Faithful Sayings
At Mount Sinai before God spoke to the Israelites, Moses hiked up the mountain, and God told him to go back down to "warn the people" not to come too close. Moses felt it unnecessary; in his mind the people were duly warned. God said GO! - go back down and warn them again, then come back up. God implies that man has a short term memory and needs constant reminding. In Timothy and Titus, God is telling everyone who would preach the word to people faithful sayings to be repeated. The word "faithful" means assuredly true; it was that which might be depended on, or on which reliance might be placed. God is the Giver, whose promises are true and knows what it takes to secure the promises.
1 Timothy 1:15
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
Worthy of all acceptance:
- All sinners are in need of a Saviour
- Christ died for ALL (not some)
- All ought to universally welcome the gospel of Christ: It provides for the complete pardon of sin, and the restoration of the soul to God. This is done in a way that is honorable to God - maintaining his law and his justice; and, at the same time, it is in a way that is honorable to man. He is treated afterward as a friend of God and an heir of life. He is raised up from his degradation, and restored to the favor of his Maker. What higher honor can be conferred on man than to have his salvation sought as an object of intense and earnest desire by one so great and glorious as the Son of God? (Barnes)
- Heaven is offered, with all its everlasting glories, through the blood of Christ - and is not this worthy of universal acceptance?
2 Timothy 2:11
This is a faithful saying: for if we died with Him, we shall also live with him.
- We are dead to folly and sin, and alive through the Spirit. We need to put off the old man of sin and put on the new man God wants us to be. This takes practice. When I go to my chiropractor for one adjustment, chances are the muscles used to a certain way will be pulled back out of shape. I need several corrections before the muscle is trained to the new position. Our minds are like that, we will gravitate to what we are used to, except for constant practice.
“...man has a short term memory and needs constant reminding.”
1 Timothy 4:8-9
For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.
- Effort and exercise will get me a six pack of abs instead of a spare tire.
- But godliness is profitable beyond the promise of this life in the flesh.
- It is favorable to health of the body, by promoting temperance, industry, and frugality; to clearness and vigor of intellect, by giving just views of truth, and of the relative value of objects; to peace of conscience, by leading to the faithful performance of duty; to prosperity in business, by making a man sober, honest, prudent, and industrious; to a good name, by leading a man to pursue such a course of life as shall deserve it; and to comfort in trial, calmness in death, and immortal peace beyond the grave. Religion injures no one. It does not destroy health; it makes no one poorer; it prompts no crime; it endangers no disease; it does not enfeeble the intellect; it does not disturb the conscience; it does not pander to raging and consuming passions; it does not diminish the honor of a good name; it furnishes no subject of bitter reflection on a bed of death. (Barnes)
Titus 3:8
This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
Works are important!
- We were created for them (Ephesians 2:10)
- God is glorified by them (John 15:8)
- They are a means of blessing man (James 1:25)
- Let us be rich and be established in them (1 Timothy 6:18)
- God remembers them (Hebrews 6:10)
God gives us faithful sayings to remember and accept. Let us be like those on Mount Sinai and be doubly told. But unlike the Israelites who were told not to draw too near to God, He wants us to draw as near as possible.
Article Navigation:
Answering The Atheist
The Atheist's Complaint:
Who owns the earth? Does it belong to God (Genesis 14:19, 22; Exodus 9:29; Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Chronicles 29:11; Psalm 24:1; 50:12; 89:11; 1 Corinthians 10:26), Satan (Matthew 4:8-9; Luke 4:5-6), or humans (Psalm 115:16)? Is there a contradiction?
Response:
The questioner provides a good list of verses which identify God as the owner of the earth. In fact, I imagine there are many more Bible texts which would identify God as the owner of the earth. He is the Creator - all of creation belongs to Him. The sentiment is constantly made, The earth is the LORD's...
Do Matthew 4:8-9 and Luke 4:5-6 reveal that Satan is the owner of the earth? There, Satan states that he will give power over all the kingdoms of the world and their glory to the Lord Jesus. Should we believe the word of the devil? Certainly not! Jesus said that he
...does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44)
When someone has a history of telling tall tails, how prone are you to believing them? Satan is a liar. That is how he tempts. He defeated Eve by deceiving her and turning her away from the truth (Genesis 3:1-6), he sought to do the same with Jesus. The Lord would not hear his lies.
Well, what about man? Psalm 115:16 clearly states that "...the heavens are the LORD's; but the earth He has given to the children of men."
My wife and I have had several people stay with us in our home for varying lengths of time through the years. Some have been with us for just a night; others for a month or two, others even for a year or more. We will prepare a room and give it to whoever has come to stay. Who owns the room, those who are staying in it, or my wife and I? Though we have given it to our company (whether short or long term), the room remains our's. Likewise, though the Lord has provided the earth for man to live upon, it is God's possession.
There is no contradiction.
This article is in response to Skeptic's Annotated Bible.