The New American Standard begins verse 10 with, “so that,” which even more, shows the dependence this verse has on the previous one. It tells us what we are supposed to do when we love with knowledge and discernment.
Why are knowledge and discernment necessary? Because all the time, we have to make choices. We have to choose to take one of two or more paths that are set before us. It might be about a moral decision in our life or about a life choice like what job should I take, or whom I should marry. Or it might involve how I should vote, or what organization I should join.
And quite frankly, there are times we simply don’t know the right path. As J. Vernon McGee says,
“The Lord will not send an angel to tell us, nor will He turn on red or green lights to give us signals. He expects us to use a little consecrated gumption.”That’s what this verse is about. It is about learning to live an “excellent” life. We do this by learning to “approve the things that are excellent.” The word “approve” is also translated as examine, analyze, test, or prove. It was used by assayers who tested and graded metals to determine purity and genuineness. You wouldn’t want to pay gold prices for fool’s gold, or pay top dollar for gold that was mixed with all kinds of contaminants. The point is, we need knowledge and discernment to figure out what the best option is.
This goes way beyond just deciding whether something is sinful or not. That’s just the start. But this is determining what is most excellent. We need to do that so we can make those most excellent choices and can thereby live excellent lives before God.
You can live lives that are filled with meaning and purpose. John Piper wrote a book entitled, Don’t Waste Your Life. His main thesis was that we shouldn’t waste our time and effort chasing after money, pleasure, fame, or comfort as though the greatest goal in life is to retire with a nice nest egg and vacation around the country in our motor home, wintering on the Florida golf courses. Rather, we need to spend our life preparing for eternity. We must be laying up treasures in heaven - living our lives for God. How much better to invest our lives serving God? How much better to lay-up treasures in heaven instead of building our 401K?
Plus, verse 10 says, “That you may be sincere.” Again, the New American Standard helps us understand this by starting the phrase, “in order to be sincere.” It indicates a continuing progression. To love with knowledge and discernment leads to making excellent choices, which, in turn, leads to being “sincere.”
The English word, “sincere,” comes from the Latin, sincerus. which literally means without wax. You’re probably wondering what that means. When there was a crack in a statue or a vase being made, and the craftsman wasn’t of the highest integrity, he would try to hide the crack by melting wax into the crack. Then, when it was painted, you couldn’t tell that there had ever been a crack there. Some unsuspecting shopper would buy it, then get it home, only to have it break the first time they used it. Or on the first hot day, the wax would melt and run down that expensive piece of art.
Reputable dealers began to put signs on their work that said, “Sine cera – or without wax.” In other words, they were guaranteeing that the piece was genuine. That’s what Paul wants us to be, genuine. What people see is what they should get with us.
But, too many believers try to cover their faults and weaknesses. We try to cover them over with masks. But, we need to be pursuing and making excellent choices so as to not have the defects in the first place.
Yes, it is normal - no one wants to be found flawed - but the answer isn’t to cover over our flaws because when the heat is applied by the trials of life the wax runs and the flaws show. Live excellent lives. Live lives that are sincere. Be the same person in private that you want people to see in public. Most of life’s problems come from trying to act like, rather than be, what we ought to be. So, do what Romans 12:9 says, “Let love be without hypocrisy.” Everybody hates hypocrisy. Jesus never condemned any other sin as much as He condemned hypocrisy. So be sincere.
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