Intro: A type of people who consisted the Diaspora Christian Community was traveling merchants. These merchants were financially successful, most likely belonging to the Equestrian Order (a group of people who were financial backbone of the Greco Roman Empire), and their sole purpose in life was to make profit (as indicated in their speech: “today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town, and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”). And the Word of God is rebuking and instructing these people to acknowledge the will of God in their daily life.
I. Why are they being rebuked?
A. The Word of God does not rebuke these people (traveling merchants) for:
i. Working hard, planning for the future, going to different places and seeking out opportunities.
ii. Above characteristics are necessary things in life, and it is biblical for a God-fearing person to work hard, plan for the future, go to different places if necessary and seek out opportunities in all things (especially regarding serving God).
B. The Word of God rebukes these people (traveling merchants) for:
i. Boasting of what they can do and what they can accomplish as if they were the ones who were in control.
ii. Making the daily decisions and future goals without considering God’s will.
iii. The traveling merchants demonstrated a type of lifestyle that depended upon themselves and cared solely of creating profit. God’s will and his plans were excluded in their life. Hence, the rebuking is directed towards failure to acknowledge the will of God.
II. The instruction: Acknowledging God’s will. God’s people are to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that…” Acknowledging the will of God entails three aspects.
A. Prioritizing the will of God: God’s people must seek the will of God and consider His plan in prior to making any and every decision regarding success or the future. This means saying to oneself, “what does God desire from me?” or “what decision would glorify God?”
B. Obedience to the will of God: God’s people must obey the will of God even if it seems unprofitable or unfavorable at times (However, regardless of what one may think, God’s will is always good, pleasing and perfect). Knowing the will of God is merely the first step, and it must be followed by response of obedience.
C. Continual response to the will of God: the phrase “you ought to say…” is infinitive verb in Greek language; this means that the action at hand must be demonstrated continually. The obedience and the submission to the will of God is to be demonstrated consistently, and not just once.
Conclusion: As Christians living in the 21st Century, we are to acknowledge the will of God in our studies, in our works, in our free time, in our relationships and in our plans and goals. However, the most important will of God (His general will for his people) is for His people to acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior. Let us acknowledge Jesus Christ our Lord and savior in our daily life!!!
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