By Elias Aslaksen That is to learn and obey all the standing orders that are in the New Testament. Compare this to Deuteronomy 32. We can understand it best if we think about military discipline. Not one commander asks his subordinates for their opinions, what they think about it, what they like, or what their wishes are. Not at all! They give orders which they expect to be obeyed instantly. They also give standing orders which the subordinates are always expected to follow. No objections! No “ifs” and “buts.” No procrastination! How much more reason do we have to obey Jesus Christ—the One who is our infallible and good and caring commander-in-chief, the captain of our salvation—instantly and exactly as He says, we who are His loving, devoted, and faithful soldiers or sergeants or whatever we might be!? Or as it is written so blessedly and is so easily understood in Hebrews 12:9 and 10: “Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?” In other words, when you disobey, you do so at the risk of your own life. Read also Hebrews 5:9. The usual understanding of Christianity is pathetically superficial and therefore completely false. One has quite simply misunderstood the whole matter. The vast majority of people act as if there were no orders that are meant to be obeyed at all times! The usual way of thinking is something like this: “Yes, of course, I ought to have a little more love, be a little more generous, and be somewhat more patient and forbearing. And of course, I should be somewhat less angry and offended and not be so discouraged. And I do hope that things will be a little better with me in the course of a few years or, in any case, at the end. And then, of course, I should not say so many useless and vain words, but I hope things will get better with time, and so on. I can tell you, my dear friends that all such things are still-born. Nothing will come of it. You can save yourself the trouble. Because what has all that got to do with observing all things Jesus has commanded His disciples??? What does it have to do with obedience??? Make sure, dear brother and sister, that you also have not misunderstood the main thing! Would you like to receive some really good and effective advice? Meditate on Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews 5:8 and 9 and on Romans 11:5 and 16. It is high time that you are fully aware of this. What a bold assertion that is! But what does it help if the Word is crystal clear and as plain as can be if one does not honestly take it to heart in deadly earnest? On average, people’s conduct is evidence that this whole matter of doing God’s will is a question of taste to them—as if one could treat the matter as one saw fit. God’s Word contains so much, and tastes vary, so it is a sort of free choice; some people prefer certain truths, whereas others like some other truths. Furthermore, it is quite common that there is no hurry about it. One hopes to—sort of—do this or that later on, at another time, or if God or the Spirit gives me a special reminder. Dear brother and sister! What has all this got to do with observing all things that Jesus has commanded us to do??? The standing orders are written down. They apply night and day, unceasingly, for as long as we live, from the moment you became His true disciple by forsaking all your own possessions in every sense of the word. If you have done this in all seriousness, then you have made this choice voluntarily, and, consequently, you have to stand by your choice faithfully, with joy and rejoicing and with exceptionally great zeal. The only thing that makes sense from then on is to take all His commandments to heart in order to obey them always, and obey them precisely. Special reminders about all these things should therefore be unnecessary, since there are standing orders concerning all God’s will. If you need special reminders anyway, then you ought to be thankful for them, but not see it as something great—which is common—but rather see it as a shame that you were not sufficiently awake, that you were not sufficiently interested in doing it without having to get a special reminder— just as it is a shame for parents to pay for private lessons for their school children because the children are lazy and disinterested at school. One of the worst things for sinners is to be commanded to do something. One of the very best things a godly person knows is to do what Jesus and the New Testament, as a whole, have commanded us, with joy. For example: “Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.” Col. 3:19. This is a standing order. If we are always obedient to it, we will always love our wife irrespective of how she behaves. We do not need a special reminder! Then there will be no bitterness, because one of love’s many glorious characteristics is that it is not provoked (to bitterness)! For example: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord!” Col. 3:18. This is not a matter of opinion that depends on her understanding or judgment. Not at all! It concerns something completely different. It is a matter of always obeying the standing orders of the King of kings. By doing that, all the usual objections, contradictions, lectures,—even all unnecessary and superfluous questions—will fall away. For all of Jesus’ disciples are called to be perfect just as our Father in heaven is perfect. Matt. 5:48. The wife, as all the rest of us, is to deny her own will every day! The husband is to deny his bitterness and the wife her objections, contradictions, and lectures. And no exceptions! Objections are not part of being perfect. For example: “Give, and it will be given to you,” and “Do not forget to do good and to share.” Matt. 5 and Heb. 13. Standing orders! Strictly speaking, special reminders are superfluous. The intention is that these things are not to be done only once in a while, as you see fit. We must never forget it! It is always applicable. In Proverbs 17:8 we read about a gift that causes happiness wherever it comes. And it is very important that we can make others happy. Sirach says that you will receive it again seven-fold, so it is not dangerous at all to give away much, and to give away often. On the contrary! The opposite can—in the deepest sense of the word—endanger your life! Find several examples of standing orders yourself. It is part of working out the salvation of your soul. Phil. 2:12. You are very interested in this, aren’t you???

Gentleness is one of the choicest fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23), and only spiritual people produce this fruit for their own blessing and for the blessing of others. It is united with the wisdom that is from above which is peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits. Jas. 3:17. It is a very choice virtue and is full of wisdom. True gentleness, which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, is not united with the human, weak gentleness that is variable. Everything that God does is firm and immovable, while doing its abundant work. Joseph, our great example, used strong and harsh words against his brothers, but at the same time he also turned away and wept. When he revealed himself to his brothers he wept so loudly that the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard him. Gen. 45:1-2. He melted everything that might have been hard in his brothers’ hearts with gentle, good, and forgiving words. “A gentle tongue breaks a bone.” Prov. 25:15. It is a crushing power when nothing else suffices. Joseph could have entertained harsh thoughts of revenge and condemned his brothers to death or life-long slavery, but instead he moved his brothers and all his many relatives to Goshen, which was the best place in all of Egypt. “And Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Please come near to me.’ And they came near. And he said: ‘I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved nor angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.’” Gen. 45:4-5. “‘You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.’” Gen. 50:20. Joseph was also given the task by God of closing his father’s eyes and taking his body to the land of Canaan to be buried there. Gen. 46:4; 50:5. The entire story of Joseph is a testimony of gentleness, goodness, and reconciliation. When Joseph sent his brothers to fetch Jacob, his father, he said, “‘Quarrel not with one another on the way.’” Gen. 45:24. There is much hardness, and many evil, selfish thoughts in quarreling with each other. This was not to happen on such an important errand on the way to their father. When we think of the important task we have on the way to our heavenly Father, we ought to be deeply ashamed at the very thought of disunity and strife. Gentle words come from a pure and good heart. “The pipe and the psaltery make sweet melody; but a pleasant tongue is above them both.” Ecclesiasticus 40:21. A pleasant or gentle tongue surpasses the finest music. Moses was fiery and strong in his youth, but he became the most humble man on earth in fellowship with God. Ex. 2:11-12; Num. 12:3. “Saul and Jonathan were beloved and gentle in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.” 2 Sam. 1:23. “I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very dear to me; your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women.” V. 26. Saul and Jonathan were mighty warriors, but they were beloved and gentle in life. It is evident from David’s psalms that he was also like this, but even more so. In 2 Samuel 22:35-36 we read, “He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your gentleness has made me great.” It is easiest to be harsh, to fight back, and to avenge yourself, but gentleness makes you truly great. “Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ . . . .” 2 Cor. 10:1. In Romans 12 he exhorts by the mercies of God to be tenderhearted toward one another in brotherly love. Paul came with a radical message that brought the cross and death over all kinds of sin. But when it came to carrying out what he preached, he came with gentle and good words, full of hope, comfort, and help. “But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.” 1 Thess. 2:7-8. Paul was full of love, care, gentleness, and goodness, so that the message he preached could melt all hardness and have an abundant entrance into hearts. “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.” 2 Cor. 12:15. Jesus received the tongue of a disciple from His heavenly Father so that He could refresh the weary with His words. Isa. 50:4. There is no doubt that those who are tired and discouraged are in dire need of such words in these days. “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient . . . .” 2 Tim. 2:24. “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.” Prov. 16:24. May God give abundant grace to use the sword of the Spirit and the gentle tongue in the right spirit and at the right time.Aksel J. Smith