Category: Articles

Matthew 9:9-13: As Jesus passed by from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up and followed Him. As He sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

When Jesus was on earth, He spent time with people viewed as “extra-sinful” in the eyes of the religious leaders of His day. Such demonstrates a principal seen throughout Scripture: Christ desires even the “chiefest” of sinners to be led to salvation.

The apostle Paul’s life provides a good example of this. After zealously opposing Christ, Paul turned his life around and was forgiven by God. Consider his words to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:15: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

All who have reached the “age of accountability” have sinned against God (Rom. 3:23). Yet, God desires all to be forgiven and saved by submitting to Him (1 Tim. 2:3-4).

We should thus not think we can never be “good enough” to be a part of Christ’s kingdom.

As long as one is on earth, he or she can choose to obey God and be forgiven by Him. The apostle Paul is one among many who have done this and gone on to do great things for God.

The potential to be saved hinges on the potential each of us has to change as God requires. Many people do not change as God desires, but some do, and everyone can.

God hates sin, but loves sinners, and desires all people to come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9).

For those lost in sin, obeying Jesus is the answer. For those who are saved, may we share sin’s cure with those who are not.

May we not excuse ourselves from serving God out of fear we could never be “good enough,” but simply submit to His commandments and accept the salvation He offers.

– Michael Hickox

1 Peter 5:6-7: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time; casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He careth for you.

1 Peter 5:7 gives instruction to Christians that is similar to Philippians 4:6: In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

These passages demonstrate that God not only offers us the opportunity to ask for His help, He wants us to use this opportunity, especially when faced with anxieties of life (see also Luke 18:1-8).

As Philippians 4:7 points out, when prayer is made with a heart that trusts God, the result is a peace that “surpasses all understanding.”

As the hymn Did You Think to Pray? says, “O how praying rests the weary! Prayer will change the night to day; So when life seems dark and dreary, Don’t forget to pray.” As the hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus says, “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”

If we trust God and believe in His power, we should cast our anxieties on Him, knowing that He cares for us.

– Michael Hickox

Many views exist relating to earthly possessions. Consider seven biblical truths about earthly riches, each of which is taught by the Holy Spirit in 1 Timothy 6.

1. Godliness is Not a “Means of Gain”:A characteristic of the sinner mentioned in 1 Timothy 6:3-5 is that he supposes “that godliness is a means of gain.”

Some teach that Christianity is a blueprint for being wealthier than those around us. This is sometimes referred to as the “prosperity gospel.” Such false teaching leads to under-valuing the true riches available in Christ.

What is ironic about the “prosperity gospel” is that the One CHRISTianity is founded upon was at times poor during His earthly ministry (Luke 9:58).

While some of Christ’s disciples are materially rich (Matt 27:57), not nearly all are (cf. 2 Cor. 11:27). Christianity is not a recipe for becoming wealthy.

2. Godliness with Contentment is Great Gain: After stating the error of those who suppose “that godliness is a means of gain,” the inspired apostle “turned the tables” to show how godliness and gain are 1 Timothy 6:6: But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Those who are godly and content with however much or however little they have (Phil. 4:11-12) gain spiritual riches through Christ. These riches cannot be measured with dollar signs (cf. Rev. 2:9).

3. Beware of Covetousness: The Holy Spirit went on in 1 Timothy 6to stress the need for contentment and dangers of covetousness (verses 7-10).

Covetous individuals include “those who are determined to be rich” (1 Tim. 6:9). Covetousness is idolatry (Col. 3:5). It is in many ways the opposite of contentment.

Such coveting demonstrates a distorted view of life. As Jesus said in Luke 12, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses” (verse 15).

4. Do Not Be Haughty: After speaking about those who “are determined to berich” in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, the Holy Spirit gave a charge for those who “are rich in this present world” in verses 17-19. He first warned against haughtiness.

Like Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:30), mankind can be tempted to become arrogant upon acquiring earthly riches. As Nebuchadnezzar learned, this is foolish (Dan. 4:31-33).

5. Trust in God (Not Things): Another charge given to those rich in this world is to not “have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17).

Riches can be here one day and gone the next. They are fleeting. God is the One in whom we must put our hope and trust.

6. Be “Rich in Good Works”: Those who are rich in this world are not condemned for being such. In 1 Timothy 6:18, though, they are commanded to be something more important: rich in good works. God exhorts “that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate;”

Good works includes a number of things, but the emphasis in 1 Timothy 6:18 is on using what possessions we have to help those who are in need.

7. Lay Up Treasure in Heaven: The Holy Spirit finished his charge for the rich by saying “laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:19). This may bring to mind Jesus’ command in Matthew 6:20to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”

Material blessings can be enjoyed, and we should be thankful for them.

Such should not be what our hope is built on though. Earthly riches should not be what we treasure. Possessions should not be our primary pursuit in life. Hope for the Christian should rest in the eternal reward God promises to the faithful.

While riches do not make us better or worse than others, our attitudes toward riches affect how pleasing we are to God.

Whether we have a lot or a little, may we have the right attitudes toward earthly riches.

– Michael Hickox

The phrase “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” is spoken by Jesus seven times in Matthew 23. As with most groups, not every scribe and Pharisee can be “painted with one brush.” Some Pharisees, such as Paul (Acts 23:6) and Nicodemus (John 3:1-2; 7:50-51), demonstrated a greater openness to the truth than others. As a whole, though, the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day were deceived by pride and selfishness.

At the root of their problems was a tendency to ignore the “inward man.” Jesus said to them, “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness” (Matt. 23:25).

Though their outward actions seemed righteous, their inward character was anything but (cf. Mark 7:6). Jesus likened them to “whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness” (Matt. 23:27). He said, “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (verse 28).

The scribes and Pharisees’ disregard for the “inward man” led them to heavily emphasize certain details of the law, while leaving undone the “weightier matters of the law” (Matt. 23:23). Jesus said of their inconsistencies, “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!” (verse 24). He exhorted them to submit to all of God’s will (verse 23).

The scribes and Pharisees’ under-emphasis on the “inward man” can, in part, be traced to the motive they had for doing “good works.” Notice Matthew 23:5-7: But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments, and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men. The scribes and Pharisees’ goal was not to please God, but to exalt themselves in the eyes of others.

Their self-exaltation was linked to pride. The parable Jesus spoke of a Pharisee and tax collector in Luke 18:10-14 was spoken to “certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others” (verse 9). In this parable, Jesus used a Pharisee to illustrate self-righteousness, and a tax collector (among those most despised by the Pharisees) to illustrate humility.

Perhaps the height of the scribes and Pharisees’ hypocrisy was a failure to obey commands they bound on others. Jesus described them as people who “say, and do not” (Matt. 23:3b). He said “they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger” (verse 4).

Furthermore, much of what the scribes and Pharisees taught as doctrine was not even from God. When some scribes and Pharisees criticized Jesus’ disciples in Matthew 15, Jesus said of them “in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men” (verse 9).

When reading about these Jewish leaders, it is easy to think first about someone(s) we know who seems to closely resemble the group. Ironically, this attitude resembles that of the scribes and Pharisees…examining others’ faults before one’s own (cf. Luke 7:36-50).

Instead of this approach, each of us should first examine ourselves to ensure we are not guilty of the attitudes and practices Jesus condemns.

If we do good deeds just to be exalted by others, the words “woe to you” could be said to us. If we put others down to make ourselves feel good, the words “woe to you” could be said to us. If we stress some of what God commands us while ignoring other things He commands us, the words “woe to you” could be said to us. If we “put on a show” of righteousness, the words “woe to you” could be said to us.

May we heed Jesus’ warning in Matthew 5:20 and ensure we are not deceived by selfishness, pride, and hypocrisy as were certain of the scribes and Pharisees.

– Michael Hickox

James 3:8: But nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

James 3 speaks of how dangerous the tongue (our speech) can be. Like bits in horses’ mouths that guide the entire horse (verse 3), or rudders of ships that direct the whole ship (verse 4), the tongue is a small part of the body, but it has great power (verse 5). The tongue will cause much harm if we are not careful (verse 6).

Consider six specific sins of the tongue:

1) False Teaching– This is the “sin of the tongue” first warned against in James 3. Verse 1 of the chapter says that teachers will receive strict judgment. This implies that false teachers will be judged harshly. While the words of the Gospel teacher are wonderful ( 10:15), the words of the false teacher are destructive (2 Tim. 4:4).

2) Lying– Colossians 3:9 instructs “don’t lie to one another.” Proverbs 12:22 says “lying lips are abomination to the LORD.” Lying promotes hypocrisy and strife. It must be put away.

3) Gossiping – God rebukes busybodies (2 Thess. 3:11; 1 Tim. 5:13), whisperers (Rom. 1:29), tattlers (1 Tim. 5:13), and talebearers (Prov. 11:13; 20:19). All of these relate to the sin of gossiping.

Gossip involves saying things about others behind their backs that are not appropriate. It could involve repeating rumors that may or may not be true. It could involve speaking things about others that are true, but ought not be repeated. Gossiping is often done as a way of making the gossiper feel better about him or herself. Such is not only selfish, but harmful. Proverbs 18:8: The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.

4) Boasting– While some gossip to bring others low, others boast in order to exalt themselves high. Such is foolish. Proverbs 27:2: Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. When we consider how hopeless we are without God, it is evident that we have no reason to boast “except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” ( 6:14).

5) Angry Words – The hymn “Angry Words, O Let Them Never” warns against speaking rash words that damage relationships. The song may remind us of the Scripture, “a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1). Instead of speaking wrathfully toward someone, the Holy Spirit exhorts “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19).

6) Corrupt Speech– Ephesians 4:29 says “let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 5:4 warns against “foolish talking” and “jesting, which are not appropriate.” Colossians 3:8 says to put away “shameful speaking out of your mouth.” Corrupt speech could include false teaching, lying, gossiping, boasting, and angry words, but it could also include cursing, taking the Lord’s name in vain, or repeating vulgar and inappropriate jokes…these are not the things that come out of the mouths of those who are focused on serving God.

Words can be a wonderful thing. (Proverbs 16:24; 25:11), but when our words are not what they should be, they cause much damage.

May we choose our words wisely and purify our hearts so that they will produce good words (Matt. 12:34-35). May we remember our Lord’s words “that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:36-37).

– Michael Hickox