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Peter Wade.
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The God of Detail(Part 2) by F.E. Marsh
One of the earliest of the Epistles, if not the earliest, is Paul's letter to the Church in Thessalonica. It is generally agreed that this Epistle was written A.D. 54 to 56. We are sometimes told that these earlier epistles do not give us the larger view that the later ones do, but is that so? We shall find in these letters the ten great truths of the Bible, namely, the doctrines of God, the Bible, Christ, the Holy Spirit, man, sin, salvation, the Church, Angels, and the last things. We can only hint at these, and must leave the Bible student to work them out.
"God the Father... God our Father" (1:1), "Election of God" (1:4), "Your faith to Godward" (1:8), "Turned to God... the Living and True God" (1: 9), "The Gospel of God" (2:2,8,9), "Allowed of God" (2:4), "God trieth the hearts" (2:4), "God is witness" (2:5), "Walk worthy of God" (2:12), "Please not God" (2:15), "Minister of God" (3:2), "We render to God" (3: 9), "Before our God" (3:9), "God Himself and our Father" (3:11), "In holiness before God" (3:13), "Please God" (4:1), "Will of God" (4:3), "Know not God" (4:5), "God hath not" (4:7), "But God" (4:8), "Taught of God" (4:9), "Will God" (4:14), "Trump of God" (4:16), "God hath not" (5:9), "The Will of God" (5:18), "God of peace" (5:23).
"Our Gospel came not in word only" (1:5), "Received the Word" (1:6), "The Word of the Lord" (1:8), "The Gospel of God... The Gospel" (2:2,4,8,9), "The Word of God" (2:13), "The Gospel of Christ" (3:2), "The Word of the Lord" (4:15).
"The" and "Our Lord Jesus Christ" (1:13; 2:19; 3:11,13; 5:9,23,28), "The Lord" (1:6,8; 3:8; 4:6,15,15,16,17,17; 5:2,12,27), "His Son" (1:10), "Christ" (2:6; 3:2; 4:16), "In Christ Jesus" (2:14; 5:18), "The Lord Jesus" (2:15; 4:1,2), "Jesus" (4:14).
"In the Holy Spirit" (1:5), "Joy of the Holy Spirit" (1:6), "Given unto us His Holy Spirit" (4:8), "Quench not the Spirit" (5:19).
"Manner of men" (1:5), "Man" (3:3), " Spirit" (self-consciousness), "Soul" (life-consciousness), " Body" (sense-consciousness) (5: 23).
"Idols" (1:9), "Deceit, uncleanness, guile" (2:3), "Flattering words, coveteousness" (2:5), "Killed" (2:15), "Please not God" (2:15), "Sins" (2:16), "Fornication" (4:3), "Lust of concupiscence" (4:5), " Defraud" (4:6), "Uncleanness" (4:7), "In darkness" (5:4), "Evil" (5:15,22)
Salvation includes the things which accompany it (Hebrews 6:9). "Grace, peace" (1:1), "Thanks, prayers" (1:2), "Work of faith, Labour of love, Patience of hope" (1:3), "Election" (1:4), "Assurance" (1:5), Faith (1:8; 3;2,5, 6,7,10), Serve (1:9), Delivered" (1:10), "Walk worthy" (2:12), "Effectually worketh" (2:13), "In Christ Jesus" (2:14), "Saved" (2:16), "Joy" (2:20), "Establish" (3:2), "Comfort" (3:2) "Afflictions" (3:3), "Live, stand fast" (3:8), "Praying" (3:10), "Love" (3:12), "Holiness" (3:13; 4:7), "Walk and please God" (4:1), "Commandments " (4:2); "Sanctification" (4:3,4), "Brotherly love" (4:9), Study to be quiet (4:11), Work (4:11), Walk (4:12), "Comfort one another" (4:18), "Watch and be sober" (5:6), "Hope of salvation" (5:8,9), "Edify" (5:11), "Be at peace" (5:13), "Support and be patient" (5:14), "Follow that which is good" (5:15), "Rejoice evermore" (5:16), "Pray without ceasing" (5:17), "Give thanks" (5:18), "Quench not the Spirit" (5:19), "Hold fast, prove all things" (5:21), "Abstain" (5:22), "Sanctify" (5:23), " Blameless" (5:23).
"The Church" (1:1), Brethren (1:4; 2:1,9,14,17; 3:7; 4:1,10,13; 5:1,4,12, 14,25,26,27), "Ensamples" (1:7), "Your Faith" (1:8), "Witnesses" (2:10), "Followers" (2:14).
"Satan hindered us" (2:18).
"Hope" (1:3), "Wait for His Son from Heaven" (1:10), "Crown of rejoicing... at His coming" (2:19), "The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints" (3:13), "Them that sleep will God bring with Him" (4:14), "Unto the coming of the Lord" (4:15), "The Lord Himself shall descend" (4:16), "Dead in Christ shall rise" (4:16), "Caught up together" (4:17), "For ever with the Lord" (4:17), "Day of the Lord" (5:2), "Salvation" (5:9), "Be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord" (5: 23).
All these vital and vitalising truths were known in this early Church, therefore, knowing when they were written we can see their importance and significance.
Paul's pastoral epistles to Timothy and Titus are wise and weighty, and the Christian worker does well to give heed to what he says to these younger fellow-labourers. His letter to Titus may be divided into seven sections.
- Personal Salutation (1:1-4) .Paul's personal address to his own son
in the faith speaks of his personal responsibility to the Lord as a servant of
God, acting at the command of God, reminding his friend of their common
interest in God's purpose in relation to them in the grace and mercy and peace
which come from the Father and the Lord Jesus.
- Personal Supervision (1:5-9). A true bishop acting under the
authority of the Spirit has authority to adjust matters which relate to the
Lord's service, as "the steward of God." First, he is to see that he is
qualified in his personal life; hence he is to be blameless in character, not
self-willed, of an even temper, free from intoxicants, not to retaliate when
injured, not to love money, and in relation to others he is to be a lover of
hospitality, of good men; and as to his personal fitness for his office, he is
to be sober, just, holy, and temperate, and to hold tenaciously to the Word
which is committed to his care.
- Powerful Subjugation (1:10-16). Titus is reminded that he will come
against those that profess great things, but deny the Lord in their
inconsistent character and conduct. He is not to allow these to question the
truth of God, but to rebuke them sharply to the end that they may be "sound in
the faith." Thus Paul reminds Titus that he is to set in order those who are
vain talkers.
- Practical Shepherding (2:1-10). Paul tells Titus what his attitude
is to be to those to whom he ministers; hence he is to speak those things which
become "sound doctrine," and to shepherd the aged men, the aged women, the
young men, the young women, servants, and masters, and in all things to be a
pattern of good works himself, and thus pastor and people are to adorn the
doctrine of God in all things.
- Precious Supplies (2:11; 3:1-9). Titus is instructed by the apostle
as to his teaching. He first reminds him of the seven golden links in the chain
of grace which are summarized in the salvation which grace bestows; the
instruction which grace gives; the hope that grace begets; the price which
grace has paid; the end which grace had in redeeming from all iniquity; the
acquirement which grace obtains in making God's people his own; and the zeal
which grace inspires. Paul charges Titus to see that he speaks and exhorts and
rebukes with all authority, and ever to recognise the love of God and the
renewing work of the Holy Spirit.
- Perverted Sinners (3:10,11). Titus is instructed how to deal with
heretics. Toleration is not allowed when the truth of God and the ways of God
are in question. Heretics are to be kindly admonished, but they are to be
faithfully dealt with too.
- Partners Serving (3:12-15). Titus is reminded what his conduct and
thought is to be in relation to his fellow labourers. Several of them are
mentioned by name, and good works are to characterise one and all.
From this brief outline it will be seen how important it is to recognise the letter that Paul wrote to Titus, and how it illustrates the importance of recognising to whom a Scripture was written.
The Spirit tells us in John 20:31 why the Gospel of John was written. "But these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye may have life in His Name." There are four things to ponder in these pregnant words: the root, the tree, the blossom, and the fruit.
- The Root. "But these are written." The "signs" and things which are
"written" in the Gospel of John are many. There are several fibrous roots found
in what had been "written." The Revelation of Christ's Divine Personality as
the Word (1:1-5); the Incarnation of Christ's Becomingness in dwelling in the
tabernacle of His humanity (1:14); the Exhibition of His manifested glory as
seen in what He did (2:11); what He revealed (3:16) and promised (14:3); The
Instruction He gave as identified with the double "verilys" of His utterance
(1:51; 3:3,5,11; 5:19, 24,25; 6:26,32,47,53; 8:34,51,58; 10:1,7; 12:24;
13:16,120,21,38; 14:12; 16:20,23; 21:18); The impartation of the many gifts He
bestowed as found in "My flesh (6:51), My peace (14:27), My glory (17:22,24);
and the Expiation of His finished work on the Cross (3:14; 12:12-33); and the
Might of His Resurrection (20:1-9). Here are roots from which the gigantic
tree of Truth grows.
- The Tree. What is said of Christ's personality is the tree. It is
said, "That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." The "Jesus" of Nazareth is
the Sent One, and the Saviour of the world (3:16-18). He is "The Christ," the
Messiah of the Old Testament (4:42), the Anointed One with the Spirit (3:34),
and the Sent One of the Father; and He is also "The Son of God," God the Son,
in His eternal existence, and as the Only Begotten One in His love, grace,
power, the Embodiment of Deity.
- The Blossom. The blossom is faith. The things were written that we
might "believe" what is said about Christ. Faith embodies the assent of the
mind, the consent of the will, and the accent of the life. Faith by the act of
the will unites us to Christ, hence it is more than believing Christ, it
believeth into Him. Faith in Him brings us to God, and God to us.
- The Fruit. The fruit is life, Eternal Life. "His Name" stands for
Himself, therefore, believing through His Name puts us in association with Him.
The "life" of which the Apostle speaks, finds its Source in God, its Spring in
Love, its Embodiment in Christ, its Power in the Holy Spirit, its Sustenance in
the Word, its Sequence in Holiness, its Confession in Service, its Consummation
in Glory, and its Channel in Faith.
How important it is to understand why the Word or any section was written. Pascal says, "There is light enough for those who wish to see." Denison Maurice, writing to Charles Kingsley in 1849, declared, "The Bible is the history of a Deliverer... The Book brings us to the root of things, and there -- is nothing, or there -- is God."
This page Copyright © 1998 Peter Wade. The Bible text in this publication, except where otherwise indicated, is from the King James Version. This article appears on the site: http://www.peterwade.com/.
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