THE TRENTON BULLETIN

THE TRENTON BULLETIN

Trenton Church of Christ, Trenton, Florida

The battle of David and Goliath is one of the best-known stories in all the Bible. A champion, Goliath, came out of the Philistine camp every day for 40 days, defying the Israelite army to send him a worthy opponent. This Philistine giant was about 9 feet 9 inches tall and wore at least 150 pounds of armor. Confident in the superiority of his equipment and his extraordinary natural strength, he proposes a winner-take-all contest. There were no takers!

Young David was sent by his father to deliver some roasted grain, loaves of bread and cheese to his brothers and their commander on the battlefront. It was on this battlefield that David’s life took a very different turn, and it would never be the same. The ultimate outcome, however, did not occur by accident. David did four things that are timelessly instructive to the young and the young at heart.

We know David as a shepherd, a musician, a psalmist, a warrior and a king. But the doorway to a successful career as a man of God opened up to him in the valley of Elah. Observing firsthand Goliath’s psychological warfare and intimidation, David asked, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?" (I Samuel 17:26). No one ever accomplishes anything of note if he doesn’t take advantage of his opportunities. The cowardice of the Israelite armed forces, including King Saul, was an open door for David. The same shepherd boy who had slain a lion and a bear would say to the king, "This uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them…" (17:32).

David’s older brother, Eliab, spoke with disdain: "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle" (17:28). Other detractors might have said, "Oh, he’s young and inexperienced. This is just youthful exuberance." Even today, young people in the church will naturally defer to older people who are in positions of influence, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to offer. A young godly person can make a huge difference!

One can detect no trace of fear in David’s voice throughout this episode. On the contrary, his courage is infectious. He informed the king, "Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine" (17:32). When the battle finally ensued, Goliath gave him a verbal barrage: "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" (14:43). Just as trash talking is an ugly part of modern sports, it was part of ancient battle etiquette. One gets the impression, nevertheless, that Goliath was genuinely offended by the handsome, unintimidating youth who stood before him. Is this the best the Israelites have to offer? On the contrary, David stood his ground and engaged the giant verbally, but he did not boast in the deadly marksmanship of his slingshot. "You have come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts… for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands" (17:45,47).

David tells his opponent that the immanent victory had a higher aim: "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel" (17:46). Young David was moved by the vindication of God’s name to an ignorant world. Does it pain you to think of how many of your friends and neighbors do not know God? If so, then what will you do about it? David wasn’t going to sit on the sidelines while an uncircumcised Philistine defied the armies of the living God! When the truth of God moves a person to righteous indignation and absolute trust, as well as concern for the lost souls of other people, he will no longer be able to tremble in silence. Instead, he will rise up and act! Like Isaiah, he will say, "Here am I, send me." How does the story end? "Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him" (17:50). The rest, as they say, is history

Paul tells us "that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God…And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:1-2). Giving ourselves as "a living sacrifice" requires that we "do not be conformed to this world". If we conform to this world, the living sacrifice of ourselves becomes polluted and unacceptable to God. As Christians we are not to be conformed to the world in our speech (Ephesians 4:29), thoughts (Matthew 15:19), dress (1 Timothy 2:9-10), or actions. We are to be transformed or changed. We are to "Put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man" (Colossians 3:9-10).

Worldliness has no place in a Christian’s conduct. Worldliness is a malignancy eating away at the very souls of people. Worldliness weakens and destroys our love and respect for God and sets us in opposition to His will. One becomes worldly when he loves the things the world does. Worldliness begins with wanting to fit in and to get along with the world. "Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4). John tells us "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:15-17).

As members of the Lord’s body, His church, we are not to have "spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27). We must "keep oneself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27) so we can go to Heaven.

We tend to become like those with whom we associate. "Do not be deceived, evil company corrupts good morals" (1 Corinthians 15:33). We are not to participate in the sinful deeds of the world but, "Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord" (2 Corinthians 6:17). We must carefully choose those with whom we associate. "I am a companion of all who fear You, and of those who keep Your precepts" (Psalms 119:63). We cannot become a hermit even though we live in a world with sin all around us. But we must live in a way so, "That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15). We are to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:11). It is not sufficient just to abstain from the evil practices but we must also speak up against them.

But "If we say we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth" (1 John 1:6). Put on righteousness is nothing but hypocrisy. The Lord had much to say against hypocrites in Matthew chapter 23. Many people’s morality is the current and popular practice of others.

Even though we must provide for our families, many people in this materialistic world, equate individual success with the size of their cars, wardrobes, houses, and bank accounts. "One’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). We are to "Set your mind on things above, and not on things of the earth" (Colossians 3:2). True success is pleasing God so we can go to Heaven. We are to be "a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14). In not being conformed to this world, you will "make your calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10) and be assured of a home in Heaven.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10).

The fact that Christ will judge us all based on our good or bad deeds makes it necessary for us to rightly distinguish between good and evil. Isaiah warned: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness" (Isaiah 5:20). It's a serious matter to call something bad when it actually is good; or to call a thing good when it actually is bad. And that's exactly why the apostle Paul urges us to "examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).

Notice particularly the word "everything" in this text! Paul says that we must examine everything carefully! Not one thing is to be automatically considered good or evil. Everything must be tested! We must not just examine those things that jump out at us as "suspect," or only those things we don't like or don't want to do. Everything must be examined! Even the things that are not suspect even the things that we like and want to do. Why? Because eternity hangs in the balance!

Once we have examined everything carefully, Paul then tells us to "hold fast to that which is good" and "abstain from every form of evil." In urging us this way, Paul makes an interesting play on words to more strongly drive home his point: literally he says, "hold fast (katecho) that which is good; hold off on (apecho) the evil" (see the echo in each of these words). Again, notice Paul's use of "every": he says every form of evil must be held off on! Not just most forms of evil or those forms that we agree are evil; but every form even if it comes in the form of something we like or want to do! If it's a form of evil, we must hold off on it we must abstain!

We need to understand, though, that when it comes to what actually is good and what actually is evil this is something determined by God, and not by our wants or opinions! Our job is to examine everything carefully in light of God's Word to make sure it is good before we participate in it, and refuse to participate in it if it turns out to be some form of evil.

Now, let me ask you: How well are you doing at distinguishing between good and evil? Are you willing and ready to defend your "call" on what is good and what is evil before God in judgment? Are you so sure that "there's nothing wrong with it" that you would even encourage others to do it before God?

The point is: are you making the right "call" regarding what is good and what is evil? Are you sure enough about your call to stake your soul on it? Because that is exactly what you are doing! You and I will give an account for what we do, and I desperately want us to see this, because, frankly, I am concerned at times about some of the choices we make!

It amazes me how much Bible knowledge some folks seem to think they have when it comes to deciding: is it good or bad? They have so little real experience with the Word that, when trying to tell a lost friend what he must do to be saved, they need the help of the preacher or some more mature Christian. But when those same mature brothers warn them about some sin endangering their lives, suddenly they don't need anybody's help and: "Who in the world does he think he is, trying to tell me what I can and can't do?" They need the help as long as they agree or as long as they are only being asked to make changes that they are comfortable with; but let a more mature brother suggest that something they are doing is morally wrong or at least spiritually dangerous, and suddenly they know enough about the Bible to make their own decisions.

If that sounds curiously like you, maybe you need to sit up and take note! Are you willing to stake your soul on your present Bible knowledge, so that you have no need to "examine everything carefully"? I have no desire to "lord it over your faith" or tell you what to do. I'm just trying to remind you to examine everything carefully in light of God's Word and not just your opinion. But in the end, brother, the call is yours and you will answer for it! Makes you think, don't it?

To live -- that is, to be fully alive -- is a test of the highest powers within us. The thing that can truly be called "life" can't be reached by taking the course of least resistance. It can only be enjoyed by those who're prepared to grasp it with decisiveness and determination. With anything less than that, we find that we're not really living. We're just passive puppets who're "being lived."

Most of us can probably sympathize with Jules Laforgue's sentiment: "Oh, how daily life is!" It keeps coming at us, one day after another, one moment after another. Continually, continually, continually these appear, as if marching to an inexorable drumbeat. One is no sooner done with one than another presents itself before us. And every single one of these days and moments asks to be used to a good end or effect. If we default and do nothing (at least nothing worth doing), the unused increments of our lives begin to pile up behind us, creating a sad monument of negligence and lost opportunity.

So the gift of life -- and it is a gift indeed -- must be received properly. We must appreciate it, certainly, but beyond that, we must use it. It is to be employed as well as enjoyed. And the best employment of life is to use it defending and enhancing the lives of others, helping them to have a greater measure of "life" in all its dimensions.

When we live responsibly, we live with a recognition of our connection to other people, and even to the other living creatures that share our habitat. Except under rare circumstances, human life is not a solo affair; it's a communal effort. We're living at our best when we seek to relate ourselves rightly to the "unimaginable whole" of which we are each a part. And what a delightful whole it happens to be!