Charity, A More Excellent Way - Part 2

1 Timothy 1:3 ~ As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

Why would Bible believing preachers and men not recognize a overwhelming theme in the New Testament? We are the ones obligated to give out pure truth. It's the end of the commandment. It is a New Testament command if I ever saw one. Jesus, Paul, John, and Peter all spoke of it. You can have the truth. You can be bold with the truth. You can preach hard with the truth. But you will be doing it in the flesh if you don't have charity in your heart. Many churches rain down law and letter as if they were actually under it still. We know the law is good, admonishing, and exemplary. However it was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. When we step outside of our dispensation to preach for profit, popularity, or pride, our conduct is more complicit with the Old Testament. This unbalanced spirit has always reminded me of Paul in Galatians 4 and 6 dealing with men and keeping others in some sort of spiritual bondage.

Galatians 4:17-18 ~ They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.

18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

Galatians 6:12-13 ~ As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

This is not the zeal that God desires for the New Testament Christian. Zeal can be very good, or very damaging! Paul conceded that these zealots were effective to some extent. It's why he was so jealous over the gospel of grace in Galatians 1. It is clear these were men keeping other men under a law. We see much more of the same today. Preachers should strongly consider forsaking the sounding brass of Isaiah’s way, and the way of the prophets. The prophets do not exude charity in the least. Forsake the Fundamentalists' old time religion with the hell fire, “louder and harder than they” mentality. We can still thunder and preach His Book. We can still seek God’s power. It’s the Holy Spirit of God and the Book of God that give us the authority anyway, not we ourselves. Why are we trying to clearly be like men we are NOT? A trumpet gives a LOUD and DISTINCT sound. A trumpet gives a loud and distinct noise, not loud and boisterous. Loud, yes, but with understanding and not confusion. When our manners and behavior before the world and other Christians brings confusion instead of charity, the fact that they are not coming to Christ may not be the sinners fault, but ours.

Colossians 3:14 ~ And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

1 Timothy 4:12 ~ Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

2 Timothy 2:22 ~ Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2 Timothy 3:10 ~ But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience

Titus 2:2 ~ That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

1 Peter 4:8 ~ And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

2 Peter 1:5-9 ~ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Here is another reference to a people being blind. Us Laodicean Christians, and more importantly, preachers, need to anoint our eyes with eye salve, and put away our childish actions, and learn charity. If nearly everything between the two Testaments changed, more excellent in every way, why not our preaching? Why not our manners? Why not our conversations? We don’t preach like the prophets. Through Jesus, Luke, Paul, Peter, John, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, we see how we should preach and otherwise act publicly before the Jew, Gentile, all men, and the church of God, that the ministry be not blamed! There is no mystery on how to conduct ourselves as Christians and preachers. We see it in His Word.

Phillipians 1:6-13 ~ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.

11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;

It is not the defense of righteousness we see in verse 7. It is the defense of the gospel. This is a fortification, a defending of the truth that is in Christ. In Acts 22 Paul says, “Hear ye my defense”. When Paul says abound in “knowledge and in all judgment” it is not a mentioning of the “judgment of hell”, or God’s wrath to come, but a discerning of all things.

Why should our LOVE abound in knowledge and judgment? Why should our hearts be focused on abounding in knowledge and discernment? To “approve things that are excellent” that ye may be “sincere and without offence till the day of Christ”. We are to approve things that are excellent. A more excellent way. A more excellent sacrifice. A more excellent ministry. We don't see commands to set up landmarks and remove the false worshippers and idols like the prophets were commanded to do. We are told to stand, civilly, against the wiles of the devil, in this present world. Stand against his trickery and deceit. We don't reform the wickedness of the world, we preach the gospel to the wicked world. Having done all to STAND!

The Holy Spirit wants us to be filled with HIS fruits of righteousness! Paul wants us to “understand” (12) as he wants the church and the “unlearned” to understand (1 Corinthians 14). This is why we must look to charity. We are not to speak as a “barbarian”! This method of delivering without understanding creates a separation. I realize the context of 1 Corinthians 14 is tongues, but it is also, prophecy, and understanding. We also know through a study of prophecy in the New Testament, that prophecy is preaching in the New Testament.

I Corinthians 14:10-16 ~ There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

We are to prove all things, hold fast that which is right, sincere and without offence, blameless, these are all parts of the more excellent way. If we do not have charity, there will be little increase. If there be not charity, there will be very little edification. If people are not being edified in our churches, they are not being established. If charity is what we lack, there will be little giving. Charity leads to love of the brotherhood which leads to the natural edification of the body, and a natural unforced love for sinners who NEED God. Charity leads to all good works.

1 Thessolonains 5:11-28 ~ Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

19 Quench not the Spirit.

20 Despise not prophesyings.

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

25 Brethren, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Those that “labour” among you, esteem them very highly IN LOVE for their work’s sake. Not measure or compare, but commending, esteeming them. Giving them honor. Paul said be at peace among yourselves, “warn them that are unruly”. The application is “those among you” in the body. Not the lost. This is another example where men take this passage and apply it to the lost or whatever they feel like preaching against that day. Also, notice the wording. It is the “unruly”, against rule, out of order. It is not simply they that sin, rebuke before all that others may fear. Men will go to that passage in 1 Timothy 5 to rebuke anyone and everyone they can. That passage was dealing with a specific problem involving, surprisingly enough, an elder! Paul's many references to separating from other Christians was always referring to those who were out of order and contrary within the churches. Religious and destitute men who corrupted the words of God and attempted to lord over others.

We see support the weak, not tread on them. We see mention of being patient towards all men, not intolerant. How does the Christian get around such “effectual" emotions? This is much of what we saw in Christ and Paul. These things were left to us by Paul. Things about charity and love. Things we cannot ignore. Why do we try conjure the spirit of the prophets, and constantly go to Elijah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah? Because these men, these are the ones that men can find in the Word of God that fit their ideals, traditions, and the religious system of how things are done.