Category: Articles

1 Timothy 6:17: Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

1 Timothy 6 stresses the danger of having a bad attitude toward material things. After warning about those who suppose that “gain is godliness” (1 Tim. 6:5), stating “they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare” (verse 9), and declaring “the love of money is the root of all evil” (verse 10), the Holy Spirit through Paul gave a “charge” for the rich.

He first charged that the rich should not be “highminded.”

Those who are rich can have a temptation to view themselves more highly than those who are poor. The thought is “I must be [smarter/better/etc] than those who have less than I do.” Credit is given to oneself for acquiring riches.

Notice how harmful this mindset was for King Nebuchadnezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar was referred to as God’s servant (Jer. 25:9; 27:6; 43:10) because God used him to carry out a purpose. In carrying out that purpose, God allowed the king to be among the richest men of his time.

Yet, Nebuchadnezzar credited himself for these riches. As he walked in the palace of Babylon in Daniel 4:30, “the king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?”

Nebuchadnezzar’s high-mindedness led him to be punished by God (Dan. 4:32-33). This example demonstrates the significance of taking seriously the Holy Spirit’s charge not to be highminded.

The second charge given to the rich in 1 Timothy 6:17 is that they should not “trust in uncertain riches.”

Jesus demonstrated how “uncertain” earthly riches are in Matthew 6:19 when He commanded “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:” Riches can be here one day and gone the next. Centering one’s hope on these things is foolishness (cf. Luke 12:16-21).

The point is not that God condemns having earthly wealth. Some of His most faithful servants in the Old Testament were wealthy (Job 42:12), and some of Jesus’ disciples are wealthy (cf. Matt. 27:57).

The point is that God warns about dangers associated with earthly riches, that come from wrong attitudes toward them.

Whether rich or poor, we must be content with what we have (Heb. 13:5). We must be humble and thankful. We must set our affection on things above (Col. 3:2). We must be “rich in good works” (1 Tim. 6:18).

May we heed God’s warnings and commands concerning earthly riches.

– Michael Hickox

Romans 10:1-2: 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.

Though Paul desired and prayed for the salvation of his fellow Jews, he acknowledged that many of them did not obey God. They were zealous for God, but their zeal was “not according to knowledge.” Paul’s own example shows how dangerous misdirected zeal can be (cf. Phil. 3:6).

Misdirected zeal remains a problem today.

Some are zealous about prayer, but pray to fulfill worldly lusts (James 4:3), instead of praying to thank God (1 Thess. 5:18), intercede for others (1 Tim. 2:1), and ask for help in serving Him (cf. Eph. 6:19).

Some are zealous about worshipping God, but see worship as entertainment for mankind, rather than reverence toward God (cf. John 4:24).

Some are zealous about being guided by God, but believe this guidance comes from feelings or God speaking to us today in the way He spoke to prophets of old, rather than acknowledging that Scripture makes us “thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:17).

While we must be zealous for God, we must also properly direct that zeal.

May we examine our service to God to ensure our zeal is according to knowledge.

– Michael Hickox

In rejection of needed correction or to justify sin that “cannot be stopped,” the phrase “people don’t change” is sometimes used. While this phrase sounds wise to some, God’s Word teaches otherwise.

Consider the “Parable of the Prodigal Son,” in which Jesus spoke of a man who was [metaphorically] “dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” (Luke 15:24). This son had to change in order to be described as such.

Consider the example of Peter, a man who denied Jesus three times (Matthew 26:69-75), yet later had the faith to be an elder of a church (1 Peter 5:1).

Consider Paul, who persecuted Jesus and His followers (Acts 9:4-5), yet later dedicated his life to preaching that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:20).

Consider the Jews Peter spoke to on the Day of Pentecost, who had crucified Jesus (Acts 2:36), yet chose to give their lives to the One they had crucified (Acts 2:41-47).

These individuals had sinned drastically. Yet, they still had a chance to be saved.

This chance was contingent on changing. On being converted. This is the answer we must give when sin is in our lives. The answer is not to say “that’s just who I am,” but to “go, and sin no more” (John 8:11).

In 1 Corinthians 6:11, we find an example of individuals who had changed drastically. The Holy Spirit through Paul listed characteristics of unrighteousness and then said, “such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

Like the Christians Peter wrote to, we can give up lustful and sinful ways. We can become “new creatures.” Notice the change alluded to in 1 Peter 4:3: For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles…

It may be true that mankind has certain “predispositions” geared to unique character and conduct. For instance, some people are inclined to be introverted, while others are inclined to be extroverted.

Yet, when it comes to character and conduct that God’s Word specifies as good or bad, we cannot use this as an excuse for not changing. The Holy Spirit teaches that our character not only can, but must change if God commands it.

Regardless of our past, we have the ability to change. Through this, we can look at sin and say “such was I, but I’m different now. I’ve been cleansed. I’ve been sanctified. I’m walking in ‘newness of life’” (Romans 6:4).

All of us have the ability to make the changes God desires. May we never excuse ourselves from changing in ways the Lord desires.

– Michael Hickox

God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that all nations of the earth would be blessed through their seed (Genesis 12:3; 26:4; 28:14). God foretold of a time their descendants would be in captivity, but He assured that they would “come out with great substance” (Genesis 15:13-14).

In Exodus 2, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s descendants were in Egyptian bondage, and “God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them” (verses 24-25). Upon remembering, God led the Israelites out of bondage.

God exhorted the Israelites to remember Him, as He remembered them. He instituted the Passover to remind them of how He led them out of Egypt (Exodus 12).

While the Israelites were to observe the Passover to remember God, Christians observe the Lord’s Supper to remember Christ (1 Corinthians 11:24).

More generally, Christians should remember God’s will throughout our lives.

As Peter wrote to Christians, he  wrote to “stir up [their] pure minds by way of remembrance” (2 Peter 3:1).

The Israelites who left Egypt forgot God (Exodus 16:3; 17:3; Numbers 14:2).

May we not forget God, but constantly study and think on God’s Word in order to remember Christ and His will for our lives.

– Michael Hickox

The hymn and phrase “Count Your Blessings” encourages one to have an attitude of gratitude, especially through trials. When Christians count our blessings, we realize that (1) they are innumerable, and (2) the problems we face are not worthy to be compared with our blessings.

The word most often used for “blessed” in the New Testament means “fortunate, well off” (see Strong G3107). Jesus says this describes the “poor in spirit,” those who “mourn,” the “meek,” those who “hunger and thirst after righteousness,” the “merciful,” the “pure in heart,” the “peacemakers,” and those “persecuted for righteousness’ sake” (Matt. 5:3-10). This shows that blessedness in God’s eyes is contingent on choosing to obey Him.

Those who choose to please God are blessed “with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). These blessings are made possible through God sending His Son to be “wounded for our transgressions” and “bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5).

Jesus’ sacrifice makes it possible for us to be God’s children (Ephesians 1:5), receiving His care through prayer and providence (1 Peter 3:12; 1 Peter 5:7).

God has also given us His Word, which contains “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3) and allows us to be “thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:17).

While these things touch on what God has done for each of us individually, consider also the gratitude we can have for what God has done for and through others:

Paul wrote to the saints at Rome, “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all” (Romans 1:8). He told the Corinthians, “I thank my God always on your behalf” (1 Corinthians 1:4). To the saints at Ephesus, Paul said, “[I] cease not to give thanks for you” (Ephesians 1:16). He told the Philippians, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you” (Philippians 1:3). To the Colossians, he said, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you” (Colossians 1:3). To the Thessalonians, he said, “We give thanks to God always for you all” (1 Thessalonians 1:2).

When we consider what God has done for us and others who obey, it makes it difficult not to proclaim, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 107:1). Earthly problems pale in comparison to the “unspeakable gift[s]” God offers (2 Corinthians 9:15; cf. Romans 8:18).

This doesn’t mean God’s children should never be sorrowful over things of this life (cf. John 11:35). There are times when it is appropriate to mourn (Romans 12:15), and it is OK to acknowledge circumstances that are not ideal.

Yet, our general state should be one of gratitude, and not anxiety (Philippians 4:4-6). Our affection should be focused on things above and not on things on this earth (Colossians 3:2). Our treasures should lie in heaven, and not earth (Matthew 6:19-20). Our priorities should lead us to remember God’s greatness and grace regardless of earthly circumstances.

Luke 17 contains an account of ten lepers who were cleansed of their leprosy. One of the ten, “when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God. And fell down on his face at [Jesus’] feet, giving Him thanks” (verses 15-16). Jesus commended this one grateful man, but questioned what came of the other nine (verses 17-19).

Like those nine, Christians sometimes forget that we have been cleansed. We can focus on temporal troubles more than the graciousness of God. This can lead to lives filled with more worry than joy or gratitude.

When we fail to have contentment and gratitude, we must ask where our priorities are. If we count our blessings (and weigh them), it is apparent that even though life doesn’t always go our way, nothing we face can compare with the blessings God offers.

Thanks be to God for all of His unspeakable gifts.

– Michael Hickox