Netherwood Park church of Christ -- Sharp(er) Focus |
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| VOL. 30 | MARCH 22, 1998 | NO. 12 |
| THE LORD’S SERVANT |
There’s no doubt that every Christian must be a servant. Paul, an apostle, called himself "a servant of Jesus Christ" numerous times, as do Peter, James and John in their writings. Paul says he is a servant of God, of Christ, of the gospel and of the church. We must also be servants of God, of Christ, of the gospel and of the church. We are servants to each other.
A master expects certain things of his servants. The Lord is no different. He expects us to do certain things and to act in ways that are fitting for His servants. Paul gives us some instructions about this in 2 Timothy 2:24-26: "And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." Look at these qualities.
The Lord’s servant must not quarrel or "be quarrelsome" as another translation puts it. It seems to be the method of our day to try to get your point across or win your argument by being able to argue louder and longer than your opponent. When two people of differing views are interviewed on TV, it seems that invariably they end up in a shouting match and neither wants the other’s opinions even to be heard. I will watch one of these "interviews" for just as long as it takes to reach the remote. I believe that no one was ever persuaded because he or she was "out shouted" or "out argued". There is certainly no kindness in such shouting matches.
We must be different. We, as servants of the Lord, are to be "kind to everyone," not rude to everyone. One translation says, "A slave of the Lord must not quarrel; instead, he must be affable toward everyone, skilled in teaching, willing to suffer wrong" (The New Berkeley Version). This does not mean we give in to what is false, but rather it says that quarreling will not convince those who are wrong. Can you picture Jesus trying to out argue someone or shout them down? He was a patient and gentle teacher whose teaching was so different from the teaching of the teachers of the law that everyone could see the difference. The people who listened to the sermon on the mountain said "He taught as one who had authority, not as their teachers of the law" (Matt. 7:29).
Another key to the way we are to teach is found in Eph. 4:15 where Paul says we are to speak the truth in love. We can test our love by our motives. Are we merely trying to win an argument? That’s not love. Are we speaking truth out of true concern for the spiritual welfare for others? That’s love. Compromising truth is not love and neither is merely "winning an argument," even with the truth!
-- Wayne Sharp