Date: 5/21/12
Read
6:6 Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. 6:7 For we have brought nothing into this world and so* we cannot take a single thing out either. 6:8 But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that.* 6:9 Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 6:10 For the love of money is the root* of all evils.* Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.
6:11 But you, as a person dedicated to God,* keep away from all that.* Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. 6:12 Compete well* for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession* for* in the presence of many witnesses. 6:13 I charge you* before God who gives life to all things and Christ Jesus who made his good confession* before Pontius Pilate, 6:14 to obey* this command* without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ 6:15 – whose appearing* the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, will reveal at the right time. 6:16 He alone possesses immortality and lives in unapproachable light, whom no human has ever seen or is able to see. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.
Record
Obey this command … until ...Reflect
- Our obedience (of this kind) looks forward to the revelation of Christ. He is coming, and because he is coming, we obey looking forward to that appearing.
- How do our obedience and his coming relate to one another?
- He's the King, and obedience is only appropriate. Plus, he brings regal reward with him (12-13). But this seems to simple, and frankly, too ineffective, as a motivator.
- It brings great profit (6).
- It brings contentment (7-8).
- All other ways are traps (9-10).
- It is the only way of God's blinding glory (15-16).
- Godliness is the only lifestyle/behavior that relates to God's glory. Above the simplistic "being good," godliness is God-liness - living consonant with God's attributes, consistent with his greatness. To obey is to choose to keep company with God's characteristics.
Respond
- You are the awesome, eternal, glorious King! We cannot approach you in our present state, although covered in Christ, we can in fact boldly approach the throne of grace. Your holiness is beyond our comprehension, the radiance of your glory exceeds our capacity.You have our future laid out and ready to reveal, and that future gives you the honor you deserve - the honor we don't yet have the capacity to render.
- Too often, I choose to keep company with the world's characteristics … or even the characteristics of the prince of this age. I mistakenly think I will find joy and meaning there, but in that company, there is only emptiness. It is a trap.
- Thank you that you do not allow my soul to be satisfied anywhere else. Change my stubborn will that resists accepting this truth.
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