1 Timothy 4:15
TAKE HEED

The atmosphere of this study is generated by the Psalmist: “Wherewithal shall a youth keep his way pure? By guarding it according to thy word” (Psa. 119:9 Leeser). The Psalmist raises the question for the very purpose of suggesting the answer, and his answer is in full harmony with our Lord’s prayer, not that they should be taken out of the world, but that they should be kept from the evil, showing that the only way for a young man to keep his course of life pure is to take heed according to the Word of the Lord. As the Apostle Paul also says that all scriptures is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, and are able to make one wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Something the Scriptures do not declare is how the consecrated Christian can blend the spirit and methods of Christ with the spirit and methods of the world, in order to make what men call success in life. They do not open up the way to either financial, political or social success, but they do, “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope [of the gospel] and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, [not a people striving after the things of this world, but] zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:12-14.) Yes, the young man who would follow Christ must forego the ambitions and pleasures of the present life and live for the enduring and satisfying riches of the life to come.

However, the Word of the Lord, full as it is of wisdom and counsel, cannot profit even the consecrated Christian who does not in a meek and prayerful spirit come to its pages for instruction in righteousness. Also, the Word of the Lord does not profit the careless reader who fails to meditate upon its precepts, or who only occasionally looks into the perfect law of liberty and beholds himself, but straightway forgets what manner of man he was (Jas. 1:22- 24), and therefore fails to apply the instruction. But the student of God’s book of instruction who can truly say, Thy words were found, and I did eat them [I appropriated them diligently to the building up of my character]; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; My delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law do I meditate day and night. I meditate also of all thy work, O Lord, and talk of thy doings; I meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways; I delight myself in thy statutes: I do not forget thy word; (Jer. 15:16; Psa. 1:2; 77:12; 119:15,16) these, and only these, are ordering their steps aright, by taking heed to the Word of the Lord.

This was the course that Paul recommended to Timothy, that he might keep himself pure from worldly contamination, and be an example and faithful minister to others, saying, “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity… Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all” (1 Tim. 4:12, 15).

The profiting certainly will not appear if the means are not used. Character cannot ripen except under proper conditions; and if professions abound where character is lacking, or is not correspondingly developed, how sad is the plight, and how manifest the self-deception to every discerning saint! 

In view of these things, therefore, let the young [not just in age of years] Christian mark well the counsel of wisdom, and take heed to his course according to the Word of the Lord. Let him come to it for answers to all questions of right and duty; and let him study how the perfect law of God—the law of love—applies to all the conditions and circumstances of his daily life and associations and obligations. In so doing there cannot fail to be a steady growth in grace, and the fruits of the spirit will not be lacking. 

But youth is not the only time when it is necessary to steer one’s course by the Word of the Lord. While the only right way to start in life is by taking heed to our way according to God’s Word, it is equally right and necessary to heed it and to meditate upon it to the very end of our days. A life spent in this manner becomes beautiful in old age, which should show all the fruits of the spirit tinged with the glow of ripeness and be a loving benediction to all within the range of its influence. Indeed, what a pattern of godliness does every aged saint present when the gray-haired head is crowned with the beauty of holiness, when a long life of self-denial and self-discipline gives a practical demonstration of the power of divine grace to overcome the downward tendencies of our fallen nature! What a pattern should the aged Christian be, of patient endurance, of loving sympathy and gentle forbearance, able to give kindly counsel and timely assistance in various ways to those who are still bearing the burden and heat of the day, cheering them onward and inspiring them to noble deeds and persistent fortitude, and fully appreciating all their labors of love!

The spiritual life, like the physical life, develops according to fixed laws. As the natural life must be nourished and fed according to the laws of nature in order to sustain and develop it and keep it in health, so the spiritual life must be nourished by the various means of grace and fed continually by the Word of the Lord: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them.”

God’s Word of Truth, the Bible, is like what a seed catalog is to a gardener, filled with character developing traits [seeds] that cannot ripen except under proper conditions; and if professions abound where character is lacking, or is not correspondingly developed, how sad is the plight, and how manifest the self-deception to every discerning saint!

When considering the cost of each seed, let the young Christian mark well the counsel of wisdom and take heed to his course according to the Word of the Lord. Let him come to it for answers to all questions of right and duty; and let him study how the perfect law of God, the law of love, applies to all the conditions and circumstances of his daily life. In so doing there will be a steady growth in grace, and the fruits of the spirit will not be lacking.

The consecrated children are privileged to have a Father which is in heaven and are thus declared to be the epistle of Christ, “written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:3). How careful, therefore, we should be as we go forth into the world, bearing witness to the Truth, by our words and by our life, that we bring no reproach upon the name of our Heavenly Father or upon the name of our beloved Lord and Savior! By God’s grace we must so reflect the image of Jesus, that those who refuse to receive our word, may, by beholding our Christian conduct, be led to glorify our Father which is in heaven. Our Lord and Master tells His Church, “Ye are the light of the world.” He exhorts: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:14, 16). 

The consecrated Christian is to walk circumspectly [carefully, picking your steps]. Oh, how carefully we must walk to please God! (See BS 1969, p. 2) We must walk, not like ignorant persons, but as wise men, redeeming the time (taking advantage of our opportunities) because the days are evil. The times are perilous (2 Tim. 3:1-8), and only by sobriety and the wisdom of meekness and looking to Christ our Leader shall we be able to walk our difficult way to its glorious terminus.

ASPECTS OF CHRISTIAN MEDITATION

The consecrated child of God meditates every time he turns his thoughts to God or thinks on His character, plan and principles, especially as exemplified in His Word of Truth. Some seasons of meditation are more intense than others, however, for example, during prayer. Luther, Wesley and other prominent ones among Christians frequently spent many hours at a time in earnest prayer. Our Lord Jesus frequently communed in prayer with the Father, even spending whole nights in prayer (Matt. 14:23; Luke 6:12; 11:1).

Our heartfelt prayers of confession, thanksgiving, praise and communion generally are meditative and require a mental detachment from selfish and worldly things. Likewise, in our seasons of reflection, when we consider God’s attributes and what He has done for us in our personal lives, we are “transcending” in our minds—removing our thoughts more particularly from the temporal things and dwelling on the things of eternity (2 Cor. 4:16-18). And the more frequent and sustained this meditation, the more it becomes a habit and the more our characters are molded along the lines of Godlikeness and Christlikeness. (See BS 1977, p. 27, for further thoughts along this line).

The Daily Heavenly Manna comment on Psa. 116:7 states: “The Christian’s habit of thought has much indeed to do with his spiritual progress or retrogression, as it is also an index of his spiritual state; and good habits of thought need to be carefully cultivated. By ‘habit of thought’ we mean that normal condition to which the mind habitually returns in the moments of mental leisure. While engaged in the active duties of life we must of necessity bend our mental energies to the work in hand, for if we do anything merely mechanically and without concentrating thought upon it, we cannot do it well; yet even here Christian principle, well established in the character, will unconsciously guide. But when the strain of labor and care are lifted for a time, the established habit of thought, like the needle to the pole, should quickly return to its rest in God.”

Devout contemplation of the character of God and Jesus is one of the most effective ways for Christians to become like Them in character (2 Cor. 3:18). For this reason, the Apostle Paul urges Jesus’ followers to “consider him” (Heb. 12:3)—to draw strength from His example of faithfulness, to model themselves after Him. If we would progress in Christlikeness, we should follow Paul’s advice to Timothy: “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them [we should constantly be occupied with good, useful thoughts]; that thy profiting [progress] may appear to all” (1 Tim. 4:15; see also Phil. 4:8). What a man habitually thinks and feels makes him what he is, for good or for evil (Luke 6:43-45).

SCRIPTURES ON MEDITATION

Psa. 119:97: “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” Meditation is prompted by love for God and His will.

Psa. 119:15: “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.” Meditation delights in His precepts and statutes.

Phil 4:8: “Finally, brethren, 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.” Meditation occupies itself with God’s Word in general.

Josh 1:8: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Meditation is appropriate at any season and constantly.

Psa. 77:6: “I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.” Meditation makes the soul humble.

Psa. 104:34: “My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.” Meditation brings joy.

Psa. 49:3: “My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.” Meditation fixes God’s Truth in the mind and heart.

Meditation can be done at any time of the day or night. Meditating on the enumerated qualities of Godlikeness and Christlikeness produces like qualities in us. We should meditate on Jehovah, His plan and works morning, noon and night, as much as the proper demands of our occupation and our proper responsibilities to others will permit, communing with Him always in the spirit of our minds, knowing that He is ever present with us, that even in our sleep He watches over us and keeps us (Psa. 4:8; 139:17, 18). How appropriate, then, to fellowship with Him in our minds from our waking hour onward! Oh, abiding peace of mind and heart received only through God’s Word will give serenity under all circumstances.

We have been given to understand that one of God’s four attributes is wisdom. One of God’s chosen vessels, King Solomon, reputed to be the wisest man to have lived is known for his wisdom however well or poorly he followed his own teachings. It is generally conceded that they are sound wisdom—as true today as when uttered. The fact that we are told that God heard Solomon’s prayer for wisdom, and granted the request, together with the fact that his writings were accepted as a part of the sacred canon in our Lord’s day, and not objected to by New Testament writers, but on the contrary quoted from by them, is a sufficient guarantee to us that the wisdom of these proverbs is of a kind that cometh from above.

Father Solomon suggests that the obedient son of a wise father will prolong his days, by giving heed to the good counsel: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Pro. 22:6). Solomon’s father spoke these words: “My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding” (Psa. 49:3). The parent’s whole course of life should manifest toward his children his love for them, and his deep interest in their welfare. The child is naturally disposed to think highly of its parents, and to appreciate their advice, unless this childlike confidence has been shattered by unkind treatment, threats and parental neglect. Father Solomon suggests that the obedient son of a wise father will prolong his days, by giving heed to the good counsel. Our Heavenly Father said of His Son: “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered” (Heb. 5:8). 

We are to become so illuminated by the Truth and so filled with its Spirit that we will constantly be its living representatives, ever sowing to the Spirit, and not to the flesh; “for God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath [by His Spirit, the Spirit of Truth] shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6; John 1:9).

Indeed, we may profitably apply this lesson of Father Solomon to the sons of God and consider God to be the speaker, for in holy things, we but copy the Heavenly Father. While we were yet sinners, He redeemed us, and by His love and justice He has drawn all who so far have been drawn to Christ as the Redeemer. Coming to Christ for forgiveness of sins, even justification, through faith in His blood, we thus came to the Father. It was then that the Heavenly Father addressed us, through His Word, saying, “My son, give me thine heart” (Prov. 23:26)—thy affections, thy love and thy will. Those who gave their wills, their love, their affections, to God, gave their all; for our wills and affections control us, whether for good or evil.

When we accepted God’s invitation (Rom. 12:1), and gave Him our hearts, our all, a living sacrifice, to be His and to do henceforth His good pleasure, it was not because we first loved Him, but because He first loved us, and gave His Son to be a propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins (1 John 4:10). Now, therefore, having been accepted of the Father, having been taken into His family, by receiving the Spirit of sonship, He speaks to us as to sons, in the language of Solomon, that we take heed to His Word; and He promises us that by so doing the years of our life shall be many, very many, everlasting.

GOD OUR TEACHER

All who have been “taught of God” can bear testimony to the applicability of Pro. 4:11 to themselves and to all the sons of God: “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.” And all such, relying upon the exceeding great and precious promises of the Scriptures, can look in confidence to v. 12 as a prophecy respecting the Divine care over all those who have put themselves thus under Divine protection and instruction as sons of God, and who will abide in His love: “When thou walkest thy step shall not be hemmed in, and if thou runnest thou shalt not stumble” (Rotherham). They are assured that their steps in the spiritual way shall be guided of the Lord, and that they shall not stumble, as long as they follow in that path in which God’s providence guides them; yea, all things shall work together for good to those who love God supremely (Rom. 8:28).

The older and more experienced the son may be—the spiritual son of the Heavenly Father, or the natural son of the earthly father—the more he should appreciate the testimony (v. 13), “Take fast hold of instruction; not let her go: keep her, for she is life.” We “Take Heed” to the words of wisdom given in Heb. 2:1: “We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” It evidently is not enough that we hear the Lord’s Word, nor yet that we receive it into good and honest hearts. It is also necessary that we take a secure hold of it; that we act upon it; that we incorporate it as a necessary part of our being; by doing this the spirit of truth becomes the spirit of all the children of God—the Holy Spirit in them is in harmony, in full accord, with the Heavenly Father’s mind, disposition and will.

While the world marks and rejoices in, and in some cases returns thanks to God for, the truly glorious common earthly blessings which our loving and benevolent Father showers alike upon the evil and the good, let our hearts rejoice not only in these things, but also in the higher, spiritual favors bestowed only upon the sons of God, giving thanks always and for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Truly this is a happy frame of mind to be in, and those who can maintain it at all times and under all circumstances have reached an admirable attainment of Christian character and experience. All of us have trials and vexations. We must keep the end in view. Let us live above the clouds, in the sunshine of God’s love, and patiently and even thankfully submit to our painful trials and ordeals in the hope of attaining the glorious end designed by Divine providence (Rom. 5:3-5).

In view of the urgent necessity of sober watchfulness and close attention to God’s will regarding us, the Apostle calls upon all who are to any extent intoxicated and stupefied by the spirit of the world, saying, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Eph. 5:14). In other words, put away the worldly spirit and awake to the importance of being filled with the Spirit of God, and look to Him for the light of Truth that will surely follow, with its blessed invigorating and life-giving influences.

“See then that ye walk circumspectly [carefully, picking your steps]” (v. 15). Oh, how carefully we must walk, to please God! We must walk, not like ignorant persons, but as wise men, redeeming the time (taking advantage of our opportunities) because the days are evil. The times are perilous (2 Tim. 3:1–8), and only by sobriety and the wisdom of meekness and looking to Christ our Leader shall we be able to walk our difficult way to its glorious terminus.

We, as consecrated children of God, can “Take Heed” by walking in wisdom redeeming the time; as a part of the one true Church, the ecclesia, “The house of God” mentioned in 1 Tim. 3:15 is not a building with or without a steeple, in which Christians would meet; but it is the real Church, the ecclesia. The Greek word “ecclesia” means the called-out ones. In the narrow sense the symbols of Christ’s Headship and the Church’s Bodyship are primarily involved; the same principle applies in all ecclesias of God’s present-day consecrated people, for they are all parts of the church, the ecclesia (the called-out ones), in the wider sense. We are not to forget that others than the Little Flock are pictured as being in a married relationship with our Lord Jesus. Ruth in her married relationship with Boaz types earlier Youthful Worthies in a symbolic married relationship with our Lord Jesus (Ruth 4:10-13; E 4, pp. 394, 395).

Our Master tells His one true Church, “Ye are the light of the world.” He exhorts: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:14, 16). If we allow sin, selfishness, error, worldliness, sectarianism or fleshly desires to motivate us and thus to hinder and partially eclipse our ability to let our light shine before men, they will soon notice it. We are to become so illuminated by the Truth and so filled with its Spirit that we will constantly be its living representatives; “for God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath [by His Spirit, the Spirit of Truth] shined into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6; John 1:9). “Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8; 1 Thes. 5:5). Thus we see that it is the light of God’s Truth, the holy spirit, mind or disposition, shining in our hearts, that shines out upon the world; hence the exhortation, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:14, 15).

We see that during the reign of evil God’s holy Spirit does not shine directly upon the world or operate in it; rather it’s the holy Spirit, mind or disposition of God that’s operating in His people who are sealed by it that shines upon the darkness of the world. St. Paul gives us a clue as to how the world is to be reproved by the spirit of holiness in the consecrated Church, saying, “Walk as children of light … And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them … all things that are reproved are made manifest [shown to be wrong] by the light” (Eph. 5:8, 11, 13).

The light of God’s Truth, which expresses His mind or Spirit, as it shines through a sanctified life, is the holy Spirit, reproving the darkness of the world, showing those who see it what sin is, in contrast with righteousness. From this enlightenment will come to them the conviction of a coming judgment, when righteousness will receive some reward, and sin some punishment (John 16:8-11). A godly life is always a reproof to the ungodly, even where no word of Truth may be possible or proper.

WHOLESOME SPEECH

“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one” (Col. 4:6 ASV). Yes, the Word of God properly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver! Let us “Take Heed” with our vocabulary; our words, our conversation, should always be gracious and edifying, whether spoken along secular or religious lines. Moderation should characterize all our conversation, and in all our dealings with men of the world, as well as with Christians, courtesy, liberality and kindly consideration for their interests, should be evident, even though their lack of such consideration toward us be glaringly manifest. Not only should our speech be liberal, temperate, courteous, kind and prompted by love, but it should also be seasoned with salt. Truth and its Spirit, like salt, has a purifying influence and also has the power of preserving from decay that which is good and pure.

If our speech is to be gracious, wholesome, pure and preservative, in its influence on others, we will need to guard our hearts with all diligence, for out of the heart are the issues of life (Prov. 4:23); and “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things” (Matt. 12:34, 35). Words have meaning, therefore they become an indicator of who we are.

Concerning our Lord Jesus, whose heart was perfect—in whom was no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth, it was said, “Grace is poured into thy lips”; and again, “All bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth” (Psa. 45:2; Luke 4:22). Moses, personating Christ, foretold the blessed influences of the Lord’s words, saying, “My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass” (Deut. 32:2). And Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). So wise, just and true were the Lord’s words, that, though His enemies were continually seeking to find some fault, it is said, “They could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marveled at his answer, and held their peace” (Luke 20:26). And others said, “Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46).

Thus, our Lord left a worthy example to His people, which the Apostle in our text urges us to follow. Also St. Peter (1 Pet. 4:11) exhorts: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God”—wisely, and in accordance with the Spirit and Word of the Lord. Again, it is written, “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile [deceit].” “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.” “The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool [an unwise, reckless talker] will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness” (Psa. 34:13; Prov. 21:23; Eccl. 10:12, 13). Our prayer may well be, in the words of the Psalmist (Psa. 19:14), “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”

JUSTICE FIRST—THEN LOVE

Our closing principle to Take Heed to is Justice! The consecrated children of God see the doctrine of love in the Bible and forget that there is a lesson which precedes love. This primary lesson is the one to which we draw our attention today. It is the lesson of justice — righteousness. Take Heed really signifies, Awake to justice! We must all learn to distinguish right from wrong and to practice what is just, right. Justice is righteousness.

Whoever is violating the principle of Justice, the Golden Rule, in his home or in the Church of Christ or in business or social relations should, if he is a Christian, examine the matter earnestly and prayerfully, and “awake to righteousness [justice], and sin not.” Thus, to do violence to justice is sin; and so far as our knowledge goes, it is a sin that prevails everywhere. Many have not a proper appreciation of this fact. They do not see that justice is the very foundation of all character, of all right living. It is the foundation of the Throne of God (Psa. 89:14). In vain does anyone practice love to his fellow creatures or even toward God while he is at the same time violating the principle of justice toward that one. Only after we have rendered justice are we at liberty to practice love toward another. Then we may do as much as we are able along the line of love. Justice first, love afterwards, should be the rule governing all of our dealings with others.

This begs the question: how can we be perfect in will when our bodies are imperfect? We answer, as did the Apostle, “To will is present with me; but how to perform … I find not” (Rom. 7:18.) He did not always succeed in carrying out his will for righteousness. So, it is with everyone who seeks to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We all know how to will right, but how to do right is the problem. Gradually we learn that God will not judge us according to the imperfections of our flesh; for so long as we remain faithful, these blemishes are covered with the robe of Christ’s imputed righteousness. Therefore, we do our best to show our Heavenly Father that we are trying hard to do right in every act, word and thought. And since He expects every member of His family to have a perfect will, it becomes a personal question as to what is the will of God for us. So, we seek diligently to prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom. 12:1,2).

To prove what is God’s will means to come to a knowledge of His will, to demonstrate it for ourselves. If we are faithful, we are progressing in this more and more as the days go by. At first, we had a little knowledge, and this we put into practice. As we grew in grace and in knowledge, we became better acquainted with the will of God; and it was for us to put this increased knowledge into practice also. This knowledge of the will of God we obtained, not in any supernatural way, but through the study of the Bible (2 Tim. 2:15).

Whoever has come into the family of God has given up his own will and accepted, instead, God’s will. Whoever has not given up his own will to the Lord is not His child. As the Apostle declares, “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Rom. 8:9.) The spirit of Christ was the spirit of full surrender to the Father’s will; and as we come to this same condition, we give up our own wills and take instead the Divine will. This we do because it is the proper course for all who desire to follow in our Redeemer’s steps, and because our own wills have proved to be unsatisfactory to ourselves. Our minds and our bodies are so imperfect that we have frequently gotten into difficulty through doing our own will. Therefore, we are glad to know and to do the will of God, especially since we see that it is so gracious a will.

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