Christian Ethics, Pt. 2: The Principles of Contentment or Satisfaction. Hebrews 13: 5-6
Words
forsake: to give up or leave (someone or something) entirely or completely.
Introduction
The book of Hebrews resolves in chapter 13 in a series of practical exhortations. And we were reminded before there is exhortation (劝告) to application (duty- responsibility), there is instruction in doctrine. Doctrine is the foundation on which application is built. Your obedience to a given standard doesn't mean anything unless there's a reason for that standard. And so doctrine always precedes application. Position always precedes practice. , because of who you are in Christ, and what is yours in Christ, and in the new covenant, this kind of behavior patterns is expected from you. We are reminded also that no man will ever be able to follow these ethics, unless he knows Jesus Christ. Otherwise he has no power to do so. So doctrine then applications, and this is very, very important, because if we're going to proclaim our doctrine to the world, we're going to have to match it with our life. We must live a holy life that is needful in order for people to listen to what we say. Secondly, for the sake of our own personal joy. You know, a Christian who does not live according to God's standards lives apart from the joy that is his. You can't sin and disobey all of God's standards and be a happy Christian. In Psalm 19, "The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eye." Obeying God's standard brings joy. In Psalm 64:10 "The righteous shall be glad in the Lord." In other words, the man who lives a righteous life is a happy man. Psalm 68:3 "But let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yea, let them exceedingly rejoice." A by-product of righteousness is rejoicing. You want to be a happy person, do right. Obey God's standards. Psalm 97:11 takes it another step: "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." Happy people are people who obey God. Psalm 119:111 for example, "Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart." The word "testimonies" means the commandments, the instructions, the statutes, the law of God. What makes me most happy, says David, is obedience to God's standards.
When you clearly communicate your faith to somebody else, that becomes joy too. They're interchangeable. In 1 Thessalonians 2:19, "What is our hope or joy, or crown of rejoicing?" When people get saved, that's what makes Paul happy. Verse 20 "For you are our glory and joy." In the book of Hebrews, in the thirteenth chapter, lays down the principles of conduct that can bring about the salvation of others and joy to our own selves.
Last week, we learned that we can reduce Christian conduct to a simple, common denominator. There it is- love people.
Love is a basic principle. It's the principle of self-sacrifice, based on humility. There's a second ethic that we have learned is not only sustained love, but sympathy. Sympathy can be shown in three ways, at least. Many ways, but here's three interesting ways in the New Testament.
(1) Just being there, where they are. 2 Timothy 1:16, "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain. But when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy in the Lord in that day and in many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well." By your personal presence with somebody in need.
(2) Doing deeds of love. Philippians 4. Paul needed some sympathy, he was in jail. Phil 4:14, "Not withstanding you have well done that you did share with my affliction. Now you Philippians know that in the beginning of the Gospel when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me as concerning giving and receiving, but you only." In other words, nobody gave me any money to carry on my ministry. "For even in Thessalonica, you sent once and again unto my necessity, not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account." I'm glad you're giving, not because I get the money, but because when you give, you get blessed. Verse 18, "But I have all and abound," I'm full, "having received of Aphrodite’s the things which were sent from you. An odor of sweet smell, sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God."
(3) Pray for the one in need. Colossians 4:18--Paul closes Colossians with these words: "Remember my bonds."
In Romans 13:8 “Owe no man anything, but to love one another." There's only one debt we're to owe people, and that's the debt to love them, and it's a debt, the more you pay, the more you owe. "Owe no man anything but to love one another. For he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For the law says don't commit adultery, don't kill, don't steal, don't bear false witness [which means to lie], don't covet, and if there be any other commandment, you could put them all together in one saying. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. For love works no ill to its neighbor, for love is the fulfilling of the law." That's why, you see, in Hebrews 13 it doesn't need to list a whole lot of things. All it needs to say is just love, and that'll take care of the law.
Next, we are to be sexual pure, verse 4. "Let marriage be honorable in all, let the bed be undefiled, for fornicators and adulterers God will judge."
For a single sister see to it that the man after you, has developed his love for you where the most important thing in his life is your beauty and purity and holiness. Personal purity is always a battle. It's a battle for everybody.
Satisfaction Hebrews 13: 5-6
The second thing in terms of an ethic, really involving ourselves is not only sexual purity, but satisfaction, verse 5. Let your manner of life be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have, for He has said I'll never leave thee or forsake thee." In 1 Timothy, 6:6. ..but godliness with contentment is great gain. You want to really be rich--be happy with what you have. A rich man is the man who has all that he needs, and the knowledge that God has everything he'll ever need. If you have the Lord, you have it all. If a man has everything, and has not Christ, he has nothing. If he has nothing, but has Christ, he has everything.
Now the most common form of covetousness is the love of money, lusting after material riches. Now I want you to look at the verse 5, "Let your manner of life be without covetousness." Luke 12:15, "And he said unto them take heed and beware of covetousness for a man's life consists not in the abundance of things he possesses." Lusting after material riches is sin. Now I'm not saying it's wrong to have money, it's just wrong to lust after it. It's says the love of money is the root of all evil. In fact, Deuteronomy 8:18 says God is the one who gives you power to get wealth, and some of the wealthiest men in the world were godly men. Job, Abraham, and even today. But here's the key exhortation, Psalm 62:10, "If riches increase [and they might] set not thine heart upon them." You may get it; if you get it, don't love it.
In Psalm 37:25 , I've been around a long time and I've never seen God's children begging bread. Ecclesiates 5:10, "He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase." It's the law of diminishing returns. Yet for many people, the more you have the more you want. People are kept from salvation by the love of money, and Christians are kept from joy, because of the desire to have more. Don't be covetous.
Satisfaction or contentment comes from:
1. Realize Gods goodness. Contentment or satisfaction comes when you realize God is good. Romans 8:28 "All things work together for good to them that love God." Paul said, "My God shall supply all your needs.”
2. Realize God is omniscient. He knows what you need before you ever ask. Psalm 37 :18, 19 and 25--never see the Lord's children begging bread.
3. Realize what you deserve. Genesis 32:10, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies." Everything I have I don't deserve. I'm rich.
4. Realize God's supremacy. That is, realize God will give you what He thinks you need. And He'll supply what you need for all the things in your life. But for some, God wants them to be poor, and for others, He wants them to be rich. And He has a plan. First Samuel 2:7, "The Lord makest poor, and maketh rich." The Lord is in charge of all that. "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, lifteth up the beggar from the refuse to set them among princes, and make them inherit the throne of glory." In other words, God brings people up who come from nowhere and earn fortunes. Just realize He's omniscient. He knows who gets what, and He's also powerful. He gives who gets what. He's supreme.
5. Realize what true riches really are. Colossians 3:2, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
Then finally, it comes from communion. Do you spend time with God? The longer you concentrate on His glory, the less you're going to care about money. When you're lost in Jesus Christ, you are so overwhelmed with how rich you are, that you could care less about anything else. So with the realization mentioned earlier and communion. Well, the world's going to pass away, and everything in it. So you don't want to lay up treasure on earth, lay it up in heaven.
Questions
1. Share any thanksgivings or what we can pray for you this week with your group?
2. Why must we live a holy life? Do the people in your office knows you are a Christian?
3. What are the challenges of living a Christian life in your office?
4. What can bring joy to a Christian in today’s lesson? Have you experienced it, share it, if not why not?
5. What are the three ways love can be expressed in sympathy?
6. From our lesson today, how can we learn to be contented or satisfied?
