by J. Randal Matheny

Good manners or etiquette is concerned with doing the proper thing in the proper place at the proper time. More important than good manners is right conduct before God. Doing the right thing. This is a part of what the Bible calls justice or righteousness.

The word "just" translates the Greek word "dikaios," meaning "upright, just, righteous" (BAGD). It also includes what is right or correct, applied especially to one's conduct.

In our series on Philippians 4:8, let's think on these five passages that encourage us toward what is just and right.

1. What's just is integrity (Matthew 23:27-38). Jesus condemned the Pharisees and scribes for their hypocrisy, for making themselves appear "just" (our word "dikaios") before the people, but not being right with God on the inside. We must be right with God inside and out, not just for show. Instead of impressing people, we should please God.

2. What's just is making peace (Luke 12:57-59). The Jews were good short-term weather forecasters, but couldn't recognize the Messiah when he came. So Jesus says, "And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?" ("Dikaios" again.) Their "accuser" carrying them to court is Jesus himself. They'd better change their minds (see Luke 13:1-9) before it's too late.

So first of all, being right is making peace with Jesus. Making sure we let him define himself and his mission. Surrender our stubborness and admiting our concept is the wrong one.

Then, that extends itself to others as well. Instead of insisting I'm right (when I may well be wrong), I should be willing to place restoring relationships above winning a point. Especially when I may wind up being the loser and find myself in prison until paying the last red cent (which means never!).

3. What's just is obeying God (Acts 4.19). Before the high Jewish council, Peter and John refused to bow to pressure to quit preaching Jesus. "Whether it is right ("dikaios") in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard."

We had best be concerned with what God thinks is right rather than what man concludes or demands. After all, the Lord will be our final judge, not "mortals, who have only breath in their nostrils" (Isaiah 2:22).

In Acts 4, by obeying God, Peter means continue preaching Christ. The principle applies to ALL God's commandments (see Luke 1:6), but in this context obedience has to do with proclaiming salvation in Jesus' name, even when it's not convenient. That's right!

4. What's just is thinking the best of people (Philippians 1:7). The good Philippian church had stopped sending money to Paul. He was in prison. He could have imagined that they were ashamed of his imprisonment or had decided to apply their funds to a more worthy cause. But no! He believes God will complete their good work of faith.

"It is right ("dikaios") for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel."

Paul insists on thinking the best about the Philippians, believing, truly, they "had no opportunity to show" their concern for him (4:10).

Like Paul, we might do well (what's just!) to think the best of others' motivations, actions, silences, and words.

5. What's just is honoring the Lord by caring for reputation (2 Corinthians 8:19-21). You don't see these verses read often before the offering. But they apply there and everywhere.

Titus, the "famous brother," and the "tested brother" would accompany Paul and others to take Gentile donations to the needy Jewish churches. Paul's principle is this:

"We intend that no one should blame us about this generous gift that we are administering, for we intend to do what is right (not "dikaios" here, but "kalos"*) not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of others."

Why such extreme caution? Because in the previous verse, Paul explains the reason for "administering this generous undertaking:" "for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our goodwill." He wants to reflect glory and attention to the Lord, and build between Jew and Gentile stronger links of Christian love.

So it is right to care for one's reputation, as a means of recommending the Lord's honor. We don't want any barrier to keep people from glorifying God. The only "obstacle" to getting to God is the cross of Christ. Woe to us if we raise one through our careless actions.

So there's safety in numbers, Paul says, more men to carry the gift mean a greater safeguard to honesty and transparency in ministry. That's a good and just thing for us to think about as well.

These things are just. And these are exactly the type of things we should think about. And do.

*In this context BAGD defines "kalos" as "morally good, noble, praiseworthy, contributing to salvation." Significantly, Moulton and Milligan quote Hort that the term "denotes that kind of goodness which is at once seen to be good."

by Jim McDoniel

Henry Ford had carved into his fireplace mantel the words, "Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice." Doing jobs for ourselves can be rewarding and beneficial.

Several years ago, a friend in the lawn-mowing business asked me to hire him to take of my yard. I told him that I got a lot of exercise from my yard work. If I paid him to do my yard work, I would have to pay a health club for exercise time. (Now, at my present age, I do my own yard work and pay the health club to help me exercise.)

The basic principle has even greater application when I come to the realm of spiritual knowledge. If I search and find the meaning of a passage for myself, I will remember it better than if I have someone else study the passage for me. Also, I may learn some additional truths while searching the passage.

Jim preaches at the www.legacychurchofchrist.com, from whose Daily Bulletin this article was taken, with permission.

by Michael E. Brooks

"And he came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near" (Ephesians 2:17).

Isolation is a dreadful experience. Whether it be quarantine because of communicable disease, exile because of political oppression, or solitary confinement as punishment, any form of isolation causes anxiety and distress.

In more than fifteen years of travel to parts of the world usually considered undeveloped, there have been occasions when I have been cut off from communication with home and family for several days at a time, or even longer. Maybe I should be used to it, but the unease associated with isolation continues. Today, for example, I learned that the ferry which crosses the major river between our school in Khulna, Bangladesh and Dhaka, the capitol, has been closed for two days because of high water. Since I have plans to travel to Dhaka later this week to meet my wife who is on her way to join me, that caused a few minutes of concern. For a brief time I felt cut off. Then I realized that there are alternate ways of traveling, and, besides, a call ascertained that the ferry is once again open. I breathed a sigh of relief.

There is, however, a far more serious condition of isolation described in the Bible. "At that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12). Sin has separated us from God. We who were made in his image, to enjoy constant fellowship with our Creator and Father, are cut off and banished because of our rebellion. As Adam was expelled from Eden, so we are without God and without hope, so long as we are in sin.

But we do not have to be separated. "He came and preached peace." Jesus has brought us back near to God, and has reconciled us to him by the power of his grace and love. We are no longer strangers and aliens, banished from his presence. We may know the warmth of his love and the blessings of his salvation through Christ.

I may be twelve thousand miles from home, but I feel close and in fellowship with my family so long as I can communicate with them. Telephones and email make isolation more bearable, or really remove it almost entirely. No, it is not the same as being in their physical presence, but it is surely not the same as not hearing from one another, either.

Our fellowship with God is, while we are on this earth, more nearly experienced as communication than as physical presence. Yes, he dwells in us through his Spirit (Ephesians 2:22), but we experience him essentially in a less direct manner. It is through prayer and the comfort of scripture that we may have the most direct exposure and communication with God and with Christ. In our worship and devotion we are assured of their presence, and we in turn express our awareness of them.

My point is this: If we fail to communicate we are still as if isolated. The blessed reconciliation of Christ does us little good. One may reissue a passport to an exile, but if he does not use it to travel, his exile does not end. The fact that he can return does not change his separated state. Too many who claim faith in Christ still live in exile, failing to establish and maintain meaningful communication with God.

Do you spend time in prayer, study and worship? Are you in fellowship, or still separated and alone, in spite of a profession of faith. If so, it is your own doing, and, thankfully, you have the power to change it. "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water" (Hebrews 10:22).

by Kevin Cauley

In the English language we have two articles, one definite ("the") and one indefinite ("a"). We use these articles to distinguish between definite and indefinite nouns/substantives. For example: "If you are thirsty, you may go to a water fountain, but if you want bottled water you need to go to the cooler." Any water fountain will get you water, but only the cooler will get you bottled water. The indefinite article tells us that of the noun specified, any will do. The definite article tells us that of the noun specified a particular one is under consideration.

The Greek language has a definite article, but it does not have an indefinite article. This tells us a few things. First, if the definite article is not present, then the indefinite article should not be assumed unless the context indicates such because two other possibilities exist, namely, 1) that there may be no article on the noun or 2) there may be an implied definite article. Second, when the definite article is present, it is present for a reason. One of these reasons provides a very fascinating proof for the deity of Christ.

In the Greek language, there is a certain idiom where two nouns (or substantives) joined together by the conjunction KAI and preceded by the definite article, refer to the same thing. In this construction, the nouns/substantives act, more or less, adjectivally to describe what is under consideration. For example, in Hebrews 3:1, we read, "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus" (KJV). It should be obvious that these two nouns ("apostle" and "high priest") adjectivally refer to one person, namely, Christ Jesus. It can be said, therefore, that Jesus is both the Apostle of our profession and the High Priest of our profession.

Understanding that point, we note several New Testament Greek passages that utilize this construction. First and foremost, 2 Peter 1:1: "Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (NASB). In the Greek language the underlined expression is: TOU QEOU hHMON KAI SWTHROS IHSOU XRISTOU, literally "the God of us and Savior, Jesus Christ." Notice the underlined definite article (TOU) and conjunction (KAI). This passage clearly demonstrates that Jesus is both "God" and "Savior."

Another passage is 2 Thessalonians 1:12, "so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" (NASB). The translators do not handle this passage correctly. They put the definite article before "Lord" when it is not there in the Greek. The Greek is: TOU QEOU hHMWN KAI KURIOU IESOU XRISTOU, literally, "of the God of us and Lord, Jesus Christ." Again, we may conclude from the Greek that Jesus Christ is both "God" and "Lord" due to this construction.

One more passage is Titus 2:13: "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus" (NASB). The Greek is: TOU MEGALOU QEOU KAI SWTEROS hHMWN XRISTOU IESOU, literally, "of the Great God and Savior of us, Christ Jesus." In this passage Jesus is identified as both the "Great God" and "Savior."

Robertson, in his Grammar, identifies Ephesians 5:5 as another such example that proves that Jesus was considered by the writers of the New Testament to be God. This Greek idiom is in accord with the ancient usage of Greek in classical times, as well, and is thoroughly documented. Obviously the idiom is not limited to merely passages that speak regarding Christ, but when it is used in such a way, it is a powerful affirmation that Jesus is indeed divine, being Christ, Lord, Savior and our Great God.

by Steve Preston

If you are a faithful follower of God, then the above question will be asked of you, in one form or another, at some point in your life. The question may be "Why do you go to church?" or "Why do you read your Bible all the time?" They all come down to the same thing, and that is why we, or anyone, should serve Jesus. Any Christian should be able to answer this question. It is, therefore, the aim of this lesson to encourage all Christians in their spiritual life and to list just a few reasons why being a servant of our Lord Jesus Christ will always be the best life.

1. Because Jesus has the power to forgive sins. "... that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins" (Matthew 9:6).

2. Because Jesus will give rest to His laborers. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

3. Because serving Jesus is the only way to the Father. "... no man cometh unto the Father but by me" (John 14:6).

4. Because Jesus first loved us. "We love him, because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

5. Because all spiritual blessings are in Christ. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).

6. Because with God on our side we cannot be opposed. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).

Certainly these few scriptures do not exhaust all possible verses that could be used to confirm that the Christian life is the best life. They do, however, show that with just a simple reading of the Bible, great encouragement to "live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" by "... denying ungodliness and worldly lusts" (Titus 2:12) can be found.