The Five "Faithful Sayings" of Paul

Well, happy Sabbath once again! Today I wanted us all to begin thinking about the Spring Holy Days, because they're coming up fast, and without getting too deep into the actual Spring Holy Days themselves, I wanted to provide a message that I thought would be a good introduction to being thinking about the meaning of the Spring Holy Days and how they relate to our lives. And within the pastoral epistles of Paul are recorded five times that Paul uses a saying. Only five times in the whole Bible. Five times Paul uses the phrase, This is a faithful saying, and then he proceeds to expound on an important principle. And he only does that in two different books of the Bible, a part of what are known as pastoral epistles. Here's what the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says about these faithful sayings. Quote, It says, Paul's faithful sayings are thus five in number, and were no doubt rehearsed constantly in the assemblies, till they all became well-known watchwords in the various churches scattered over the metatraining, washed provinces of the Roman Empire. Now, I can't prove that these five faithful sayings became part of the church liturgy and that everyone memorized them and used them as part of teaching in the church. But nonetheless, all five of these sayings are very profound and in a unique way can help you and I to prepare for the Spring Holy Days this year. So let's take a look at the first faithful say. We're going to go to 1 Timothy 1 and begin in verse 15. Again, this is 1 Timothy 1 beginning in verse 15.

Paul, of course, is writing to the young evangelist, the young pastor Timothy.

And Paul tells him, chapter 1, verse 15, this is a faithful saying, there it is right there, 1 to the 5, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief.

However, for this reason, I obtained mercy that in me first, Christ Jesus might show all long suffering as a pattern to those who are going to believe in Him for everlasting life. Paul says, I was the biggest sinner of all. And God called me just to show you how much patience He has with people who are sinners. How much of long suffering, how much patience He has, how much He works with those who are even the greatest of sinners. This is what Paul is saying. In verse 17, now to the eternal, now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible to God, who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

So as we begin to ponder the spring holy days, it's good to remember what our calling is all about. Jesus Christ voluntarily emptied Himself of glory, came and walked on this earth to save sinners. He did not come to save those who already think they are righteous because they won't heed what He has to say. He did not come to save those who think they are superior to others. He came to save those who were humble enough to say that I am a vile sinner. Ties in very well with the excellent sermonette that we heard today, doesn't it? That I am in need of a Savior. So Jesus Christ came to save sinners. Paul believed that He was a chief sinner and that by looking at His life, that we could all see the patience of Jesus Christ in the way that He worked with Paul. I'm going to read these verses from the translation God's Word for today.

It says, this is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, and I am the foremost sinner. However, I was treated with mercy so that Jesus Christ could use me, the foremost sinner, to demonstrate His patience.

This patience serves as an example for those who would believe in Him and live forever. Worship and glory belong forever to the eternal King, the immortal, invisible, and only God. Amen.

You know what's said here is something that can also be said of us. We were all treated with mercy so that God could use us. Just like Paul was treated with mercy so that he could be an apostle, we haven't been called to be apostles, but we've all been called to become part of the body of Christ and fill an important role within the body of Jesus Christ. And every one of us were treated with mercy, given mercy by God so that God could use us. And of course, Paul wanted to emphasize that all credit, all glory, all honor for anything we do should go to God alone. Again, that's that humility. That's the importance of that humility. Think about what the Passover pictures. The Passover pictures that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

On the Passover, we look at the Lamb of God who shed his blood. Why? Because he came into the world to save sinners. Now, we're the firstfruits that are being called, and we get to participate in that truth and in that knowledge earlier than other people do, but it's the whole core of who and what the Passover is all about. Let's now go to Luke 5 and verse 27. This is still part of the first faithful saying. I just want to expand upon what Paul said here in Timothy, Luke 5 and verse 27.

As we know, that in contrast to humility is the kind of example that the scribes in the Pharisees set in the day of Jesus Christ. They were self-righteous. They were smug. They were satisfied. They thought they were superior to other people because of what they did. They thought they were smarter than everyone else, and Jesus was constantly combating this attitude that existed among them. Luke chapter 5 and verse 27. After these things, he went out and he saw a tax collector named Levi. A tax collector. What could we liken a tax collector to today? Maybe something like a county commissioner, or I really don't know. I can only tell you this, that in this day, a tax collector was considered in Jewish society to be a scum, and most of them were Jewish. And they got the key to a percent of the take of the taxes they collected. So they all tended to become very wealthy. Because just think of human nature. If I'm appointed a tax collector, and I say I get to keep 10% of all the taxes that I collect, well, you can be sure that I'm going to collect taxes like crazy. I'm going to invent taxes that aren't even really owed in order to get that 10% in order to live the good life. And they were absolutely despised by the Jewish people.

So after these things, he went out and he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office. And he said to him, follow me. So he left all, and he rose up, and he followed Christ.

Then Levi gave him a great feast in his own house. How could he afford? How could Levi afford? All the food and scrumptious drink and everything with his great feast in his own house? It's easy. He was a tax collector. That's how he could afford a great feast in his own house. And it's his own house, I might add. He was living quite well. It says, and there were a great number of tax collectors and others, according to Matthew's account. Matthew calls them tax collectors and sinners.

Luke's account says, tax collectors and others who sat down with them and describes in the Pharisees complained against his disciples, saying, why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? Jesus answered and said to them, those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Jesus was saying that if you're self-satisfied, if you're self-righteous, if you think you're superior, then I can't reach you. I can't have a relationship with that kind of an attitude. It's people who say to themselves, I'm in need of God. Those are the people that God can reach. People who say, I am poor in spirit and I need more of God's spirit in my life. I need God to be part of my life. I need to live for God. Those are the kind of people that God can work with.

Much alike in the time of Jesus Christ, sadly, in the 21st century, there are many smug, self-righteous, religious people who are on cruise control towards hellfire. Because when you forget what you are, the bottom line is what we all are, are vile sinners. When you forget who you are, you begin making yourself a spiritual judge. In all things biblical, you are in serious spiritual danger. And there are a lot of people in our day and age who are in that spiritual danger. When vanity and pride enters our lives, God departs because there's only one room for one God in your life. And even if we start out on the right track, even if we start out on a straight and narrow road and we get to the point where we allow vanity and pride and narcissism to enter our lives, God begins to depart. Because he can't work with that kind of attitude. He cannot work with that kind of a spirit. So as we prepare for the Passover, we must understand that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. You and I are sinners. We need Jesus Christ as part of our life. Here's the second faithful saying. Let's go to 1 Timothy chapter 3, beginning in verse 1. 1 Timothy chapter 3, beginning in verse 1. Now, in this faithful saying, Paul is going to talk about the difference that good leadership provides in the church.

Because the church is like a business. It's like a family. It's like anything where you have good leadership, there's growth, there's maturity, there's development, and when you have poor leadership, there's erosion, there's morale issues, and eventually there is collapse. Those are the two options that are set before us. Again, as a church, as a community, as a business, as a family. Good leadership versus bad leadership. 1 Timothy chapter 3 in verse 1. And this is a faithful saying. So this is the second of the five. If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. Now, what Paul means here, of course, is that if a man desires for the right motive, that is to be a servant, not to be a control freak, not to be served, not to fill some hidden deed he has for fame or title or whatever. If a man desires the position of a bishop because he wants to serve other people, in that case, he desires a good office, a good position, a good work. Again, Paul knew the importance of the church having excellent leadership. Good leadership equals growth and stability and spiritual maturity. Poor leadership equals decline.

It equals splits. And it usually equals focusing on the doctrines of men. Let's pick it up now here in verse 2, because he gives the benchmark that we should all expect from those who are in the office of a minister and later on here even the office of a deacon. These are the minimum requirements. A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, that is self-disciplined, self-restrained, sober-minded. That doesn't mean he doesn't reflect the fruits of God's Holy Spirit, one of which is joy, but when it's time to be sober and serious, he has the ability to do that. He needs to be of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach, not given to much wine. That's a little muted in the New King James. Not given to wine means not drinking too much wine. It doesn't mean that he's a teetotaler. Not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, meaning he should have a chip on his shoulder, always looking to argue with people about everything. Not quarrelsome, not covetous. He shouldn't resent people who are successful and achieve other things. And he should be one who rules his own house well. Having his children in submission with all reverence, for a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the Church of God? So if his children are small and you're still living at home, those children need to be in submission. Verse 6, not a novice lest being puffed up with pride, he fall into the same condemnation of the devil. So it's very important that someone who was baptized a couple of years ago is not given the incredible responsibility that comes with being a minister or pastor. That means 22-year-old college graduates should not be made ministers or pastors, because at age 22 you've maybe been baptized for a couple of years. You are a novice. And what happens if you are a novice? Lest being puffed up with pride. At that age you can't handle those kind of responsibilities unless you begin to think of things about yourself that are not true. Being puffed up with pride, he fall into the same condemnation of the devil. Verse 7, moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are on the outside. And when you talk to people who know him in his community, they should say, find man. Honest, keeps his promises, good member of the community. He's got some weird religious belief, but aside from that, he is a man of integrity. He's a man that keeps his word. That's the kind of good testimony that he should have on those who work with him on the outside.

So again, a good testimony to those who are on the outside lest he fall into the reproach and snare of the devil. You don't want to have religious Joe at church, and then he flips his switch and becomes another person all during the work week that none of us would even want to recognize or care to know.

He needs to be the same genuine person 24-7 all week. Verse 8, likewise, deacons must be reverent. That's worthy of respect, not double-tongued, not talking out of both sides of their mouths, not given to much wine nor greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

But let these also first be tested. And that's the reason that someone who's been in the church two years or three years should most likely not be made a deacon, because you're just too young in the faith. You haven't been through enough stuff in life to be able to handle the pressures and all the things that are required in serving an office in the church. But let these also be tested. Let them serve as deacons, being bound blameless. Likewise, their wives must be reverent.

That is respectful, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife. And again, if they have their own children who are young enough to still be living at home, ruling their children in their house as well. For those who have served well as deacons, obtained for themselves a good standing with great boldness in the faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

So why is this so important, Nepal? Why is this a faithful saying? Because it is a reminder of the importance for each generation, the importance of good leadership in the church. And he reminds the ministry, he reminds the deacons of their moral and spiritual accountability to serve the church.

Without good leadership, a church goes backwards. Without good leadership, a church shrinks. Without good leadership, churches split. Without good leadership, churches eventually die. And Paul wanted to make sure, through each generation, that that does not happen. Let's go to Ephesians. Again, we're still on the second faithful saying, I just want to reinforce it. Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 11, if you'll turn with me there. Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 11. Paul tells us a gift that Jesus Christ gave to the church that he himself gave. That is speaking of Jesus Christ gave. Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 11, and he himself, as capital H, referring to Christ, gave some to the apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, and some teachers.

The different roles that people fill. This is not a hierarchy of greatness. It's not a hierarchy of superiority. What it is, it's a list of tremendous responsibility and accountabilities on any man given any of these offices. And believe me, too, much is given, much is required. Verse 12, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry. So why is the ministry given? It is to equip all of you for your work in the ministry. Now, when I say your work in the ministry, I don't mean ministry capital M like an office, but I mean in your ability to serve the word.

Minister just means servant. So the purpose of the ministry is to equip everyone in your own way according to your own gifts and talents and inclinations so that you can serve, so that you can be a blessing to other people. That's why the ministry exists for the edifying of the body of Christ. Edifying is just a word that means to build something, to build up the body of Christ, till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. My, is that a tall order? And each and every one of us are still working on that, aren't we?

I know that I am. Verse 14, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. And of course, we realize that exactly almost two years ago, some ministers were involved in the craftiness of deceitful plotting, and they split the Church of God.

Verse 15, but speaking the truth in love, this is the real purpose of the ministry, but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head Christ.

So the role of the ministry is to help all of us to spiritually mature, to grow up in all things. Verse 16, from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effect of working by which every part does its share. That means that you do what you need to do. You contribute your gift. You contribute the things that you can to the Church, and it's unique, and it probably is going to be different than the person sitting next to you.

But if every part does its share, it causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

It's a powerful, again, this is a powerful formula, but Paul reminds us why God even gave the office of the ministry into the Church. It was God's will to give the Church leadership to equip the saints in their work of ministry. And the purpose of the ministry is to build up the body of Christ. An individual entrusted with the office of a minister should be a gift to the Church of God and not a booby trap. As I said, the word minister means servant, and the primary role of a minister is to teach everyone else how to serve, to encourage everyone to grow spiritually at their own level and their own progress, and to protect the flock from far too many people who are trying to harm it. So again, that was the second faithful saying. Let's take a look at the third faithful saying, 1 Timothy 4 and verse 9, if you'll turn there with me. 1 Timothy 4 and verse 9.

The third faithful saying. Again, Paul tells Timothy, this is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance.

For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Paul continues, these things command and teach. So Paul tells us, good to think about as we prepare for the Holy Days this spring, that the reason we get up each morning and we start a new day with cheer and joy, which is the way that I hope we're starting out each new day, that in spite of what that day may bring, problems and frustrations, temptations, or maybe even ridicule, we live this life. We walk this walk because there is a living God and He has saved us. His death and resurrection has given us a new purpose in this life, a whole new reason for being. And that's important to think about in the spring Holy Days. Again, tying in with the purpose of the Passover, tying in with the meaning of the days of unleavened bread. I'm going to read this from the translation God's Word for today, verses 9 through 11. This is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance. Certainly, we work hard and struggle to live a godly life because we place our confidence in the living God. He is the Savior of all people, especially those who believe, insist on these things and teach them. And the reality is that being the Son of God requires discipline. Because if we don't have discipline, we won't make it. We'll quit. We'll start the journey. We'll take our hand off that plow and we'll look back. We'll be like Lot's wife and we'll look back. It requires a certain amount of discipline. It requires hard work and struggle as we allow God's Holy Spirit to mold us in God's image. Let's take a look at another scripture tying into this third faithful saying, Psalm 31, beginning in verse 1. Psalm 31, beginning in verse 1. Paul said that we trust in the living God. Let's see how the psalmist tells us in his own unique way. Psalm 31, beginning in verse 1. In you, O Lord, I put my trust. Let me never be ashamed. Deliver me in your righteousness. Deliver me not because I'm so great, not because I'm so smart, not because I'm so special, but deliver me in your righteousness. Bow down your ear to me. Deliver me speedily. I like that. I like some prayers that I've said. I've said, God, please grant me patience, but quickly. He says, Deliver me speedily. Be my rock and refuge, a fortress of defense to save me. For you are my rock and my fortress. Therefore, for your namesake, lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net, which they have secretly laid for me. And I want to assure you that Satan the Devil knows your Achilles heel.

He knows every hot button you have. He knows every weakness that works in the far reaches of your mind that even you won't admit to. He knows each and every area of your life in which you are potentially vulnerable to abandon your discipleship, to get off of the journey, and that's why he prayed, For you are my strength. And in your hand I commit my spirit. You have redeemed me, often quoted, regarding the crucifixion of Christ. That verse, Oh God of truth, I have hated those who regard useless idols, but I trust in the Lord. So David understood that the Lord was his rock. It was God's righteousness that had delivered him, that led him, that guided him, and that redeemed him. That's an important part. Will we consider that third, faithful saying?

Now let's go to the fourth, faithful saying, Second Timothy. We're now going to leave First Timothy, in which the first faithful sayings were located. Second Timothy, chapter 2, verse 11.

The fourth, faithful saying. Second Timothy, chapter 2, verse 11. It says, This is a faithful saying.

For if we died with him, we shall also live with him. If we endure, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, meaning if we turn back, if we stop the journey, if we abort our calling, if we deny him, he also will deny us. If we are faithless, he remains faithful. He cannot deny himself. Faith is part of his character. It's part of who and what Jesus Christ is. He can never break a promise, even if we fail in our end. Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord, not to strive about words to no profit for the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself, approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, but shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.

And this was even before we had blogs. Paul recognized this kind of meaningless, spiritual, what I call, feel-babble that so many people espouse today who believe that they have to be right about everything. This is the fourth faithful saying, if we're willing to be a living sacrifice for Jesus Christ daily, we will receive eternal life. If we endure for a lifetime and never abandon our discipleship, then he will allow us to reign with him in the kingdom of God. If we abandon our calling, if we abandon our discipleship, he will deny that he knows us in the judgment. Remember a statement that Jesus said, he said that many would come in my name, saying, I am the Christ.

And there would be those who say, well, but I did all these good things. And Jesus said, I never knew you, but I cast out demons. I'm sorry, you're not written in this book. I have no idea who you are.

So we do not want to be in the position where Jesus Christ denies us at the time of judgment.

We don't want to abandon our calling on our discipleship. And rightly dividing the word of the truth is knowing the difference between what is spiritually important and what is mere feel babble. What are people's opinions? What are people who just want to draw attention to themselves? Is there doctrine of the month to try to grab people's attention, to try to pull people away from the trunk of the tree? I'm going to read these verses in the New Century version. This teaching is true. If we died with him, we also will live with him. If we accept suffering, we will also rule with him. If we refuse to accept him, he will refuse to accept us.

If we are not faithful, he will still be faithful because he cannot be false to himself.

Continue in these things, warning people in God's presence not to argue about words. It does not help anyone, but it ruins those who listen. Make every effort to give yourself to God as the right kind of person he will accept. Be a worker who is not ashamed and who uses the true teaching in the right way. Stay away from foolish, useless talk because that will lead people farther away from God. So again, Paul is telling Timothy, do not major in the minors. I learned many years ago that people who have truly given up on overcoming their own problems, that people who have just decided this is too much work and I'm not going to even try anymore, people who have come to that point in their lives usually are those who are most attracted to non-essential doctrine in order to feel better about themselves. Oh, I know a new truth. I know something that other people don't know. Now I feel good about myself, but that's not the way it's supposed to work, you see.

That's a delusion. Let's go to Romans chapter 6 and verse 8. Romans chapter 6 and verse 8, still tying in with this fourth faithful saying. Romans chapter 6 beginning in verse 8.

Paul writes to the congregation in Rome, now if we died with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him. For the death that he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life that he lives, he lives to God. So Jesus Christ even himself as a new purpose and that is to be a great high priest for us and to live for the Father. Verse 11, likewise you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey it in its lust. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourself to God as being alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. That's an important principle as we begin to think about the holy days because we're all human and we all sin. But what should not be occurring in our lives is that sin is reigning somewhere in our lives. And the modern term we usually have for that is called an addiction. An addiction is something that's out of control. An addiction is something that has become part of our daily lifestyle. Something that we accept. We may not like it, but something that we accept as part of our daily habit is the way that we live. That is when sin reigns in our mortal body and that's different than just committing a sin and asking God for repentance because of a weakness, because of something we thought or a situation provoked us to anger or provoked us to say something we shouldn't say. When sin reigns in our body, it is part of our lifestyle. And whatever it may be, if you are struggling with an addiction, I encourage you to begin working on it right now. You know what it is. I don't need to tell you. It could be anything that destroys spiritually or physically the temple of the body of Jesus Christ. That is you. It could be any physical addiction in which you're slowly killing yourself. It could be a spiritual addiction. It could be something like pornography. It could be working too many hours, or workaholic. It could be a physical addiction to something. It could be a number of things. But we should not let sin reign in our mortal body that you should obey it in its lust. This is the time to zero in on whatever that issue is and to overcome it. To use the power of the Spirit of God. And, you know, as I've said before, whatever it is, if it's something that you can't handle yourself, then see a professional. I mean a professional in that field. I don't be necessary. I'm not a doctor. I'm not a psychologist. And I don't play one on television.

So I can't help you in those areas. But whatever area it is, there is a specialist who can probably help you. If you're dealing with anger, there are professionals that are very good at teaching you anger management and how to process your anger in a positive way instead of lashing out at people all the time. As an example, whatever it may be, do not let sin reign in your mortal body.

So to recap the fourth faithful saying here. Oh, I'm sorry I didn't finish it. Let me finish this or I'll be accused of something. Verse 13. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin or present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness to God for sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under grace. So when we have God's Spirit and we're living God's way of life and when we occasionally do that sin of weakness, we are not under the condemnation of the law. We are under God's pardon. We are under God's mercy, the kind of mercy that Paul talked about when he was called instead of being condemned under the law. So now that being said, let's recap the fourth faithful saying. We died with Christ and we went into a watery grave of baptism. Now, that's the next step in this faithful saying, we come out of that water and we live as a new creature in Christ and we have a sure promised reward as long as we remain faithful and endure until the end of our lives. And because we are alive to God, we are not under condemnation of the law when we sin, when we struggle with temptations and weaknesses, but we are under the pardon and the grace of the love of God. So those were the first four faithful sayings. Now the fifth and final faithful saying, Titus chapter 3 and verse 8. If you'll turn there with me.

Titus chapter 3 and verse 8.

Titus chapter 3 and verse 8. This is a faithful saying. And these things I want to affirm constantly that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.

These things are good and profitable to men, but avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and useless. What's Paul saying here? He's saying it's a faithful saying that we should not be a nova, a Christian nova. You know what a nova is? A nova is something that explodes. Brilliant! Oh, impressive! But then what happens? Then the brilliance dies down and it falls into total darkness. That's the way many people that I've known were like. They were spiritual novas. And what he's saying here is that we should be careful to maintain good works. When you've developed a good quality, a good godly quality and habit, keep it! When you've achieved a certain level of growth, don't go backward.

Don't say, ah, that's not important to me anymore. Maintain the good works that you have developed in your life. You know, there are ditches to each side of the straight road to narrow life.

There's the road to narrow life, and few be that find it. But there are ditches on each side of it that are calling out to us. One ditch calls out to you to divert your journey and says, focus on the doctrines of men. Focus on these disputes! That's one ditch, and all that noise is out there.

And then the other ditch in the other side of the road calls out to you the growth and overcoming. It's not really that important. All you need is the grace of Christ. Don't overcome anything. Jesus loves you! You're saved by His grace! Don't worry about that addiction. So what if people can't tell the difference between you and someone who doesn't even claim to believe in God? Jesus loves you! You're under grace, not law! Just don't worry about it! So you see, you have these two ditches on each side of the straight and narrow road to eternal life.

A few months back, my wife received an email stating that I teach salvation by works.

I found that kind of interesting because, and I can understand, I guess, the root of it, and that is that I do emphasize the importance of growth and overcoming sin and constantly moving forward so I can understand the mindset of someone making that accusation. I really didn't let it bother me because all I did was consider the source. But the straight and narrow path is one that few people find and even fewer people stay on because it's a path of self-sacrifice.

It's a path of faith where you have to move forward even though there's no evidence that there's anything out there. You're just going on promises. You're just going on faith but you can't see evidence of it. It's a path of commitment, a constant spiritual growth and overcoming. And why can you do that? Not because of yourself, because we're weak, we're vile sinners. We mentioned that earlier. But because God has given us the tremendous gift of His Holy Spirit. And that's why we were given His Holy Spirit. I'd like to read verses 8 through 9 from the new International Version. This is a trustworthy saying and I want you to stress these things so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone but avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law because these are unprofitable and useless.

So what are some ways in which we can do what is good? Well, of course, keeping the spiritual application of God's commandments is doing what is good. Showing genuine love towards others, that's doing what is good. Developing a deepening relationship with God is doing what is good. Using the Holy Spirit to overcome your weaknesses through the power of Christ, that is doing what is good. So you see, there are a lot of things that we can do that's good, but they are things that are positive and they are things that promote growth in ourselves and edify the Church of Jesus Christ. Let's take a look at Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 19. Actually, our last scripture for the day to reinforce this fifth faithful saying. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 19.

The author of the book of Hebrews says, Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us through the veil that is His flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God. Let's look at the analogy here. Anciently, the Holy of Holies was separated by a veil. No one could go into that inner sanctum in the temple before that, the tabernacle. Only in one day the high priest was allowed to even enter that. It separated everyone by this veil. And what the author is saying is that Jesus Christ has removed that veil, been ripped into, and you have the right to boldly go into the Holy of Holies to approach the Father without the need of a priest or any other human intercessor, and that you have the right to go directly to God to let Him know of your needs. And you have a helper, and that great high priest is Jesus Christ himself, who is high priest over the house of God. Verse 22, Do you realize the significance of that? And we relive it every year at the Passover. If we fully understood what baptism meant, it meant, first of all, that we were washed. It was a watery grave, and our sins were washed away. But it also meant that our hearts were sprinkled from an evil conscience, which means that all the past guilt, all the past shame, all the humiliation you ever felt, if you were bullied, if you, whatever you experienced in life, if you were physically abused, verbally abused, that everything that bothered your conscience could also be forgiven and removed and washed away. And when we come, if that has not happened, and we're human beings, and I know that sometimes it takes us years to process the pains that we have from the past, but I'm going to tell you what God wants you to do this Passover. They get the full and rich meaning of it. As I remind all of us every year, whatever those issues are, let them go. Have your heart sprinkled from an evil conscience. You come to the Passover if you have prepared, and I'm sure you will. You do not need to come here, carrying in the back of your mind the burden of shame and guilt and humiliation for all the stupid things that we've all done, including yours truly, in our lives. We can let that go. We can acknowledge and understand that it's in the past, that it no longer has power over us. It no longer is going to control us. Those old plots are no longer going to manipulate us, that we have given them to Jesus Christ, and they have been forgiven, and that it is time to move forward. Again, as it says here, our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. For he who promised is faithful. No matter what you go through in life, disease, illness, loss of job, whatever horrendous thing that you experience, don't waver. Hold fast to that confession of that hope that you made, that baptismal vow that you agreed to. Verse 24, let us consider one another and to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some, but exhorting, in other words, for encouraging one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching. So in tying in with this fifth faithful saying, we are here to encourage one another. We are here to develop greater love and good works. Paul told Titus that we should not only stir them up, but maintain them, not go backward, not let them slip away. One important way we do this is that we reinforce each other. We respect the fourth commandment. We come and we worship on the Sabbath day together.

We fellowship together in a holy assembly, and we encourage one another. I cannot encourage you if you're not here. You cannot encourage me if you're not here or I'm not here. We need one another. Paul uses a phrase six times in the New Testament. They refer to other Christians as his fellow workers. You see, we are fellow workers. We have the same goal. We might be overcoming some different things. We might be facing some different personal challenges, but we have all been called to serve the same Christ. We've all been part of the same mission. We are fellow workers, and we need to spend time with each other. We need to be there for each other. That is so very, very important. So, brethren, these are the five faithful sayings as taught to us by the Apostle Paul. I think it's a good introduction into the Holy Day season this year. Even though we can be sure that all of God's Word is inspired and preserved for our benefit, let us remember the faithful sayings because they remind us of the significant meanings of God's plan, including the plan that's outlined in his Holy Days, and your part in that plan, and my part in that plan, as fellow workers and laborers together of Jesus Christ. Have a fine Sabbath day.