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The King’s People (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #18) (King’s Cross)

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INTRODUCTION

After the resurrection, Jesus said that since all authority had been given to Him, the apostles were to “therefore, go” disciple all the nations of the world. The center and most essential point of this mission is the regeneration of individual hearts. But the Bible teaches that this ordinarily happens through public and private, national and individual, external and internal means, all of which is not neat and tidy. The story of Peter and Cornelius demonstrates this, as does the controversy following. Jesus is at work by His Spirit ruling through the challenges and opportunities of making a new people and saving the nations of the world. 

The Text: “And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him…” (Acts 11:1-30). 

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Those Jewish believers who thought that Gentiles must be circumcised to fully join the people of God contended with Peter when he came back to Jerusalem, questioning him specifically about eating with Cornelius (Acts 11:1-3). Peter responded by retelling the story of his vision of the animals in the sheet, and God’s instruction not to call them common or unclean (Acts 11:4-10). Then Peter recalls the Spirit’s instructions to go with the men from Cornelius, and Cornelius’s own testimony of the angel’s instructions to call for Peter, to learn how his household might be saved (Acts 11:11-14). Peter said he just started preaching when the Spirit fell upon them, and he recalled Jesus promising the baptism of the Holy Spirit and concluded it was from God – and the Jewish believers agreed and glorified God (Acts 11:15-18).

Meanwhile, when the believers had been scattered after the death of Stephen, some landed in Antioch, and many Jews and Gentiles believed (Acts 11:19-21). So the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to encourage them, who did so, and who then also invited Saul to join him in that work (Acts 11:22-26). It was there in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians, and it was in those days that the Spirit indicated that there would be a severe famine and so an offering was collected for the saints and delivered by Saul and Barnabas (Acts 11:27-30). 

FIRST CALLED CHRISTIANS IN ANTIOCH

Beginning with the contention of the Jewish believers “of the circumcision” and Peter’s explanation of what happened with Cornelius and then continuing north, in Antioch, both Jews and Gentiles were turning to the Lord, and they were all coming to be called “Christians” (Acts 11:26). This new name highlights the Jewish roots but also the new people being formed. The word “Christ” means “anointed” and could also be translated as Messiah or King. So to be “Christian” is to be associated with the King, or the King’s people. The word “Christian” is only used two other places in the New Testament: when King Agrippa says that Paul almost persuaded him to become a Christian (Acts 26:28) and when Peter encourages believers not to be ashamed if they suffer as Christians (1 Pet. 4:16). 

OUTWARD & INWARD

The thing to notice is that in all three instances, the name is an objective, public title. It was not used in the first instance as an exact description of those going to heaven. And this corresponds to how the name Israelite/Jew also functioned. The objective, public sense of the name referred to all who were covenantally connected to the family of Abraham through circumcision, but that outward sign was always meant to be a call to believe in the promises of God and so be circumcised in the heart (Dt. 10:16, 30:6, Jer. 4:4). A true Jew is one who is circumcised in his heart (Rom. 2:29); so not all Israelites were really Israelites (Rom. 9:6). In the same way, we might say, not all Christians are really Christians, and a true Christian is one whose heart is baptized. In Romans 3, Paul immediately asks, then what advantage is the outward, covenantal connection, and he says: “much in every way” because God is still faithful and works through His public people, even if some do not believe (Rom. 3:1-4). Christ rules through His covenant. 

APPLICATIONS

The New Covenant is better than the Old Covenant in quality (fullness of Christ), quantity (fullness of forgiveness and the Spirit), and extent (for the whole world) (Heb. 8-10). But the New Covenant is not made out of stainless steel. Jesus says He is a vine, and we are the branches (Jn. 15). Likewise, the covenant is an Olive Tree, which unbelieving Israel has been cut out of and Gentiles have been grafted into (Rom. 11). Old Israel had baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and Christ in the wilderness, but they lusted for evil things, served idols, and complained – and the Spirit wrote those things as warnings for us (1 Cor. 10:1-11).

A married man who commits serial adultery is not at all acting as a husband, but he is a husband by covenant – that’s what makes his crime so hideous. Likewise, we live in a land full of baptized unbelievers or unbelieving covenant Christians, which is what makes our situation far worse. Many have trampled the blood of the covenant (Heb. 10:29 cf. 2 Pet. 2:20-21). 

Matthew Henry’s father is remembered as saying that whenever his children misbehaved, he would “grab them by their baptism.” The point is that in baptism God says something objectively about us, putting His name on us, and that covenantal reality must be part of our appeal to our children, one another, other churches, and many of our neighbors. When Israel was worshipping idols and committing abominations, they were still God’s people and that only made it worse. We do not confuse the covenantal and eternal realities: John (and other ministers) baptize with covenantal water, but Jesus is the only One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit who seals us forever (Lk. 3:16, Acts 11:16). And His fruit is unmistakable (Gal. 5). 

It was hard for faithful Jews to accept Gentiles as full members of the covenant (e.g. Lk. 15:28, Jonah, Habakkuk), and it is often easy to resent how God works in the covenant, with believers and unbelievers, strong and weak, wise and foolish, even heroes and scoundrels. There are plenty of opportunities for envy, resentment, bitterness, or despair. But notice how Barnabas was glad and served the new Christians in Antioch and then promoted Saul (Acts 11:23-26). And notice how the new Christians in Antioch gave freely to the needs in Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30). Our job is not to sort it all out (Mt. 13). This is the King’s mission. He rules. We obey and glorify Him as we see Him work. We are the King’s people. We are Christians.

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The Colonies of Heaven (Philippians #13)

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INTRODUCTION

After the Lord’s resurrection from the dead, He established to His disciples that He was in fact alive forever, and then He ascended into the heavens for His coronation. When He did this, He was received by the Ancient of Days, and was given universal authority over all the nations of men. Earth now has a new capital city—located in the heavens—and we are called to learn how to live in terms of this. And as we learn, we are to teach.

THE TEXT

“For our conversation [lit., citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Phil 3:20-21).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Caesar Augustus had established the Roman colony of Philippi after the battle of Philippi in 42 B.C. and the battle of Actium in 31 B.C. He did this by settling his veterans there, who were Roman citizens. This is the backdrop for Paul’s comment to the church that was located at this same Philippi. The Roman citizens of Philippi were there as Roman colonists, intended to extend the force of Roman influence throughout the Mediterranean world. They were not there in order for them to leave Philippi in order to come back to Rome for retirement.

In this passage, Paul is using this striking metaphor for a reason. He says that our citizenship is in heaven (v. 20). We look toward heaven because that is where Jesus went, which means that heaven is the place He is going to come from when He returns to earth. When the metaphor is translated, it means that Jesus was going to come from “Rome” back to “Philippi.” He was not going to take “Philippi” to “Rome.” And so when the Savior, the Lord Jesus, comes, He is going to transform our lowly body so that it becomes like His glorious body (v. 21). What He does in this final transformation is in complete accord with the authority He is exercising now as He brings all things into subjection to Himself (v. 21). In multiple places, the New Testament tells us that He is doing this.

THE LINE OF THE STORY

If we take this simple metaphor of Paul’s, it clears up a great deal for us. Christians currently are living in the colonies of heaven. Now colonies are not established as feeder towns for the mother country—just the opposite actually. The mother country feeds the colonies.

How you take the line of the story matters a great deal. Many Christians believe the cosmos has an upper and lower story, with earth as the lower and heaven as the upper. You live the first chapters of your life here. Then you die, and you move upstairs to live with all the nice people in part two. There might be some kind of sequel after that, but it is all kind of hazy. The basic movement in this thinking is from Philippi “below” to Rome “above.”

But what Paul teaches us here is quite different. We are establishing the colonies of heaven here, now. When we die, we get the privilege of visiting the heavenly motherland, which is quite different than moving back there permanently. After this brief visit, the Lord will bring us all back here for the final and great transformation of the colonists (and the colonies). In short, our time in heaven is the intermediate state. It is not the case that our time here is the intermediate state. There is an old folk song that says, “This world is not my home, I’m just passing through.” This captures the mistake almost perfectly. But as the saints gather in heaven, which is the real intermediate state, the growing question is, “When do we get to go back home?” And so this means that heaven is the place that we are just “passing through.”

THE IMAGE OF GOD

The ideas here—Jesus the Savior, Jesus the Lord, citizenship, a return that transforms—are all regal and political images. And what this means is that the emperor is coming here, and we are the advance team. But though Paul draws on this imagery from certain concepts in the Roman Empire, there are places where the analogy (obviously) breaks down. The pagan emperors did not elevate the people they ruled, but rather just sat on the top of a mountain of peons. But Christ intends to transform our lowly bodies so that they become like His. This means He is gathering us up into royalty. And the colonies will become as glorious as the motherland, which makes sense because it is the ultimate reunion between Heaven and earth. “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him” (Ephesians 1:10). 

Representing and establishing royalty on earth has been God’s design and purpose from the beginning. One of the indicators of this purpose and intent that is frequently missed is that famous phrase, “image of God.” The phrase image of God was one in the ancient world that indicated a divinely-imparted royal status. But unlike the pagan use of this, this royalty in Genesis was bestowed on all men and women, and not just a solitary ruler. Through our sin, we succeeded in marring this royal image, but God never relinquished His determination to establish it among us regardless. This is why Jesus came in the way that He did—to restore that image of God in man. This is why Peter can say that we are a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9), and it is also what Paul is talking about in this place. Christ is going to transform our lowly bodies so that they become like His glorious body.

HEAVEN MISPLACED

Christ is going to come from heaven when He returns. And until He returns, He rules from heaven—which we know on the basis of the Ascension. Consider what was given to Christ when He came back into the throne room of God. “Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Ps. 110:1). “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:14). And so we wait and work in preparation, patiently, knowing that our labors here are not in vain. In this hope, we take care not to “misplace heaven.” The kingdom comes; the kingdom does not go. So Christ is going to come from heaven, and in the meantime, He rules from heaven. The kingdom is going to come, and we are the advance team.

THE GREAT DESCENT

When we consider the Lord’s Ascension, that is the basis for our faith in the coming Descent. If you stop the story at the Ascension, you are misplacing the point of heaven. If you stop the story when we follow Christ to heaven at the time of our deaths, you are misplacing the point of heaven also.

Christ has ascended, and this is why the earth is going to be redeemed. And the whole creation is groaning, longing for this to happen. We who have the Spirit long for this as well. This is the blessed hope (Titus 2:13). 

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He is Lord of All (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #17) (King’s Cross)

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INTRODUCTION

One of the great lies of the Devil, embraced by modernity, is the inevitability of history – that time is like a stream, and you can’t stop it, you can’t reverse it, and everything that has come before is rushing down upon us. We see this in the victim-mentality of many: blaming childhood, parents, income level, minority status, abuse, addictions, or their oppressors, their governments, their bosses, or their persecutors.

But the Bible reveals to us a God who is before and outside of time and therefore not bound by time. He is Lord of time. And while there are many patterns and repeated themes (so learning from history is valuable), there is also true innovation, creativity, Reformation, and repentance (so freedom, responsibility, and surprising change are also possible). One of the great twists in human history was the gospel going to Gentile nations directly, tearing down the middle wall of separation between Jew and Gentile, destroying the enmity, and sanctifying them that they may all come to God in worship directly through faith and repentance in Jesus Christ. 

The Text: “Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? …” (Acts 10:21-48).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Having seen the vision, Peter went down and went with the men sent by Cornelius and came to his house where he had gathered many friends and family (Acts 10:21-24). Cornelius greeted Peter with great honor, but falling down at his feet in worship was not appropriate because as Peter insisted, he was a mere man (Acts 10:25-26). As they talked, Peter explained that it was not lawful for Jews to have close fellowship with Gentiles, but God had revealed to him not to call any man common or unclean – so he asked the purpose for his summons (Acts 10:27-29). Cornelius repeated the story of the vision and said that they had all gathered to hear what God commanded Peter (Acts 10:30-33). 

Peter begins preaching with the declaration that God is no “respecter of persons” and accepts all who fear and obey Him through the peace of Jesus Christ – the Lord of all (Acts 10:34-36). Peter traces the word they have heard from the baptism of John to His crucifixion and resurrection and the commissioning of the apostles as His official witnesses (Acts 10:37-41). They were ordered to declare that Jesus is the judge of the living and the dead, and just as all the prophets had testified, there is remission of sins by faith in Him (Acts 10:42-43). At this, the Holy Spirit came upon them all, causing them to begin speaking in different languages, magnifying God, and Peter called for water that they might be baptized (Acts 10:44-48). 

GOD SPEAKS THROUGH MEN

It’s worth pointing out that God prefers this method of communicating, which if you think about it, seems a lot more complicated and elaborate than we might think is necessary. Why not just have the angel tell Cornelius about Jesus? Instead, we have this lengthy process of visions, messengers, and discussion leading up to the message of the gospel, the gift of the Spirit, and finally, baptism. 

And God often works this way in our lives. The reason is that God delights in the story. He delights in the process, the tension, the time it takes because we learn to see more of His wisdom and power, and we have more to praise Him for. 

THE WORD & THE SPIRIT

While Cornelius misunderstood how to greet Peter, He was not wrong that by Peter’s presence, they were in the presence of God (Acts 10:33). When two or three gather in the name of Jesus, He is with them (Mt. 18:20). When the Word of God is proclaimed, God Himself is speaking (Rom. 10:14, 1 Thess. 2:13). And this is the way of the Spirit. The Spirit is often associated with time and creation: the Spirit hovered over the waters at creation, filled the artisans with wisdom to construct the tabernacle, and is given to believers to know God, know themselves, and know what they should do – so that they may grow in holiness. While God is free to give His Spirit as He pleases, the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God (Heb. 4:12). God delights in the process of reading, hearing, singing, preaching, and discussing His Word, and it is by that process that the Spirit falls.   

What does our land need? It desperately needs the Word of God, the word of peace to interrupt our spell, our curse, and turn us back to the living God. But the glorious thing is that it is right here – it’s right in front of us, if we only we listen, believe, and obey. 

CONCLUSION: ORDAINED JUDGE & REDEEMER

For Jesus to be the Judge of the Living and the Dead is for Him to be Lord of all time (Acts 10:42, Rev. 1:11). He is Lord of history. All of history answers to Him. But this means that we have an access point outside of History to change history. We are not trapped in the machinery of history, or at the mercy of the machinations of evil men or even our own past sin. Jesus is Lord over all. 

On the one hand, if there is a Judge over all, then there will be justice for all, and that justice will apply to us as well. But if there is a Judge who has access to the past, there is a possibility of mercy in the present. In fact, there is more than a possibility. The Judge Himself was crucified in the most cruel and cursed way by wicked men, and God raised Him from the dead, so that through His name, all who believe in Him may have their sins forgiven (Acts 10:39-40). And notice that: what men did in history, God overturned in history. 

And so this is the message for all men, all nations: You cannot have this redemption apart from this Judge. But if you come before the Judge in true humility, you will see the scars in His hands and you will hear the glorious words: completely forgiven. This is true for every individual, every family, every city. This is true for every nation, even ours: Come to the Judge and be forgiven. 

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Brothers and Business Deals (Workbench of Practical Christianity)

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INTRODUCTION

By the grace of God, we live in an industrious community of Christians, and it has to be said that this has had a very predictable result. We are also a community that contains more than its share of well-to-do believers. This presents dangers, and temptations, and opportunities.  

As I am fond of saying, “You can’t keep money from doing what money always does.” What was once said of the Puritans who came to New England? It was said that they came to do good, and ended up doing well. Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked (Dt. 32:15). Cotton Mather once said that faithfulness begat prosperity and the daughter devoured the mother. Beware, when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses, and your gold is multiplied, that your “heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God” (Dt. 8:10-14).

THE TEXT

“And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred” (Mark 4:13–20). 

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

This passage is the Lord’s application of His parable of the sower. He begins by saying that an understanding of this parable is the master key to an understanding of all His parables (v. 13). The seed that the sower casts is the Word of life (v. 14). Some of the seed falls on the path or sidewalk, and so Satan has no trouble whisking it away immediately (v. 15). Their hearts were the sidewalk. Then there was the stony ground. Because of the rocks the soil was shallow, but there was shallow soil there. They sprouted immediately, gladly, but only because the soil was so shallow (v. 16). But because they can have no deep root, they fall away promptly in any difficulty (v. 17). And then comes the warning that I want to emphasize this morning. Some seed is sown among the thorns (v. 18), and those thorns are defined as cares, lies, and lusts (v. 19). These choke the Word, rendering it unfruitful. Then there is the good soil, returning a harvest of thirty, sixty, and a hundred-fold (v. 20).    

HOW ANXIETY PRESENTS ITSELF

The Lord is teaching us about the sowing of the gospel and the life-and-death responses that are exhibited by different kinds of soil. He is talking about salvation or the lack of it, and as we meditate on the parable, we do recognize this. But I am preaching to Christians, which means this is a message to the good soil. That good soil produces differing amounts of grain—thirty, sixty, and a hundred-fold. We make a serious mistake if we glibly assume that the things that interfere with the salvation of unbelievers can have no effect on our sanctification. We too can deal with hardened soil, stones in the soil, and with thorns. As we reflect on this, make all the necessary adjustments.

With that said, we are going to consider how “the cares of this world” present themselves to us, as responsible Christian adults. And that is it. They present themselves as “taking responsibility.” Anxiety and worry can clean up real nice, and knock on the door of your heart, wanting to know if you have adequate insurance coverage. He is a representative agent for Carking Cares Mutual.   

DOING BUSINESS WITH BROTHERS

Because God is blessing us in this place, under these circumstances, in this community, I must exhort you to remember certain things. As your pastor, I have seen many business deals between brothers go south. And the more our community is blessed, the more it will create opportunities for this kind of thing to happen. So here are some principles that financial opportunities and pressures (e.g. “cares” straight out of the parable) will make you want to forget.

  • Write it down: Regeneration does not make anyone’s memory perfect, least of all yours. “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). 
  • Abide by what you wrote down: It is amazing what financial pressure can do to one’s hermeneutical abilities. A righteous man swears to his own hurt, and does not change (Ps. 15:4). As Upton Sinclair once put it, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”
  • Don’t play to the gallery: Our community is big enough now that it will always contain a number of tenderhearted Christians, ready to take up the side of whoever the “poor buddy” is. This is in violation of the Scriptures, but it still happens. “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour” (Leviticus 19:15). 
  • Distinguish best practices from pagan best practices: Certain business practices really are best practices in a common grace sort of way. But other things are just imported from the world, with the smell of worldliness all over them. It is never lawful to sue a brother before unbelievers (1 Cor. 6:1-8), for example.
  • Don’t change your story: “‘It is good for nothing,’ cries the buyer; But when he has gone his way, then he boasts” (Proverbs 20:14).
  • Don’t abuse the ichthus fish symbol: The Golden Rule is “do unto others” (Matt. 7:12), and is not “hope that others would do unto you.” When you see that little fish sign in the window, does it make you want to hope that he gives a little discount to you because you are a brother? Or does it make you want to add 10% to the invoice because he is a brother?     

CHRIST IN THE MARKETPLACE

If Christ is in you, and if you are in Christ, then one of the best places where this can be displayed is in the marketplace. This is the place where hard work, honestly and competently done, cheerfully approached and without complaining, for the price quoted, and no funny business, provides a stark contrast to the world, and also sadly, to much of the Christian world. In such a circumstance, Christ shines brightly. 

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Honesty, Cheating, & Lies (Workbench of Practical Christianity) (King’s Cross)

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INTRODUCTION

Satan is the “father of lies,” and this why those under his sway speak lies and murder with their words and deeds (Jn. 8:44). This is also why Christians are frequently attacked here by the Devil, just like the woman in the Garden in the beginning. The fundamental lie is about the goodness of God and His Word. But if we repudiate that lie, we will hate all other lies and love the truth. 

The Text: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members of one another” (Eph. 4:25). 

WSC Q. 77 What is required in the Ninth Commandment? The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbors’ good name, especially in witness-bearing.

WSC Q. 78 What is forbidden in the ninth commandment? The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor’s good name. 

Heidelberg. Q 112 What is required in the ninth commandment? That I do not bear false witness against anyone, twist anyone’s words, be a gossip or a slanderer, or condemn anyone lightly without a hearing. Rather I am required to avoid, under penalty of God’s wrath, all lying and deceit as the works of the devil himself. In judicial and all other matters I am to love the truth, and to speak and confess it honestly. Indeed, insofar as I am able, I am to defend and promote my neighbor’s good name.

INTENTIONS & CONTEXT MATTERS

Whenever we come to this subject there are Christians with overly tender consciences tempted to think that if they told someone it was raining outside one time (because they thought it was) and then they went outside and it wasn’t, they’ve lied. But we really do need to make distinctions between lying and being mistaken (which we should be ready and willing to correct as necessary), as well as the difference between intending to deceive (lying) and intending to give the necessary information. Related, context and relationships matter: you do not owe strangers the same amount of information as you do your parents or spouse. “A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly” (Prov. 12:23). Your conscience should not ordinarily be troubled if you did not read all of the fine print of the user agreement, and you clicked “I have read and understand…” The intentions of everyone involved is to communicate that you are liable for certain standards, and you understand that. 

CHEATING

Cheating is actually a form of stealing and lying. In school settings, you are passing yourself or your work off as an accurate representation. But if you copied the answers from an answer key, looked over a classmate’s shoulder, or told your teacher you finished the reading that you didn’t really finish, then you are lying and attempting to get credit, praise, and promotion that you don’t deserve. In work settings, cheating may consist of lying about your work or work hours, or you may lie by breaking your word, your contracts, or your promises. There are many warnings in Scripture about making vows/promises, and here we should be particularly careful about promising to do things that we really aren’t sure we can fulfill, including to our own family. The righteous man “swears to his own hurt and does not change” (Ps. 15:4). 

FLATTERY VS. ETIQUETTE

Sometimes empty promises are a form of flattery, which is another form of lying and cheating. It is attempting to win respect/friendship through false complements, empty promises, or ignoring real problems. Speaking the truth to one another, as members of one another, means that we must love our neighbor as ourselves, not using others for what they can do for you. And here, we should make a distinction between good etiquette and flattery. Thanking someone for dinner need not mean it was your favorite meal ever, and again, it is kindness not to say everything that comes into your head and love covers a multitude of sins (1 Pet. 4:8). But this must not be an excuse for not addressing sin or addressing weakness or ignorance (Gal. 6:1). 

RASH JUDGEMENTS/GOSSIP/SLANDER

While the ninth commandment certainly applies to judicial situations, this also includes the court of public opinion. The Bible teaches that a good name is worth more than great riches (Prov. 22:1), and the duty of honesty requires the protection of our own name as well as the good name and reputation of our neighbors. This means we must be very reluctant to receive negative reports about our neighbors’ marriage, parents, kids, business dealings, or even those of our enemies. Of course this does not prohibit seeking help from those who can actually provide it, and this does not prohibit giving feedback on public matters like quality of work. 

SELF-ACCUSATION

Thomas Vincent points out that the prohibition against lying includes to and about ourselves: “in accusing ourselves in that wherein we are not guilty, and denying the gifts and graces which God hath given us, endeavoring to lessen our esteem, that thereby we might be numbered amongst those from whom we are through grace redeemed.” This also includes “unnecessary and imprudent discovery of all real infirmities, unto the scorn of the wicked and ungodly.”

Satan is the father of lies and the accuser, and he loves to accuse sinners with real and false accusations. The answer to every accusation is the cross of Christ, whereby we have been crucified with Christ and all of our sins completely paid for (Gal. 2:20). We must not listen to or give any credence to lies that say otherwise. If God says you are forgiven, and you have confessed to anyone you have sinned against, then do not give lies the time of day. 

CONCLUSION: HONESTY & AUTHORITY/TESTIMONY

Jesus Christ is the authoritative Truth made flesh. He is the true Word of God, and by His death and resurrection, He has been given the name that is above every name. In Him, we have that honest name and therefore, our good name reflects His good name. We should want our reputations in the community to be something like “honest as a kirker.”

If Christians have lost a great deal of authority in our modern world, we should look nowhere else but here: we rejected God’s true and authoritative word for many lies, and in turn, we have told and embraced many lies. But God’s Word is the truth (Jn. 17:17), and that truth sets us free.

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