A layman's commentary on Matthew 24. Chapter 24 verse 14. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world

 Our last post on Matthew 24 opened with “Because Iniquity will abound.” Jesus equated this iniquity to false prophets and lawlessness. 

There are two prominent translations of the Greek word anomia, and the King James gives us this. 

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” 
Matthew 24:12 KJV

A common alternative reads like this.

“And because lawlessness shall abound, the charity of many shall wax cold.” 
Matthew 24:12 JUB

Lawlessness in Greek means the condition of (being) without law, choosing to be ignorant of it, violating it (the law;), or contempt for the law. It also means iniquity.

Shall abound is the Greek word plēthunō and also means to increase or multiply.

Here it is, February 20, 2024, and I just read how, in one of the Northern African nations, a young couple was recently beheaded for rejecting Islam and turning to God. So, where there is NO COMMON law, a twisted religious belief gives you the freedom to chop people’s heads off?

Can you not see how the war that Israel is having with Hamas in Gaza is turning our hearts to cold stones?

Jesus was addressing His Jewish disciples about their questions: 

“What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” 

• Get this straight in your thinking. His coming pertains to the physical return of Jesus as the warring Messiah that the Jews are looking for. 

• The end of the age will be in part His wrath (the wrath of God being poured out upon the Jews and the nations during the seven years) and includes the few extra moments that we associate with the transition into the millennial kingdom, where Jesus will sit as the Judge over the earth.

Some think Jesus’ return in the clouds for His church - His bride, is the end. Well, yes, but only for His church. At this point, He only comes in the clouds and gathers His bride to Himself in the clouds. We, the church, will be with Him forever from this point on. 

We received this admonition from Jesus.

“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”
Matthew 24:13 NASB: 

“But he that endures unto the end.” 

Endure is the Greek word hupomenō  and means to stay under (behind), to remain; figuratively, to undergo, bear up under (trials), have fortitude, persevere: endure, take patiently, suffer.

Considering the anguish and pain coming upon the world, who would sign up to bear the trials to come? 

No one, so this is speaking to those who (1) have missed the rapture and decided to give their lives to Christ. And (2) it speaks to those who will now have to give their necks to the sword, become saints in God’s eyes, and eventually enter into the kingdom of God; and (3), therefore undergo, stay under this torment, and have fortitude; because God, who is faithful, will bring these “saints” into His kingdom.

Have you ever asked, even facetiously, what it means to be saved? 

Safe is the Greek word sōzō  and means to deliver, protect, heal, preserve, and make whole.

If you survived the time of God’s wrath, then I would think you were delivered, protected, and preserved. On the other hand, if you had your head lopped off, then words like healing and made whole would be in order. 

After all that, I want you to look at a scripture passage.

“Nevertheless, hold fast to what you have until I come. And to the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations.” Revelation 2:25-26 BSB

Pay attention to the words “hold fast to what you have until I come.” Seriously, what do you have?

Some people don't have much, but I can confidently assure you this has nothing to do with money.

“But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— “
Revelation 2:25-26 NKJV

An alternate version that may make more sense.

“Nevertheless, hold fast to what you have until I come. And to the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations.”
Revelation 2:25-26 BSB

People often ask, what will the martyred saints do during the 1000 year reign?

If you have read the Revelation, you know that the martyred saints sit on thrones and rule over the nations. Since authority and rule will be dealt out swiftly, then it seems appropriate that these people who brutally lost their lives would be the ones who meet swift punishment.

Hold fast or hold on is the Greek word kratéō (G2902) and means to use strength, seize, or retain. It also means to keep, lay hold of, obtain, retain, take, cleave to, apprehend, and guard.

So what, then, are we holding on to?

Some are clinging to their survival bunkers, but that will not help them, for God will find them no matter where they hide. Some hold fast to their great wealth, but their money will not save them, and the digital monetary system may take of that. 

This overcoming is accomplished by holding on to the Lamb (Jesus) and expressing their renewed affection for Christ for the rest of their lives, however short that may be.

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” 
Revelation 12:11 NKJV

Who are the “they” in verse 11? 

Revelation 12:10 tells us they are the brethren; whether they came to know Jesus Christ during the age of grace or came to Jesus through the seven years of God’s wrath is irrelevant. Verse 11 explains that these people were killed while here on earth. 

In light of the context, which we have been chewing over, where does this next statement take place?

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:14 NKJV

I had been rebuked by a man who was undoubtedly intelligent (he ran the public works department of a large city), but when it came to the Bible, it might as well have been a foreign language to him. He told me that Jesus could not come back because the gospel had not been given to every living person – at least, that was the implication of what he said. 

Yet, verse 14 conveys that after the church’s catching away, those who come to accept Jesus will preach the gospel (the gospel is simply the good news of the kingdom) will be preached (proclaimed, declared) in all the world. 

Think about this statement, “in all the world.” We are rapidly watching attitudes change to hostility against those who stand up for scripture and the name of Jesus Christ. You have heard the saying, no doubt, that the squeaky wheel gets the grease; they get attention because that minority is making the loud, obnoxious noise and, therefore, getting their way and being appeased; all the while, the church remains silent. 

I am part of a very proactive church, and my pastor was recently invited to open the US Senate in prayer. He had to submit a prayer, in which many standard terms among the Christian community were banned. He tore up that prayer, wrote a quick one-page prayer, and said what the Holy Spirit wanted him to say. He is now taking tremendous flak, mainly from Senate Atheists, over what he did. You might accuse him of sabotaging himself by making those changes and, therefore, making himself susceptible to whatever they dish out upon him; I happen to think it was a demonstration of great strength by choosing to do what God has asked us to do, and that is to stand up for what is morally right. 

Did you notice that Matthew 24:14 tells us that the actions of these “tribulation” saints would be considered to be preaching to all the world as a witness to all the nations?

“This gospel of the kingdom,” is the Greek word kērussō and means to herald, proclaim, or publish.

“Be a witness” is the Greek word marturion and means evidence given and something that defines your current actions.

The nations, to a Jew, are anybody that is not a Jew and as loathsome as eating bacon.

God, it seems, doesn't concern Himself on whether you come to Him before the wrath or after, you are still His. Allow me to show you something.

“So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:4-8 NKJV

“They” points to those who have chosen not to come to Jesus since the catching away of the church. 

This event will be so dramatic it is hard to understand why they would have continued to turn their back to God. A bizarre and stunning explanation has been erupting on the news for several years now, and that is what the government calls aliens and unexplained aerial vehicles. For many years, I have been trying to tell people that these fallen angels are demonic manifestations. They, being God-created beings, are not subject to gravity, our limitations of time, or the limitations of a dimensional understanding.

This next one is hard to understand. “They worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast.”

The dragon is Satan, and it tells us that they worshiped him. 

Worshiped is the Greek word proskuneō, meaning to kiss like a dog licking the master’s hand. Prostrating oneself.

So these lunatics are worshiping Satan because he gives power to the antichrist, otherwise known as the beast. 

We have never seen Satan, although many of you base your impressions of his appearance on a characterization they saw in a movie. So, let me give you a clue that will explain what he looks like. 

The (Amplified Bible) in looking at Isaiah 14:12, says this about Satan. 

“How have you fallen from heaven, O light-bringer and daystar, son of the morning!...”

The King James version calls him Lucifer.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! ...”

And finally, the English Standard Version.

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!...”

Lucifer is the Hebrew word hêylêl, and it also means morning star.

According to The Ultimate Cross-Reference Treasury, Lucifer is his original name and was or is a bright and eminent star that ushered in the sun and the morning. Still, here, it is metaphorically taken for the high and mighty king of Babylon.

Ezekiel 28:12 refers to him as the king of Tyre and tells us that he was “the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.”

“You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, ...” Ezekiel 28:13 ESV 

“You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.” Ezekiel 28:14 ESV

“You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you.” Ezekiel 28:15 ESV

But in that day when the nations shall see Satan get judged.

“Those who see you will gaze at you and consider you, saying, Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms?-- “
Isaiah 14:16 AMP

At just the right time Christ will be revealed. 1Timothy 6:13-21

When I closed the last post on 1Timothy chapter six verse 13, we ended with “I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate.”

Right away, I realize that I, and Paul, are making a huge assumption, and that is that you have a world view founded in the Word of God and understand that there is no law to which we answer that is higher than God's law.

Note that I said, to which we answer. Having spent much of my life in the church, this idea of answering to God carried the penalty of hell. I have since come to understand that hell plays no part in a believer's life, except to understand that Satan, and those who choose to follow him, will spend eternity there. When I say I lived under this misconception, it is not an idea that I actively tried to develop, but one which was repeatedly imposed upon me. My mother, bless her darling heart, expressed it to us children, and it was nothing less than the things she learned during her early days in the church.

So, for Paul to express that before the eyes of God, with whom nothing gets by Him, should carry deep importance and responsibility. If you are a Bible student, you have noticed that obeying God carried great reward, whereas disobeying brought on penalties. It is not as if God is going to or needs to strike you down; we are already down because we were born into sin. Let me give you a scriptural reference or two.

Deuteronomy 28:1-4 NASB (1) "Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD, your God, will set you high above all the nations of the earth. (2) "All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the LORD your God: (3) "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. (4) "Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock.

This list of blessings just seems to go on and on. However, there is a negative side.

Deuteronomy 28:15-21 NLT “But if you refuse to listen to the LORD your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you: (16) Your towns and your fields will be cursed. (17) Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be cursed. (18) Your children and your crops will be cursed. The offspring of your herds and flocks will be cursed. (19) Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be cursed. (20) “The LORD himself will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in everything you do until at last you are completely destroyed for doing evil and abandoning me. (21) The LORD will afflict you with diseases until none of you are left in the land you are about to enter and occupy.

While it clearly says that the Lord himself sends curses on you. This statement is not difficult to understand when you realize that the earth we live on has a curse on it, and that is where we live. In Genesis chapter three, we see Satan attempting to deceive Eve, and he did. The pathetic aspect of this deception is Adam stood right there, beside her, hearing everything being said. Do we see him scream out in protest? Not at all, so Eve handed the fruit, that she had taken a bite out of, to Adam; and, by his actions, he committed high treason and handed the earth over to Satan.

Here is what God said about Adam's actions.

Genesis 3:17 NASB Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil, you will eat of it All the days of your life.

The other thing I wanted you to see from 1Timothy 6:13 is that Jesus “testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate.” In the previous post, I think I mentioned how Jesus was physically abused by the temple guards and then handed over to the Roman guards, who beat him to within an inch of his life, among other things. To put it bluntly, he was tortured for His faith, yet He still made a good confession before Pilate. I pray that should that day come, I am so strong in my faith and understanding of God that I serve that I also make a good confession.

With that, let's move on.

1 Timothy 6:13-16 NASB I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, (14) that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, (15) which He will bring about at the proper time--He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, (16) who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

You already know that Jesus testified a good confession before Pontius Pilate. Still, Paul continues by saying, you keep the commandment... until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time. Think about this, the commandment has everything to do with the appearance of Jesus Christ, who will come at the proper time.

I am not a grammarian, but I do have common sense; and, I have to apply that common sense to the paragraph above because, upon my initial read, I thought that the phrase, “which He will bring about at the proper time,” applied to a commandment which motivated Christ's return, and which we do not see in this passage.

I see now that the commandment has much to do with Paul's words in 1 Timothy 6:10-12. There we can see that verse 10 carries an admonition about money because the love of money will cause you all kinds of grief.

In verse 11, Paul declares that Timothy, and those he teaches, need to flee from these things. These things include the love of money and the things that are to be understood as being in opposition to what we see as good in verse 11 - righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

Verse 12 details how we are to fight the good fight of faith, but how long?

Until Christ returns to catch us away. But there is another aspect that we fail to pay attention to. I will give you several examples.

• The Tree of Life translation states: “Take hold of the eternal life—you were called to it, and you made the good confession for it in the presence of many witnesses.”

• The NLT conveys this: “Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”

• The Complete Jewish Bible puts it this way. “take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you testified so well to your faith before many witnesses.”

For me, and I might add, this aspect where we take hold of this eternal life that is now ours through Christ Jesus has become crucial in light of the Presidential transition here in the United States of America. We, the people, got robbed; and the people who robbed us do not care, as they are fulfilling a grand and evil scheme that is played out in scripture.

On several occasions, I have been told not to pursue God, nor talk about eschatology, because Jesus Christ will probably not be back for, say, forty more years. I cannot endure such talk because I am well aware of current events going on globally. We could wake up to the news that Iran is firing missiles and lighting up the Middle East. Some would literally pull their hair out at such news but not me; for on that day, I will throw both arms in the air and shout praise the Lord, because my Jesus will be here at any minute.

1 Timothy 6:15 tells us, “...At just the right time, Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. (NLT)

And, until that day happens, we are not to be terribly concerned because -

... through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. (1 Peter 1:5 NLT)

At the right time, He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

1 Timothy 6:16a NLT He alone can never die,

1 Timothy 6:16b CJB who dwells in unapproachable light that no human being has ever seen or can see,

And though may not be honored now, the day is coming when _

1 Timothy 6:16c CEV God will be honored, and his power will last forever. Amen.

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Once again, Paul directs Timothy to speak candidly; this time to the rich.

1 Timothy 6:17 NASB Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.

At times I find it difficult to comprehend that believers could be among those who are rich in this current worldly atmosphere.

The Greek word translated as rich can also mean abounding.

So my comprehension is just wrong. Look at Abraham.

So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him. Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. (Genesis 13:1-2 NASB)

The word, directed, as said to Timothy, is the Greek word paraggellō. A common translation is to instruct, but it takes on a whole new meaning if you are not in a relationship with the hearer. The word also means to transmit a message, which is understandable, as Timothy preaches to a general but primarily Jewish crowd of converts.

Conceited by definition means: Entertaining a flattering opinion of one's self.

In my Bible, we never see Abraham holding a flattering opinion of himself. 1Timothy 6:17 conveys that we are not to fix our hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God.

Is that what we saw with Abraham?

Without a doubt, and I would hope that you noticed, above all else, that Abraham put his faith in God.

1 Timothy 6:18, 19 NLT Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this, they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

• Use your money to do good.

• Be rich in good works.

  It is not because you are trying to earn a better position, next to Christ in heaven, but because it is a decent thing to do in God's eyes.

• If, at all possible, be generous to those in need.

• Always be ready to share with others.

And yes, Paul does explain that there is a benefit being stored in the future (in heaven,) for those that do good works. I can associate this with what I see in Matthew 25. You should read verses 31-46 on your own time. The context is that all the dead have been called to this throne. We see the same thing in Revelation 20, where we see the Great White Throne. Dead, these people did not go up in the rapture, so they were not believers, as we understand it. There is another group of dead and that number grows through the seven years of God's wrath. Again, the Revelation defines that an innumerable amount who die for their testimony through this time called the Great Tribulation, however, these are resurrected to God, and therefore excluded from this call for the dead. Hard-pressed to define the how and why of this group, all I can do is to realize that God's mercy is beyond my comprehension. Look at how they obtain their entrance into the kingdom.

Matthew 25:34-36 NASB "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (35) 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; (36) naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'

The actions of these people look like works, but not really, because those who attempt to gain their entrance into the kingdom, are told, that doesn't work, it is by faith alone.

Romans 3:20 NASB because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Well, there you have it, NO ONE will be justified in God's sight, and yet, this group in Matthew 25:43-36. Obviously, we cannot stop here.

Galatians 2:16 NASB nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

It is only by faith through and in Christ Jesus. I know, this doesn't explain how these people gain access, but then, as I said, God's mercy is beyond our understanding. An example of this might be the parable of the person who gets hired, at the beginning of the day, and then gets enraged as others are hired just before dusk, for the same wage. These people that the NASB calls the king, is also the great shepherd and has the right to bring others into the kingdom based upon their acts of kindness, or mercy.

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Paul finishes chapter six with an admonition to Timothy.

1 Timothy 6:20-21 NLT Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. (21) Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God’s grace be with you all.

• Guard what God has entrusted to you.

  Guard also means to watch over or preserve. This responsibility falls on no but us.

How do you go about doing that?

I am glad you asked. Paul tells us to “avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge.” I find that I have opportunities to deal with these foolish discussions on a daily basis, and not because it is a situation that I long for.

Paul tells Timothy that some have wandered from the faith by following what these people have spewed out of their mouths as they disperse their foolishness.

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If you have not figured it out Paul, wrote to a believer (Timothy) about those who are either believers themselves or feigning a belief; I do the same when I write. Don't go getting judgmental because we have just moved over into the wheat and tares category. In the horticultural world, I had to learn to distinguish between a weed called brome and wheat; they look so similar, and though I have forgotten far too much. For a time, I knew how to make the distinction between the two. Since most of us do not, we have to leave the separation and, therefore, the pulling of those weeds by God.

Fight the Good Fight of Faith. 1Timothy 6:11 -12.

 Most translations entitle this next section

“Fight the Good Fight of Faith.”

But look at what the NASB translation says in 1 Timothy 6:11a.

“But flee from these things, you man of God.”

You would think that the editors would have something associated with their opening title and grabbed our attention right away.

What do we get, flee, but from what?

Obviously from sin, but it also includes the things that Paul described at the beginning of this chapter. In a moment we will see that there is a call to fight, but it is NOT what you think.

By the way, flee and fight is two extremely different things. In general, we perceive those who flee to be fearful, and fear doesn't do anything but demonstrate a lack of faith.

The majority of translations use the term flee. Flee is the Greek word pheugō which means to run away or escape.

The dictionary explanation of flee is this, “To run with rapidity, as from danger; to attempt to escape.” That same dictionary tells us that to fight is to “To strive or contend for victory, in battle or in single combat; to attempt to defeat, subdue or destroy an enemy.”

The CEV calls these things that Timothy is to escape from evil. Here is a recap of what we have seen in chapter six that falls under the category of evil.

• Preaching a gospel that is different than anything Paul taught.
• Disrespect for those to whom you are submitted.
• Things that bring about strife, evil language, and controversial questions.
• Constant friction between people who are deprived of truth.

These last two items played a role in conversations I had over the Christmas Holiday season of 2020. My son-in-law had referenced a previous Pastor as a friend of mine. So, I took the opportunity to point out that this former Pastor and I were nowhere close to being friends.

[This is the Pastor who took me to lunch in a very public restaurant and then proceeded to humiliate me, first, by telling me that I could not teach “that,” considering that he had already asked me to lead a chapter at the book study on discipline that night. I had shown him my prepared notes for the meeting. And he immediately assumed that I intended to cover every word put on those pages. He was not interested in hearing any explanation. Secondly, after several minutes of frustration, he asked me why I teach Eschatology. Odd, seeing as he has never heard me teaching Eschatology, nor had he given me an opportunity. I began to answer him with a standard line; Eschatology is pertinent because it is happening worldwide. That was about all I got out of my mouth when it turned derogatory and abusive. I quickly stopped him and said, is that what you think of me? To which he replied, yes. I ended our session there.]

That former Pastor has moved on in an effort to repair some damage he previously created, and I could care less if I ever saw him again. I talked to my son-in-law about what the Bible says about forgiveness and how we are to follow Jesus’ words, found in scripture, for direction on running our daily lives.

At least I had my son-in-law’s attention for a few minutes. When I stopped talking, he immediately dove into talking about the stolen Presidential election and Joe Biden’s flaws. Honestly, I do not think that the son-in-law is willing to grasp anything from scripture unless it creates strife, controversy, or scares him away from hell.

End, page one.

Note the translation as this one is less a fearful escape and more of a responsible migration away from the snare that Satan is setting for you.

1 Timothy 6:11 CEV Timothy, you belong to God, so keep away from all these evil things. Try your best to please God and to be like him. Be faithful, loving, dependable, and gentle. [Contemporary English Version]

The (AMPLIFIED Bible) conveys the idea of running. However, if you spend any time in recovery, you will meet far too many people who unsuccessfully tried to run. You want to know what this equates to; it equates to people trying to do things apart from God.

Does God expect you to sit on your butt until you build up your running muscles? Hardly, and the sad part is that you know that God desires you to do something. The problem then becomes one in which we need to run to God, but we don’t do that either.

The (BBE) tells us, “But you, O man of God, keep yourself from these things, and go after righteousness.” If I were to describe what a life of trusting God while running from evil looks like, I would say that it looks like what we see here in The Bible In Basic English. We are living a life where we go after the things of righteousness.

Let me be clear; righteousness is NOT following religious rules. It is the perpetual act of following after Jesus and His Word. In short, if He says it, do it.

On that note, let’s look at the CEV once again. Halfway through the sentence, it says, “Try your best to please God and be like Him.” This is precisely what following after Jesus looks like.

Ah, now this is where the fighting begins.

1 Timothy 6:12 NASB Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Here we are instructed to fight the good fight of faith.

Fight is the Greek word agōnizomai and means to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary.)

The “good” is the Greek word kalos and means beautiful (figuratively), good (literally or morally).

The second usage of the word fight is different from the first that we find 1 Timothy 6:12. Here, fight is the Greek word agōn and means a place of assembly (as if led), that is, (by implication) a contest (held there); figuratively an effort or anxiety...

End, page two.

So what do we get if we place the alternate words into 1 Timothy 6:12?

We frequently struggle as if we are contending with an adversary, as we speak forth the Word from the Bible of from our spirits through the Holy Spirit, in our places of assembly. In these assemblies, we often exert an effort as though we were in a contest. (Me)

If we are struggling or exerting an effort, much like an athlete, the question is, why?

We all have an adversary, and occasionally that adversary convinces well-meaning people, who call themselves followers of Christ, when in reality they are actively following after Satan’s advice, to open their mouths and give him their tongues for the purpose of creating strife.

My Pastor, Jack Hibbs, talks openly, since the Covid shut down of churches, about how people have come so that they could attend an open church. The problem is, they have come, and they bring whatever beliefs they have learned from their collection of churches, with them; this would not be a problem if they kept those twisted beliefs to themselves, but several of these recent attendees have stood in opposition to the Pastor, challenging and intending to bring strife and contention.

When we do this, bring strife and contention, ignoring the witness of scripture, what then are we relying on as a witness for our ramblings? Nothing more than tradition and false teachings.