FEET SHOD WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE
An army survives and wins by marching. The faster they march, the better chance of winning. This means a good strong army has their feet protected. I don’t know about you, but when my feet start hurting, I become almost useless. I used to work at Golden West Homes, building mobile homes. Sometimes I would have to put in a long day, up to 14 hours. I could keep going when I was tired, or when I was sore, or both, but when my feet began to hurt, I could hardly get anything done. This is true of soldiers going to war, when their feet begin give out, they begin to get careless and die. Therefore a good army is made up of good soldiers who have their feet well protected.
Paul is using this fact to show the importance of being prepared by studying the gospel of peace. The Christian soldier who is not prepared with the knowledge of the Holy Scripture is like the soldier who goes to battle barefooted. I am diabetic and one of the things is stressed over and over to all diabetics is the importance of taking care of your feet. A barefoot soldier is a dead soldier. A Christian, who does not understand the importance and necessity of studying the Bible or in Paul’s words having their feet shod with the preparation of the gospel, will not be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. In simple English, an unprepared Christian will soon be a spiritually dead Christian.
II Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Paul, in writing to Timothy lays it out very plainly. Timothy, if you want God to approve of the things you are doing, if you want God to be happy with you, you need to study to see what the Word of God says. Most of you have worked at a variety of jobs. Do you remember your first day of any job you had? I remember my first day at Beale AFB. I had worked for 11 years at McClellan AFB as computer support for Personnel. I started at Beale AFB in Civil Engineering as network support for an organization that ran the Novel network operating system, which I knew nothing about. As a matter of fact, I could not even log onto a computer without a network account and it took almost a week before anyone got around to creating me an account. All I could do was set at my desk and read manuals. I was sure by the end of the first day I had made a huge mistake by taking the job.
But a few years later, I not only understood the Beale network, I ran the networking office for the entire Civil Engineering squadron. How? By studying hard and learning and becoming prepared. What do you think would have happened if several months went by and I still had not known anything about my job? I would have been fired. This is what Paul is talking about. Study the Word of God, so you can properly understand the Bible so as a workman for the Lord, you do not need to be ashamed.
Have you ever had any one from religious group that wears suits and goes door to door, knocking on doors asking questions, come to your door. I have, and the first time one of them knocked on my door and asked me a question about hell, I was not able to answer their questions and I felt ashamed of myself. But the next time one knocked on my door and asked me a question, trying to tell me hell was simply the grave, I had a Biblical answer and while I have personally never converted one of religious group, I have had an answer and a question no one from that group has ever been able to answer. I may not always know the answer to a question the first time I am asked, but I try to always have an answer the second time.
2 PETER 1:20-21 "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
We see here an additional reason we as Christians need to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. We need to study to make sure we understand what God meant in the Bible, because the scripture is not for private interpretation. Have you ever read a scripture to someone and they exclaim, “That is your interpretation, I interpret it different.” I have. What I try to do in that circumstance is to explain I have not interpreted anything, I simply read a verse and reading a verse is not interpreting a verse. Interpreting a verse by simply saying I have a different interpretation, is not valid.
Besides the Bible clearly teaches the Holy Spirit chose the words the author of book penned. To be pleasing to God does not mean I decide what I believe then twist the scriptures to try prove something. If I truly want to be pleasing to God, I must find all of the verses on a subject and study them in context and come to the understanding the Holy Ghost intended by the words chosen.
Matthew 6:24 "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
Jesus as recorded by Matthew tells us we as his disciples have to make a choice as to who we want to serve. Since we can not serve both God and Satan, we have to make a choice and we show forth who we have chose to serve though the daily choices we make. If we show through our daily choices we are choosing to do as we want, we cannot claim we are serving God. We are lying to ourselves and others if we claim to be serving God and do as we please.
John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Jesus speaking makes a powerful statement about the relationship that exists between loving God and keeping his commandments. If I love the Lord, I will want to do what He wants. This means I will want to put in the efforts to study to make sure I know what God wants. If I want to please God, I will want to put forth whatever effort and time it takes to come to the understanding the Holy Spirit intends through the words He chooses.
I have a good friend who loved the Oakland As. He knew all the statistics of the players, their names, and all kind of details. This friend of mine started dating a woman who could have cared less about baseball, but she liked my friend very much. Do you know how I could tell she genuinely liked him? Suddenly the Oakland As became important to her. She made the effort to learn each of the team player’s names and statistics. Now to the best of my knowledge, my friend never said anything to his girlfriend about her having to learn this information. Then why did she do it? Because love causes you to want to put in the time and effort needed to please the person you love.
The same thing is true regarding our relationship to God. If we love Him, we will want to make sure we are pleasing him. But if we keep having the attitude of “Do I really have to do this to please God?” we show only our lack of love for God. Do I have to be baptized? Do I have to go to Church every Sunday? Do I have to do this? Do I have to do that? The love for God I have is shown through the effort I willingly put forth please Him.
COUNT THE COST
Luke 14:28-33 "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."
One of the things we find God wants us to do as we are in the process of preparing our footwear for battle, is to stop and count the cost. In other words, God wants us to make sure we know what is needed and expected of us. Then after we have sat down and counted the cost, we need to determine if we are willing to put forth the effort.
If we are going to build a tower, we need to stop and make sure we do not take shortcuts in preparing for the types of materials or the amount of materials needed. Otherwise we look like a fool when the tower is partially built and it collapses because we took shortcuts or used cheaper materials. We will look foolish if we run out of money and can not complete the tower, if we have to leave it half finished.
There was a man who lived down the street from my brother, Randall, in Redding, California who built a dam on a creek, then built a house on the island in the creek. He got the house built and was getting ready to move in whenever the city found out about it. The problem is he had never applied for any permits and for several years the house just sat there while the issue was tied up in court. Eventually the house had to be dismantled, all because he did not apply for the proper permits before he built. He must have felt like a fool.
What King going to battle does not stop and prepare for the battle, especially if he is out-numbered. He will see if he has an advantage of training or weapons or position. Otherwise, he will lose not only the battle and his kingdom, but perhaps his life also. Both of these parables are clearly teaching the necessity of preparing to have a home in the Kingdom of Heaven, the Church of Christ, which is the House of God. Otherwise, like the man who lived down the street from my brother, we labor our entire lives thinking we are laying up treasures in Heaven only to here Jesus proclaim, Depart from me, ye work iniquity. I never authorized the things you did. In today’s wording, “You never applied for the proper permits.”
II Timothy 3:16&17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
Paul is instructing Timothy about some of the things he needed to be prepared in. He needed to realize first and foremost all scripture is literally God-breathed. If we read it in the Bible, it is exactly the same as if God came and talked to us in person. If you want to be prepared to defend the doctrine of Jesus Christ, if you want to show someone where they are wrong, if you want to show people how to correct problems and sin in their lives, if you want to be able to instruct people in living the right type of life, then you must study and understand the Bible. If we want to understand what is pleasing to God, all we need is to study the Holy Scriptures.
JOHN 12:48 "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."
There are many churches and religious bodies in the world that proclaim, if you want to make it to heaven, all you have to do is to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and while that is technically true, this verse in John shows us there is a lot more to accepting Jesus into your life than just praying one time and asking Him to come into your heart. Jesus tells us the way we accept Him or we reject Him depends on whether we are accepting His words or not. If we do the things He commands us, we are accepting Him. If we do not obey Him by not receiving the words of Jesus, we are actually rejecting Jesus Himself.
Romans 10:1-3 "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
Paul in writing to the Roman brethren tells them the nation of Israel was not saved. Why NOT? They had a zeal for God, they were very enthused for God, but they had not studied and understood the Holy Scriptures and because they had not prepared themselves properly, the things they did were actually rebellion against God.
Paul said he had lived in all good conscience before God, he had been full of zeal for the Lord, but he had been persecuting the Church of Christ. As a result, Paul was not saved. Paul prayed for three days, but he was not saved until he had repented and had been buried in the water of baptism properly. Then and only then was Paul acceptable to God.
I Peter 3:15-16 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ."
Peter tells us part of sanctifying God in our hearts, is to have God set aside as special in our lives, we must be able to give an answer for why we trust in God and why we have a hope of eternal salvation. In simple English, we need to be able to show book, chapter and verse for what we believe and why. We need to study hard in order to make sure if someone accuses us of evil, our conscience is clear and our oppressors end up being ashamed for falsely accusing us. Our manner of life should reflect how we tell others to live. We need to know and understand the Holy Word of God well enough to know the things we are doing are the will of God. The only way we can know this is to put time and effort into studying and understanding the Bible. In other words, we need to have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel brings peace between us and God.
II Timothy 2:15&16 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness."
We see the Apostle Paul, writing and reminding Timothy and through Timothy every Christian, for God to approve of anything we do, we must study for ourselves and make sure we know what God wants us to do. We need to be a workman that is not ashamed of our work. When someone asks you a simple question, such as “What do I need to do in order to be saved?” do you know what to tell them and how to show them from the word of God. Or do you just rely on your personal beliefs and ramble on and babble on about what you think or what you feel.
Because whenever we rely on our own opinions and feelings, it is ungodly and will increase unto more ungodliness. Why if everyone did that, there would soon be hundreds of different churches teaching hundreds of different things and we could not have that could we?
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."
The Bible is written so simply for someone to not be able to study the Bible and quickly see the truth, they had to have allowed Satan to blind their mind. This is shockingly politically incorrect, but it is so true. There is only one way that is true, not hundreds. So we need to put aside our own opinions and study with the attitude we want to see what God is telling us through his word. Then and only then can we truly see.
GOD EXPECTS US TO PREPARE TO BECOME CHRISTIANS BY STUDYING
Christianity is not a gospel for lazy people. God expects non-believers to study so they can understand what they need to do in order to be saved. God does not want His disciples to just accept what someone tells them. Any preacher or Christian in studying with an unbeliever who does not stress the importance of the person they are studying with demanding they be shown from the Bible, Book, Chapter and Verse, is not doing the non-Christian any favor. This is why Jesus told us through the parable of the tower, if we did not take the time to count the cost and know what would be needed of us, we could not be his disciples.
John 3:5-7 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."
Jesus in talking to Nicodemas is telling him human reasoning or what is called theology, can never understand God and spiritual ideas. The phrase that which is born of the flesh is flesh means any thoughts no matter how wise the person may be, that come from a human being will be fleshly ideas. To understand spiritual ideas, all human being must have a spiritual guide. God, in recognizing this fact, provided mankind with the perfect spiritual guide the Bible, the unerring word of God. So first we must accept our place in the creation. We are fleshly beings who are ignorant when it comes to spiritual things. We have to understand the fact God knows better than we do, so when we are studying the Bible, it is not to be studying to question God, but rather simply to see what God wants us to do.
Philippians 2:12 "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
Paul states very clearly it is the responsibility of each person to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Does this mean one can not ask other human beings for advice? Clearly this is not true. But it is important each person realize they have an obligation to question everything a human being tells them, because if they listen to some preacher on the radio or television who teaches them wrongly, they cannot use that as an excuse. In the Day of Judgment, each person will give an account of the life they have led. So it becomes important for everyone to make sure they KNOW what God wants them to do.
Romans 1:16-19 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them."
Paul writes to the Romans, telling them the gospel of Christ, The New Testament is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes. One must first believe then as they study the New Testament, the power of God becomes revealed to them and as the righteousness of God is revealed and put to the test, one’s faith is increased. Thus because one trusts in God, they study the Word of God and put into practice those things they learn, their faith is increased and this increased faith leads to a greater thirst for the Gospel of Christ, which in turn causes one to desire to study more and as one learns more and puts the righteousness of God to the test, their faith increases and the cycle repeats over and over again.
John 8:31&32 "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Jesus is talking to people who believed on Him and tells them an important truth. He does not say, “Hey, You believe on me, kick back and relax, you have it made in the shade.” No, He tells them, “If ye continue to study my word and put into practice the things you learn, then and only then are ye my disciples indeed. If you do this and only if you continue doing this, can ye know and understand the truth of the Word of God. Then after all of this preparation, study, and continuing in the word, then and only then will the truth shall make you free.” We see salvation does not come at the start of the race, but it is reserved for those who through effort of studying, those who have their feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Hebrews 11:6-7 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."
The writer of the Hebrew letter tells us the basis of pleasing God is faith which is another way of saying a Christian must trust in God. He goes on to say whoever would desire to be a follower of God in other words a Christian must first of all believe in the existence of God, but beyond that he must realize that for him to receive anything from God, he must be willing to diligently seek him. In simple English, before one can receive salvation from God, he must be willing to put forth a diligent effort to make sure the things he does is really from God. But how much diligence does God expect? The writer, in clarifying this, uses as an example Noah, who when God told him to build an ark, got up day after day for approximately 120 years and did two things which God commanded him. First, he worked on building the ark, even though day after day, it did not flood or even rain. Second, he warned people about the coming destruction of the world, again even though day after day, no one listened to him. Still he got up and kept doing what God had told him to do. That is the same type of diligence God expects from us.
Luke 13:1-3 "There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
Some of those who were present on this day came to Jesus and told him about some Galilaeans, who apparently had been executed and their blood used in a pagan sacrifice offered by Pilate. Most of us, if someone came to us with this story would have been aghast and talked about how terrible they must have been in order for God to allow this to happen, but Jesus, while he did not approve of what happened, simply told them in my paraphrased wording, You think they must have been terrible sinners? Instead of concentrating on someone else’s sin, you should look at your own life and your own sin. Unless you repent and turn your life over to God, you shall die in your sins.
Romans 10:9-11 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."
Paul in writing to the Romans teaches that Believing in God and Repenting by turning one’s life over to God was not the end of the road to attain salvation. The unbeliever must also be willing to stand before man and declare the fact they believed Jesus Christ was not only the Lord of their lives, but he was also the Messiah, the Son of the living God. The confession is needed for at least two reasons, first of all, they cannot proceed to the next step, which is to be baptized in water, for the remission of their sins, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, unless the person who is going to baptize them clearly understood they were ready for baptism and secondly, because one can not proceed forth as a Christian, if they were too ashamed to declare their trust and faith in Jesus.
Romans 6:3-6 "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
Paul, in Romans Chapter 6, sums up the importance and necessity of baptism. He reminds the Roman Brethren of the fact they had all been immersed in water when they were baptized into Jesus Christ. He reminds them when they were baptized into Jesus Christ they actually took part in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He goes on to tell them if they were not planted with Jesus by immersion in baptism they could have no part of his resurrection. If they had been planted in the likeness of his death, then and only then can they be resurrected with Christ in the Day of Judgment in His likeness.
We have seen the importance of studying in order we obey from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto us. We have seen that not only must we trust in God, repent, confess the fact we believe Jesus Christ exists and is the Son of God, and be baptized in water, for the remission of our sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, but we must know what we are doing and why. We must have studied enough to know what God expects from us in order to become a Christian. We can see the importance of studying even before we become a Christian. It should be no surprise God would expect us to shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. We want to see what God expects from us after we have become Christians in regard to continuing to prepare our footwear.
GOD EXPECTS US AS BABES IN CHRIST TO PUT FORTH AN EFFORT TO GROW
Hebrews 5:12-14 "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews teaches a very important truth. He tells the Jewish Christians first of all God expects every Christian to study and to grow in knowledge and spiritual strength to the point they can teach others about the things necessary to become a Christian. In other words, there comes a time when God expects every Christian to know enough to be able to teach those they came in contact with what is expected from an infidel, a non-believer in order to be saved. Not only does the writer tell the Hebrews God expected them to grow, but he also seems to indicate the patience of God was wearing thin. God is teaching us through the sample of the Jewish brethren the Hebrews had not only not done what God expected of them, but basically he was ashamed of how little they had progressed. Until a Christian can tell the difference between good and evil and become skillful in the word of righteousness, they are still babes in Christ. And being a baby means one thinks the Church should be centered around them.
Hebrews 6:1-3 "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit.
The letter to the Hebrews continues by telling us what these first principles that we must understand and be able to teach are. When we understand these principles and can teach them, then we have grown to the point we are no longer spiritual babies. These first principles that are the milk of the word are: repentance from dead works; faith towards God; the doctrines of baptisms; the laying on of hands; the resurrection of the dead; and eternal judgment.
Do you understand the doctrine of repentance from dead works well enough to show and teach it to others? Do you understand what it means to have faith towards God and can you teach it to others? Do you understand the different baptisms and can you teach them to others? Do you understand the baptism of John, its purpose, and how to show if it is still in existence? Do you understand what is necessary to be baptized properly to become a Christian and can you teach others? Do you understand the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, its purpose, if it is still in effect, and signs accompanied it? Do you understand the Baptism of Fire, when it will take place, and if you should desire it and can teach others about the baptism of fire? Do you understand the purpose and role of the laying on of hands in imparting the Holy Spirit and can teach others? Do you understand the purpose and role of the laying on of hands in the various offices of the Church and can teach it? Do you understand the resurrection of the dead well enough to teach others also? Do you understand the doctrine of eternal judgment and can teach it also?
The verses we have just looked at, teaches us if we have not learned to teach these first principles then we are still babes in Christ. In studying and preparing for this chapter, I have learned how little I really know and understand. I think in many of these areas I am still a babe in Christ. But at least now, I have a better idea of where I stand and some of the things I need to study. These are things I believe I should have understood and been teaching others about and studying with people about. I will try much harder in the future and hope to grow more unto maturity so I can better strengthen other Christians and help them mature.
Isaiah 28:9-13 "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken."
Here in Isaiah a prophecy is given that explains why the New Testament was given in the way it was. Have you ever wondered why God had the Bible written the way he did? Many times in preparing sermons, I wished it was a whole lot easier. Did you ever wish when you were studying a topic you could turn to one place and find it without having to look in so many different places? Well let us take a look and see what God had to say through Isaiah.
Isaiah starts by asking two questions. The first is “To whom shall God teach knowledge?” and the second is “Whom shall God make to understand Doctrine?” The answer to both of these is the same. The answer is “They that are weaned from milk and no longer are breast-fed.” Doesn’t this sound a lot like the verses we looked at in Hebrews? Those who are no longer babes in Christ? And how shall these be taught knowledge and understand doctrine. The answer is “For precept must be upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little.” The next part of this prophecy identifies when it shall start to be fulfilled, “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.” This is what began to be fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. So what does Isaiah say will happen starting with Pentecost? A Precept is a command. To put this is my own words. The Bible will be given command upon command, line upon line. It will be given a little here and a little there. Why? So they might go and fall backward and be broken and snared and taken. Again, to paraphrase Isaiah what he is saying is so those who do not want to put forth the effort, can misunderstand and be blinded and taken by the devil.
In simple English, God gave the Bible the way he did for a purpose, to weed out the lazy people who do not want to put forth the effort to study to understand what each verse teaches. Everything about one subject is not included all in one place. Therefore, if you want to study the Bible to prove your previously held opinion, you can twist the scriptures to prove your own belief yourself. But if you put forth the effort, if you have your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, you can glean a little here and a little there. Thus if you study with the attitude of seeing what God is teaching in the verse and combine it with the things God is teaching in other verses, you can come to the correct understanding of any subject.
Philippians 4:9 "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."
Paul is teaching the attitude we must have to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. He says, “Those things you have learned to be the truth, through studying or by following good examples, begin doing those things and the God of peace shall be with you.”
The attitude we must have is that we will study to make sure we understand what God wants us to do. Then we must study with diligence until we have studied every verse on the subject. If we stop before we have studied every verse, we can not be sure we understand everything God has intended for us to learn. This is what we must do in order to we be at peace with God.
1 Corinthians 14:20-21 "Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord."
Here is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah, Paul quotes from the prophecy in Isaiah, and then ties it to how we should be men in understanding. How can we do that? First, we have to put aside our laziness and take the time to find all of the verses in the Bible that teach on a subject. Then we need to study them, gleaning the commands from each verse, letting the Bible explain itself.
GOD EXPECTS US TO TEACH OTHERS AND REPEAT THE CYCLE
2 Timothy 2:2-4 "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."
When we have grown unto maturity as a Christian, God expects us to begin teaching the things we have learned and understand. Paul tells us it will not be a bed of roses, it won’t be easy. We need to be ready as a mature Christian to endure hardships. If we want to be pleasing to God, we must not entangle ourselves with the affairs of this life. To please God as a good soldier, we need to throw aside every weight and make sure our armour is ready. We need to make sure we have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Romans 10:13-18 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world."
Paul in writing to the Romans really lays it on the line. The Great Commission is given to the Church is to spread the gospel to every creature throughout the world. How can be done? If no one is willing to put forth the effort to study and prepare themselves to teach the gospel in the local congregation through words and example, it can not be done. If the local congregation does not fulfill its responsibility, the work does not get done.
We know God wants a mature congregation to have Elders, Deacons, and teachers. But how can that happen if men do not apply themselves and study to become qualified to fulfill these offices? What I think is men who are otherwise qualified should concentrate on becoming fully qualified for these offices. We need to train faithful men to finish the task of becoming what God wants them to be. Many men could grow to fulfill these offices, if they had the desire. If we cannot get mature Christians to desire to fulfill an office in a local congregation, how can we spread the gospel to the entire world? Fortunately there are those men and families are willing to locate half-way around the world in order to spread the gospel to every creature under heaven. We need to concentrate in our local congregations on installing the desire to serve the congregation in each member and then we will be more likely to have men who are willing to spend the time to become fully qualified for and understand the work these offices entail.
Romans 1:16-19 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them."
Paul declares he is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ and in fact it is obvious he is proud of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who trusts in God and shows their living faith in God by willingly doing the works God commanded them to do. It is through the gospel of Christ God has chosen to reveal his righteousness to a world devoid of righteousness.
The gospel also reveals the wrath of God that shall be unleashed against those who practice unrighteousness by not submitting unto the righteousness of God. God’s truths have been clearly revealed through the Bible thus no one can have any excuse.
Romans 16:25-26 "Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:"
Paul continues here in Romans 16, declaring Jesus Christ has the power to save and to hold those who obey from the heart that form of doctrine that Jesus first preached and Paul and the other apostles later declared and wrote in the Holy Scriptures. These mysteries of God’s plan has been hidden and kept secret from the beginning of time, but now everything that deals with mankind’s salvation, has been clearly revealed unto the world. All they need to do is to read God’s word with the proper attitude and the gospel plan of salvation would jump out at them.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
We see in I Corinthians why so many people never obey the gospel that is preached unto them. It is because they consider the truths revealed in the scriptures are foolishness and since they have rejected the concept of God from the beginning, there is no possibility they would listen to his word. Thus those in the world predestinate themselves to an eternity separated from God in a devil’s hell. In contrast to the foolishness of the world, there are many who have humbled themselves and accept the idea they do not know everything, and they are open and receptive to God’s truths.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."
Paul expounds upon this idea further in II Corinthians, where he plainly states those who cannot see the beautiful simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ are lost because they have allowed the god of this world, Lucifer, the Devil, Satan himself, to blind them and to snatch the truth from their minds before they even consider it properly. If they would only stop and consider these truths, they would be self-evidence and they would have obeyed the gospel and been saved. But because they block their minds off to reason, they allow Satan to steal away their hope.
Revelation 2:10 "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
John the Apostle, the writer of the book of Revelation, tells us not to worry. The New Testament practically guarantees we will suffer and be persecuted. But he goes on to remind us when compared to eternity any persecution we may suffer is short and temporary. If we but remain faithful, we will have a crown of righteousness laid up for us in Heaven.
Chapter Summary
- 1. The Armour of God is composed of various pieces of overlapping armour which strengthen each other.
2. To have one’s feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace means putting forth a lot of effort.
3. To have one’s feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace means setting down and counting the cost.
4. God expects us to prepare to become a Christian by studying to make sure we know how to become a Christian.
5. God expects us as babes in Christ to put forth an effort to grow.
6. When we reach maturity, God expects us to go into the world and spread the seed.
7. When we reach maturity, God expects us to baptize those properly who believe.
8. When we reach maturity, God expects us to help those who are baptized, to mature to the point they can spread the word.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I earnestly seek your comments and suggestions.