What must I do to be saved?

In this lesson we want to consider what the apostle Paul indicates will lead to the building up of the body of Christ at Ephesus, so that we learn as well. Let’s take a look…

READ TEXT: Ephesians 4:1-16

ATTITUDES WORTHY OF YOUR CALLING(4:1-3)
There are few things as significant to the growth of the church as our unity. Jesus thought so (see Jn. 17:20-23). Hopefully that is empowering to us. We can take part in the growth of the church by being the people we ought to be… that we are called to be.

Interestingly, he begins this short character list with: “all humility.” It seems to me that this is an intentional beginning point. Humility has to do with the way we see ourselves. If we don’t see ourselves from the right vantage point, we cannot see others the way we ought to. I suppose that one can struggle with the gentleness, patience, or bearing with one another in love, but it is humility that unlocks the potential for being what we ought to in these other areas.

While humility leads to unity, pride, the opposite of humility (see 1 Pt. 5:5), leads not only to division and discord in the body of Christ, but also to discouragement. Christians seek to give preference to one another (Phil. 2:3-4) from a sincere and true heart before God, and in so doing, they take on the mind of Christ who humbled himself by coming to this world to die for the sins of the world (see Phil 2:5-11). He did what He did for the sake of making peace between us and His Father.

Our attitudes and character are of untold value to growth of the kingdom!

THE DOCTRINE OF UNITY (4:4-6)
A superficial view of Scripture, and the Christian’s call, could easily lead to the conclusion that it’s all just about being at peace with one another and with the world, but that certainly is not the case. Paul lists what is sometimes referred to as the “Seven Ones” here.

Unity is in the “one body” (see Mt. 16:18), the church of our Lord that He died for (see Eph. 5:25). The church at Corinth was condemned strongly by Paul for merely starting to divide, or become denominated (see 1 Cor. 1:10-13). The “one Spirit” is He who calls Christians through the Word to be unified both in attitude and doctrine (compare Jn. 17:17). Likewise, we are called to the same “hope,” by “one Lord,” in “one faith” (see Jude 3), in “one baptism” (see Mt. 28:18-20), and there is but “one Father” over all.

These seven ones should not be seen as the totality of what really matters, but they certainly show that the teaching and practice of the church matters! In fact, related to this concept, as well as what Paul said earlier about humility, note what he said to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:2-4: “… Teach and urge these things. If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.”

THE MINISTRY THAT BUILDS UP THE BODY (4:7-16)
In the context here Paul is speaking of miraculous gifts that were bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, in the first century (see Acts 8:18; 19:6). Remember that those gifts were especially for revealing and confirming the message of God (see Heb. 2:3-4; Mk. 16:20). Through the teaching of the Lord’s Word (see 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pt. 1:3), God’s people were prepared for their work together for His cause.

Today we have the complete and confirmed revelation of God, so we don’t need miraculous gifts (compare 1 Cor. 13:8-12). But nonetheless, there is much to glean from this section concerning the importance of being unified in God’s work. Notice just a few additional points:
1. Though not through supernatural means, the word of God continues to prepare God’s people for His work.

2. A part of building up of the body has to do with it being made strong, so not to be disturbed by false doctrine (see v. 14). It doesn’t matter how much “good” the church does if it goes astray from Christ! (See examples from the seven churches of Asia in Revelation 2 and 3).

3. Rather than the church giving into “crafty” doctrine, it is to “speak the truth in love” (v. 15). The truth is what sets men free (Jn. 8:32) and it is also the truth that causes all of us to grow in the Lord.

4. Note that the body functions at full capacity when “each part is working properly” (v. 16). There are no useless parts in the body of Christ! (See 1 Cor. 12.)

Let’s work on our attitudes; be unified in the Word; and seek to contribute properly in the church that it might be built up in love!

Daren Schroeder

First, the Bible: “Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit” (Proverbs 25:28).

When President Eisenhower was a child, his mom refused to allow him to go trick-or-treating. She believed he was too old. He went outside and, in a fit of anger, beat a tree with his bare fists. Later, when he was in his room crying, his mom went in and talked to him about controlling his attitude and she quoted the book of Proverbs.

One serious responsibility parents have is to train our children to control their emotions. God created emotions so emotions are good. But we cannot allow our emotions to rule us and drive us. We don’t have to become “Mr. Spock,” but a healthy family is a family where its members control their emotions, especially anger.

Some children feel emotions more strongly than others. Those children have a strength that can be channelled into the right paths that will allow them to serve their fellow-man very well. But when children allow their emotions to control them, parents might be allowing them to cook up a disaster in their future.

Yes, Jesus got angry (Mark 3:5) but He controlled His anger and channelled it into avenues that would glorify the Father. The home is the best place for parents to help train children to channel their own emotions into paths that will bring honor to God (first), to their parents, and to themselves.

Parents have to control their own emotions first. Sometimes children will express strong emotions in order to manipulate Mom and Dad to get what he or she wants. Or, they might express strong emotions in order to discourage Mom and Dad from implementing discipline that the child knows is coming. So parents can’t lose control of their own emotions in face of their kids. If you do, you need to quickly regain control and talk about how dangerous it is to lose control of one’s emotions.

What is motivating the loss of control? Mom and Dad need to have a talk with the child and teach them how to examine what is going on in their hearts and see what needs to be done to honor God. Remember that Solomon also said, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1). That applies to parenting as well.

Paul Holland

What draws people’s attention to you? Might it be your loud voice? Your physical attraction? Your sharp instincts? We recall that Jesus said, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 6:1). People are going to notice us. If we do anything (even if we do nothing), people are going to notice us.

But what are we using to draw people’s attention to us? It’s not bad to draw people’s attention. You cannot live the Christian life without people noticing. Peter writes: “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12). Please observe here that the “Gentiles” observe the “good deeds” of the Christians. They observe. They notice. What draw people’s attention to you?

King Louis XIV had a duke named Duc de Lauzun who was of diminutive size, but his personality was larger than life. He engaged in rude behavior, such as sleeping with the king’s mistress. But his personality was so unpredictable that people wanted to have him around.

Our society is driven by people with personalities that are larger than life, from politics to sports. Christians should not be afraid to stand apart, to be noticed, as long as what draws people’s attention is our efforts to glorify Jesus Christ and His Gospel. That’s what Jesus did. He drew large crowds, but when He performed miracles, the Bible consistently says that the crowds praised or glorified God, rather than Jesus Himself.

We can do the same thing if we live the same way. Be busy doing good. Be busy teaching and defending the Truth of Jesus Christ. Be busy being kind, compassionate, patient, considerate – all the fruit of the Spirit – and direct the source of your difference to the Son of God.

Pablo Picasso did what he needed to keep himself and his artwork in the eyes of the public. If he felt like his artwork was getting predicable, he changed his style. It was better, in his opinion, to produce ugly artwork and be noticed than predictable artwork and be ignored.

Living a Christian life is, in our society, out of the ordinary. When you live for Christ, you draw people’s attention. Direct it to Him.

Paul Holland

Ken Wilson of Vacaville, California was determined to keep his expenses under control. Living in the same apartment for 19 years, he closely watched his power bill. To keep those utility costs lower, he began turning off nearly all of the electrical breakers when leaving for work each morning. The only appliance left running was the refrigerator. But those stringent measures didn’t seem to help.

Finally, the utility company was called in, and their investigation revealed the surprise: For several years (the power company says 15; Wilson says 19) Ken has been paying the electrical bills for the apartment next door, not his own. No wonder his efforts didn’t reduce his bills!

A spokesperson for the utility company released the following statement: “… we are fully committed to rectifying the situation with the customer and make the customer whole.” Soon Ken Wilson will be paying his own bills, not the bills of his neighbors.

The idea of paying what is owed by others is an old idea; Isaiah 53:5 is the most famous example: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” For centuries that statement confused people. Who was Isaiah talking about? No one knew for sure.

In Acts 8 we are told of an official from Ethiopia who was puzzling over Isaiah 53. When he asked Philip who it referred to, “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him” (Acts 8:35). Jesus was the one who was “wounded for our transgressions”.

1 Peter 2:24 also connects Isaiah 53 with Jesus: “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” The payment of our debt of sin required no less a ransom than the blood of God’s own Son. That’s a staggering thought! It helps to explain why John 3:16 is so profound – “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son”.

Can we put a monetary value on such an offering? Of course not, but 2 Corinthians 8:9 comes close: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” Jesus gave everything so that we might avoid the horrible eternal consequences of our sins.

We don’t know who wrote the words of this song, but it speaks the truth of the Gospel: “He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay; I needed someone to wash my sins away. And now I sing a brand new song, ‘Amazing Grace’; Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.”

Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.

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Copyright, 2024, Timothy D. Hall

“Why am I here?” Have you ever asked yourself that question?

“What am I supposed to be doing?”

“How am I supposed to serve God?”

“Am I pleasing God?”

I have a Master’s degree in education. When I graduated from college, I was certified to teach biology and middle school science. I enjoy teaching. I think if I had stayed on that path, I would have enjoyed being a biology teacher. Does God want me to be a preacher? If I had stayed on the path to be a teacher, would I have sinned against God because I did not become a preacher? Those are questions that we (I) don’t really have an answer for. “What am I supposed to be doing?” We all might have asked ourselves that question at some point. The Bible, of course, does not answer that question for each individual Christian. It seems to me that if we go down a path that utilizes the talents, skills, abilities, and education we have, then we can serve God faithfully in that respective area.

The key to pleasing God – what am I on earth for – is to be good stewards of whatever it is that God has placed in our hands. That is the message of the parable we will study today from Matthew 25: “My place in eternity.”

GOD GIVES “ACCORDING TO ABILITY” – 25:14-18:

You and I have talents with which we were born. Are we using those talents in service to God in His church? If not, why not?

You and I have some form of education which has enhanced our natural talents. Are we using our education in service to God in His church?

You and I have years of experience which has deepened and broadened our natural talents and education. Are we using our experience in service to God in His church?

AND IS PLEASED WITH GOOD STEWARDSHIP – 25:19-23:

“Good” stewardship is defined as being “faithful.” As a reward, the master would put each one over “many things” and they were invited into the “joy of their master.”

BUT ABHORS POOR STEWARDSHIP – 25:24-30:

The longer section of this parable (25:24-30) deals with the one-talent man, who was given according to his ability. Poor stewardship is described as being “wicked” and “lazy.”

The master takes the one talent from him, giving it to the one with the ten, stating a general principle in verse 29 (the point of the parable) that rewards will be distributed, to some degree, based on one’s willingness to use what he is entrusted with.

While Christians wait for Jesus’ return, they are to be busy staying faithful and producing fruit (cf. John 15). The fruit will be illustrated in the judgment scene which follows (25:31-46). Finally (ver. 30), the master commands other slaves to cast that “worthless” slave into the outer darkness, a picture of hell, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus had stated verse 29 substantially the same in 13:12. The Scriptures teach that God gives, and expects out of us, proportionate to our ability: Romans 12:3, 6; 1 Cor. 4:1-2; 12:4-7; Eph. 4:7-8; 1 Peter 4:10. God does not tolerate laziness in anyone: Prov. 6:6-9.

Stewardship (1 Cor. 4:1-2) involves:

1. a) a master (spiritually speaking, Christ),
2. b) a steward (humans),
3. c) something entrusted (our lives, our energy, our money, our hearts),
4. d) and a reckoning (the final judgment).

Heaven awaits those who are faithful stewards. Let’s use our talents and resources wisely for God’s kingdom.

Paul Holland

Baptism is one of the most controversial topics among those who call themselves Christians. Disagreements appear over the purpose (why we do it), mode (how we do it), and result (what it accomplishes). Over the next few articles, we will examine what the Scriptures teach about this vital practice.

The Law of Moses commanded ceremonial washings for specific circumstances; many of these related to ritual uncleanness. Coming home from the attack against Midian, the children of Israel were told to purify their spoils and wash their clothes (Numbers 31:20–24). Numbers 19 provides a lye soap recipe, called “water of purification,” which the Israelites were to use after touching a dead body. The priests were to wash their hands and feet in the bronze sea (laver) before approaching the altar (Exodus 30:20–21). Lepers who had been declared clean were to shave, wash their clothes, and bathe their bodies before returning to the populace (Leviticus 14:8–9).

None of these cleansings provides an exact parallel for the practice that appears in the New Testament. They do, however, provide points of contrast with the teachings of Jesus’ forerunner, John, and later of the apostles.

The word translated baptism came into English through its use in the immensely popular King James Version. Properly speaking, “baptism” is not a translation, but a transliteration of the Greek word baptisma, which means “dipping” or “washing.” In the New Testament, the verb, baptizó, appears much more frequently than the noun. It means to dip, submerge, or plunge, that is to immerse.

Mark 1:4 says, “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Students of Scripture have noted that neither the Old Testament nor Jewish tradition demonstrate any kind of ceremonial washing performed by one person upon another until John. It may be for this reason that he received the name “the Baptist,” or probably better translated, “the Immerser” (cf. Matthew 3:1). This shift from washing oneself to being immersed by another informs our understanding of the distinctions that exist between life under the Law of Moses and under the New Covenant.

In the next articles, we will discuss the mode, purpose and result of immersion (baptism) as it is presented in the New Testament. Throughout this study, we must take care to allow God in His Word to speak, for He alone has the right to assign meaning to this practice.

Clay Leonard

Jesus did not say, “Go therefore and make Christians of all nations…” But He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Mt. 28:19). Now, in reality, a Christian is a disciple and a disciple is a Christian, but perhaps some have come to see the word “Christian” as meaning something more lax and casual than the word disciple. Or, they see the word Christian merely what one becomes when he obeys the Gospel. The purpose of this lesson is to give emphasis to what the Lord wants His church to produce. One thing is very clear… He does not want us to merely lead people to become Christians, but true disciples of Christ. Let’s study together…

A disciple is one who is a learner of another with the objective of becoming like that person. Jesus said in Luke 6:40, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Disciples are students of Jesus in order to become like Jesus! Obviously, this entails much more than being baptized and “going to church!” Christ has left His followers an example that they “might follow in his steps” (1 Pt. 2:21).

In the “Great Commission,” Jesus indicates the mission of His people is to make disciples and they do so by “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Key to anyone becoming a genuine disciple is ongoing teaching and learning that transforms the mind and the life (see Rom. 12:1-2). Christianity itself is a taught religion (see Jn. 6:45). Through reading and studying the Gospel accounts, newborn babes come to understand not only the pursuit and passion of Jesus, but their own!

Sixteen times in the Gospels, Jesus said, “Follow me.” Many times this phrase entailed going with Jesus somewhere, but it wasn’t just for a walk, but for training and work. Notice just a few such examples:
1. Mt. 4:19 – “And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” It is interesting that Jesus begins with sharing the ultimate mission of His disciples!

Mt. 8:22 – “And Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.’” In short, disciples are not those who make excuses for not really following Christ.

Mt. 16:24 – “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” Discipleship involves the denial of self for the sake of following Jesus wherever that leads, even bearing one’s own cross. Luke adds the word “daily” to this cross-bearing pursuit (see Lk. 9:23).

If we aren’t careful, we can insinuate to those who come to Christ that the Christian life is about being saved and meeting with the church (at least when it is convenient). We are not minimizing those things, but we need to teach, even before conversion, that a Christian is one who strives to follow Christ in all things no matter where that leads. There is cost to count (see Lk. 14:28).

Jonathan Jones II, in a gospel meeting, said this about discipleship:

“Jesus does not just call His followers to be His students. He’s not just calling us, ‘Come and learn my teaching. Come and learn the facts of my doctrine so that you’ve got all the right answers in your mind.’ He is calling us to fundamentally have our lives transformed and changed in a very real world, real life, practical ways so that my language, my behavior, my attitudes, my actions are literally being reshaped and molded after the ways of Jesus… So a student is one who learns information, but a disciple is one who copies the lifestyle of the Master. Much more than just a learner or a student, a disciple is a follower.”

Let’s be disciples, true followers of Jesus and lead others to be the same!

Daren Schroeder

First, the Bible: “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).

We have commented before that the home is the laboratory for learning the Christian virtues. It is the place, then, for Mom and Dad to learn to control their own behavior, their own anger. Do not get into arguments with your children! You have yielded your moral authority and given them far more power than they deserve when you stoop to arguing with children. They are children; they will act like children. Do not allow yourself to fall to that level.

When your children push you to the edge, say a prayer. Get control of your emotions. And refrain from yelling. Raising your voice at your children has lots of negative side effects. Yes, you might get some temporary obedience out of them, but at what cost? You run the risk of making them feel unloved. Yelling damages your relationship with them; their respect for you is diminished every time you yell. And you may very well feel bad about it afterward.

Additionally, when you discipline your children through consistent yelling and arguing, you can “train” them to react to others in one of two ways. They will learn to use anger and yelling in their relationships with others, which is a recipe for a catastrophe. Or you can “train” them to give in to others who consistently express anger at them so that they become mere pawns or puppets in the world of those around them. You don’t want to raise defenseless children.

You should train yourself as you are training your children to control yourself. Control your emotions. Control your anger. Control your voice. it is possible to be calm but firm in your discipline. We are trying to train our children to make decisions based on values from God’s word and principles. That means you need to talk to your children about expressing a bad attitude. Don’t yell. Tell them where they are wrong from a position of strength and clarity. In that way, you will train their hearts.

Paul Holland

In our country, since Roe V. Wade legalized abortion in 1973, more than 60 million children have been killed in their mother’s womb. In 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that states must allow same-sex marriage.

How should a Christian view the direction our society is going?

We live in a society where mass shootings have become more and more common; a society that celebrates death in video games, on TV shows, in movies, in musical lyrics; a society that wants to remove any sense of morality, and is not subject to God’s higher authority.

The Christian needs to look at everything through the lens of God’s Word. From that Word he knows there is a God who created all things He doesn’t accept what the evolutionists are saying.

The Christian is not to be conformed to this world, but is transformed by the renewal of his mind, (Romans 12:2).

The Christian understands the source of society’s problems. He believes in the existence and reality of sin and evil. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). As long as man keeps rebelling against God, he can expect more war, violence, and injustice. There really is a devil, and he is constantly tempting and seeking to destroy. He aggressively opposes God and His people.

Our society needs to see itself as being subject to God’s law. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man shows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7-8).

Our society’s misguided direction has reached Christians on a personal level. We read accounts on a regular basis. A Christian parent objected to an immoral book her child was assigned to read, and the child’s teacher refused to budge. A pro-life pregnancy center was providing tender care for expectant mothers. A state law forced the center to display a sign promoting abortion.

Somewhere along the line, Christians must stand up and say, “We’ve had enough! This has to stop!”

While it is true that we are to live in subjection to our governing authorities (Romans 13:1), this does not mean that we have to accept laws that say an unborn child has no human rights, and no worth; that the child may be deemed as inconvenience and a burden to society, and therefore can be legally destroyed. Just because we are subject to our governing authorities does not mean we have to support unbridled sexual license.

The society in which we live is not going to express the “Christian view,” but Christ’s followers not only need to express it, they must express it!

Danny Tunnell

    “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces” (Matthew 7:6). In biblical times people had a different view of dogs and pigs than we have in our society. Therefore, to understand this interesting statement of Jesus, one must first see what the people of the first century thought of these animals, then we can make applications.

Dogs were seldom domesticated in biblical times like they are today. Usually, they roamed in packs and would attach individuals when they were provoked or hungry. Therefore, the Jews had a very negative view of them, A psalmist said about people, “For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me” (Psalm 22:16). This is Hebrew parallelism in which the word “dogs” is equal to “evildoers.” To call someone a “dog” was a tremendous insult. Goliath was insulted when David came to fight him with just a sling and he said, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” (I Samuel 17:43). When Shemei kicked dirt on King David Abishai came to his defense and called the kicker “a dead dog” (2 Samuel 16:9). The Jews called Gentile people “dogs” (Matthew 15:26-27). Paul even called false teachers “dogs” (Philippians 3:2).

In the Old Testament, probably for health reasons, God forbade His people from eating pork (Leviticus 11:7; Deuteronomy 14:8). They were considered unclean animals. Not only would Jews not eat them, they did not even want to be around them. Often pigs roamed in the wild and would sometimes attack people. The Jewish attitude toward pigs makes Jesus’ story of the prodigal son even more graphic in that this Jewish boy had fallen on hard times in a foreign country so much so that he had gotten a job feeding pigs and was so hungry he would have been glad to eat what the pigs were eating but no one would give them to him (Luke 15:15-16).

In his commentary on this passage Sellers S. Crain points out that the phrase “what is holy” was a phrase used to describe the meat that was offered as a sacrifice to God (Exodus 29:33; Leviticus 2:3) and that no Jew would dare offer a dog a piece of that holy meat (Truth for Today Commentary Matthew 1-13, p.243). It is also easy to see that no one would take valuable pearls and throw them into a hog pen. The hogs would just trample them under their feet because the pigs did not see the value in pearls.

What Is the Application?

How are we to apply this message which Jesus spoke in the Sermon on the Mount? What is that which is holy and has great value like pearls? To whom are we not to give that which is holy and precious and why should we not do it?

To help us properly apply this verse we must realize that this verse follows Jesus’ instruction about not judging or condemning others, especially when we have a bigger problem in our lives than the problems of the people we are condemning. So, our text must have something to do with making a judgment or a wise decision. The application also deals with giving something to someone. What are we to give that is holy, but are not to give it to those who do not appreciate it?

First, God’s Word is holy, and everyone needs to hear that word so that they can be saved. But, there are people who do not appreciate it and may even use it to attack us. Some of these people have so little regard for God and His word that we have no common ground from which to present God’s word. It is a waste of time. They are not ready to hear what it says. Something must happen in their lives to make them want to hear what God has said. I have taught hundreds of people in one-on-one study sessions but to the best of my knowledge I’ve only walked away from two of those studies. I walked away because something led me to believe that it was like casting pearls before swine. I thought long and hard about the situation before I walked away because of the seriousness of the situation. As was said, this verse follows a section of Scripture where God speaks about the seriousness of making the wrong judgment. It is true that God did not make us soil-testers, but sowers of the seed. But Jesus also taught that we are to judge people by the fruit one bears (Matthew 7:15-20). If one is constantly twisting and perverting Scripture, then one may have to decide that at this time this person is not ready to accept the Word of God therefore it is like casting pearls into a pig pen.

Second, sometimes there are topics that are very valuable and need to be discussed but troubling to some and to discuss that with them may do them damage. They may not be mature enough to handle the subject at that time. Each of us needs God’s guidance so that we may be wise enough to know when truth on some subjects will help or hurt an individual.

Third, Guy Orbison in Matthew 1-13 –  Workshop in the Word notes gives an interesting idea as to an application of this text. He thinks the whole context is talking about “pretentiousness” with an attitude of “I am right – You are wrong” or an action that makes one look like he or she is more “holy” than others. Some of our actions may shine a light in the dark, but at other times people may view our actions as rubbing religion in their face which is like casting pearls (a religious action) before people who do not appreciate it. In that situation, the people of the world are like pigs who do not see our actions as sincere therefore what we think is a pearl is not seen by the world as valuable and our actions, to them, seem insincere. Therefore, they see our action as “pretentiousness” and are turned farther away from truth.

As an example of this, Orbison gives an illustration about praying in front of people who do not appreciate it. They see our praying as pretentiousness rather than as something valuable as a pearl.

Conclusion

Because Jesus made the statement quoted at the beginning of this article, it is an important truth which we must practice. Even though we may see the application applied in different situations, and may disagree with some of the views people may have about this passage, we must strive to know what He meant and then apply it in our lives. May we strive to apply this truth to the best of our ability.

Wayne Burger