Adorning The Doctrine Of Christ
We don't need to make the doctrine of Christ to be more palatable, acceptable or pleasant. Remember our faithful sayings, which were worthy of all acceptance (Dec 21, 2008), Christ came to save sinners, 1 Timothy 1:15. Paul said in Romans 1:16, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation..." But yet to some people, the gospel remains unknown or an unproven commodity and we can prove or adorn the fact that it works. There are many ways to prove or adorn the doctrine of Christ:
Slaves Having A Master
Slaves who have a master have the greatest chance to prove the gospel.
Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. (Titus 2:9-10)
Slaves that "don't answer back" and show "good fidelity" adorn or prove the doctrine to their master and those around them. Slaves are to be submissive to their masters even if they are harsh, Peter says (1 Peter 2:18) To the master who may be harsh, this proves the doctrine of Christ. Don't worry about a harsh master, for he forgets that he has a master too, in heaven, and one day he will get his just reward, for your reap what you sow.
We who are not slaves can learn a good example for we come into contact daily with those who "rub us the wrong way". There is a right way to treat such people that will adorn the doctrine of Christ. Titus 2:8 says to have sound speech which cannot be condemned or evil spoken of.
Change In Our Lives
Romans 12:1-2 says, "...be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." and prove that acceptable will of the Father. Peter says we spent enough of our lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles, and they think it strange that you do not run with them to dissipation like you used to (1 Peter 4:3-4). The lust of the world is passing away and so are those who remain attached to the world somehow.
“There are many ways to prove or adorn the doctrine of Christ.”
People will see our changed life and it will cause them to wonder why - the only conclusion is the gospel changed our lives. Titus 2:12 tells us to live righteously and soberly, denying worldly lusts. We are told to live reverently, in doctrine to have integrity, incorruptibility and to show a pattern of good works, Titus 2:7).
Let The Beauty Of Inner Self Be Shown
Do not let your adornment be merely outward - arranging the hair, wearing good and putting on fine apparel - rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:3-4)
It is not physical beauty that will attract people to the saving gospel, but "a quiet and gentle spirit", and the "incorruptible beauty of the heart". Jesus said of the Pharisees that outwardly they looked good, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones. Jesus said they were "whitewashed tombs". (Matthew 23:27) The Pharisees attracted no one to the truth. In fact if they got a proselyte (or convert) they made him twice the son of hell as they were. (Matthew 23:15) When Samuel went to anoint the new king (a son of Jesse), he looked on the outward appearance, but God insisted on the least likely looking candidate, David (1 Samuel 16:7). We know David as a man after God's own heart, and we are encouraged by his life and his prayers / sayings in the Psalms. Letting the beautiful inner person be seen is not only very precious to God, it is precious in the sight of the world who are sincere.
As Christians, we need to be aware of the range of our influence. We can either do good and attract people to the saving gospel of Christ, or we can live not so good and turn people off from the gospel. The choice is ours to make, but God is counting on us, and you will reap what you sow in the judgment. I want to adorn the doctrine of Christ, that it may be proven to those who have yet to accept the free gift, I'm sure you do too.
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Answering The Atheist
The Atheist's Complaint:
Was Jesus crucified the day before or the day after the Passover? John 19:14-16 indicates it was the day before, but Mark 14:12 and Mark 15:25 say it was after. Is there a contradiction?
Response:
The answer is neither. A detailed chronology of the daily events surrounding the Passover in the year that Jesus was crucified clearly demonstrates that the crucifixion took place on the day of the Passover (see Last Week Chronology).
Mark 14:12-18 reveals that Jesus' disciples made preparation for the Passover, and that when evening had come (v 17), they assembled to eat the Passover. This reveals that Jesus was crucified after the Passover meal, but it was still the Passover day when He was put to death.
How can that be? The Jewish day begins in the evening. When evening had come, they came together to eat the Passover, and then later that night, Jesus was arrested, and the next morning, He was crucified. It was still the Passover day.
What about the Preparation Day of John 19:14? The questioner has wrongly assumed that this refers to a preparation day FOR the Passover. No, it was the preparation day OF the Passover - the preparation for the Sabbath day. Notice:
- ...when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath... (Mark 15:42)
- That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near. (Luke 23:54)
- ...because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. (John 19:31)
Jesus ate the Passover Thursday night (even as John's gospel records, John 13:1-2), was crucified on Friday morning, and put in the tomb before the Sabbath began that evening.
There is no contradiction.
This article is in response to Skeptic's Annotated Bible.