. ____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ October 11, 2009 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Naaman the Syrian (Irvin Himmel) 2) "Bless Our God" (Edward O. Bragwell, Sr.) 3) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- Naaman the Syrian by Irvin Himmel The lessons of the Old Testament are for our learning (Rom. 15:4). A study of characters who lived in ages past can be both profitable and interesting. Naaman lived in the days of Elisha the prophet. His story is related in 2 Kings 5. Naaman was captain of the Syrian army. Syria was Israel's neighbor to the north. Although he was considered great, honorable, and mighty in valor or courage, Naaman was afflicted with a dreaded disease of leprosy. The Syrians had gone oft in companies and raided the Israelites. In one of those hostile attacks they had captured a little maid. The girl became the servant of Naaman's wife. One day she remarked that if he could be in Samaria with the prophet of God, Naaman could be healed of his leprosy. In time, Naaman went into the land of Israel, and after some confusion he appeared before the prophet. When the Syrian arrived with horses and chariots, Elisha sent a messenger, saying, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean." Naaman was full of anger and reacted according to the emotion that flooded his heart. Despite his being noted for courage, Naaman lacked humility -- a characteristic necessary for any man who seeks God's blessing. Naaman was wroth because he expected the prophet to come out, stand, call on the name of the Lord, strike his hand over the place, and thus recover the leper. He said, "Behold, I thought. . . ." His mistake was in supposing that God should operate according to Naaman's plan. He expected show and ceremony. Many people in our times are like Naaman in attitude. They expect God to conform to their plans. They stumble at His simple commands in their zeal for ceremony and elaborate schemes. They will either have their way about things or die and go to hell. Naaman argued that if it was necessary to dip in a river he should at least be permitted to choose the river. After all, water is water, and Abana and Pharpar, rivers in his own country, appeared better and cleaner than the muddy Jordan. Overlooking the fact that the difference was in God's choice in the matter, and ignoring the command given through the prophet by the messenger, "he turned and went away in a rage." Before we become too harsh in censuring Naaman, let us ask ourselves if we have not acted in much the same way at times. The New Testament commands baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). Has anyone ever scoffed at baptism and argued that it is non essential? The Bible calls baptism a burial followed by a resurrection. Has anyone ever chosen to ignore Romans 6:3-5 and Colossians 2:12, reasoning that sprinkling and pouring will suffice, and either would be much more convenient than immersion? Has anyone ever turned away, perhaps even in a rage, when it was insisted that God means exactly what the Bible says? Naaman's servants reasoned with him, reminding him that if he had been asked to do some great thing he would have complied. But think how simple and easy the command of God was! The mighty Syrian captain humbled himself and dipped seven times in Jordan, according to God's will, "and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." The waters of Jordan did not cleanse Naaman. God did it. But God would not cleanse him until he obeyed. When a person is baptized today, the water does not remit his sins. It is God who forgives sins. But God has not promised remission of sins until one obeys in baptism. As God used water to test the faith of Naaman, water is used to test our faith now. How strong is your faith? Let us learn from Naaman that it pays to comply with God's requirements. Let us humble ourselves, trust and obey the Lord. Our eternal salvation is at stake. -- Via Guardian of Truth XXVII: 6, pp. 171-172, March 17, 1983 ____________________________________________________ -2- "Bless Our God" by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. "Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of his praise to be heard" ( Psalm 66:8 NKJV). Psalms 65 and 66 are songs of praise. They were likely composed at the same time -- likely at the end of the year (see 65:11). Both call upon Israel to praise God for his goodness toward them. Just as Israel had so much to praise God for, so do we. We individually and collectively as the children of God in this country have so many reasons to praise God for his blessings. Let's examine what the psalmist himself had in mind in these two psalms. Material Prosperity In Chapter 65:9-13, God is praised for blessing their crops and pastures. This allowed their grain and flocks to flourish. God richly blessed them materially. Since World War II, this country has enjoyed a prosperity unprecedented in world history. Compare our standard of living with that of just a few years ago, to say nothing of that of a generation or two ago. I tell my children that when I was growing up that we did not have wall-to-wall floors, to say nothing of wall-to-wall carpet and that when you spoke of drywall, it meant that the roof was not leaking. Compare the cars we drive and the clothes we wear with that of our parents and their parents before them. Think of the things that we can now buy in the marketplace to make our lives more comfortable and pleasant that were not available to anyone just a few years ago. Just think of the household appliances and electronics that most of us have in our houses today. If we could have had them in my early childhood, we would not have had the electricity to run them. Congregations have prospered materially as well. Compare the buildings and other facilities with those of just a few years ago, especially in rural communities. Central heating and air has replaced the old potbellied stove, and the funeral home fans. The hard seats of yesteryear have been replaced with cushioned pews. Paved parking lots have replaced the mud that surrounded many buildings. And state-of-the-art sound systems allow us to hear those preachers and others who take a public part in our worship, who are not blessed with a strong voice. Many churches, who could not afford full-time preachers to work with them in the community, now have them. Brethren, we have been so richly blessed materially. Let us pray to God that we have the sense and gratitude needed to use all these things wisely. God's Working in History "He turned the sea into dry land; they went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in him" (66:6). I believe the psalmist is speaking of the deliverance of Israel at the Red Sea in the first phrase, and the crossing of the Jordan into Canaan in the second phrase. I understand that God's hand in these two events was miraculous in nature. But when you look at the history of Israel as a whole you can see God's helping hand at work in their lives -- both miraculously and providentially. Though the age of miracles ceased with the complete revelation of God's will for man by the end of the first century (1 Corinthians 13; Jude 3), God's providence continues to work in the affairs of men (Matthew 6:25-33; 1 Corinthians 10:13). I know that we cannot always point to a specific event today and know with absolute certainty that it is an act of providence. But I do believe that the Bible clearly teaches that God's providence continues to work today in the affairs of men. Would I be too presumptuous if I were to say that God's providence has been at work in our own history as a nation? Our forefathers were able to form a nation free of state-sponsored and state-imposed religion. This was at a time when religious tyranny was rampant in Europe from one source or another. Such freedom to worship provided an atmosphere for the "Restoration Movement" to become a reality and to thrive. Most of us in America who are beneficiaries of the preaching of the pure gospel, whether we realize it or not, owe our salvation to that movement. Of course, we understand that ultimately we owe our salvation to the gospel which they preached and which the apostles preached before them -- and to the Subject of that gospel, Jesus Christ and him crucified for our sins and raised the third day of our justification (Romans 4:25). But I am sure that none of us can fathom the depth of God's providence at work in history in order to put the gospel into our hands. God's Refinement through Trials In 66:10-12, he says: "For You, O God, have tested us. You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction upon our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment." The psalmist is saying to God, "You have refined us through trials and made us spiritually rich." God has always used adversity to purify and refine His people. That is the reason that James admonishes us to count it all joy to fall into temptations and trials (James 1:2-4). The chastisement or discipline that the Hebrew writer spoke of in Chapter 12 is persecution that the Lord uses for his purposes of discipline, according to the context of this passage. God can even use factions among brethren as a tool of refinement for his church (1 Corinthians 11:19). One should not tempt God by seeking trials, but when they come, God uses them to his and our advantage. (Cf. Matthew 4:6-7; 1 Corinthians 10: 13). This gives us reason to "rejoice in tribulation." Spiritual Satisfaction "Iniquities prevail against me; As for our transgressions, You will provide atonement for them. Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You. That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple" (65:3-4). "Come and hear, all You who fear God, And I will declare what he has done for my soul" (66:16). Here the writer expresses his satisfaction with the goodness of God's house and what God has done for his soul. He declares that God had provided atonement (NKJ), forgiveness (ASV), or purging (KJV) for his sins. Surely, today we are satisfied with the goodness and sufficiency of God's house, the church (1 Timothy 3:15) -- at least, I would hope so. God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. He has made each of us a part of his spiritual house, of his holy nation, of his holy and royal priesthood, as his own special people (1 Peter 2:5-9) -- how can we not "bless our God!" No wonder the psalmist said, "Make a joyful noise unto God..." (66:1-2). -- Via The Reflector, March 2008 ____________________________________________________ -3- News & Notes Let those of us who are Christians be praying for the family and friends of Weldon Warnock -- especially for his wife Betty, their daughter Julie, and his brother Larry. Brother Warnock passed away October 4. We extend our condolences to all his family and friends. He had served the Lord as a gospel preacher for about 55 years or more. May the truth he taught and life he lived continue to be an encouragement, comfort, and blessing to those who knew him. ____________________________________________________ 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. ____________________________________________________