| Christian Life and Doctrine | September 1950 |
Zealous of Good Works
“So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.” —Nehemiah 4:6
THE Apostle Paul, writing about Jesus Christ and his true l followers, said, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14) The faithful people of God in every age have been zealous of good works—the good works, that is, which have been authorized by God and blessed by him. Those who have professed to be his people, yet have been lukewarm toward the things he has asked them to do, have not been pleasing to him and are represented as being spewed out of his mouth.—Rev. 3:16
In the Old Testament we find notable examples of zeal in the work of the Lord. One of these is the occasion when, directed by the Lord, Moses called upon the people of Israel to volunteer their services and to donate their valuables to be used in the building and furnishing of the typical tabernacle. The response to this opportunity was so generous that finally Moses found it necessary to urge the people to cease bringing their things, that more than sufficient had been furnished.
One not understanding how mightily the Spirit of God can work in the hearts and lives of his people might well have been skeptical of the possibility, in that barren wilderness, of erecting the tabernacle and furnishing it with all its rich trimmings of gold and other rare material. But it was done, not because Moses was a brilliant leader, nor because he held a whip of fear over the heads of the people to make them comply with his request, but because they were stirred by the Spirit of God and rejoiced in the privilege of co-operating with him. Because God worked in and through the people, all the difficulties of the undertaking were overcome, and the tabernacle was built.
Another example of zeal for God and for his work is the one referred to in our text. The work in hand at that time was that of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem after the Jews had returned from their seventy years of captivity in Babylon. There had been much delay in getting this work started, as the enemies of the Jews had thrown hindrances in the way. But finally, Nehemiah, secretary to King Artaxerxes, came to Jerusalem with written authority from the king to proceed with the work and this faithful servant of God did not permit further delay.
The Jews who were loyal to Nehemiah caught the spirit of the occasion and although they hazarded their lives to co-operate in the work, they zealously undertook the project, and the walls were built, “for the people had a mind to work.” The Lord’s work is never accomplished without difficulty, and certainly Nehemiah and his faithful company of co-laborers had to work in the face of much hardship, and even danger to their lives. Material was not too plentiful, their supply of stones being limited to what they could find in the pile of rubble which was still there from the time the former walls of the city were destroyed.
In addition to this handicap, the enemies of the Jews threatened to attack them in an effort to stop the work. But despite these difficulties the people “had a mind to work.” Encouraged by Nehemiah and having confidence in his ability to plan the work properly, they labored on until it was finished. However, confidence in Nehemiah was not their only source of strength and courage. Nehemiah himself reveals the real source of their inspiration, saying, “We made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them [their enemies] day and night.” (Neh. 4:9) The fact that they prayed indicates that the basis of their confidence, and the inspiration of their zeal, was Israel’s God.
This is the secret of success in every work authorized by God and zealously undertaken by his people, and the assurance of victory in every battle for truth and righteousness. Nehemiah and his co-workers watched, and prayed, and worked. As followers of the Master, we are bidden to do the same; for we, too, have a difficult task to perform—hard work to do and loads to lift—and are surrounded by enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
The Gospel-age Works of God
The work of God during the present age has not been the building of literal city walls, but rather the building up of his people in their most holy faith—that is, their spiritual development as “new creatures” in Christ Jesus. The foundation upon which we build, Paul explains, is Christ, and we are encouraged to build an enduring structure by the use of gold and silver and precious stones, rather than to build a superstructure of character with perishable material such as wood, hay, and stubble.—I Cor. 3:12,13
We are given many illustrations in order that we may comprehend all that is involved in the work we are divinely commissioned to do. One of these is that of the bride making herself ready for the marriage. The church is the prospective bride, and is preparing herself to be united with the “Lamb,” which is Christ. (Rev. 19:8) In this illustration a collective work is indicated. True, each individual member of the prospective bride class has a work to do, but it is the collective work of all the individuals that makes the bride ready for the marriage—she makes “herself” ready. And who could think of a prospective bride preparing for her wedding who does not “have a mind to work”! Her whole heart and soul is in the work, and joyfully so, for she not only wants to be pleasing to her prospective bridegroom, but looks forward with fond anticipation to being with him and sharing his fortunes and his love.
“These Sayings of Mine”
In concluding his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” (Matt. 7:24,25) Here the Master compares zealous obedience to his teachings to a work of building, and building solidly upon a rock.
And what are “these sayings of mine” referred to by the Master, obedience to which is so fundamental to success in God’s work? Going back to the beginning of his sermon we first of all find the Beatitudes. These emphasize the need for humility of heart—“poor in spirit”; heartfelt sympathy for the “groaning creation”—those who “mourn”; teachableness—the “meek”; a desire above all things else to know God and be pleasing to him—hungering and thirsting after righteousness; divine mercy and love—the “merciful”; sincerity—the “pure in heart”; faithfulness in the ministry of reconciliation—“peacemakers”; zeal in light-bearing which results in persecution—“they which are persecuted.”
Continuing, Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth,” and warned against losing our “savor.” We have nothing of ourselves that could be called “savor,” so it is evident that the reference is to that which the Lord has given us; namely, his truth and the Spirit of the truth. Even though we may be very zealous, if we lose the truth and its spirit the Lord would look upon us as workers of iniquity, rather than as co-laborers with him.
Jesus also said, “Ye are the light of the world,” and then bids us to let our light “shine before men,” that they, seeing our “good works,” may glorify our Father who “is in heaven.” Certainly we have no good works of our own, for the best show of righteousness we could ever hope to make would be as “filthy rags” in God’s sight, and obviously would not cause men to glorify God. (Isa. 64:6) These good works, then, must be, just as the Master indicates, the letting of our light shine. And while Jesus refers to the light as though it is ours, in reality it is the light of divine truth which the Lord has caused to shine into our hearts, and which he here bids us to make known to others.—II Cor. 4:6; II Pet. 1:19; I Pet. 2:9
And how wonderfully does this “light” glorify our God! It is the truth of his plan, and in it is revealed his infinite wisdom, his almighty power, his exact justice, and his boundless love. These attributes of the divine character harmoniously working together reveal his glory, and those who see the truth behold this glory. Holding forth the Word of life is therefore one of “these sayings” of Jesus which we are obligated as his followers to obey if we are to be true builders of righteousness.
Continuing, Jesus not only spoke against breaking even the least of his commandments—those commandments which magnified the Law and made it honorable—but also against teaching others to do so. (Matt. 5:19) This is an admonition against compromise in connection with any part of the Word of God. Since there is no part of the truth of the divine plan which does not have a bearing on how we serve the Lord, the principle underlying this “saying” of Jesus is loyalty to the whole truth, not only in our own lives, but also, and especially, in teaching it to others. It is a grave sin indeed to teach error or to co-operate with those who do.
Every true disciple of the Master is hopeful of reigning with him in his kingdom, but Jesus said that we would “in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven” unless our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. (Matt. 5:20) The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was largely a matter of outward show. They made a great display of piety to be seen of men, but inwardly they were “full of dead men’s bones.” (Matt. 23:27) The righteousness which exceeds this is heart purity and a zeal for God and for his work which does not cater to the plaudits of men.
The Law Magnified
Jesus explained that he did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it. He also magnified the Law and made it honorable. (Matt. 5:17; Isa. 42:2) We have examples of this in his Sermon on the Mount, in which he said, for instance, that hatred of one’s brother is murder; that looking upon a woman to lust after her is fornication; and that a voluntary going to those whom we have wronged with a sincere desire to make amends is a sign of true repentance.—Matt. 5:21-28
“These sayings” of the Master also include his admonition to sacrifice every precious thing in the interests of righteousness, even those things as dear to us as our right eye, right hand, or right foot. (Matt. 5:29,30; 18:8,9) It takes those who truly “have a mind to work” at character building to obey injunctions of this kind. The flesh urges moderation, explaining that Jesus didn’t mean that we should be quite as radical as his words appear to be. But we should not listen to the reasonings of the flesh, those reasonings which exalt themselves above the knowledge of Christ.—II Cor. 10:5
Continuing his sermon, Jesus follows with one “saying” after another, such as the divine rule on divorce; the injunction against the taking of oaths contrary to God’s will; how the law of love operates toward those who smite us; and that we should love even our enemies. Jesus explains that by this exercise of love in the blessing of our enemies, we will be like our Heavenly Father, for he causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall upon the just and upon the unjust. To this he adds that if we love only those who love us we are no better than the “publicans,” but if we do display that comprehensive love which reaches out to bless all mankind we will be “perfect,” even as our “Father which is in heaven is perfect.”—Matt. 5:31-48
The Model Prayer
Amongst “these sayings” of the Master is also the model prayer which his followers have been using throughout the entire Gospel age. Those who “have a mind to work” as God wants them to work, and are faithful in watching and praying, will be guided by this outline of the fundamental principles of Christian prayer. We will delight to pray to “our Father,” and we will recognize the sacredness of his name. Prominent in our prayers will be the desire to see the world blessed by the setting up of the kingdom—“Thy kingdom come.” We will not make elaborate requests for ourselves, but ask only for the needful things, both temporal and spiritual—“Give us this day our daily bread.”
Realizing how far short we come of the glory of God, and our great need for divine forgiveness, we will petition God for his mercy, knowing meanwhile that we cannot expect his forgiveness unless we forgive those who trespass against us.
Because we have the assurance that God does not tempt his people—that he tempteth no man (James 1:13)—we will claim this promise and ask God also to “deliver us from evil,” knowing how liable we are to stumble into the many pitfalls set for us by the Adversary.
Heavenly Treasures
We are not to lay up treasures on earth, but in heaven. This “saying” of the Master is perhaps one of the most exacting. Earthly treasures are the source of man’s security, and it requires great faith to realize that our real security is to be found in the promises of God. Other scriptures indicate, of course, that reasonable provision is to be made for those dependent upon us; but our “interpretation” of what is reasonable might well make the difference between faithfulness and unfaithfulness in God’s sight.
The light of the body, Jesus explained, is the eye, and then adds, “If … thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light; but if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.” (Matt. 6:22,23) This immediately follows Jesus’ admonition to lay up treasure in heaven, and his explanation that where our treasure is there shall our hearts be also. The “single” eye, therefore, might well be a symbolic reference to a wholehearted setting of our affections on things above, rather than a compromising attitude between earthly and heavenly treasures. A “single” eye would suggest seeking “first the kingdom of God,” in the assurance that all our legitimate material needs will be furnished. We cannot serve God and mammon.—Matt. 6:19-34
Judge Not
We are not to sit in judgment upon others. We are not qualified to do that, and Jesus in another “saying” indicates that the urge to criticize and judge others might well represent a hypocritical attitude on our part, that there is more wrong with ourselves than with those we attempt to judge. We are to “have a mind to work,” not to “cast out the mote” from our brother’s eye, but to “cast out the beam” from our own eye. This “beam” may be a “holier than thou” attitude toward our brethren. The sin of spiritual pride is a flagrant one in God’s sight. It seems especially to fasten itself upon some long in the truth, causing them to take pride in their “development” and in their “mature judgment.”—Matt. 7:1-5
We are to be zealous in dispensing the holy things of the Word of God, but are to use wisdom and not cast our “pearls before swine.”—Matt. 7:6
Not only did Jesus give us a model prayer to guide us in our petitions at the throne of heavenly grace, but he also urged us to “ask,” to “seek,” and to “knock,” with the assurance that our Heavenly Father will reward us if we ask for that which he has promised to give. In Luke 11:13, Jesus indicates that the chief burden, of our petitions should be for a greater infilling of the Holy Spirit. If we are filled with the Holy Spirit, all our spiritual needs are supplied; for the Holy Spirit cleanses us, leads us, strengthens us, quickens us, and fashions us into the divine image. And how blessed the promise that our Heavenly Father is more willing to give us these “good things” than earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children.
The Strait Gate
Those who have “a mind to work” will not be seeking an easy way to serve the Lord, but instead they will “strive to enter in at the strait gate.” (Luke 13:24) To keep “these sayings” of Jesus is not an easy task. It requires much effort. Many difficulties are encountered. It is because of this that not many “find” the true way—the way of sacrifice and suffering—to glory, honor, and immortality. It is found only by those who “have a mind to work” at the cost of weariness, sacrifice, and finally of life itself.
We are to beware of false prophets—wolves in sheep’s clothing—using the test suggested by the Master in another of “these sayings,” which is, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matt. 7:20) Love is the principal “fruit” of the Spirit, and it is usually not difficult to detect whether would-be leaders are selfishly seeking their own interests, or are sincerely concerned over the welfare of the flock. A true sheep of the Master’s fold, one who is keeping “these sayings,” should be easily recognized in contrast with the self-seeking exploiters of the Lord’s people.
Not All Who Say, “Lord, Lord”
In the last of “these sayings,” Jesus warns that a mere profession of love for him and for his people is not necessarily proof that one is a genuine “sheep.” This is a heart-searching “saying” for all of us. Only those who do the will of the Heavenly Father shall enter into the kingdom, and throughout the entire Sermon on the Mount Jesus outlines one detail after another of the divine will, and finishes the sermon by saying that those who keep “these sayings” will enter into the kingdom. His work, zealously wrought, will stand because he has built upon a rock.
After Pentecost, the apostles filled in many details of the divine will, but in “these sayings” of Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, all the great principles of the divine will for Christians are to be found. It is, as it were, the blueprint by which we build the super-structure of Christian character, and blessed are all those who follow implicitly these instructions. In this sermon, as we have seen, we are commanded to let our light shine, to be filled and controlled by love, to be faithful in prayer, to refrain from judging others, but to take ourselves in hand and make sure of our own standing before God.
“Our Own Salvation”
Zeal—having “a mind to work”—in the application of these principles of divine righteousness in our daily lives, and thus being transformed into that image by the “renewing” of our minds, is referred to by the Apostle Paul as “working out” our own salvation. (Rom. 12:2; Phil. 2:12) In doing this, however, Paul assures us that God is also working in us “to will and do of his good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13) The task is too great for us to accomplish alone, so we are glad to be assured that God does work with us.
Yes, the Lord directs how the work is to be done, and by the infilling of his Spirit gives us zeal and courage to do the work. If we have “a mind to work” we will not “quench” God’s Spirit, but will allow its stimulating power to keep us “alive” and zealous regardless of how difficult the task may be.
The apostle speaks of girding up the loins of our minds; thus suggesting a long and arduous undertaking. (I Pet. 1:13) When Nehemiah and his co-laborers were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, they did not so much as take off their clothes at night. They had to be ready always to meet the enemy, and at the same time carry on with the work. Such is our position today. Our Adversary, the devil, is seeking to devour us, and while we resist him by being steadfast in the faith, we must continue the work of building upon the “rock.”
And it is important to remember that “these sayings” which we are to keep and by keeping them build our house upon the rock, include the necessity that is laid upon us to be “ambassadors for Christ” by faithfully proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom. (II Cor. 5:20) This is not merely a suggestion from the Lord, but a command. It is a part of the “holy conversation and godliness” of every Christian’s life. (I Pet. 1:15; II Pet. 3:11) Faithfulness in proclaiming the truth does not interfere with the work of applying the other “sayings” of Jesus, but augments that work; for the more we tell the truth to others, the greater will be its power in our own lives.
The Great Objective
The work of God in this age is in preparation for what he has promised to do in the next age, that is, the blessing of all the families of the earth; so we are being trained for that future work. Through the application of the divine principles of righteousness in our own lives, we are being prepared to administer God’s law to the poor groaning creation in the time of the world’s trial, or judgment day. And how wonderfully divine wisdom is displayed in the arrangements he has made for our training to be kings and priests unto God—the arrangements by which we are brought into actual contact with the people in our work of proclaiming the glad tidings of the kingdom!
As we have seen, our work of “building” is an individual one as well as collective. Collectively we work, for example, in our local groups, or ecclesias. When we are faithful in evangelistic efforts, they usually result in attracting newly interested persons to our meetings. These mingle with us, and we seek to help them grow spiritually. Some make progress, and remain. Others do not, but after attending for awhile are not seen any more.
Thus it has been that throughout the age every group of the Lord’s people has been a mixed one. And it is still so. In Paul’s day, for example, he indicates the varying degrees of spiritual development which existed in the churches at Corinth, Rome, etc. He did not, however, suggest that evangelistic efforts cease so that all in the ecclesias could ultimately become fully matured in Christ, and thus enjoy one another’s fellowship the more. No, instead, he wrote to the church at Rome, admonishing that those who were strong should bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please themselves.—Rom. 15:1
And how better could the saints be trained to deal with all the various classes of society in the next age than by coming into actual contact with them now and endeavoring to help them understand something of the great principles of the divine character! It is the experience of all Christians who are faithful in trying to help their fellows understand the truth, that never is the message of God’s love so precious to them and such a great power of regeneration in their own lives, as when they tell it to others. Never is a congregation of God’s people more alive, more joyful in the Spirit, more enthusiastic for the truth and more spiritually healthy, than when there are “beginners” to care for and to build up in the most holy faith!
Admonishing the church as collective groups, Paul writes, “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.”—Rom. 12:5-8
After emphasizing that all these services should be rendered in love, Paul adds, “Not slothful in business; fervent in Spirit; serving the Lord.” (Rom. 12:11) The “business” here referred to is unquestionably the Lord’s business, his work, the various phases of which the apostle had just outlined. And in this business we are “fervent in Spirit,” which is Paul’s way of describing that zeal for the work of God which Nehemiah referred to in his co-laborers as “having a mind to work.”
The essential services in the church are today as they were when Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans. The use of printing and other advantages of these “last days” facilitate the work a great deal, but do not deprive any of the privilege of helping. All, for example, can be evangelists through the use of the printed page. Greater distances can be traveled to visit those who may need special encouragement. The point is that if we have a mind to work—first of all in applying the principles of the truth in our lives, and then in helping to reach and serve others—we will find something to do, some part of the “wall” on which we can work.
When Nehemiah and his co-workers had just about completed the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls—all except erecting the gates—their enemies subtly made overtures to Nehemiah asking to have a conference with him. But Nehemiah sent messengers to them saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” (Neh. 6:3) This is a good thought to apply in our own lives. While the Gospel age work of preparing the church to live and reign with Christ a thousand years is just about completed, we are highly honored with the privilege of still doing some “building.” But more than ever before, the enemies of the Lord, the truth, and his people, are endeavoring to attract us away from the job—all sorts of temptations to ease, and myriads of misleading sophistries are being presented. But in response to all these, may we always have the courage to say, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.”
Ours is not the boasted “great and wonderful works” of those to whom the Lord says, “I never knew you,” but the work of keeping “these sayings” of the Master, and by keeping them, preparing ourselves and one another for glory, honor, and immortality in the kingdom with Jesus, whose image we are endeavoring to reflect as we lay down our lives as his ambassadors of light.