“Then came he {The Apostle Paul} to Derbe and Lystra {two cities} : and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus {Timothy} , the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek.
“Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
“Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.”
~ The Acts of the Apostles; chapter 16, verses 1, 2 and 3.
What would you do to show the humbleness of Christ?
A growing addendum to my philosophy of life is the idea of being the Humbleness and Boldness of Jesus Christ to society.
By being the Humbleness of Christ I would mirror who they are, but not neglecting the oracles of God. By being the Boldness of Christ I would in turn lift up Christ and demand repentance to be reconciled to God.
In the above Scripture, Timothy (a young minister in his twenties) showed the Humbleness of Christ by getting circumcised as an adult (and not an 8 day old infant)!
Imagine the conversation:
The Apostle Paul wanted Timothy to be able to reach the Jews, but they would not even acknowledge him because he was not a Jew, just a filthy half-breed. So Paul proposed to Timothy that if he were to get circumcised, it would show he was first a Jew from his mother’s side of the family.
I’m certain Timothy thought, “By GRACE I am saved, not works! By the way Paul didn’t you write in the book of Romans that circumcision isn’t necessary for anyone’s Salvation? And did you not write in the book of Galatians that you refused to circumcise another young minister by the name of Titus because of circumstances? Now you want me to mutilate myself for just the opportunity to preach the Gospel of Christ to the same group of racist bigots that never gave me a second look or care while I was growing up?”
The answer, of course, was yes.
So, Rev. Timothy relented. By great sacrifice he showed the Humbleness of Christ.
But it did not stop there. Once the Jews would listen to him, Timothy didn’t befriend them and go golfing with them. He didn’t attempt to just be nice and not wrinkle any feathers.
He preached Christ crucified and demanded repentance:
“And as they went through the cities, they {Paul and Timothy} delivered them {the Jews} the decrees {dogmas, doctrines, ordinances, judgments} for to keep, that were ordained of the Apostles.” ~ The Acts of the Apostles; chapter 16, verse 4.
Which is therefore showing the Boldness of Christ.
And this has now become eminent in my life.
How are you showing the Humbleness and Boldness of Jesus Christ?
The Humbleness of Christ is elucidated eloquently by the Apostle Paul in this passage:
“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
“And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
“To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law of Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law;
To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak; I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
“And this I do for the Gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.”
~ The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians; chapter 9, verses 19 through 23.
And of course the Boldness of Christ, as written by the Apostle Paul:
“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”
~ The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans; chapter 1, verses 16, 17 and 18.
May the Church become this dual image of evangelism.
JESUS IS LORD
~ Rev. Daniel Gabriel
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