Studying God's Word

This next set of commands are the “be” commands. God is telling us to take some sort of appropriate action but this first requires us to know what to do, how to do it and when to do it. It all comes down to studying God’s Word so we know what the Lord requires of us in all circumstances. With this knowledge of God’s word and our intelligence, willpower and emotions we are equipped to obey the commands of God.

33. Be men in understanding, 1 Corinthians 14:20. Previously addressed under, “Do not be children in understanding.”

34. Be children in avoiding malice, 1 Corinthians 14:20 – See above. Be as innocent as children in your motives.

35. Be harmless as doves.

Matthew 10:16 – Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Witnesses for Christ have to be able to discern who is ready to hear the gospel of Christ and at the same time not argue with anyone or offend them.

36. Be as wise as serpents. See above Scripture and note.

37. Be gentle to all men.

2 Timothy 2:24 – And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient.

Ties in with the two previous commands. The believer must have self-control and humility when witnessing for Christ. When witnessing don’t reciprocate anger and gently disengage in the face of hostility or negative emotions. They are not ready.

38, Be ready to teach, 2 Timothy 2:24. See previous command. When witnessing for Christ you must be prepared to answer any question the unbeliever may have that will help them come to a decision for God. That requires that you study God’s Word.

39. Be ready to give an answer of the hope that is in you.

1 Peter 3:15 – But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

This is a rephrasing of the two previous commands, “Be ready to teach” and “Be gentle to all men”. God is telling us how we should witness for Christ so as not to put people off by warning us not to be argumentative and to know our facts through Bible study.

40. Be an example to other believers.

1 Timothy 4:12 – Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in the word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

We encourage other believers by being holy and glorify God by emulating Christ.

27. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath.

Ephesians 4:26 – “Be angry and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.

Be reconciled with the object of your anger before your eyes close at night. Make peace with your enemies. Forgive those who have done you harm. Be merciful because God is merciful. If you do not forgive others God will not forgive you.

28. Do not provoke one another.

Galatians 5:26 – Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

God is telling us to humbly live at peace with others as brothers, without envy or hate.

29. Do not judge one another in doubtful things.

Romans 14:1 – Receive one who is weak in faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.

Don’t be judgmental but be ready to explain the reason for your faith to any who ask.

30. Do not cause others to stumble.

Romans 14:13 – Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

Don’t judge others. Don’t be the reason someone else is tempted to sin. Don’t be the reason someone else is unable to seek and find God. God will deal harshly with those who do this.

31. Do not forsake assembling together in worship.

Hebrews 10:25 – Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day approaching.

All believers are the church and each is a member of the body of Christ. God intended us to worship together and support each other. A brick and mortar church is one way to do this but there are other ways to connect with fellow Christians to praise God.

32. Do not quench the Holy spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 – Do not quench the Spirit.

It is possible for the believer to sin to the point the indwelt Holy Spirit is inactive in your life. Scripture say to not grieve the Holy Spirit but this goes beyond that.

21. Do not be children in understanding.

1 Corinthians 14:20 – Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.

This a very clear command from God to study the Bible to gain knowledge, understanding and wisdom. As children of God it’s our duty. We are of no use to the Father as witnesses for Christ until we know enough to teach others.

22. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

2 Corinthians 6:14 – Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

If you’re a Christian don’t marry an unbeliever and don’t enter any business partnership with unbelievers. If you become a Christian after marriage and your spouse is not a Christian don’t divorce them. Be an example to them of Godly living in the hope they will also come to Jesus. Association with unbelievers increases the temptation to sin.

23. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:30 – And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

The moment you were saved you moved from death to life. You were moved from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. The moment you were saved the Holy Spirit of God indwelt you to seal you as God’s own possession. Any time you sin after that you are grieving the Holy Spirit because a holy God cannot abide sin.

24. Do not lay up treasures on earth.

Matthew 6:19 – Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.

Earthly treasure is fleeting but heavenly treasure lasts forever. Do the work of God on this earth and God will credit your account in heaven. I’m talking mainly about witnessing for Christ but also helping the needy and doing other good works. When we emulate Christ on this earth we will be rewarded in heaven.

25. Don’t let the left hand know what the right hand is doing.

Matthew 6:3 – But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what the right hand is doing.

When you give to the poor or help someone do it anonymously to the glory of God and you will be rewarded in heaven. If you make your deeds known to men to look good in their eyes that is your reward and God will not reward you in heaven.

26. Do not let sin reign in the body.

Romans 6:12 – Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

We are powerless against the lusts of the flesh without the Holy Spirit inside us. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome our sin. We may never get rid of sin completely but with effort we can sin less and less over time as we mature in our faith.

I’m fond of the “do not” commands because God makes it very clear what not to do and you always know when you’ve disobeyed. The good news is you can immediately ask for forgiveness, which God promises to grant, and then you try to do better. The key is to come before God humbly and with a contrite heart because God loves to dispense mercy. Your walk with God is a journey, a life-long sanctification process whereby you grow in Christ over time.

16. Do not be like the hypocrites in prayer.

Matthew 6:5 – And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

See my previous comments on how to approach the throne of grace. Prayer is a private conversation between you and God and not to impress others or puff yourself up. God tells you when you speak to him you need to go to a quiet, private place and shut your door so as not to be disturbed. God makes it clear he won’t answer prayers done for show.

17. Do not be afraid of men.

Luke 12:4 – And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

God is telling believers once they’ve received the gift of eternal life by his grace they are friends of God. This life is brief and we’re all going to die at some point. Believers are in God’s hands and our security is guaranteed so we need fear no one. The one to fear is God, if you are not his friend, because only God can send a person to hell for eternity.

18. Do not be conformed to this world.

Romans 12:2 – And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of you mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Once God has given you salvation unto eternal life your priority becomes your spiritual life and doing the will of God. The world will hate you for this because you cannot serve both God and man. Never forget our citizenship is in heaven. We’re visiting down here to determine whether we serve God or Satan. Choose wisely.

19. Do not be drunk with wine.

Ephesians 5:18 – And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.

Dissipation means a waste of energy or resources. God is telling you drinking is a waste of time better spent seeking the will of God in your life. When you’re drinking your guard is down making you an easier target for Satan. Satan is trying to destroy you 24/7 so why would you leave yourself wide open to attack? Be moderate in all things.

20. Do not bid false teachers Godspeed.

2 John 10-11 – If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

Do not bless anyone who espouses anything other than God’s Word or have close intimate contact with them or you will be tarred with the same brush.

God is big on redundancy. If something is important for us to know in God’s Word it is repeated more than once; sometimes many times. Sometimes Scripture is repeated exactly in more than one book of the Bible. Often the same biblical message is repeated using different wording. If you review God’s commands from a list you can easily see what’s important to God. You cannot please God if you don’t obey his commands.

12. Do not be influenced by strange doctrines.

Hebrews 13:9 – Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

This is God telling you not to fall for any fake religions just in case you disobeyed God’s other commands to avoid arguments about the Bible, false science, foolish questions, and profane babblings. God is telling you twice so you have no excuse. God is making it clear you can’t be nourished spiritually with fake religions like Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Mormonism among others.

13. Do not be deceived by evil companions.

1 Corinthians 15:33 – Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

This is common sense we all instinctively know. You’re less likely to sin if you remove the temptation to sin by staying away from those who do sin. God repeats this command when he says to beware of evil men and to abstain from all appearances of evil (by hanging around those who do evil).

14. Do not be slothful.

Hebrews 6:12 – That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Here God is saying not to be a lazy Christian. We are to content for the souls of the lost with vigor and do good works for the kingdom of God. In other Scriptures God also says men are not be lazy in worldly matters by not providing for themselves and their families.

15. Do not be weary in well-doing (2).

Galatians 6:9 – And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 – But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

This is a rephrasing of the previous command from God to not be lazy. Hard work always requires discipline and willpower.

I’m trying to group God’s commands into categories. This first set of grouping is all the things God doesn’t want us to do and things we are to stay away from for our own good. Commands with words like “do not”, “avoid”, “beware” and “abstain from”. It’s much easier for me to mentally absorb like commands than those that skip all over the place.

6. Avoid foolish questions.

Titus 3:9 – But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.

The Bible is the last word and should be taken literally unless the context is obviously allegorical. If the Scripture makes plain sense seek no other sense. Scripture says God’s truth is foolishness to the unbeliever and if the Holy Spirit has not convicted them of their sin you’re wasting your time. Don’t argue. Move on to greener pastures.

7. Avoid arguments about the law. See Scripture and notes above.

8. Beware of false prophets.

Matthew 7:15 – Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Philippians 3:2 – Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of mutilation!

There have always been false Christs and false prophets and they will proliferate in the end times. The only way to protect yourself is to study God’s Word so you can know them when they come to you with false information. When you see the word beware always remember you can’t know to beware of something you don’t know.

9. Beware of (evil) men.

Matthew 10:17 – But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.

This command is similar to avoiding troublemakers and the appearance of evil. You can beware of evil men by knowing the fruit they produce and that comes with experience, knowledge of God’s Word and prayer. When I see the word beware I think “know”. If you don’t know how to identify evil men you won’t know who to beware of.

10. Beware of covetousness.

Luke 12:15 – And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Besides being one of the original ten commandments, we know in our hearts this is true because God made us to be moral beings. There is that word “know” again which simply means study God’s Word in this context. God reminds us often in Scripture not to covet and to be satisfied with what we have.

11. Beware of backsliding.

2 Peter 3:17 – You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away by the error of the wicked.

Peter wrote this epistle to warn believers to about false teachers and false doctrine and he urged the saints to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ which I translate as studying God’s Word. In the two verses just before the one I reference above Peter is telling believers to keep reading the gospels and the writings of Paul so as not to fall victim to false teachings. You won’t backslide if you read God’s Word and pray daily.

My Willmington’s Guide to the Bible is indispensable to my study of God’s Word. It contains a list of all 127 commands from God contained in the Bible addressing the personal conduct of the believer. I love making lists and reviewing lists. I find lists to be a time-saving way for me to keep important things fresh in my mind. It’s the Christian’s duty to know what God commands us to do and then to try our best to comply. That’s all God asks of us.

GODS COMMANDS TO BELIEVERS:

1. Abstain from all appearances of evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 – Abstain from every form of evil.

God made us to be moral creatures with an inner sense of knowing what’s right or wrong and what’s good or evil. Fallen man is in a sin-filled world where most people don’t do what they should but deep down inside everyone knows what’s evil.

2. Abstain from all fleshly lusts.

1 Peter 2:11 – Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.

This is probably the number one sin we face and is impossible to overcome without the Holy Spirit’s help. Even with the indwelt Holy Spirit we may not eliminate lust from our life completely but we’re called upon to give it our best shot. The good news is you’re still saved and God still loves you. Ask God to forgive your sins every night and then persevere in doing good because over time you’ll get better at limiting sin in your life.

3. Avoid troublemakers.

Romans 16:17 – Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

All of us can recognize a troublemaker when we see one and as soon as we realize that give them a wide berth. One way to avoid sin is to stay away from those who may tempt us to sin. It’s okay to associate with unbelievers you’re trying to save but your really close friends should all be Christians who share your core values.

4. Avoid profane and vain babblings.

1 Timothy 6:20 – O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.

Don’t pay any attention to anything the secular word tries to indoctrinate you with. That’s the problem with our schools. They indoctrinate our children with their leftist ideology, including the theory evolution, to turn out perfect little atheists upon graduation. If someone wants to tell you about the latest religious cult they’re into send them packing. The Bible is God’s wisdom and the source of all truth.

5. Avoid false science. See above verse and explanation.

Every Christian and every Gentile owes a debt of gratitude to the Jewish people in general and to the patriarch Abraham in particular. I love Israel and cherish the Jewish people as my brothers and sisters. If I’m around anyone who starts to disparage the Jews I try to remove myself from them as soon as possible without being rude. The love of God is not in them and I want nothing more to do with them. Scripture tells us as Gentiles we receive the blessings of Abraham through the covenant God made with Abraham. What are those blessings? The Incarnation of Jesus Christ who came to earth as a man to die on the cross so that our sins may be forgiven. So that we might receive mercy and grace unto eternal life from a loving Creator.

The blessing is Jesus, the seed of Abraham through David with the bloodline extending down to Mary, mother of Jesus. Joseph should have been the real king of Israel by blood since he was also of the Davidic line. Jesus was also the heir to the throne of Israel legally as the eldest son of Joseph by adoption. The gospel message of Christ blesses all nations. As Gentiles our lives are eternally blessed when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior by faith. God by his mercy and grace has shown us favor. At the moment of salvation we become the spiritual sons of Abraham as partakers of the Abrahamic covenant. Salvation was intended for the Jew first and then the Gentile.

God’s original plan was for Israel, his chosen people, to be a nation of priests to mediate the gospel of Christ to all nations. When the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah God turned to the Gentiles to build his church. The Jews did not stop being God’s people because they rejected their Messiah. Jesus, my Lord and Savior, is now and always will be a Jewish rabbi. All the Jewish Apostles, prophets and the other important Old Testament Jews are already in heaven to be joined by a Jewish remnant at the second coming of Jesus Christ. Jews will occupy many leadership positions in heaven including King David who will be second only to Jesus.

Everything we do on earth will be known to the residents of heaven. If you plan on being in heaven with me don’t you think it’s a good idea not to offend those who will be in charge of the place? Personally, not only do I love the Jewish people, I’m looking for every opportunity in this life to bless Jews. In Scripture Jesus says whatever you do for a fellow Jew consider it as doing it for Jesus himself. If you help a Jew you are helping Jesus. If you help Jesus you’re helping the Creator of the universe and your reward will be in heaven. If you disparage a Jew you disparage Jesus, with whatever ramifications result from that. Let that sink in a moment and adjust your actions accordingly. Satan has stirred up hatred of the Jews for thousands of years to hurt God because they are his beloved chosen people. Rebuke the devil’s attempt to stir up hatred in your heart for God’s chosen people and love them with all your heart as I do.

I believe everyone on earth knows the golden rule, or they have it written in their hearts. Whatever religion you are, or if you have no religion, everyone instinctively knows the truth of the golden rule. “Do unto others what you would have them do unto you”, has been written into the hearts of all men by a loving Creator so they would know right from wrong and good from evil. This golden rule comes from God’s Word, our Holy Bible, where it is paraphrased in several Scriptures including the spiritual law, “You reap what you sow”.

Matthew 7:12 – Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

In the Old Testament God gave us the ten commandments. In the New Testament Jesus taught us His greatest and first commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. Jesus also taught a second great commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”, which is a restatement of the golden rule. On these two great commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets (Old Testament). The Incarnation gave us a new covenant in Jesus Christ that in no invalidated the the Old Testament. Jesus came not to nullify the old Testament but to fulfill it. The spiritual truth of the Old Testament remains forever.

We cannot comply with these two great commands of Jesus based on our own strength. We are too weak. The only way any of us can acquire the requisite righteousness to honor Jesus’ commands is if we enter the “narrow gate” of the saving faith of Jesus Christ. We need the peace of God in order to treat people like we should and that comes through saving grace. We all have a choice to make: we can either decide to build a strong spiritual foundation on the Rock of Jesus Christ or we can go with the shifting sands of fake gods and false promises. Accept God’s mercy and grace unto salvation right now while there is still time.

Joshua 24:15 – As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Joshua 24:24 – The Lord our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!

Joshua 24:23 – Incline your heart to the Lord God.

Joshua 24:14 – Fear the lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth.

Joshua 1:9 – Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

5. BLESSED are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Always keep the spiritual law of you reap what you sow at the forefront of your mind. In Scripture God says it’s our duty to love mercy. We all need God’s mercy to get to heaven and thankfully we have a merciful God who loves us. There is one catch, we must be merciful to others if we expect God to be merciful to us. To be forgiven we must forgive.

6. BLESSED are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Those who want to please God will pursue purity and righteousness in every area of their lives. Those with a single-minded commitment to obey the commands of God will experience God’s presence in their lives.

7. BLESSED are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.

As the Prince of Peace Jesus is the ultimate peacemaker through his message of eternal life through belief in him. By sharing the good news Jesus demonstrates how to have inner peace with God. As witnesses for Christ we are also peacemakers because we are instruments of peace in the world.

8. BLESSED are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

If you belong to God you will be persecuted. It’s as simple as that. Anyone seeking to enter the kingdom of God will seek to act in conformity to God’s will. This will cause an adverse reaction from a world that does not know God. We are in the world but we are not of the world.

9. BLESSED are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus is promising a prophet’s reward in heaven when we are persecuted. Because we are sharing in the suffering of Christ our reward will be great. We must maintain our allegiance and obedience to Jesus in the face of this persecution. We must be mentally prepared for it with our eyes on our ultimate reward. We must endure until the end while giving praise to God.