“Sincerity”

 

“Be sincere… until the day of Christ.” – Philippians 1:10 NAS

 

The word ‘sincere’ comes from a Latin word meaning “without wax”. In the original

Greek, it means “sun-tested.” In Bible times merchants sold very fine porcelain that

was greatly valued and expensive. Sometimes when it was fired in the kiln,

tiny cracks would appear. Dishonest merchants would smear pearly-white wax

over these cracks, which would pass for unblemished porcelain – unless it was

held up to the light of the sun. Honest merchants marked their wares sine cera –

“without wax.” That’s a picture of genuine sincerity. No sham, no hypocrisy, no

hidden cracks to be covered over.

You say,”How can I live this way?” By keeping your eyes on Christ, not Christians!

Paul writes, “As a prisoner for the Lord then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the

calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1 NIV). When Paul wrote this, he was

under house arrest in Rome, yet he didn’t regard himself as a prisoner of the

Romans. No, he was a prisoner of Jesus, a voluntary slave, totally in subjection

to the Lord. There’s a metaphorical meaning to this word “prisoner.” It can mean

“binding, as with a spell.” Paul was literally captivated by Jesus Christ! He thought

and talked about nothing else. He got up every morning determined to please Him.

Some days he didn’t do too well. We all have those days. But the next morning he

was up and at it again, more determined and more committed than ever.

Paul’s sincerity wasn’t based on keeping certain religious rules or trying to look

good. It was based on a deep love relationship with Christ: “Whatever we do,

it is… because Christ’s love controls us” (2 Corinthians 5:14 TLB).

- Bob Gass Ministries

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