____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ October 5, 2003 ____________________________________________________ Being Circumspect, Vigilant, Temperate by Tom Edwards In writing to the Ephesians, Paul exhorts the brethren by saying, "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise" (Eph. 5:15). Though the word "circumspectly" is used only once in the King James Version, it still expresses a very important and needful command. According to the Random House Webster's College Dictionary, circumspect means "watchful and discreet; cautious; prudent: `circumspect behavior.'" The term literally means to be "watchful on all sides." Even in just walking down the street, how needful it is for one to be circumspect. For how far could one travel if he or she were not watchful? Often, pedestrians have been injured -- and sometimes fatally -- by stepping out in front of vehicles that they had not seen. When the Bible speaks of the Christian's walk by faith, however, it is speaking of a spiritual one; but just as needful to be watchful in as in our above example -- even more so. For the failure to do so leads to eternal results. Notice again that definition for circumspect: "watchful and discreet; cautious; prudent." The New International Version translates the phrase, "See then that ye walk circumspectly," as, "Be very careful, then, how you live...." The NASB: "Therefore be careful how you walk...." It appears that this word in the NASB is a combination of two others words: the Greek words, "blepo," which means "to look (at)," and "akribos," which is defined as "with exactness." In the Old Testament of the KJV, the word "circumspectly" is not found; but the word "circumspect" is used just once. In Exodus 23:13, "And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth." The NIV translates this as, "Be careful to do everything I have said to you...." While the RSV states, "Take heed to all that I have said to you...." And the NASB, "Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard...." These passages and definitions show us that to be circumspect is to be careful, watchful, cautious, and wise. It is to take heed, to be on guard. Vigilant Why is it important for us to be this way in our spiritual walk with the Lord? From 1 Peter 5:8, we can easily infer one reason: "Be sober, be vigilant [Greek: gregoreo]; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." This then brings us to another term: "vigilant." The English word "vigilant" is used just two times in the KJV. Each of these words, however, is from a different Greek word. According to the RHWCD, vigilant means "1. keenly watchful to detect danger or trouble. 2. ever awake and alert; sleeplessly watchful." The Greek word that is translated as vigilant in 1 Peter 5:8 of the KJV is also used in 23 other verses, but translated as vigilant in only 1 Peter 5:8. In 16 of those passages, the Greek word is rendered as "watch"; and 4 of the others being a form of "watch," such as "watched," "watching," or "watchful." And in 1 verse it is translated as "wake." Strong defines the word as "to keep awake, i.e. watch (literally or figuratively)...." In the NASB, the Greek word for "vigilant" in 1 Peter 5:8 is rendered as, "be on the alert," in that particular verse; and also translated as "alert" in 9 other verses; as "awake" in 1, as "keep watch" in 4; as "keep watching" in 2; as "keeping alert" in 1; as "stay on the alert" in 1; as "stays awake" in 1; and as "wake up" in 2. The English word "vigilant" reminds us of the term "vigil." According to the RHWCD, it means "1. a period of watchfulness or wakefulness, maintained esp. during the normal hours of sleeping. 2. Eccles. a. a devotional watch during the customary hours of sleep. b. Sometimes, vigils. a nocturnal devotional exercise or service, esp. on the eve before a church festival." We think of the time when Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-41). The hour was late, and the apostles were tired. Jesus told them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch [Greek: gregorio] with Me" (v. 38). When the Lord returned to them from His prayer, he found them asleep and said, "So, you men could not watch [gregorio] with me for one hour?" What were they to be vigilant about? In verse 41, the Lord states, "Keep watching [gregoreo] and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." In the model prayer that Jesus gave for His follower, we are shown the need to pray that God will "deliver us from evil" (Matt. 6:13). Prayer must be added, along with the Christian's spiritual armor, in order to ward off the attack of the enemy: "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints" (Eph. 6:18). Prayer and watching go hand in hand. Peter writes, "But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers" (1 Pet. 4:7, NKJV). It is certainly not to be done frivolously or as a vain repetition (cf. Matt. 6:7). And Paul includes the gratitude that should also be expressed in our prayer life: "Continue in prayer, and watch [gregorio] in the same with thanksgiving" (Col. 4:2). We need to be vigilant in waiting or watching for the Lord. Jesus Himself states this principle in Matthew 24:42-44: "Therefore be on the alert [gregorio], for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will." Watching, therefore, is to be coupled with BEING READY! Look what the Lord goes on to immediately show in Matthew 24:45-51, by way of parable: "Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, `My master is not coming for a long time,' and shall begin to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and shall cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; weeping shall be there and the gnashing of teeth." The inference is that the one who is on the alert (watching), is the one who is faithful to the Lord. Therefore, he who goes back into sin is no longer watching or on the alert. We are told in the Revelation letter, "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches [gregorio], and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." These garments are the garments of righteousness, which the Christian must be found wearing when Jesus comes. The Lord gave a parable about a man who once went to a wedding feast, but he was soon thrown out because he did not have the proper wedding garment to wear (Matt. 22:11-13). Without the white robes of righteousness that only the Lord can give to those who trust and obey, we would be thrown out, too. Not only must one "WATCH" for the coming of the Lord, but notice also what Paul tells the Ephesians elders in Acts 20:28-32: "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert [gregorio], remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified." The elders were to be on the watch for false teachers who would pervert the right ways of the Lord; but they are not the only ones who need to be on the watch. Nor is it merely their responsibility to try to win back those who have gone astray through false teaching or simply indifference to the gospel; but every Christian also has that duty. Paul writes, "Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted." And James declares, "Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins." Timothy's duties, according to 2 Timothy 4:2-5, were to preach, reprove, rebuke, and exhort. Paul warned Timothy that there was a time coming when people, who wanted to have their ears tickled, would no longer hear sound doctrine; but rather that which was false. Timothy, therefore, was to be like a guard who would need to stand watch against the enemy. The enemy, in Timothy's case, being false teaching; and he strove to put an end to it by not just his positive preaching; but also by his rebuke and reproving of that which was wrong. Similarly, as Paul had instructed the Ephesians, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them" (Eph. 5:11). So though there are many today who feel that other people's errors should not be brought to their attention, that "it is not right to judge," this is not what the Bible teaches. Rather, the Christian is to judge with "righteous judgment" (John 7:24). And, "Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed" (Prov. 27:5). Paul exhorted the Corinthian brethren to "Watch [gregorio], stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong" (1 Cor. 16:13). And he not only taught others how to live, but also lived that way himself: "In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings" (2 Cor. 6:5). Through it all, Paul remained true to the Lord. The church in Sardis was told, "Remember therefore what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. If therefore you will not wake up [gregorio, "watch" in KJV], I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you" (Rev. 3:3). "Therefore let us not sleep, as other do, but let us watch [gregorio] and be sober" (1 Thess. 5:6). Temperate "Vigilant" in 1 Timothy 3:2 (KJV), is from a different Greek word, which Bullinger defines as "sober, temperate, esp. in respect to wine, abstinent; hence, sober in mind, watchful, circumspect." Strong defines it as "sober, i.e. (figuratively) circumspect...." This Greek word is used three times in the KJV. Once it is translated as "vigilant," and twice as "sober." The NIV, RSV, NASB, and NKJ each translate this Greek word in all three of the different passages as "temperate"; with the exception of Titus 2:2, where the NKJ renders it as "sober," just as in the KJV. To be temperate is to be moderate or self-restrained. Many things that are not wrong in themselves could become wrong if people become obsessive with them. For if one does, then doesn't that object of one's obsession become a primary focus? But, according to the Scriptures, we need to be "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith" (Heb. 12:2) and setting our minds on the things above, where Christ is (Col. 3:1-3). Paul told the Corinthians, "...all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any" (1 Cor. 6:12); which is translated in the NASB and the NIV as "...I will not be mastered by anything." And in the RSV as, "...I will not be enslaved by anything." Paul lived in such a way that he would not become in bondage to wrongful desires or anything that would interfere with his relationship with God. And was this not because he had a passion that dominated all others, which was his love for Christ and desire to serve Him? -- a love that enabled Paul to be able to be temperate when it came to things of this world. Being circumspect, vigilant, and temperate is needful for every person. May these virtues always be characterizing our lives. ____________________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________