. ____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ June 7, 2009 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Freedom Under God (Robert F. Turner) 2) Is That What You Meant to Say? (Steve Klein) 3) Remedy for Trouble (Bill Moseley) ____________________________________________________ -1- Freedom Under God by Robert F. Turner Freedom ... The word is almost sacred to the American people, and over the world today it stirs great hope and aspirations. Our Declaration of Independence calls it an "inalienable" right and a truth "self evident." What is the source of this freedom, and what does it mean to us? Free agency, the right to choose, is a gift from God. He elevated man above the beasts of the field: making man in his image (Gen. 1:26), sharing with man the power of choice. Man need not be slave to instinct or norm. He may rise above self, pursue ideals, seek truth, and embrace it. But with power there is responsibility. The ability to choose the right exposes us to the danger of choosing the wrong. The same justice that rewards the righteous, must also condemn the wicked. Freedom, then, cannot be free. Even in the moral realm it imposes obligations, and there are none more bound than those who foolishly demand unbridled liberty and become slaves of their own folly. In free government a man can vote as he chooses, but he may not vote correctly. He may, by neglect or party politics, fail the responsibilities of this truth and encourage corruption. In business, free enterprise allows a man to invest as he sees fit. But this is no guarantee of profit. He may invest unwisely, and "lose his shirt" -- the price paid for untrammeled opportunity. A study of freedom in every facet of life will emphasize the obligations of those who enjoy it. Conversely, man's history shows that freedom is lost when its obligations are ignored. Freedom in religion is widely acclaimed, but it is as widely misunderstood. The constitution guarantees religious freedom, but cannot make whatever one chooses to believe acceptable with God. At best, man can only endorse the freedom God originally granted -- a right inherent in the nature of man. Legislative, judicial, and executive authority in divine matters must be left to God. The need to serve God according to his law is not diminished by free will. That need is, in fact, intensified. We are the more accountable before God for the way we exercise our free agency. In the very early times the "priesthood" of all believers (1 Pet. 2:5, 9) was dominated by a rising clergy system. Each one's obligation to "prove all things" (1 Thess. 5:21) gave way to party loyalties and the word of the clergy. Soon the scriptural standard (Acts 17:11) was replaced by the usurped "authority of the church," and history repeated itself. When the obligations of true liberty are slighted, liberty itself is lost. Individual liberty was not wrested from the church. It was lost by default. "Churchanity" dulls individual will and stifles initiative. In religion, as in business and government, the socialized slave is tranquilized by his lot and loses his taste for the rigorous life of true freedom. Dear Reader, how much of your own religion have you proven by God's word? Perhaps you were baptized (?) by sprinkling, but have you ever read New Testament authority for that? You may be a member of some denomination, but does the word of God authorize its name, doctrine, and practice? Do you accept a thing as right or wrong simply because the preacher so declares it? Do such questions irritate you? We hope not! They are asked to help you see how easily one may forfeit individual freedoms in favor of unproven traditions. Truth has nothing to fear from honest investigation, but freedom can be lost without it. Fundamentally, religion is a choice of masters: God or self. Liberty under God is not the same as becoming your own God. Recognition of the Supreme Being should make us aware that man can no longer direct his own steps (Jer. 10:23). Jesus warned, "No man can serve two masters" (Matt. 6:24). Joshua said, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve . . ."; then he added that a decision for God imposed obligations (Josh. 24:15, 19-23). Most pitiful of all are the willfully blind. Thinking they serve God, these allow the winds of the day to make their decisions. They stumble in the darkness of self-service, yet know not they are blind (Rev. 3:17). Freedom is not for the fearful, the crowd pleaser, or the lover of ease in Zion. It must be grasped with resoluteness, and retained with sacrifice -- eyes wide open. Freedom under God involves individual responsibility toward God: to know his will (John 17:17), and be freed from sin (John 8:32-36). Truth severs the shackles of sectarianism and gives assurance that we walk in his light. But we are warned that if we fail to properly exercise our freedom -- in religion, as in government and business -- we shall be bound by sin and finally perish. -- Via Guardian of Truth XL: 2 p. 1 January 18, 1996 ____________________________________________________ -2- Is That What You Meant to Say? by Steve Klein An insurance agent was writing a policy for a cowboy. "Have you ever had any accidents?" the agent asked. "No, not really," replied the cowboy. "A horse threw me off and kicked me in the ribs once, and I got bit a couple of times by a rattlesnake, but that's about it." "Don't you call those accidents?" demanded the agent. "Oh no," said the cowboy, "They did them things on purpose!" It occurs to me that many things that appear to be accidents, or that we pretend are accidents, are actually intended outcomes. Sin is seldom if ever accidental. We may say that we "didn't mean to do it" or "didn't mean to say it," but, most of the time, that isn't really true. And, even if we didn't mean to do it or say it, surely the tempter meant for us to. Righteousness isn't an accident either. Jesus didn't accidentally live a sinless life. It took purpose of heart to resist temptation and do right at every turn. Barnabas encouraged Christians that "with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord" (Acts 11:23). Paul commended Timothy because he had "carefully followed" Paul's "doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance" (2 Timothy 3:10). The life of a Christian is truly a purpose-driven life. It is lived with a sense of purpose, by those who choose to do right on purpose. This applies to every aspect of our lives, including our speech. We will not say the right things accidentally. We must choose to say them. In Psalm 17:3 David wrote, "You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress." David was right before God because he had determined to control his mouth. We must also control our speech if we are to be acceptable to God. The Bible says that "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless" (James 1:26). We are to be thoughtful and purposeful with everything we say. Proverbs 15:28 states that, "The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil." The righteous man doesn't just say whatever comes into his mind. He "studies how to answer!" The New Testament commands, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers" (Ephesians 4:29). Yet how often do we just talk without thinking about the effect of our words? In the Book of Job, Job's three friends had a lot to say to him that was pretty useless. Of them and their words Job says, "I have heard many such things; Miserable comforters are you all! Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?" (Job 16:2-3). One paraphrased translation of this has, "I've had all I can take of your talk. What a bunch of miserable comforters! Is there no end to your windbag speeches? What's your problem that you go on and on like this?" (MSG). Job's friends, though intelligent men, had not chosen to speak words that would have a positive effect. Let us all give thought to the impact of our words. Words are powerful, and they will not be a power for good unless we purpose to make them so. Let's do our best to make sure that what we say is what we mean to say, and that what we mean to say is good. -- Via The Bulletin of the Church of Christ at New Georgia, March 29, 2009 ____________________________________________________ -3- Remedy for Trouble by Bill Moseley God once told his people to "call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you" (Psa. 50:15). Who among God's people have never experienced trouble in one way or another in their life? Job once observed that "man is born unto trouble" (5:7). His days are sometimes sorrowful (Eccl. 2:22 -23). And so believers in God are not exempt from troubles in life -- that is a "give." Perhaps it is bodily trouble: the frailties of the flesh often beset us; sickness is the common lot of all men. Perhaps it is spiritual trouble of some sort; the kind that comes when the faith grows weak. It may be anxiety or worry, and in such times we need to "cast (our) burdens on the Lord" (Psa. 55:22). It may be trouble of a domestic nature that sees families torn apart for one reason or another. Parents often see deceptive children such as Jacob had (Gen. 37:29-36). Maybe those children are just plain vile and wicked, such as Eli had (1 Sam. 2:22-23), or rebellious such as David experienced with Absalom. Perhaps children experience trouble from unloving parents. But there is a remedy! God made it plain when he said to "call upon me ..." Try as we might, we cannot deal with problems in the most effective way apart from God. Oh, you may have some "band aid" remedies that will last a short time. But in the long run, God must be turned to, for he does not deal merely in symptoms, but in causes. Paul told the Philippians to let their requests be made known to God (4:6). Seek the gracious aid of God, for he invites us to come boldly to his throne of grace (Heb. 4:16 ). You do not have any trouble that God cannot help you with! The Psalmist also said that God is always there. Hear him: "God is ... a very present help in trouble" (46:1). Did you get that word -- "present"? He is there. What you must do is to "call upon him." Then notice God's great promise. Once we recognize the trouble we are faced with and become willing to call upon God, he makes the promise: "I will deliver you." His wisdom and ability are sufficient, for he makes the statement an unqualified one -- "I will...." There are no halfway measures with God. Paul, in bringing to a close the great 8th chapter of Romans, posed the question, "if God be for us, who can be against us?" God wants to deliver; he does not want us to perish (2 Pet. 3:9). And ... oh, yes ... God expects something in return. In the latter part of the verse of our text he says, "and you shall glorify me." Don't think that God can help you; your troubles taken care of by going to him and prayer, and then you fail to respond by glorifying him and he will be pleased. Not so! -- Via Putting the Brethren in Remembrance, May 2005 ____________________________________________________ CHURCH OF CHRIST 201 Rushing Road (at the Hampton Inn) Denham Springs, LA 70726 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 tedwards@onemain.com http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go DIRECTIONS: Take the Denham Springs exit (exit 10) off of I-12. At the end of the exit ramp, turn north. Go about a stone's throw to Rushing Road. (You'll see a Starbucks, Circle K, and two other gas stations; with each on each corner.) Turn left on Rushing Road, and go less then 0.3 of a mile. Hampton Inn will be on the right. We assemble in its meeting room, which is very close to the reception counter. ____________________________________________________