Christian Living

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BY COMMENTING
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE As A Member OR Visitor
Message Writer
Hire Writer
Report Article

Track Writer

Add to Favorites

by GLENN PEASE
01/23/18
Free to Share

Based on I Thess. 2:5-6

We have all heard it said that is doesn’t make any difference what you believe as long as you are sincere. This is true only if what you are talking about doesn’t make any difference. If you sincerely believe that white potatoes are better for you than red potatoes it will not make any great difference if you are right or wrong. If, however, you are as equally sincere in your belief that rotten potatoes are as good for you as fresh ones, it can have a great deal of difference on your health. Whether corn or wheat would be the best crop to raise can be debated by farmers, and men can have sincere convictions either way, but when it comes to the matter of the best time to plant-January or April-one might be sincere in his conviction that January is best, but the consequences will be tragic. The point is, sincerity is only enough when the question involved has no great significance one way or the other. Are dogs or cats the best pets is a good example.

        If the consequences of our belief are important it is not enough to be sincere. We must also be right or suffer the consequences. This conclusion holds true on the natural level, and is even more significant in the realm of the spiritual. No body with an ounce of conviction can believe that sincerity is adequate in our theological beliefs unless he is willing to conclude that the consequences of being wrong are insignificant. In other words, are theological issues on the same level as opinions about red and white potatoes?

        As evangelicals we are ready to say in a moment that sincerity is not enough, for you can be sincerely wrong. We are so on the defensive against the idea that sincerity is enough that we neglect the positive truth that though it is not enough, it is still essential. Water is not enough to get your clothes clean, but we do not ignore it on that account. We just add soap. Sincerity is not enough to save us, but salvation without sincerity is just as inconceivable. Sincerity means being in reality what one appears to be. It means to be genuine and honest in intention. It is the opposite of hypocrisy.

         Paul in his defense to the Thessalonians stresses the fact of his sincerity in all areas of his conduct among them. Paul would not have deified sincerity as Lady Chudleigh did when she wrote,

Sincerity’s my chief delight;
The darling pleasure of the mind;
Oh, that I could to her invite,
All the whole race of human kind;
Take her, mortals, she’s worth more
Than all your glory,  All your fame,
Then all your glittering boasted store,
Then all the things that you can name.
She’ll with her bring a joy divine,
All that’s good, and all that’s fine.

       Paul would not give sincerity the place of the Savior, but he would, no doubt agree with Mencius who said, “There is no greater delight than to be conscious of sincerity on self-examination.” Paul does just that as he reviews his life before them and notes 3 specific areas in which sincerity characterized him.

I. IN THE MATTER OF SPEECH. v. 5

     Almost every man of literature from the ancient Greeks on down had something to say about the dangers of flattery. The power of words does not depend upon their truth. There is great power in falsehood when that falsehood is pleasing, or in accord with what people want to hear. Hitler proved that a big lie told often enough can sway a nation. Flattery played a part in the first sin, for Satan appealed to Eve’s pride by suggesting, “Surely you realize you are capable of being like God, knowing good and evil. Such capacity should not be held back. Exert yourself and become the great one that you are.” Eve was the first, but far from the last, to be flattered into thinking they could disobey God and come out on top.

        Man is an easy target for flattery. Robert McCraken says there are praise records that tell you how good you are. Man has such a craving for acceptance and praise that he is capable of believing anything good said about him. He does not like flattery as such, but he likes to believe that what is said about him is simply stating the facts. The Roman Emperor’s stated Emperor worship just to unite the people, but some of them got to the point where they believed they deserved worship. The power of positive thinking works even if it is not true. Because this is the case, it is a powerful means of persuasion for gaining allegiance.

        Paul could have come to the Thessalonians and gained a greater following if he had flattered the people and told him how truly pious they were, and that God would certainly welcome such good people as themselves. But he appeals to their memory and reminds them that he said no such thing. The implication is that Paul preached that all were sinners, were lost and the only hope was in Christ who was crucified and risen again. There was no flattery, but just the pure Gospel that flowed from his tongue. He never used flattery in his teaching. It can never be a proper means for any goal in the Christian life, for it means false, and insincere praise. There is a true praise, and we ought to exercise it constantly. We ought to express appreciation, but we must avoid trying to build the kingdom of God by use of insincere speech.

        What Shakespeare said of a character in Two Gentlemen Of Verona fits Paul perfectly, and we need to pray that we fit this description as well.
“His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles;    His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate; His tears pure messengers sent from his heart;    His heart as far from fraud, as heaven from earth.

II. IN THE MATTER OF SUPPORT.

        For Paul, Christianity made good armor, but not to be used as a cloak. The idea of the cloak gives the thought of insincerity, or of seeming one thing on the outside, but underneath the facade, something different. Let us remember that a number of the upper class received Christ at Thessalonika, and so the standard charge of Paul’s enemies in such a situation would naturally be that he comes with all this sweet talk of good news because he has an eye on your purse strings. He is out finding lost sheep alright, and the woollier the better, for under his cloak he carries his shears.

         This is as contemporary as today’s paper. You hear every once in a while of someone in the church who runs away with all the funds, or that people are threatened into giving. We must be prepared to face such stories with an answer. We can point out that it is never proper to judge anything by a poor example. You do not judge a rose by a wilted one, or the taste of milk from a sour carton. The folly of men does not take God by surprise. He knew the corruptions that would enter the church, and that is why He warned in II Peter 2:1-3: “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.   Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.”

       Covetousness and greed cover over with flattering words would play a large part in the history of the church, and the very fact that it was known from the start assures us that we need not be shocked, for we are not ignorant of Satan’s devices. This makes it all the more important that we be completely sincere in all matters of financial support. Billy Graham recognizes this. All evangelists have been accused of making a haul by preaching the Gospel, and so he publishes his income in the papers of the cities where he has crusades. He follows Paul’s example of complete honesty in avoiding all appearance of evil.

        There is a fable of the fox who was flattering the crow for her lovely singing because he wanted what she held in her mouth. If Christians cannot make it plain that this is not our motive in trying to reach people, we shall fail. The world has evidence galore that this is the motive of so many who approach them, and so only honest and open sincerity can convince them that this is not our motive. Only the sincere Christian really has an offer of this kind to the world. There are motives of greed to one degree or another in every appeal that comes to men. Even the salesman who has a good product and knows it will be for your benefit has another motive besides concern for you, and that is that there will be gain for himself. But we have the privilege of offering good news with the power to save without asking any price.

        The tragedy of many money making schemes in the churches is not only that they brainwash people into thinking that the end justifies the means, but they also convince the world that the end, which is salvation, is not free at all, and like everything else it is going to cost you. What the world hears is not justification by faith alone, but justification by faith, plus cash, and especially the cash. Paul avoided all possibility of such charges, even if he had to work nights to make a living. He wrote in Acts 20:33, “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.” In II Cor. 12:14 he wrote, “I will not be burdensome to you, for I seek not yours, but you...” His complete sincerity in all matters of speech and support was the Apostle’s attitude, and it must be ours.

III. IN THE MATTER OF SUCCESS.

        Success never went to Paul’s head. He could have stood on his dignity as an Apostle, and from a pedestal of superiority thrown his weight around, but he never did. Here again we see Paul’s absolute sincerity, for he knew he only had the position he did by the grace of God. He was the chief of sinners in his own eyes, and honesty with the facts demanded that he not use his position of power for selfadvancement.

        It was said of Leonard Bacon of Yale, “Dr. Bacon’s idea of heaven is a great debate in which Dr. Bacon had the floor.” The same motives that operate in Hollywood often operate in the church, and unless a Christian is characterized by the attitude of sincerity in all that he does, he can forget he is a servant, and begin to think he has some claim to honor.

        Goodspeed translated, “We might have stood on our dignity.” Luccock wrote, “More institutions have died of dignity than for any other cause. Or, if they have not actually died, they have been so crumpled up with rheumatism that they could not get up from an invalid’s chair. The church has had tragic seizures of the paralysis of dignity, when she has been unable to rise, gird herself, take a towel like her master, and follow him in lowly service.”

        Success is dangerous to the insincere person, for he cannot say with Paul that to please God is his highest motive, or that he seeks not the glory of men. The danger is that his dignity will lead to the decay of his devotion to Christ, and self will again take the throne. Many of the problems in the Christian life, and in the relationship of the Christian with the world would be eliminated if the apostolic attitude of sincerity in all things became the attitude of all believers.

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE AS A MEMBER OR VISITOR

Reader Count & Comments

Date

Read more articles by GLENN PEASE or search for other articles by topic below.

Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)

Read more by clicking on a link:
Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You

...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19

Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38

LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE

FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.