Truth wins

When we stop measuring time according to the cycles of national leaders and instead zoom out to see the cycle of nations, an evident pattern begins to appear. Truth is the strongest force in the world. The more information is able to circulate freely, the more quickly truth becomes evident, and the more truth becomes evident, the more tyranny is stifled and liberty is granted to the individual. Koine Greek and the Roman roads allowed for the greatest circulation of information since the Tower of Babel, and in 350 years Christianity went from being a sect of Judaism with followers numbering in the hundreds, to the official position of the Roman Empire with an estimated 15 million followers. However, this was not simply a shift in the demographics of a new religion; everywhere that Christianity had influence, people’s lives began to change for the better. Human sacrifice ended, temple prostitution ended, slaves were viewed as humans made in the image of God, women were seen as valuable co-heirs of Heaven, and weaker vessels to be honored and protected on earth. As the Roman Empire morphed into the Roman Catholic Church, information once again became highly regulated and suppressed, and the pattern held true, tyrants ruled with an iron fist, individual liberty was nearly eradicated, and the standard of living for the uneducated masses went down drastically. With the invention of the printing press, information began to circulate again, the corrupt Roman Catholic Church lost its grip on the flow of information, truth rose to the surface, and over the next 400 years, monarchs were replaced with constitutional law, democratic elections, and the consent of the governed. Over this period of time chattel slavery was all but eradicated, medicine advanced by leaps and bounds, we went from transportation by horse and carriage and sailboats, to jet engines and nuclear submarines. Certainly, we also had violent revolutions, droughts, famines, persecutions, and wars in these centuries. But the trajectory was undeniably, up. When one thinks of the advances in civilizations brought about by 500 years of Koine Greek and Roman roads, and then the truly mind-numbing advances brought about by 500 years of the printing press, what will the next 500 years hold now that we have the information pipeline that is the internet? So long as information is allowed to flow freely, I am confident that truth will once again defeat all her foes, and so long as truth is shining on a larger audience, history would suggest that Liberty and its shadow Prosperity, will flourish century upon century. Let’s remember that when it doesn’t seem to be growing year over year. John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Nothing new under the sun.

Then all the liberals of America gathered themselves together, and came to the president, and the courts, and the legislature. And said unto them, Behold, our system is old, and our sons walk not in our ways: now make us a socialist healthcare plan like all the nations. But the thing displeased the ones who understood history and economics, when they said, Give us a socialist healthcare plan. And they said, This will be the manner of the socialist healthcare plan: It will take your sons, and administer sex changes without parental consent. And it will take your daughters and perform abortions on them, and sell the body parts of your murdered grandchildren. And it will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to the bureaucrats. And it will take half of your seed, and of your vineyards, to pay for the healthcare of the lazy and the reprobate. And it will force you to pay for contraceptives and abortions and sex changes for your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men. And it will create death panels to decide whether thy father’s father is worth saving, and whether thy mother’s mother still adds value to society. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your socialist healthcare plan which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of reason; and they said, Nay; but we will have a socialist healthcare plan over us; That we also may be like all the nations; and that our socialist healthcare plan may pay for all our procedures, and we may be seen as progressive and hip. And the LORD hearkened unto their voice, and gave them over to the socialist healthcare plan.

In defense of using gospel tracts.

As God has chosen to use the written word as the primary means of revealing to us not only himself, but the sum of all truth in the Holy Writ, we can hardly overemphasize the importance of communication in this manner. Christianity has always spread furthest and widest among people groups who could generally read and write as a populace. Nor has it only been through inspired scriptures that people have been informed of God’s truth, but from the careful record keeping of the kings of Israel, to the copious volumes written by the Jews concerning their history, laws, and traditions, to the overwhelming amount of doctrine written by the early church fathers, to the reformers and puritans who were famous for their detailed writings on the effect of scripture on every aspect of life, the written word has helped God’s people in all ages not only in their own day but as a way of preserving orthodox truth from generation to generation.
It is also helpful to recognize that a work does not have to be lengthy and comprehensive in order to be impactful and serve the purpose for which it was written. The Apostles’ Creed is a very short statement, yet it has been the standard of Trinitarian Christianity for millennia. Some of the letters that were written as inspired epistles were only a couple of paragraphs long. Paul’s statement to the Philippian jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Is a poignant message that needed later teaching in order to be brought to fruition, but was the proverbial “foot in the door” that God used to begin the process of salvation to that jailer and his household.
These truths being recognized, it then follows that there is a real and helpful place for gospel truths that can be communicated through the written word. Nor does every piece of literature have to be fully comprehensive of every gospel truth, but some may present the truths of God’s law condemning sinful man, others may more fully explain the propitiation of Christ through his perfect life, death and resurrection, still others may exhort and teach particular ways in which those who have believed are to live and think and act.
As Satan used even the very words of God in an evil way in his temptation of Christ, so we must recognize that the depraved human heart will find a way to twist every good thing for his own devises and we are not exempt from some of those temptations. When we use such good pieces of truthful literature as have been afore mentioned in order to check off a legalistic checklist, as a means to hide our identity as Christians by only anonymously leaving them places for people to later find, or for other sinful reasons, God may and will use the dissemination of truth for his glory and purposes (Phil. 1:15-18), but we will be judged for our sinful motives. Some lawful uses for such tracts might be to leave somewhere in a public place for someone to later find with whom you would never otherwise have the chance to share truth, to hand to someone with whom you do not have time to engage in lengthy conversation (grocery store cashier, delivery man, etc.), to give to someone who has asked you a specific question that you believe is better explained in the pamphlet than you could explain yourself, etc.
Whether such tracts must be simply black and white booklets, or may be designed to draw the eye to them seems to me an obvious answer. So long as we are not using ungodly means in an attempt to justify a “godly” end, I suppose we ought to be more creative, purposeful, and bold than we already are in drawing in the lost world’s attention that we might tell them of Christ and pray that the Spirit would give entrance of the light into their hearts! I suppose that there are many in today’s Christians circles who would condemn Paul for using an alter to an unknown God to capture the Athenians attention only to tell them of Christ. But I believe we ought to all be more like Paul, using every means that is afforded us to share the glorious truths of the gospel, understanding that it is only by the word that faith comes!

Active commands found in Hebrews

1. Give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard. (2:1)
2. Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. (3:1)
3. Exhort one another daily. (3:13)
4. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (4:1)
5. Labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (4:11)
6. Hold fast our profession. (4:14)
7. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace. (4:16)
8. Follow them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (6:12)
9. Draw near [to God] with a true heart in full assurance of faith. (10:22)
10. Hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. (10:23)
11. Consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. (10:24)
12. Exhort one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (10:25)
13. Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions. (10:32)
14. Lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us. (12:1)
15. Run with patience the race that is set before us. (12:1)
16. Look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. (12:2)
17. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (12:3)
18. Lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees. (12:12)
19. Make straight paths for your feet. (12:13)
20. Follow peace with all men, and holiness. (12:14)
21. Look diligently [for sin]. (12:15)
22. Let brotherly love continue. (13:1)
23. Entertain strangers. (13:2)
24. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. (13:3)
25. Be content with such things as ye have. (13:5)
26. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. (13:7)
27. Offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (13:15)
28. Do good and communicate. (13:16)
29. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves. (13:17)
30. Pray for us. (13:18)
31. Suffer the word of exhortation. (13:22)

Active commands found in Titus

1. Speak the things which become sound doctrine. (2:1)
2. Aged men: be sober. (2:2)
3. Aged men: be grave. (2:2)
4. Aged men: be temperate. (2:2)
5. Aged men: be sound in faith, charity, and patience. (2:2)
6. Aged women: be in behavior as becomes holiness. (2:3)
7. Aged women: teach good things.(2:3)
8. Young women: be sober. (2:4)
9. Young women: love your husbands. (2:4)
10. Young women: love your children. (2:4)
11. Young women: be discreet. (2:5)
12. Young women: be chaste. (2:5)
13. Young women: be keepers at home. (2:5)
14. Young women: be good. (2:5)
15. Young women: be obedient to your own husbands. (2:5)
16. Young men: be sober minded. (2:6)
17. Young men: show yourself a pattern of good works. (2:7)
18. Young men: in doctrine show uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned. (2:8)
19. Servants: be obedient to your own masters, please them well in all things. (2:9)
20. Servants: show all good fidelity. (2:10)
21. Deny ungodliness and worldly lust. (2:12)
22. Live soberly, righteously, and godly. (2:12)
23. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. (2:15)
24. Let no man despise you. (2:15)
25. Be subject to principalities and powers. (3:1)
26. Obey magistrates. (3:1)
27. Be ready to every good work. (3:1)
28. Be gentle. (3:2)
29. Show all meekness to all men. (3:2)
30. These things affirm constantly. (3:8)
31. A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject. (3:10)
32. Learn to maintain good works for necessary uses. (3:14)

Active commands found in II Timothy

Keep in mind that the epistles to Timothy were to a specific pastor, in a certain place, at a particular time. Therefore, many of the commands are to particular groups of people (pastors, widows, deacons' wives, servants, etc.) and are not for all people everywhere to obey. That being said, we can all learn from these commands and if you happen to fall into one of the unique groups, the command is indeed still for you today!

1. Stir up the gift of God which is in thee. (1:6)
2. Be thou partaker in the affliction of the gospel. (1:8)
3. Hold fast the form of sound doctrine. (1:13)
4. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost. (1:14)
5. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2:1)
6. The things you have heard of me commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others. (2:2)
7. Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. - 2:3
8. Charge them before the Lord not to strive about words with no profit that only subvert the hearers. (2:14)
9. Study to show thyself approved unto God. (2:15)
10. Shun profane and vain babblings. (2:16)
11. Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2:19)
12. Flee youthful lusts. (2:22)
13. Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord. (2:22)
14. Avoid foolish and unlearned questions. (2:23)
15. Be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves. (2:24-25)
16. Continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of. (3:14)
17. Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. (4:2)
18. Watch in all things. (4:5)
19. Endure afflictions. (4:5)
20. Do the work of an evangelist. (4:5)
21. Make full proof of your ministry. (4:5)

The humility of Joshua

Josh. 3:7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
Josh. 3:8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
Josh. 3:9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.
Josh. 3:10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
Josh. 3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.

Note here how Joshua takes the influence that God gives him with the people and uses it to increase their faith in God. Although God tells Joshua that the parting of the Jordan would be the means by which he would cause Joshua to be magnified in the eyes of the people, Joshua turns right to the Children of Israel and tells them that this would be the means by which they would know that God was among them and would not fail to drive their enemies out before them. The selflessness that was exhibited here by Joshua should be an example for all of us. How easy would it have been for Joshua to turn right around and say, "God has told me that he will part the Jordan in order for me to be magnified in your eyes!" However, he had a mind of service toward the people, to do what was best for them, and he knew that what was best for them was always more of God. More faith in him, more love for him, more obedience to him, and more trust in his words. If God's plan was for Joshua to be magnified in the eyes of the people, there was no reason for Joshua to grandstand or pontificate, God can and will accomplish his plan without our egotism.
What a lesson in humility and service is here to be gained for us, how often is our first priority on making sure we look good or we get our due instead of doing what is best for others, particularly the children of God? Let us commit to be more like Joshua by using whatever influence or respect we have with others to point them back to Christ, if we use it simply to make ourselves feel better or to increase our material wealth we have prostituted one of the good gifts of God, and using what could have been used to glorify God as a means of glorifying ourselves makes us guilty of idolatry!

The benevolence of Job

Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. (Job 29:12-17)
From the law of Moses (Deut. 24:17) to the God's words to his people through the prophets (Isa. 1:17) to the words of Jesus while he was on the earth (Matt. 25:31-46) to the epistles (James 1:27) it has consistently been the express will of God that his people ought to be generous, sacrificial, benevolent people toward those who cannot care for themselves. In this passage of Job we see that while he was in the midst of his affluence he was being very benevolent to the helpless. Indeed, he seems to ascribe his affluence in large part to his kindness and generosity, a truth also taught throughout the scriptures. Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38)
Not only does the bible regularly express these type commands and examples, but it also provides me with the motivation which ought to cause me to want to be giving and gracious from my heart: I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see! If God has so freely given me spiritual and eternal riches, how motivated ought I to be to share with others the temporal gifts he has given me? This caused me to ask myself if I could honestly say along with Job that I had been such an aid to the less fortunate, and if not, what are some practical ways in which I can do better at being that kind of biblically consistent Christian.

1. I delivered the poor that cried... and him that had none to help him.
There is a soup kitchen in my town, it is open for one hour in the afternoon, two days a week and they feed lunch to anyone who wants to come in and eat. I can donate my time and little money to help them feed the hungry. In so doing I would be obeying the scriptural commands and find an outlet for the for the vertical kindness that has been shown to me to be shared horizontally.

2. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me.
Every day in our country over 3,000 babies are killed! How many christians are actively working to be a voice for those who are "ready to perish" who do not have a voice for themselves?! I have donated to my local pregnancy crisis center multiple times, and I have gone to abortion clinics within a couple hours of where I live multiple times to preach the gospel and beg mothers not to kill their children. But I can do both of those more, this is no small issue! Oh that I could honestly say with Job that some have blessed me for helping spare their life when they were about to be killed!

3. I was eyes to the blind.
If you know someone personally who is blind you have a great opportunity to ask them how you can be a blessing to them, by driving for them, reading for them, or a dozen other small things that you probably take for granted with your eye sight and never think twice about. If you don't know anyone personally who is blind, you can volunteer online at gatewave.com to record yourself reading books to help the blind.

4. Feet was I to the lame.
Again, I'm a firm believer in prioritizing your time and efforts and if there is someone you know personally, perhaps in your church or a family friend who is elderly and can't get around much, offer to help them with housework, yardwork, errand running, etc. If you don't know anyone personally, a nursing home is a great place to start! Almost all of the people there are in wheelchairs or on walkers, they are literally lame and if "all" you do is visit them and spend a few minutes a week with them, you will probably never know how much they would appreciate that.

5. The cause which I knew not I searched out.
Job did not just sit around and wait for these cases to come to him, but if he didn't know of a cause, he searched for one! Have we become so caught up in our selves and our personal lives that we never take time to look for opportunities to minister and invest in the lives of those who are less fortunate than we.

A common objection to this kind of exhortation to benevolence and generosity is that perhaps that person has gotten himself into that situation by sin and poor choices and I don't want to reward that. While I do not want to discourage using wisdom and discernment, I also do not want to forget that my motivation to be kind and merciful is God's kindness and mercy towards me, which was shown to me in spite of the fact that I got myself into the position I was in by my own sinfulness and bad choices. I would rather err on the side of being too generous, too gracious, too benevolent. I think God will find that more acceptable than if I erred on the side of being too cynical, too selfish, and too stingy.

Can a young, single man be a biblically qualified elder?

I took my first official ministerial position the day after my nineteenth birthday, I was in my senior year of bible college and was being brought in to a very small Baptist Church as an Assistant Pastor with the idea that over the next year I would transition to Senior Pastor. Seven years later, I am back at the church that I spent my teenage years in, but now as an Associate Pastor, and yet I'm still only in my mid-twenties and single. Nearly everyone who finds out that I'm in the ministry comments on how young I am and many question whether or not my youth and singleness disqualify me from being able to appropriately carry out the necessary requirements that come with pastoring.
Let me address these issues one at a time. First the issue of age. There is only one place in scripture that I am aware of where the topic of age is addressed in relation to a bishop's qualifications. That is in I Timothy 4:12 where Paul commands Timothy to let no man despise his youth. Some have argued that this is an ambiguous term that under Roman divisions of age dealt with men between 30-40 years old. Others have done their own math based on when they think I Timothy was written and the known fact that Timothy died at 80 years old in the year 97 AD. Those using this method of calculating have put him anywhere between 23 - 48 years old at the writing of 1 Timothy (John Gill, the puritanical pastor who wrote a verse-by-verse commentary on the entire bible is of the belief he was 23). A third argument is that in the Old Testament a Levite was not allowed to become a priest until he was 30 years old, therefore the same must be true of a New Testament bishop. I see a couple of problems with defining the word "youth" to mean thirties or forties.
First, why would a man in his thirties or forties, need to be told to let no man despise his youth? If that was the typical time frame for a man to become a priest for the Israelites, and the time when a man moved from youth to middle age for a Roman, who would it be that was questioning his qualification? It seems to me that the command not to allow anyone to despise his youth, assumes that there were those who were of the opinion that he was too young by societal norms.
Secondly, we see the word "youth" used in many places throughout the scripture and we rarely to never assume these places to be talking about a man around 40 years old. In Genesis 8:21 God says he will not destroy every living thing on the earth again "for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." Do we think that man's heart is evil from the time he is in his thirties? In I Samuel both Saul and Goliath disdained David because he was a "youth", was he a man in his late thirties? Wouldn't that put him in the prime of his life and the most formidable age he would ever be? Proverbs 5:18 tells men to rejoice in the wife of their youth, are we to take that to mean a man shouldn't marry until he is in his late thirties? Lam. 3:27 says it is good that a man bear the yoke in his youth. Shall we then put off working until we reach our mid-forties? The rich, young ruler in Matt. 19:20 said he had kept the commandments from his "youth up," did Jesus understand him to mean that he had begun keeping the law in his thirties? I think from just these few examples we see that the definitions for "youth," "grown man," and "old man" have not changed much since biblical times. If anything we live in a culture that extends childhood longer than they would have in those days.
The second objection I often get is that the qualification for pastors in both I Timothy and Titus include being the husband of one wife and having his children in subjection. There are many who take this to mean that only a married man with children can be pastors. If that is in fact what those verses mean, then neither Jesus nor Paul were qualified to be pastors.Seeing that it was Paul who was writing these and that he did in fact start many churches, I do not believe this to a consistent understanding of those verses. Rather, I take it to mean he is not to be the husband of more than one wife, he is not to be a polygamist. This may even mean he cannot be divorced and remarried, but the fact that he says the husband of one wife, coupled with the fact that the first interpretation would disqualify himself, causes me to think he does not here exclude single men. It is also relevant to note that in I Cor. 9 where Paul is talking about the rights of gospel ministers, he says they have the "power," or the right, to have a wife, which reading would imply that while the right was theirs, not all took advantage of it. It is not that he must have one wife in order to be qualified, but that if he has more than one he is disqualified. The reason for the stipulation that they have their children in subjection is clearly stated to be because if their household is not in order, we can see a clear flaw in their leadership ability. Much like the qualification for wives, this requirement ensures that a man who has an unruly household is precluded from becoming a minister, not that a man with only one child or childless altogether is kept from the presbytery.
Last (and least), the argument is often made that a young, single, childless pastor will not have the experience to help the older, married with children, men in his congregation because he doesn't have the experience. But nowhere in scripture do we find experience to be an important trait in a bishop. What of the divorced and remarried men in the congregation? They will not have a minister who has the experience to help them. What of the widow and widower? The minister will probably not have the experience to help them. What of the man in the military, the man with the special needs child, the man with a degenerative disease? There are a million specific situations every human will uniquely encounter that the pastor probably won't have personal experience with, therefore he is to know God's Word intimately. He is to be able to rightly divide the Word of truth, he is to be instant in season and out of season, he is to be ever ready to give an answer to those who ask about the hope that lies within him. He is to be of sound speech that those who are opposed to the truth may be ashamed with no evil thing left to say to us. The job of the pastor is to be steeped in the Book, not personal experience.
Let me close all of this out by saying two things. First, the qualifications for an elder are steep, they are heavy, they are demanding on a man of any age. The pool of men who are in their youth, who can bear them, is very small in our society. He cannot be a novice (newly saved and/or unlearned in doctrine), he must flee youthful lusts, he must be an example in word and deed, etc. I am not here promoting that every 19 year old who has the urge should be made a pastor, but rather that there are occurrences where young men do in fact meet all of the qualifications. Secondly, I am sure ministry is much easier with a wife. There are unique challenges to trying to minister as a single man. I am sure there are benefits to having children that prove that you can practice what you preach when it comes to child-rearing. Quite the opposite of promoting singleness or childlessness in pastors, I would recommend it when God allows it. But if God in his divine wisdom has withholden a wife from a man, or if he has given him a wife but has closed her womb, he is not disqualified from serving, he will simply have to do it with the handicaps that God, in his good pleasure, has seen fit to place him under at that stage in his life.

Active commands found I Timothy

Keep in mind, that the epistles to Timothy were to a specific pastor, in a certain place, at a particular time. Therefore, many of the commands are to particular groups of people (pastors, widows, deacons' wives, servants, etc.) and are not for all people everywhere to obey. That being said, we can all learn from these commands and if you happen to fall into one of the unique groups, the command is indeed still for you today!
1. War a good warfare. (1:18)
2. Hold faith, and a good conscience. (1:19)
3. Make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (2:1-2)
4. Men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. (2:8)
5. Women adorn yourselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. (2:9-10)
6. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. (2:11)
7. A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (3:2-7)
8. Deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. The husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. (3:1-10, 12)
9. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. (3:11)
10. Refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. (4:7)
11. Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (4:12)
12. Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. (4:13)
13. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them. (4:16)
14. Honour widows that are widows indeed. (5:3)
15. If any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents. (5:4)
16. Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. (5:9-10)
17. The younger widows refuse. (5:11)
18. Let the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. (5:14)
19. If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged. (5:16)
20. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
21. Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. (5:19)
22. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. (5:20)
23. Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure. (5:22)
24. Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour. (6:1)
25. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. (6:2)
26. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; from such withdraw thyself. (6:3, 5)
27. Having food and raiment let us be therewith content. (6:8)
28. Man of God, flee these things [love of riches]; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (6:11)
29. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. (6:12)
30. Keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: (6:14)
31. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (6:17-19)
32. Keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called. (6:20)

Active commands found in II Thessalonians

1. Stand fast. (2:15)
2. Hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. (2:15)
3. Pray that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified. (3:1)
4. Pray that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. (3:2)
5. Withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. (3:6)
6. With quietness work, and eat your own bread. (3:12)
7. If any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. (3:14-15)

Active commands in I Thessalonians

1. Walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. (2:12)
2. Increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men. (3:12)
3. As ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. (4:1)
4. Love one another. (4:9)
5. Be quiet, and do your own business, and work with your own hands. (4:11)
6. Walk honestly toward them that are without. (4:12)
7. Comfort one another words of assurance and hope of the return of Christ and the eternal reward of the believer. (4:15-18)
8. Watch and be sober. (5:6)
9. Be sober, put on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (5:8)
10. Comfort yourselves together, and edify one another. (5:11)
11. Know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. (5:12-13)
12. Warn them that are unruly. (5:14)
13. Comfort the feebleminded. (5:14)
14. Support the weak. (5:14)
15. Be patient toward all men. (5:14)
16. Follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. (5:15
17. Rejoice evermore. (5:16)
18. Pray without ceasing. (5:17)
19. In every thing give thanks. (5:18)
20. Prove all things. (5:21)
21. Hold fast that which is good. (5:

Active commands found in Colossians

1. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. (2:6-7)
2. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (2:8)
3. Seek those things which are above. (3:1)
4. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (3:2)
5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness. (3:5)
6. Put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. (3:8)
7. Put on therefore, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. (3:12)
8. Forbear one another. (3:13)
9. Forgive one another. (3:13)
10. Put on charity. (3:14)
11. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts. (3:15)
12. Be thankful. (3:15)
13. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. (3:16)
14. Teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (3:16)
15. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (3:17)
16. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands. (3:18)
17. Husbands, love your wives. (3:19)
18. Children, obey your parents in all things. (3:20)
19. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, in singleness of heart, fearing God. (3:22)
20. Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord. (3:23)
21. Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal. (4:1)
22. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. (4:2)
23. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without. (4:5)
24. Redeem the time. (4:5)
25. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. (4:6)

Active commands found in Philippians

1. Let your conversation be as it becomes the gospel of Christ. (1:27)
2. Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. (1:27)
3. Be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. (2:2)
4. Let each esteem other better than themselves. (2:3)
5. Look to the things of others. (2:4)
6. Have the mind of Christ. (2:5)
7. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (2:12)
8. Hold forth the Word of Life. (2:16)
9. Hold faithful ministers of the gospel in reputation. (2:29)
10. Rejoice in the Lord. (3:1)
11. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. (3:2)
12. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded [pressing toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus]. (3:14-15)
13. Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. (3:16)
14. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (3:17)
15. Stand fast in the Lord. (4:1)
16. Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. (4:4)
17. Let your moderation be known unto all men. (4:5)
18. In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (4:6)
19. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (4:8)

Active commands found in Ephesians

1. Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness and meekness. (4:1-2)
2. With longsuffering forbear one another in love. (4:2)
3. Endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (4:3)
4. Put off the old man that waxes corrupt after the lusts of deceit. (4:22)
5. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind. (4:23)
6. Put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. (4:24)
7. Put away falsehood. (4:25)
8. Speak truth each one with his neighbor. (4:25)
9. Be angry, and sin not. (4:26)
10. Let him that stole labor, working with his hands the thing that is good. (4:28)
11. Let what is good for edifying proceed out of your mouth. (4:29)
12. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. (4:31)
13. Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other. (4:32)
14. Be followers of God, as dear children. (5:1)
15. Walk in love. (5:2)
16. Give thanks. (5:4)
17. Walk as children of light. (5:8)
18. Reprove the unfruitful works of darkness. (5:11)
19. Walk circumspectly. (5:15)
20. Redeem the time. (5:16)
21. Be understanding what the will of the Lord is. (5:17)
22. Be filled with the Spirit. (5:18)
23. Speak to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. (5:19)
24. Give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (5:20)
25. Submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (5:21)
26. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (5:22)
27. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church. (5:25)
28. Let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself. (5:33)
29. The wife see that she reverence her husband. (5:33)
30. Children, obey your parents in the Lord. (6:1)
31. Honour your father and mother. (6:2)
32. Fathers, bring your children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (6:3)
33. Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ… As the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will doing service, as to the Lord. (6:5-7)
34. Masters, do the same things unto them. (6:9)
35. Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (6:10)
36. Put on the whole armor of God. (6:11)
37. Take unto you the whole armor of God. (6:13)
38. Stand. (6:14)
39. Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. (6:18)
40. Watch with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. (6:18)

Active commands found in Galatians

1. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. (5:1)
2. By love serve one another. (5:13)
3. Love thy neighbor as thyself. (5:14)
4. Walk in the Spirit. (5:16, 25)
5. If a man be overtaken in a fault, restore him, considering yourself. (6:1)
6. Bear ye one another's burdens. (6:2)
7. Let every man prove his own work. (6:4)
8. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teaches in all good things. (6:6)
9. Do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (6:10)

Active commands found in II Corinthians

1. Come out from among them, and be ye separate. (6:17)
2. Cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (7:1)
3. Abound in this grace [giving money to help other believers in distress] also. (8:7)
4. Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; (9:7)
5. He that glories, let him glory in the Lord. (10:17)
6. The parents ought to lay up for the children. (12:14)
7. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. (13:5)
8. Be perfect. (13:11)
9. Be of good comfort. (13:11)
10. Be of one mind. (13:11)
11. Live in peace. (13:11)

Active commands found in I Corinthians

1. That ye all speak the same thing… perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (1:10)
2. He that glories, let him glory in the Lord. (1:31)
3. Let every man take heed how he builds upon the gospel foundation laid by another. (3:10)
4. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. (3:18)
5. Keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (5:8)
6. Set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. (6:4)
7. Flee fornication. (6:18)
8. Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit. (6:20)
9. To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. (7:2)
10. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. (7:3)
11. Defraud ye [husbands and wives] not one the other. (I Cor. 7:5)
12. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows… if they cannot contain, let them marry: (7:9)
13. Let not the wife depart from her husband… and let not the husband put away his wife. (7:10-11)
14. As the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. (7:17)
15. Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to them that are weak. (8:9)
16. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. (9:9)
17. They which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. (9:14)
18. Run, that ye may obtain. (9:24)
19. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. (10:12)
20. Flee from idolatry. (10:14)
21. Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. (10:24)
22. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake. (10:25)
23. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. (10:27)
24. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (10:31)
25. Be ye followers of me [Paul], even as I also am of Christ. (11:1)
26. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (11:28)
27. When ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. (11:33)
28. If any man hunger, let him eat at home. (11:34)
29. Covet earnestly the best gifts. (12:31)
30. Follow after charity. (14:1)
31. Desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. (14:1)
32. Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. (14:12)
33. Let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. (14:13)
34. In malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. (14:20)
35. Let all things be done unto edifying. (14:26)
36. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. (14:27)
37. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. (14:29)
38. If they [women] will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home. (14:35)
39. Covet to prophesy. (14:39)
40. Let all things be done decently and in order. (14:40)
41. Awake to righteousness. (15:34)
42. Be stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. (15:58)
43. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him. (16:2)
44. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. (16:13)
45. Let all your things be done with charity. (16:14)

Active commands found in Romans.

I went through the book of Romans and listed all the active, explicit commands. What are not listed are the passive commands (the "do not"s), implied commands, or commands that were obviously only for the Roman church ("Greet Priscilla and Aquila). Maybe this can be a help to someone else as well.

1. Reckon yourself dead to sin. (6:11)
2. Yield yourself unto God. (6:13)
3. Yield your members servants to righteousness. (6:19)
4. Take heed, lest God not spare you as he spared not Israel. (11:21)
5. Behold the goodness and severity of God. (11:22)
6. Present your body a living sacrifice to God, holy, acceptable unto God. (12:1)
7. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (12:2)
8. Think soberly. (12:3)
9. Prophesy according to the proportion of faith. (12:6)
10. Attend to ministering, teaching, and exhortation. (12:7)
11. Give with simplicity. (12:8)
12. Rule with diligence. (12:8)
13. Show mercy with cheerfulness. (12:8)
14. Love without dissimulation. (12:9)
15. Abhor that which is evil. (12:9)
16. Cleave to that which is good. (12:9)
17. Be kindly affectioned with brotherly love. (12:10)
18. In honor, prefer others. (12:10)
19. Be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. (12:11)
20. Rejoice in hope. (12:12)
21. Be patient in tribulation. (12:12)
22. Continue instant in prayer. (12:12)
23. Distribute to the necessity of the saints. (12:13)
24. Be given to hospitality. (12:13)
25. Bless them which persecute you. (12:14)
26. Rejoice with those who rejoice. (12:15)
27. Weep with those who weep. (12:15)
28. Condescend to men of low estate. (12:16)
29. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. (12:17)
30. Live peaceably with all men. (12:18)
31. Feed your hungry enemy. (12:20)
32. Give your thirsty enemy drink. (12:20)
33. Overcome evil with good. (12:21)
34. Be subject unto the higher power. (13:1)
35. Pay tribute. (13:6)
36. Render to all authorities their dues. (13:7)
37. Love one another. (13:8)
38. Cast off the works of darkness. (13:12)
39. Put on the armour of light. (13:12)
40. Walk honestly. (13:13)
41. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. (13:14)
42. Recieve the weak in faith. (14:1)
43. Be persuaded of the importance (or lack thereof) of holy days in your own mind. (14:5)
44. Follow after things which make for peace and edifying. (14:19)
45. Bear the infirmities of the weak. (15:1)
46. Please your neighbor for his good to edification. (15:2)
47. Recieve one another. (15:7)
48. Mark and avoid them which cause divisions contrary to true doctrine. (16:17)

Was typhoon Haiyan God's judgement?

As substantial news begins to trickle in about the wreckage left in the wake of one of the strongest storms ever to make landfall, the massive scale of the damage - particularly the potential of the final numbers - is truly staggering. It is feared that 10,000 may be dead already in one city alone, and as relief teams begin to penetrate the more rural areas that number may not be simply added to, but multiplied. All of this fails to account for deaths that potentially may come in the following days and months from disease, malnutrition, and starvation as the realities of looted hospitals, unburied bodies, and deserting personnel sets in.
As Christians, nay as humans, it is natural for us to ask why. Not a meteorologic why, but a philosophic why. What is the purpose for all of this suffering and death? The humanistic evolutionist would tell you that there is no rhyme or reason, that it is all an unfortunate accident of blind nature and chance. But as Christians, particularly those of us who believe in an all sovereign God who designs and commands the weather (Psalm 135:6-7 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.) we cannot accept that as a suitable answer. Why would God direct Typhoon Haiyan into this disaster-prone country with inadequate infra-structure to deal with such devastation? The first conclusion we jump to is that God must be judging this nation! Yes, that must be it, these people with their strange blend of Roman Catholicism and cultural mysticism have finally been judged by God with this massive wall of water, figuratively washing away the sins of these people! We've already decided that was God's purpose behind Hurricane Katrina and the indonesian tsunami, here again we pat ourselves on our collective backs for being bright enough to figure out what God is doing, and we nod our heads in consent to the grand justice those people received. However, let me insert a word of caution before we become too settled in our minds that this is the certain answer.
Job's friends were all in consensus that his material, familial, and physical devastation had come upon him as judgement from God for some particular sin. Though not one could put a definitive finger on just what it was, that did not stop them from making lots of guesses and never swayed them from their first and now deep-seated impression that it was God's judgement. The problem is, at the beginning of the story we're given a behind-the-scenes look at what really was going on between Satan and God and at the end of the narrative we find God rebuking Job's friends for making false accusations about both Job and more importantly God himself!
Roughly 2,000 years later, Jesus ran into the same assumptions by his followers on multiple occasions, was the man blind because God was judging him or his parents for sin? (John 9:2) What grievous sin had the Galilaeans committed that God caused them to be killed by Pilate? (Luke 13:1) Or what were the heinous crimes perpetrated by those whom God crushed under the fallen tower of Siloam? (Luke 13:4) And every single time Jesus had the same answer for them, this was not judgement from God for any particular sin but a result of sin in general which reminds us that we all must repent and thus bring glory to God.
While I do agree that sin has built in consequences that are not pleasant, and while I do not disagree that God has and may still judge individuals and nations by acts of nature, let me also point out that almost every time someone in scripture thought they knew the mind of God in the midst of a tragedy, appropriating judgement as the necessary answer, they were wrong. Do the Phillipines deserve judgement more than America? Do we imagine that since we stamp "In God We Trust" on our fiat currency, he will excuse the "Against God We Rebel" stamped on our hearts? Does our official pledge (of allegiance to a piece of cloth representing an earthly kingdom... But that's another discussion altogether) of "one nation, under God" blind him to the fact that we refuse to be under his Lordship and make a mockery of his commandments at every turn? No, but unless we repent, we shall all likewise perish!
Secondly, why do we assume that large catastrophes equal God's judgement but small ones do not? Many who assert that this storm was an outpouring of God's wrath against sin would be appalled if we we made that same claim if a single child drowned in a stream. But because this was so large, so far away, and thus so impersonal, we have many who find it easy to stay atop their holy perches and dictate to us all what exactly God is doing in this situation.
Lastly, the assumption that this typhoon was God's judgement on sin, is a very light opinion of sin. Every one of the people who have died in this storm or will die as a result of it were going to die eventually anyways. Many of these people may have died a much quicker and less painful death than they would have had the storm never blown their way. God judges sin in two ways, by pouring out his wrath against it on Jesus as he hung on the cross and by pouring it out on those who rejected Jesus for an eternity in hell. A typhoon does not begin to compare with the gravity of either of those.
Instead of trying to figure out why God judged the Philippines, why don't we let God be God and we his servants obedient to his commands. Which are,
1. To repent ourselves, seeing what misery sin has brought into the world.
2. To love our neighbors as ourselves, look into how you can help the people of the Philippines.
3. To preach the gospel to all people, rejoicing with those who accept it and mourning for those who reject it, knowing that they will face a final judgement that makes the largest typhoon on record look like a gentle rain.