Noblesse Oblige

Robert C. Studdard

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What the heck is this?

Instead of a Hebrew or Greek term today, I want to start with a French term.

What does this have to do with God’s word or His message today? Well it has everything to do with it.

Noblesse Oblige is French for: Obligation of the Nobility

I just finished a series on the Ten Commandments and I stated that the Ten Commandments are God’s ethics.

In the introduction to this series I gave the definition for ethics and morals, because some people use these terms interchangeably. They do not mean the same thing.

Both ethics and morals refer to “right” and “wrong” behaviors and conduct. While they are sometimes used interchangeably, these words are different: ethics refer to rules provided by an external source, such as a code of conduct in the workplace, a code of conduct from our parents, or better yet a code of conduct from God.

Morals refer to an individual’s principles regarding right and wrong.

Morals come from ourselves, from our hearts. I believe where we learn our ethics from affects our morals.

You are probably wondering what all of this has to do with “Noblesse Oblige” the “the obligation of the nobility”

You may be thinking “why is Robert even talking about nobility” I am not even sure what nobility means. Well let me define that for you:

the quality of being noble in character, mind, birth, or rank.

"a man of nobility and learning"

the group of people belonging to the noble class in a country, especially those with a hereditary or honorary title.

noun: the nobility

Or you may be thinking the nobility that I have seen, they appear to be hoity-toity, snobbish, give the perception that they are better than everyone else, etc. Well this can be true in some instances, but I would not say this true all the time.

What if I told you that as a Christian you are “Nobility” that you are “Royalty”! And as such you have certain obligations.

Now let me define “Noblesse Oblige” a little better.

1. Noblesse Oblige is the inferred responsibility of privileged people to act with generosity and nobility toward those less privilege.

2. It s the idea that someone with power and influence should use their social position to help other people.

Do you know that as a Christian you are a privileged person, that you have power and influence?

Christians are privileged because we are God’s children. Not every man and woman are children of God. They are God’s creation, but they are not children of God.

John 1:12–13 (NASB 2020)

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

To receive Him, to believe in His name. These words are synonymous with each other. John is using them interchangeably. In other words to those who have “TRUE Faith” in Jesus Christ or those who “TRULY Believe” or “TRULY Receive” Him, we become a child of God.

In the Gospel of John, John never uses the word “Faith” he uses the word “Believe”. But the concept of Faith is woven throughout the Gospel of John.

You see in the Biblical sense Faith and Belief can be used interchangeably. In the modern sense, not so much so.

In popular English usage, the word faith often has a deeper meaning. Belief often refers to an intellectual acceptance of facts.

Here is an example from Got Questions:

Most people believe it is important to eat healthy foods and exercise regularly; however, most people do not personally eat healthy food and exercise regularly. They believe that a certain set of facts is true, but they have not committed themselves to the implications of the facts. They have belief but not faith, in the modern sense.

Likewise, many people today believe a certain set of facts about God, and in some cases their facts may be completely orthodox. However, if they have never committed themselves to God, if they have not trusted Him, then they do not have faith or biblical belief in Him. Biblical faith (biblical belief) is never simply giving assent to a certain set of facts. Biblical faith is trust and commitment that result in a change of behavior. James 2:19 puts it this way: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” The demons believe that God exists, and they may even know more about God than people do, but they do not have faith in Him. Unfortunately, many people have the same kind of belief that the demons have, but that it is not sufficient for their salvation.

As a Christian we have power and influence, because God is our Father. Because of our Faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, as our Lord and Savior we have been adopted by God and we have been granted power and influence by Him.

Romans 8:14–15 (NASB95)

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

As sons and daughters of God, we have the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit indwelling in us and we are led by the Holy Spirit.

We have the power of “God’s Truth”

John 14:15–17 (NASB95)

15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

We do not have to know everything, by the power of the Holy Spirit words will be given to us in times of need.

Luke 12:11–12 (NASB95)

11 “When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Now that is power! No other deity, no other god from has ever promised to do this for their followers. It is all about them!

We have influence through scripture. Through the Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NASB95)

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

Hebrews 4:12 (NASB95)

12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

When we speak of Godly things, when we try to influence the world, we need, we must speak from scripture and it must be done with the “Fruit of the Spirit!”

As Christians, as Christ Followers we are nobility. Peter tells us in:

1 Peter 2:9–10 (NASB95)

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

We are a Royal Priesthood! We are Royalty!!

What is our “Noblesse Oblige?”

What is our Obligation of being Nobility by being a Child of God, by being a Royal Priesthood?

Well Peter tells us it is to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of Darkness into His Marvelous light!”

I am going to list four obligations:

1. One way to proclaim the excellencies of God is to try and live out the Ten Commandments. God’s perfect ethics. To be obedient. You see once we proclaim to the world that we are Christians all eyes are on us. Again, the Law does not save, but we are not to forgo the Law, we are not to ignore the Law.

Jesus tells us that the two great commandments are:

Matthew 22:37–40 (NASB95)

37 And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 “This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

2. A second Obligation is “Forgiveness”

Matthew 6:14–15 (NASB95)

14 “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Ephesians 4:32 (NASB95)

32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Colossians 3:13 (NASB95)

13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

This is a hard one. Sadly at times forgiveness does not come easily or swiftly. If we think back to the Lord’s prayer. Found in Matthew 6:9-13

Matthew 6:9–13 (NASB95)

9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread. 12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’

Forgiving someone is not a requirement for Salvation. for we are not saved by works.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (NASB95)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

But forgiving someone is evidence of one’s Salvation!

James 2:17 (NASB95)

17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

John 14:15 (NASB95)

15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

1 John 4:19–21 (NASB95)

19 We love, because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

3. A third obligation is “Love”

The second greatest Commandment:

Matthew 22:39 (NASB95)

39 “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

Here is the thing about this obligation. To Love someone is not to affirm their sinful behavior! Especially a fellow Christ follower!

Because of or due to “Love” We should be doing what Paul tells Timothy in:

2 Timothy 4:2–5 (NASB95)

2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Now this verse typically geared toward Pastor’s. But, all Christ followers can heed this advice as well. Bear with me.

In season and out of season (In good times and bad times). When you feel like it and when you don’t feel like it.

Reprove: means to correct

Rebuke: is a strong expression of disapproval

Exhort: means to encourage, especially to someone you have built a relationship with.

And we do this with great patience and instruction! Instructions in the word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NASB95)

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

Do the work of an evangelist!

You may be thinking, “I am not an evangelist” I would say yes and no. No you may not be a traveling evangelist, but as a Christ follower you are an everyday evangelist. An evangelist is someone who shares the gospel!

Peter tells us in 2 Peter 2:9 to proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into the marvelous His light.