NECESSARY
“Neither
have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of
his mouth more than my necessary food.”
Job 23:12
Food is a rather vital component to
life. Not one of us can do without it
and most of us have more of it than we really need. Sad to say, when we compare our desire and
availability of food to our desire and availment of God’s Word there is a
mighty chasm.
Job was serious
about his need and respect for God’s Word.
It was absolutely vital to his life.
Now, you must ask yourself…what part of God’s Word did Job have? Some say Job is one of the oldest books of
the Bible. Since the Pentateuch is the
recording of the beginning of things and the establishment of Israel as a
nation, then we might have assumed that these are older. However, even in these first five books we read
of people like Adam and Eve who were given instruction and Cain
and Abel who also knew what was required to make the necessary sacrifices. God’s Word, instruction, was already there. There is also Melchesidic, who worshiped and served
God even before the giving of the Exodus and the Ten Commandments. In Genesis 26:5 God calls
Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees saying:
“Because that Abraham obeyed my
voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” These were all following God’s command before
the Exodus and the giving of the Ten Commandments.
“Henry Morris who has
authored an interesting commentary on Job agrees writing that...Although it is
now lost to us, God had given early man some kind of law code, long before
Moses. Whatever this was, it was eventually superseded by the Mosaic laws and
the rest of the Scriptures as we now have them.”
It has always amazed me that these and many others spoke of their love
for God’s Word, but they didn’t have a complete Bible. They didn’t have the whole revelation. What did they have? Commandments.
Laws. Just try reading Leviticus
or Deuteronomy and see if a steady diet of this would rejoice your heart. Imagine not having more than the first five
books of the Bible. Would you really
esteem those five books more necessary than your daily food?
Something to think about….just how necessary is your Bible to you?
NECESSARY
“And
let our also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not
unfruitful.” Titus 3:14
While the word necessary in
Job 23:12 meant a prescribed task or portion, here in Titus it means something
one can not do without, indispensable and especially in connected bonds of
nature or friendship, what ought according to the law of duty be done, what is
required by the circumstances.
Good
works are a part of Christianity. These
works include a variety of activities that are profitable to life. They might include honest labour and
employment, caring for the man of God, avoiding evil, showing generosity and
kindness, or giving to the poor and needy.
Whatever goodness can be shown or kindness extended, it is our portion
and calling to do so. As required by the
circumstances or as opportunity arises, we are to be going about doing good.
Why?
Matthew Henry puts it this way – “This
is of good report, will credit religion and be good to mankind; they will not
be unprofitable members of the body, not burdensome and chargeable to others,
but enabled to be helpful to those in want. To maintain good works
for necessary uses; not living like drones on the labours of others, but
themselves fruitful to the common benefit.”
There seem to be two
qualifiers to this command. First, that
the good work be required. For example,
it might be fun to buy ice cream cones for every child in the Sunday school,
but it is not required. And the second
qualifier is that the work be truly beneficial.
Not every parent would appreciate their child coming out of Sunday
school with a dripping ice cream cone.
Good works are necessary,
but should also be executed with purpose and for the purpose that God might be
glorified.
Are good works a part of
your Christian life? Consider that old
idea of doing one good work each day – do you measure up? They are necessary.
NECESSARY
“For
it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden
than these necessary things…” Acts 15:28
After the great discussion
of the Jerusalem council as letter was sent out to the believers living in the
Gentile area on what would be expected of them in order to have a good
understanding and an avoidance of offence with the believing Jews. Three things
were cited as necessary: the avoiding of fornication, necessary to all
Christians at all times, the avoidance of eating blood and of eating things
previously sacrificed to idols.
The letter was sent with an
expression of tenderness and fatherly concern that the new believers not be
overwhelmed with the Judaic law and customs, but rather that they maintain the
necessary abstentions as directed by the Holy Ghost. These leaders knew the danger of
discouragement by over burdening them with regulations.
Matthew Henry explains, “Church-rulers
should impose only necessary things, things which Christ has made our duty,
which have a real tendency to the edification of the church, and, as here, to
the uniting of good Christians. If they impose things only to show their own
authority, and to try people's obedience, they forget that they have not
authority to make new laws, but only to see that the laws of Christ be duly
executed, and to enforce the observance of them.”
This
got me thinking. What things does the
Bible deem as necessary? Salvation,
repentance, faithfulness, obedience? These
and more I am sure. Let’s look at just a
few. We will drift away from the word
necessary, but we will stay with words within that definition.
Luke
10:42 says, “but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part,
which shall not be taken away from her.”
Needful – necessary. It is
necessary that we take time at the feet of Christ to hear and to learn.
Jude
1:3 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence
to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto
you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith…” Needful – necessary. It was necessary to exhort the believers to
contend for the faith.
Philippians
1:24 “Nevertheless to abide in the flesh
is more needful for you…” The sacrifice
Paul was willing to make in putting the needs of others over his own desires is
an example for us all. It is always
easier to quit or to walk away. But is
it needful – necessary – for us to stay the course.
And,
Psalm 27:4 “I had fainted, unless I had
believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” I know the words needful nor necessary are in
this verse, but can you see the emphasis?
Belief is absolutely necessary to endurance.
Sometimes we can get
distracted and laden down with laws and regulations in the Christian life and
overlook the real depth of the necessary things that should be commanding our
attention. If we were spending quality time with our Lord, busying ourselves
with contending for the faith, putting others needs before our own and keeping
our eyes on the Lord, most everything else would fall into place.
Are tick boxes and
expectations sidetracking you? Why not
come back to the necessary things that bring you face to face with your God and
leave the other stuff to find it’s own place?
NECESSARY
“Nay,
much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are
necessary…” I Corinthians 12:22
It would seem totally
ridiculous for us to think that any portion of our body was dispensable. I know they say that we can do without our
appendix and a few other bits, but honestly, does it excite you to think about
having them removed? Unless it is a wart
or unsightly mark, we usually prefer to have our body left intact.
The passage in I Corinthians
12 is one of the lengthiest examples of the vital components of the
church. Hands, ears, eyes, feet are all
deemed necessary and equal. There is to
be no schism in the body, but a genuine and mutual care for each part. We would no doubt say, “Amen” to that. However, our actions, words, and thoughts
might not agree.
In our world of political
correctness we are taught and even legislated to make accommodation for those
whose needs are different than our own.
There is nothing wrong with that.
It is good for us to be gracious and accommodating wherever and whenever
possible. Yet, just because we put in
wider doors, ramps and special toilet facilities does not mean that our inner
thoughts are changed. We can still be
inwardly intolerant and impatient.
Sometimes we might even feel
that some folks are dragging behind or in the way of progress. Our frustration with challenges and hurdles
is revealed by our words and actions that are coming from the idea that these
individuals are just not necessary. Or,
that things would work more smoothly without them.
Yet God’s work says here
that they are necessary. It means that
they have a purpose. They are
indispensable, something we cannot do without.
One person used the term “sandpaper people” to describe them. Think of it this way. To learn patience we need affliction. God just may be using these people to hone
your patience. Or, to teach you
humility. Or, to reveal your pride and
arrogance. Or, to help you to look at
life from another angle. Sandpaper
people rub us the wrong way. They force
us to see our own lack of longsuffering, compassion and kindness and bring
conviction to our lives. All the while
God just may be using them to make you a bit smoother, a bit more even, to
whittle away at your rough spots and create something more useful and beautiful
for His glory.
Are you losing patience with
the sandpaper people in our life? Why
not stop and thank God for them? Why not
yield and let God do a necessary work in your life?
NECESSARY
“Then
Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God
should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” Acts 13:46
It was necessary that the
Jews be given the opportunity to receive the Gospel message. With both Christ and the Apostle Paul we see
their example of going first to the house of Israel or the synagogue with the
message of salvation and of the truth of the Messiah. Theirs was the opportunity, but they rejected
it. They preferred to cling to the law
and not receive grace. In so doing the
Gospel was then opened to the entire world.
Boldly, Paul and Barnabas proclaimed this truth and moved forward.
Have you ever faced a
similar situation? You know, or at least
you think you know, that the person to whom God is leading you to witness will
most likely reject the Gospel message.
Yet, it is necessary for them to hear it once again. Oh, Christian, be that bold. Be that obedient. Tell them again.
And then there is the time
when one must have the boldness of a lion and the wisdom of a serpent and the
harmlessness of a dove. It is not time
for being timid. We must “in meekness
instruct” in hope of repentance and acknowledging of the truth and to warn them
of the consequences of their decision in hope of recovery. (II Timothy
2:25) Yet, the decision is always
theirs. We cannot make people come to
Christ. We cannot make them repent.
Oh,
that one could. Oh, that every lost
loved one could be persuaded. But that
is the work of the Holy Spirit. Ours is
to obey in what is necessary – they must hear the Word of God. “Faith
cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17
So, let us be about our necessary work – the giving of God’s Word.
