Act as Though You’re Deaf
Leon Mauldin
We trust that our readers are familiar with Israel’s request to Samuel that he make them a king, so “that we also may be like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:20). Having prayed to God, and having warned the people of how the reality of their having a king would greatly differ from their naive perception, Samuel sent the people home. Although the people might ask for a king, it was God, and not the people, who would select the king.
The next chapter (1 Samuel 9) tells of Samuel’s first meeting with Saul when Saul was looking for his father’s donkeys, and how God had revealed to Samuel the day before that Saul was to be king. Saul was Samuel’s guest at supper, and then spent the night with him. The next morning, as Saul was leaving to go back home, Samuel anointed Saul (privately) to be king. He told Saul of three signs which would occur on the way home, and it came to pass as Samuel had said, thus confirming that it was God’s will that Saul be king (1 Samuel 10:1-2).
Then the appointed time came that all the people were assembled. When it came to present Saul to the people as king, Jehovah revealed that he was hidden among the baggage. But he was brought forth, and Samuel said to all the people, “See ye him whom Jehovah hath chosen” (1 Samuel 10:24). “And all the people shouted, and said, Long live the king.” (v.24)
However, the text goes on to show that these sentiments were not unanimous. “But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present” (v. 27). Please remember that Saul did not run for office; he was not elected by the people. God chose him to be king. The people were happy with God’s choice. They were all very pleased, and satisfied, with the exception of those in this verse. It seems there are some in every crowd. Even though Saul was the man God chose, these few had nothing but scorn and ridicule for him.
But we are interested in looking at Saul’s response; how would the new king deal with those who spoke so disparagingly” of him? The text answers, “But he held his peace” (v. 27). If you have a reference Bible, you probably have a footnote which reads, “But he was as though he had been deaf.” That does not say that Saul was deaf, for he was not. Nor does it mean that he did not hear what these “worthless fellows” said, for he did. But it means that so far as any reaction on Saul’s part, it was as though he were deaf.
I believe there are some important lessons to be learned from Saul’s behavior. For one thing, every unfair and untrue statement that someone makes does not have to become our lifelong obsession. While people should be made to be accountable for what they say, and although there is a time for confrontation, there is also a time to “act as though you are deaf.” Saul gained more ground by considering the source, and ignoring the snide remark, than would have been the case had he dignified them with a response. Sometimes the best way to extinguish unwanted behavior is to ignore it.
A second lesson has to do with self-esteem. We see from Saul that when one knows who he is, and is not in a defensive posture, that he doesn’t have to prove anything to unfair critics. You see, Saul knew that God had chosen him to be king; he knew what Samuel had told him in private conversation; the signs Samuel foretold had come to pass, confirming Samuel’s words. In short, though modest and humble, there was no doubt in Saul’s mind as to who he was; he knew he was king. Therefore, with proper self-esteem, he did not feel threatened because some were so ugly in their remarks which questioned his ability to serve as king.
The same principle holds true for children of God today. There is every reason for a child of God who is striving to live as God reveals in His Word, to have healthy self-esteem. We do not deny that efforts will be made to intimidate a Christian, or to put him in a defensive posture. But if we can remember who we are in Christ, we will be able to overcome these efforts of intimidation, and or feeling threatened.
A third lesson has to do with the difference between acting and reacting. When one reacts, his behavior depends upon the attitude and actions of others. If someone shouts at you, you shout back. If they call you a name, you call them one. If they revile you, revile them back. In short, when you react, you turn the “controls” over to others. On the other hand, when one acts his conduct is independent of what others do. He assesses the situation, and then decides what his course of action will be. For the Christian, this means that one will always act in keeping with God’s word, regardless of what others may do (or not do). This may be illustrated in marriage. One given to reaction conducts himself/herself on the basis that “I’ll do my part, if my spouse will do his part.” This is reacting. Acting is when one says, “I will be the kind of spouse God tells me to be, regardless of the conduct of my spouse.”
Saul acted instead of reacting. His conduct did not depend upon what these worthless men said. He retained control of himself, instead of turning it over to them. He did not allow them to cause him to assume a defensive posture, and retaliate accordingly. If only he had continued with this behavior. If only you and I will have the wisdom to apply these principles!
via The Old Hickory Bulletin, 11-5-23
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Narrow Mindedness
Cecil F. Cox
Do you like narrow-minded people? I believe the majority of the people, if they answered that question honestly, would say “NO!” Such an attitude reflects the desire to prejudice or belittle those who sincerely seek to go by the rules and laws in life. But I believe many of us appreciate narrow-minded people when we stop and really look at the facts of the matter. Check a few of these facts with me:
- A pharmacist who fills the prescription according to the doctor’s orders and not according to some ideas he may have.
- The builder who builds a house according to the blueprint. If he does, there will be no surprise as to the looks and proper function of the building.
- The math teacher who insists on teaching according to the laws of mathematics.
- The football (or baseball, etc.) official who insists on calling the game according to the rules and not giving favors to one team or the other.
- The chemist who insists on following the prescribed formulas viz. water is two parts Hydrogen and one part Oxygen.
We can see that a broadminded attitude has no place in these things and many others we could mention. There is no room at all for the attitude which suggests that one may change rules and laws to please his own desires.
With these comments in mind, we can see and appreciate the preacher who insists upon a “thus saith the Lord” and bases his sermons upon “book, chapter, and verse.” Sometimes, such a one may be considered narrow-minded. But such a tactic is used to prejudice the hearer against one who insists upon following the Word of God in all that is taught and practiced in religion.
For example, one may insist that faith in Jesus Christ is essential to everlasting life and gives Jno. 3:16 as his proof. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” He teaches that one must repent of his sins and give Paul’s words to certain philosophers at Mars Hill, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent…” (Acts 17:30). He may also insist that a confession of that faith is “unto salvation,” He cites Rom. 10:9,10 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” He also shows that one must be baptized for the remission of his sins. He gives 1 Pet. 3:20,21 for his proof. “There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…” Ananias told Saul of Tarsus, “And now why tarriest thou, or why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” What are you going to say about such a one? Are you going to say he is “narrow-minded and by such seek to prejudice people against the Word of God? I say, “Thank God for individuals who are determined not to follow their own rules in religion. We do not need men who teach their own ideas and lead souls away from the Will of God.
I wish to leave with you the words of Paul as is found in Acts 20:32, “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”
The Gospel Power, Vol. 17, No. 2, Feb. 2010.
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Remembering and Forgetting
(Psalm 25:6-7)
Mike Johnson
Psalm 25:6-7 says, “Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Your mercy remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.” In these verses, David is asking God to remember and to forget. David wants God to remember His tender mercies and His loving-kindness, which he describes as being “from of old.” Although David wanted God to remember His tender mercies and His loving-kindness, he did not want God to remember the transgressions of his youth, perhaps referencing his sins with Bathsheba. Whatever it was, he was going back to sins he had committed many years before when he was young. He is asking for mercy and is acknowledging God’s goodness. David is asking God to forget the sins of his youth in the sense of not holding them against him.
As noted, verses 6-7 speak of God remembering or not remembering. This concept is found various other times in the Scriptures (Gen. 8:1, Ex. 2:24). Someone might say, “Does God forget and remember like humans? I thought He was supposed to be God.” Typically, when we speak of remembering, we mean calling something forgotten to our minds, but this is not the meaning concerning God. In the Bible, referring to God as forgetting and remembering is anthropomorphism. This figure of speech ascribes certain traits of finite humanity to the infinite God. It involves “the attribution of human characteristics to God, specifically the conceptualization of God as having aspects of the human form…” (Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible). For example, other passages in the Bible ascribe God with feet (Ex. 24:10), hands (Jn. 10:29), an arm (Jn. 12:38), a face (Mt. 18:10), and a heart (Hos. 11:8). This figure of speech helps us to understand God’s work from a human perspective. God does not forget as man does. With reference to God, remembering is usually followed by some course of action or work on behalf of His people. It emphasizes God’s faithfulness and His everlasting care. When God “remembers” sin, He punishes it (Ps. 25:7), and when He “remembers” His people, He blesses them (Neh. 13:14-29). Proof then follows, showing He never forgets, and He works in perpetuity.
The Bible teaches that God is infinite and all-knowing (Is. 40:13-14; Ps. 147:5; I Jn. 3:20). Further, He is perfect and is not subject to man’s shortcomings (Deut. 32:4; Ps. 92:15; Mt. 5:48). God is different from man (Job 9:32) — God is a Spirit (Jn. 4:24). It may seem like God has forgotten us, but He has not (Is. 49:14-15).
God “forgets” our sins when we comply with His conditions for forgiveness. After receiving forgiveness, however, it is sometimes difficult for us to totally erase sin from our memories (Ps. 51:3, Gal. 1:13). Recalling deeds of the past and their consequences can encourage us to avoid making the same mistakes. However, we must not remember our sins in the sense of letting them hinder our future service to God. We need to make sure we do not negatively dwell on that which God has forgiven.
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Some Facts About Christmas
Tom Moody
The word “Christmas” is formed by the combining of the words “Christ” and “mass,” thus, “the Mass of Christ.” The holiday as we know it originated with Roman Catholic ritual, although the ultimate origin of many of the customs of the season is not Catholicism, but paganism.
No one knows the birth date of Jesus. We do not know it because God did not choose to reveal it. Early writers not only acknowledged ignorance of the date of Christ’s birth but also repudiated the idea of a special observance of his birth. “As late as 245 A.D. Origen … repudiated the idea of keeping the birthday of Christ … Clement of Alexandria (ca.200 A.D.) mentions several speculations on the date of Christ’s birth and condemns them as superstitious. Some chronologists, he says, alleged the birth to have occurred in the 28th year of Augustus, on 25 Pachon (an Egyptian month); i.e., May 20. Others assign it to 24 or 25 Pharrnuth (April 19 or 20).” (Encyclopedia Britannica).
A consideration of the facts brings us to these important conclusions concerning the religious observance of Christmas or any special ceremonies or observances surrounding the birthday of Christ:
- We do not know the date of Christ’s birth. God did not choose to reveal it.
- The celebration of Jesus’ birth did not begin until several hundred years after the beginning of the church.
- The special religious observance of Christ’s birth is the combination of Roman Catholic and pagan traditions and rituals.
- The Bible says nothing about such an observance, and it is therefore unscriptural.
All that we do, in word or deed, is to be done “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (CoI.3:17). “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom.14:23). “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. l0:17). Regardless of piety or sincerity involved, activities such as religious observance of Christmas or Easter are not authorized by God’s word, and therefore are not pleasing to the Lord.
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| Terry Benton |
Peter writes with the authority of an “apostle” of Jesus Christ and he writes to the Christians who were scattered. In 1 Peter 1:1, Peter speaks of “pilgrims of the dispersion.” He was likely speaking of the Christians who had been scattered since the days when persecution had scattered the church everywhere (See Acts 8:1ff). Many of these brethren had to leave their homes in order to keep their faith and family together.
A pilgrim sees himself as on a journey. The houses he happens to stay in are viewed as temporary places to stop on his way to the enduring land he seeks. Many of us in these prosperous United States have come to think of ourselves as permanent residents of our homes. We work and live as if it is all about having and keeping this house. We allow ourselves to become slaves of material things. One day all of this stuff is going to burn up. Our children will need “faith” in God and spiritual directions for living.
We need to see ourselves as pilgrims, just passing through this world, on our way to the more permanent home prepared for God’s people. Do you really view yourself as a “pilgrim”? Is your heart set on going to heaven? Do people you live with KNOW that your heart is set on something greater than this world offers? How can you really be a pilgrim if no one you work with or no one you live with knows that your heart is set on going to heaven? Pilgrims make preparations for their journey. What kind of preparations are you making for heaven?
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Sermon
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The Deadly Root of Bitterness
Mike Johnson
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Editor: Mike Johnson
www.seekingthingsabove.org