Guile

Guile

It is quite rare to speak about guile, both inside and outside the church. One could think that it is something that as a rule never happens. Unfortunately, that is not the case. We can come to this understanding by faith by considering some scriptures.

Jesus said about Nathanael: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.” John 1:47. In other words, this was something uncommonly great and good; otherwise He would have said, “Here comes another one in whom there is no guile.” It is therefore normal to have some guile in one’s heart.

When Isaiah prophesied about the coming Christ and in a few words expressed His exalted state above the norm, he said, “Nor was any guile in His mouth.” Isa. 53:9. In other words, it is normal for people to have guile.

Likewise, when the apostle Peter, in a few words, described his great Master’s merit above other masters in this world, he said, “Nor was guile found in His mouth”. 1 Pet. 2:22. This was, in other words, something especially good, something unusual!!

When Peter exhorts a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and a holy people (1 Pet. 2:9) to put off all guile (1 Pet. 2:1), we clearly see that he presupposes that they, in spite of their high degree of partaking of Christ Jesus, are nevertheless infested with guile.

Since we are being exhorted to put it off, it is vital to get to see it and acknowledge it; for how could we possibly put something off that we do not even see?

What, then, is guile? It is related to lying, hypocrisy, subterfuge, and conceit; it can almost be compared to double-mindedness—having two minds, having two interests. It is being two-sided. It is letting on as if you loved Jesus only but still have someone else or something else as a backup. On occasion, when things become difficult or when you get tired of fighting the good fight of faith, it is possible that you fail Christ and fall back on or give yourself to someone else or to something else. 1 Tim. 5:11; 2 Tim. 4:10.

The opposite of guile is truth and uprightness, that you are what you give yourself out to be, and that you are that entirely, not partially or divided. Either you stand or fall, are received or rejected, are praised or reproved, or are overlooked together with the truth, together with the One whom you have chosen and to whom you have sworn to be faithful, together with your spouse, the church, and with Christ. See Romans 15:3. Christ was so completely for and with the Father that their mockery, which was actually directed at the Father, fell on Christ. Or as Paul says, “For we can do nothing against the truth, but [only] for the truth.” 2 Cor.13:8.

We also have another place in the Scriptures that tells us in unmistakable terms how common guile is: “For I have no one likeminded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his [Timothy’s] proven character . . . .” Phil. 2:19-22. See also 2 Corinthians 11:13 and 2:17. Note the expressions, “not as the many” and “as of sincerity.” Col. 4:10-11; Phil. 3:17-18. Note the second word in verse 18.

There were no more like-minded ones whom Paul could send to the Philippians besides Timothy!—only this one who sincerely could care for them, only one among many who served souls who was completely free from guile according to Paul’s light? Then what about the others? There were many servants, many laborers, many evangelists and shepherds; many preachers, many fellow workers, many who had care for them! Some of them hadn’t even begun to follow the exhortation in 1 Peter 2:1 while others had possibly begun but had not yet fulfilled it.

They spoke God’s Word with power and ardor, consoled and encouraged souls, prayed for them and with them, visited them and were friendly to them, but—they entertained thoughts of sordid gain and advantage as a backup on a human level in all of this. All of them kept more or less a remnant of guile intact. Therefore they were cut off from speaking the way Paul and Timothy spoke (2 Cor. 2:17; 1 Thess. 2:4-6) and necessarily had to be included in Galatians 1:10 to some extent. That is how it was then. As truly as God has not changed, and neither has man nor our adversary, that is how assured we can be that it is not any better in these days.

Therefore it is critical, while it is still the time of grace, for every single one of us to make the utmost effort to be rid of all remnants of two-sidedness as quickly and as thoroughly as possible so that we do not in any way walk on two ways and do not have two kinds of interests, two loves, or two fountains from which to drink; but that we, as David, singing and dancing in truth can shout: “All my fountains are in You!” It is urgent to come to an end of everything that one has as backup, with all secondary considerations and all additional calculations, so that one does not seek God or go to meetings or become a preacher or missionary, or give gifts or do anything at all out of two motives.

Get yourself a banner with the words “Truth, purity, uprightness, sincerity, and faithfulness!” written on it. Raise it to the top of the flagpole and plant it by your side. When your corruptible body fails one day, let it collapse under this flag. Then you are dying with honor. God will honor you. Then you die like a good soldier of Jesus Christ!

Then you have been blessed in time, and you will be blessed in eternity because you have truly followed Him in whose heart, spirit, and mouth was no guile. Amen.