work. As Jesus admonished that if there is something against another there is a rubric to follow to settle the issue, the same is true for an overseer, that it requires witnesses, two or three, all before this person should be addressed to settle a complaint against him. This rebuke is before God, Jesus Christ, and as is done the Greek word for messenger: άγγελος, is translated in English, angel, and could refer to those heavenly beings that did not fall when Satan fell, or, as the word elect more often than not refers to those God has called and believed upon Jesus Christ, the translation should be "messengers." In other words, before all, God, Jesus Christ and all Christians who are called to be a messenger of God, and of Jesus Christ. 

     Here is a fault within most Churches, at least those that I have ever attended or know about: little is done before the congregation to rebuke anyone, especially an overseer. How many people or times have you seen a person be excommunicated from the Church? This economy for the Church of God is to keep the Church pure even though as sinners we sin, we are not, and should not be accusing people without proof, and when proof is present do something according to Scripture to rectify the situation, this then means that we must be on our knees praying for forgiveness daily for we sin and we must do all to keep ourselves pure as we keep the Church pure. This not being done has led to doctrines that are anti-Scriptural, even heretical, and this liberality within the Church has brought disdain upon it, and to be accused of just another religion. The Gospel is not forwarded when we shirk our duty toward the Church, that is, those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. No gossip, no partiality, nothing more than the truth will do if the Church is to be an arm of God so that the Church is pure and the Gospel set out among people without making cause for accusation that has no cause. 

     Think upon this: you are an angel, a messenger for God, one who is to live and manifest the Gospel. You who have everlasting life, cannot be taken from the hand of Jesus Christ, you salvation assured. Does this not drive you to live according to Scripture and to love God, Jesus Christ and to allow the Holy Spirit to have His way with you? I think yes!

But truly I am full of power

     by the spirit of the LORD,

and of judgment, and of might,

     to declare unto Jacob his

transgression, and to Israel his sin.

                   Micah 3:8

Intercession: Our work in prayer

Richard L. Crumb