This little paper does not profess to do more than bring under the notice of our readers a few texts out of God’s word bearing upon the above subject.
The time has come, to a very large extent indeed, which is spoken of in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, which says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables.” If we look at much of the so-called ministry of our day, how strikingly true this all is. The tendency nowadays is to gloss over the truth of God with man’s philosophy, and to bring in a large spice of humour, to be what is called a popular preacher. A man who preaches God’s truth in a plain, unvarnished way, and who tells man the whole truth about himself, as seen in the word of God, has often to be content with a very small audience.
But we can thank God that we have very plain instructions in His own word, which the psalmist declares “is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). Whatever the consequences of following the Word are to sight, we know by faith that we have God’s own approval, which is much to be preferred to man’s. 1 Samuel 15:22 says, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” I am afraid that a large number of Christians practically by their lives quote this text the other way about. You may say that I am taking up this subject in regard to public ministry principally. I believe in these perilous times we may be tempted to follow the ways of those whom we spoke of, on the principle that the end justifies the means—a principle entirely contrary to the teaching of Scripture. Thus the hearers are leavened by the conduct of those who profess to be leaders. A little of ourselves introduced into the things of God is graphically described in Ecclesiastes 10:1, “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so does a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.”
Titus 2 presents to us, in a very full and remarkable way, the mind of the Spirit on the point of sobriety. You will find, on reading it, that all classes of Christians are here plainly exhorted to soberness. Verse 2 exhorts that “the aged men be sober, grave,” &c.; verse 3, that “the aged women likewise.” Then, in verse 4, the aged women are exhorted to teach the young women to be sober. In verse 6 Titus is told to exhort the young men to be sober-minded.; and in verse 7 the apostle Paul exhorts Titus himself to gravity. Finally, in verse 12, it speaks about the grace of God “teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
If we look at the Epistles to Timothy and Titus, we shall find that bishops and deacons, with their wives, are exhorted to gravity. This subject is not confined to speaking publicly, but applies also to speaking privately, to the way we adorn our houses and persons, and to all our actions down here; for 1 Timothy 2:9, in proof of this, speaks about dressing with sobriety. 1 Peter 4:7 gives us one reason why we should be sober: “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch to prayer.” As the end of all things draws near, and all, both in the world and the Church, is undergoing a disintegrating process, it behoves us to be sober and watchful, that we have the mind of the Lord as we go on.
1 Peter 5:8 gives us a second reason: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.” We find the same principle at work in worldly matters. The soldiers who guard a camp, hourly expecting an attack, do not sit down, laughing, joking, and amusing themselves. We find every sense on the alert, and complete sobriety, in order to detect the least movement on the part of the enemy. So we, as Christians, should be in a similar condition in a spiritual sense. Our enemy is more subtle than a natural one, and we are more ignorant of his devices than of those of an enemy of flesh and blood. Christians may say they don’t want to become misanthropes. I would say to such, The word of God should be our standard in these matters, and should judge and correct our ways. The sobriety of Scripture does not allow us to conduct ourselves in a light, frivolous way, but it admits of true joy and rejoicing, as Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”
I have heard Christians ridiculing the idea of a sober joy as a paradox, but I think the Scriptures bear us out on the point. Again many dear Christians excuse themselves and others on the plea of nature. They say it is natural, and they cannot help it. Sin is natural to the old man, and yet that never excuses or palliates it. Let us allow the word of God a true place in our hearts, and let it govern our ways, whether it is against nature or not. In fact, the teaching of the word of God is entirely opposed to the natural man, as 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God.”
This has been written in no spirit of fault-finding or spiritual pride, for the writer knows that it applies more to himself than to most of his readers. May God bless it for His own name’s sake is our earnest prayer.