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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" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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November 10, 2013
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Contents:
1) Knowing God (Tom Edwards)
2) Wide Open (Greg Gwin)
3) News & Notes
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-1-
Knowing God
by Tom Edwards
"And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent" (Jn. 17:3).
Notice the connection in this verse with knowing God -- the Father
and the Son -- and having eternal life. The former is
essential for the latter. But what does it mean, according to
the Scriptures, to truly "know" God? Does it mean to merely
memorize a list of facts about God, which would include all the
attributes of Deity and all the things that the Father and the Son
have done, as recorded in the Bible? Surely, we would have to
say that one who has learned all that would certainly know ABOUT
God, but would that kind of "knowing" in itself suffice for
obtaining eternal life?
We would have to answer that in the negative. For an atheist
could learn various things the Bible says about God without
believing them. And even one who would not only learn those
things, but also believe them to be true, could still not really
"know" God in the sense that is most needful -- and, that is, for
the salvation of the soul.
In looking to the Scriptures, "knowing" God is to involve more than
having a knowledge of all that the Bible says about Him and all that
can be inferred about Him through the creation -- and regardless of
how strongly we can give mental assent toward all that truth about
Him.
For knowing God involves our having a spiritual relationship with
Him and that requires our submission to His will. John, for
example, declares, "By this we know that we have come to know Him,
if we keep His commandments. The one who says, 'I have come to
know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the
truth is not in him" (1 Jn. 2:3,4).
This is also implied in Matthew 7:21-23, where the Lord states, "Not
everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of
heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in
heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we
not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in
Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them,
'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'"
What did Jesus mean by the phrase "I never KNEW you"? Would it
mean He did not know their names, nor where they lived, nor what
they had been doing with their lives? Surely, God knows all
these things about each one of us -- and to even the smallest
detail. For instance, the psalmist says, "O Lord, Thou has
searched me and known me. Thou dost know when I sit down and
when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar.
Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, And art intimately
acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my
tongue, Behold, O LORD, Thou dost know it all" (Psa. 139:1-4).
And it was not only this psalmist whom God had complete knowledge
of: For "The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the
sons of men" (Psa. 33:13). While on earth, Jesus demonstrated
His ability to see people beyond normal human vision (cf. Jn.
1:48-51) and that He could even look into their hearts to know their
inmost thoughts (cf. Matt. 9:4). The Lord truly does know more
about us than even we know about ourselves. So He must be
using the word "knew" in the phrase "I never knew you" (Matt. 7:23)
to mean something else. So what would that be? Would it
not mean that the Lord does not know (or recognize) these workers of
iniquity as belonging to Him? Rather, the sins they commit
have put them in league with the devil -- rather than being a part
of God's family. As "...Jesus was saying to those Jews who had
believed Him, 'If you continue in My word, then you are truly
disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will
make you free" (Jn. 8:30-32). But they didn't really "know"
the Lord. For Jesus says to them that "...My word has no place
in you" (v. 34) and "You are of your father the devil..." (v. 44).
So, based on these passages, we would conclude that Jesus used the
phrase "I never knew you" to indicate they were not in a spiritual
relationship with Him -- even though He would have certainly been
able to write a detailed list of facts about each one of them.
This also corresponds with one of the definitions for "know": "It
denotes a personal relation between the person knowing and the
object known" (E.W. Bullinger, A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to
the English and Greek New Testament, p. 434).
When Paul says, "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I
have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I
count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of
all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ"
(Phil. 3:7,8), would we think of his "knowing Christ Jesus my Lord"
as only having a complete knowledge of Him or of having that
knowledge along with a spiritual relationship with the Lord?
Paul answers that by his very life. For what we see in him is
a man who strove very diligently to maintain a right relationship
with God -- and even when it would involve being severely persecuted
for doing so. In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul goes on to
say, "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become
perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which
also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not
regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do;
forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God
in Christ Jesus."
In the expressions "reaching forward to what lies ahead" and
"press[ing] on toward the goal," we see Paul's striving for
heaven. And in doing so, he is maintaining a spiritual
relationship with God and knowing Him and "known" by Him -- and even
honored as well, as a result (cf. Jn. 12:26).
In Judges 2:10, we are shown that after Joshua's generation had
passed away, "...there arose another generation after them who did
not know the LORD, nor yet the work He had done for Israel."
From this verse, would it be only their lack of knowledge that would
come to our minds? Or would we also realize that because of
that lack of knowledge, they were not able to have a relationship
with God, that they would not be knowing Him in that
sense? We would probably also think that because of
their lack of knowledge and not being in a right relationship with
God, they would most likely be involved in various sins
instead. And that is exactly what the passage goes on to
say: "Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and
served the Baals, and they forsook the LORD, the God of their
fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed
other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them,
and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to
anger" (Jdg. 2:11,12).
So though "knowing" in the Scriptures is sometimes referring to only
knowledge, we have seen in this lesson that it is also used at times
to indicate much more than that. For not only should all
people study to know all the facts that God has revealed about
Himself in His word, but we each need to also attain and maintain a
spiritual relationship with God by our faith, love, and obedience to
Him. Because in doing that, we will then be "knowing" God to
the point that it will result in eternal life; and isn't that what
everyone should want?
Let us, therefore, see to it that we will be able to say that we
truly do "know" the Lord by maintaining that right kind of
relationship with Him now -- and which will be ultimately enjoyed
eternally in heaven itself!
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"I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they
will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to
Me with their whole heart" (Jer. 24:7).
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-2-
Wide Open
by Greg Gwin
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians with the news that he
intended to visit them. However, his visit would be delayed
because he was pursuing opportunities in Ephesus. He said: "I
shall come to you after I go through Macedonia . . . and
perhaps I shall stay with you, or even spend the winter . . . if the
Lord permits. But I shall remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; for a
wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many
adversaries" (1 Corinthians 16:5-9).
Notice, especially, that Paul perceived great prospects in
Ephesus. He could see a tremendous potential for "effective
service." Did he mean that everyone in that city was eagerly
receiving the gospel message? Was everyone anxious to hear the
truths that Paul was preaching? Could it be that the whole
city might be converted to Christ?
The answers to these questions -- NO! In fact, during this
visit to Ephesus a riot broke out in opposition to what Paul was
preaching. Demetrius, a silversmith who made shrines to the
idol goddess Diana, led a great uprising. "The whole city was
filled with confusion," and some of the disciples were taken
captive. Paul's own personal safety was at risk (Acts
19:23ff).
When Paul wrote about that "wide door for effective service," he
also knew that "there are many adversaries." He was not blind
to the dangers that surrounded him, but he was still excited about
the good that could be accomplished.
The lesson for us is this: the reality of opposition does not
diminish the potential for good and effective work. There
never has been, and never will be, a time when God's truth and His
people are unopposed. Even in adversity we need to be looking
for 'open doors' for proclaiming the Word. Dont wait for the
perfect situation. Don't hesitate because of
'adversaries.' There is much to do and doors of
opportunity are 'wide open' for the gospel. Think!
-- Via The Beacon, September 24, 2013
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"For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life
that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me,
but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it
down, and I have authority to take it up again. This command- ment I
received from My Father" (Jn. 10;17,18).
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-3-
News & Notes
Chuck Bartlett, a gospel preacher in Newburgh, Indiana, has
returned home after spending several days very sick in the hospital;
but his daughter wrote on November 11 that he is still "VERY
weak. Sitting up for 30 seconds exhausts him. He lost
a lot of weight and went straight to bed after coming home. He
will have a long recovery ahead of him. The cause is still
unknown, but the result is that we are more aware that life is
short and God is in control. We still ask for your prayers full of
FAITH that he will be well again soon." Let those of
us who are God's children be remembering Chuck in our prayers.
Let us also be praying for the following:
Jean Calloway, who had been receiving dialysis three times a
week, was recently back in the hospital and not able to continue
with her treatment, due to the pain it was causing. Let us
pray that this will soon be taken care of.
Let us also continue to remember in prayer Virginia Fontenot,
Shirley Young, Cheryl Crews, Peggy Lefort, and Terry
and Pam MacDonald.
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom.
10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John
3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts
8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins
(Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet.
3:21).
6) Continue in the faith; for, if not, salvation can
be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Park Forest
CHURCH OF CHRIST
9923 Sunny Cline Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 6 PM (worship)
Tuesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/go
(Gospel Observer website)
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html
(audio sermons)