The Servant As a Giver

"Philosophers are people who talk about something they don't understand and make you think it's your fault." Charles Swindoll's Greek teacher

Lots of philosophies are floating around, and most of them are more confusing than they are helpful. Interestingly, those that are clear enough to be understood usually end up focusing full attention on the individual. Consider a few of them:

Greece said, "Be wise, know yourself!"
Rome said, "Be strong, discipline yourself!"
Religion says, "Be good, conform yourself!"
Epicureanism says, "Be sensuous, enjoy yourself!"
Education says, "Be resourceful, expand yourself!"
Psychology says, "Be confident, assert yourself!"
Materialism says, "Be satisfied, please yourself!"
Pride says, "Be superior, promote yourself!"
Asceticism says, "Be lowly, suppress yourself!"
Humanism says, "Be capable, believe in yourself!"
Legalism says, " Be pious, limit yourself!"
Philanthropy says, "Be generous, release yourself!"

Isn't there a better way?

Yourself, yourself, yourself. We're up to here with self! Do something either for yourself or with yourself. How very different from Jesus' model and message! No "philosophy" to turn our eyes inward, He offers rather a fresh and much-needed invitation to our "me-first" generation. There is a better way. Jesus says, "Be a servant, give to others!" Now that's a philosophy that anybody can understand. And, without question, it is attainable. Just listen:

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4

Inspirational Christian Library, The Treasured Writings of Charles Swindoll; Page 27-28 (Chapter 3 - The Servant As a Giver).

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:

Grace Gems for SEPTEMBER 2004


The carnal man's trinity!

("Soul Idolatry" David Clarkson, 1621-1686)

"You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy
person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
For a such a person is really an idolater who worships
the things of this world." Ephesians 5:5

"For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is
not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2:16

Pleasures, and riches, and honors are the carnal
man's trinity. These are the three great idols of
worldly men, to which they prostrate their souls!

Idolatry is to give that honor and worship to 'the creature',
which is due to the Creator alone. When this worship is
communicated to other things, whatever they are, we
thereby make them idols, and commit idolatry. When the
mind is most taken up with an object, and the heart and
affections most set upon it, this is "soul worship"—and
this worship is due to God alone.

Now this worship due to God alone, is given . . .
by the savage heathen to their stick and stones;
by the papist to their angels, saints, and images;
by carnal men to their lusts.

There are two kinds of idolatry:
1. Open, external idolatry—when men, out of a religious
respect, bow to, or prostrate themselves before anything
besides the true God. This is the idolatry of the heathen,
and in part, the idolatry of papists.

2. Secret and soul idolatry—when the mind is set
on anything more than God; when anything is . . .
more valued than God,
more desired than God,
more sought than God,
more loved than God.

Hence, secret idolaters shall have no inheritance in
the Kingdom of God. Soul idolatry will exclude men
from heaven, as much as open idolatry!

He who serves his lusts is as incapable of entering
heaven, as he who worships idols of wood or stone!

"Therefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry!"
1 Corinthians 10:14

The Way God Accept People

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
Romans 3:21-31 NKJV