Charity, A More Excellent Way - Part 3

Ever follow that which is good, Paul said. You see this reoccurring theme show up in every Pauline epistle. You see many passages on simply being “good”, "decent", "full of charity". Nothing deep and nothing mystical. Nothing elusive to man. You see this same theme of thought and action in our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the essence of Him. It is how we are to shine. Good works, and loving others. Helping others. Humble and giving. Forgiving and patient with saints and sinners. Nothing profound. Being “decent, gentle, hospitable, giving, full of love, charity, encouraging, giving of your self, blameless, a living sacrifice, providing all things honest", and so on.

Romans 12:8 ~ Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

2 Corinthians 11:3 ~ But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

What is absolutely sure of the Pauline epistles, that we do not see is: “Turn oh Backsliding children, repent of your sodomy, and wickedness, set thine house in order for thou shalt die, run ye to and fro through the streets...and seek in the broad places."

Paul's primary concern was representing Christ and His glorious gospel, so that men would be persuaded to of their own free will to believe in Christ, much like an ambassador. You find Paul appealing to the free will of man much like Jesus Christ did. The Jews of Paul’s day had all these vices and outward manifestations of sin, the same as we do today. Only technology has changed the form of some. Paul focused on the edification of the body and the growth of Christians. He focused on preaching the gospel of Christ without charge. He focused on pleasing Him in all things. He focused on being filled with charity. He spoke of conforming to His image. He sought to persuade men and not dissuade them. Maybe Paul just assumed that if one attempted to walk a holy, consecrated life, these things of vanity would find their proper places, and the fruits of the spirit would naturally grow in a Christian surrendered. These fruits would not produce anything that reproaches His name.

Why do we focus on the flesh so? Many times, I believe it is because we are in the flesh ourselves. We seek occasion of the flesh, only we mask it better then the lost. Some men love to get a rise out of others! Many preachers love to boast of their hard preaching. Men of a condescending mind love making sinners uncomfortable rather than showing them their error and the true Way in a charitable manner. Fundamental Baptist preachers are known for biblical destruction proceeding out of our mouths. Some Christians enjoy telling how they ruined peoples' day by getting them worked up and embarrassed by them not being able to match their seemingly infinite Bible knowledge. We like having bragging rights don't we? These actions are far from the mark of charity.

We like to brag about how we destroyed that ignorant Christian at the work place or on the street. Many preacher fellowships consist of men boasting of preaching so hard that people left during the very act of the showing of our flesh. We cover it up with zeal and our fire for God to appease our consciences and fool others by acting as if we have reason for being rude, disrespectful, condescending, humiliating the offenders, calling them by name in our boldness, creating an occasion, having a controversy, that we may be seen of men. It is not the spirit of God that compels a Christian to act in this manner!

The individuals consecration is often ignored for the sake of the work of the gospel, or the wrath of the gospel. There is no push to get the blood off your hands with every sinner and heathen you come in contact with in the New Testament as in some Old Testament passages. There is no indication of blood on our hands or ultimate responsibility for anyones' soul in the New Testament save our own. We are vessels to be used by the Master. We may give account for not testifying, but no blood will be on our hands. Considering how cruel we can be in our witnessing, I would think there would be more of a chance of blood being on our hands if we are the cause of someone's rejection!

Men will be held accountable for why they rejected HIM, not for why they didn't listen to us. We are not any random sinners only way into heaven. Many own a Bible, but they neglect it because they reject Him. We may suffer loss for not testifying of Him, but there is no indication of anyones' blood being required of the Christian. Preachers are to be ready to preach the word of God with boldness to persuade men to believe in Jesus Christ and His eternal justification of sinners. Christians are to be ready to answer men who ask of the reason of the hope that is within us. God is the one who works with the words that come out of our mouths. It is His spirit that will use them. If our spirit is not representative of understanding and sound doctrine, He will not bless it, and His power may not be behind it. God is not the author of confusion! Let all things be done decently and in order! If our words are not aligned with His new covenant and new testament, then we are preaching for other agendas. If men step into another dispensation for some truth they give you that is contrary to the New Testament, they have other agendas!

If charity is not being used from the pulpits, in the work place, the streets, or any other place we are more apt to just have an occasion of the flesh, contention, confrontation, controversy. Man responds of his OWN free will! But this attitude of talking to everyone we meet right away is dangerous. Preachers try to equate Paul's use of the phrase with Ezekiel's, "and blood is in their hands" with what Paul mentioned in Acts 20:26, “I am pure from the blood of all men”. But this was Paul addressing the elders (20:17). It doesn't even apply to the situation, it is just used because it sounds similar to the previously mentioned passage. Men will just preach something if it sounds good or proves a point. Paul went everywhere preaching and teaching the gospel and the more excellent way. And he preached it orderly and as much as lieth in him, peaceably. It was his testimony. It was the established gospel message from his revelation from the Lord. That was all the counsel in the context of Acts 20. The gospel! Acts 20:27 ~ For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. The counsel of God was the gospel! It was HIS councel for all men!

We should be able to converse with sinners in a fashion to gain them, not deride them for their wickedness to "get the blood off of our hands" so we are not to be blamed at the Judgment. "Your blood is off my hands wicked sinner, I'll see you at the Judgment!" Men that have this philosophy are hellbent on telling every sinner they can because they think if God places them in contact with people, that He did it to tell them the gospel message. It's their calling and so forth. Sometimes we are not to go for decision. After all, that is not the only thing that true, effective soul-winning should focus upon. Soul winning is not commanded, but it is a wise practice. Because of this, sometimes we are to plant, and to water. You can't push or rush salvation. A man can claim his ministry is whatever he wants, but a New Testament ministry does not advocate and will not produce maliciousness, hastiness, wantonness, pride, railing, scorn, confusion and derision. All these sorts of traits are all polar opposites of how Paul and New Testament Christians dealt with lost sinners.

Why should we not seek to be sanctified and give our “whole spirit, and soul and body" to Him. To “be preserved blameless” before the world and unto the coming of our Lord so when we preach of the gospel, we don't “appear” to be evil, lifted up with our own pride, or as to give a first impression of wrath, and judgment, as many of us do. We are we so afraid of charitable acts of love to manifest Christ. Why are we afraid to seek the fruits that the New Testament talks about? Because it makes us look or seem soft? Do we really believe Christ can be shone forth in us, to interest a sinner, or are we to busy making sure all the sinners hear what we have to say about the God of the Bible, and all his righteousness, often leaving off the gospel of His grace and His more excellent sacrifice?

We have a more excellent way. More excellent than what? The law, the temple, the storehouse, the tithes, the obligations, the offerings, the precepts, the commands man cannot keep by nature, the sacrifices, the rams, the lambs. We have a “more excellent sacrifice” in Christ. We have a “more excellent way” in Paul. Isaiah said, “This is the way, walk ye in it”. Should we seek to learn, study and see what that way is? The way of the prophets? Or should we concern ourselves with the New Testament Way?

Paul said we have a more excellent way that he said he shewed. Not a way back into bondage or the “yoke” of religion, not liberty to sin willfully, but a way of charity and love, of liberty in Christ. We are to use the gift of the spirit of God dwelling in US, the body of Christ, a light unto the world, to witness of “what great things he hath done for me”. We are His body, we are ambassadors for HIM, we are to behave ourselves circumspectly among the sinners and the saved. He dwelleth in us, so we should show forth good works that are conformable to Him and His New Testament, not the prophets and the law.