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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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December 22, 2013
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Contents:
1) The Faith Once Delivered to the Saints (Connie W. Adams)
2) At Your Weakest Moment... (Greg Gwin)
3) News & Notes
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-1-
The Faith Once Delivered to the Saints
by Connie W. Adams
The first four verses of Jude sounded a warning to those within the
church of that day to guard against "certain men" who would creep in
"unawares" and undermine that system of divine truth which he called
"the faith." Jude was written late in the first century when
the issues facing the church had taken on a different complexion
from those of the first few decades after Pentecost. By this
time the formal Jewish opposition had lost its punch and the church
faced the insidious threats of bizarre philosophical approaches
which came in with the advance of the gospel in Greece and North
Africa.
The trouble they faced did not come from frontal assaults on the
faith from the unbelieving world but rather from the deceitful
behaviour of those who professed allegiance to the truth while
drawing away disciples after them. Attacks from without have
always drawn the people of God closer together. The greatest
devastation has always come from within.
A Body of Truth -- "The Faith"
The appeal of Jude 3 is to contend for "the faith." This
argues that there is a body of teaching distinguished from all human
wisdom. What pertains to "the faith" can be determined.
If not, then contention for it would be impossible. It is
popular these days to argue that truth cannot be known absolutely,
that every generation and every person must find what appears to him
to be truth. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life"
(Jno. 14:6). Before Pilate he said "I came to bear witness
unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice"
(Jno. 18:37). The fulness of grace and truth came by him (Jno.
1:14, 17). He promised his apostles to send the Holy Spirit to
guide them into "all truth" (Jno. 16:13- 14). There is a body
of truth called "the faith" which may be known so that "saints" may
contend for it.
Complete Truth -- "Once" Delivered
The finality and completeness of this body of teaching is indicated
by the word HAPAX translated "once" (KJ), "once for all" (NIV and
NASV). This body of truth has one time for all time been made
known. This passage strikes a death blow to all claims of
latter day revelations. It argues the finality, completeness
and all-sufficiency of God's revelation. There is nothing left
to be added from human wisdom. Nothing should be subtracted from it.
Indeed, "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain
unto life and godliness through the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 1:3). It was during one interval
of human history that God began and completed the revelation of that
body of truth called "the faith." Paul said "once was I
stoned" (2 Cor. 11:25). That exhausted the number of times he
was stoned. "It is appointed unto man once to die" (Heb.
9:27). Man's appointment with death is summarized and
finalized in that statement. When Jude said the faith was "once for
all" delivered to the saints that argues for the fulness and
completeness of divine truth in what God delivered. Every
system of religion based on the claim of latter day revelations is
therefore false including Mormonism, Adventism, Jehovah's Witnesses,
Armstrongism and other systems of like nature. They all have
in common the notion that divine revelation was not once
delivered. If the fulness of its revelation occurred in the
first century then all such claimants are proved to be false
teachers, blind guides and deceitful workers.
Authoritative Truth -- "Delivered"
When Jude said this faith was once "delivered" he emphasized the
authoritative nature of this body of teaching. In Titus 1:3 Paul
said that God "hath in due times manifested his word through
preaching, which is committed unto me...." This has reference
to the apostolic preaching, the kind which Paul did. There are
three terms used in the New Testament to describe these men through
whom this revelation came: (1) Ambassadors. Paul said
"We are ambassadors for Christ" (2 Cor. 5:20). It is a misuse
of scripture to apply that statement to modern-day Christians.
The term "ambassador" implies a commission, suggests an official
embassy and includes credentials to demonstrate the authority by
which these ambassadors spoke. To receive an ambassador is to
extend recognition to the power which sent him. Likewise, the
rejection of an ambassador is the rejection of the power standing
behind him. Jesus said to his apostles, "He that receiveth you
receiveth me" (Mt. 10:40). These men were sent forth to bind
and loose what had already been bound in heaven (Mt. 18:18).
Unto them Jesus said, "Whose sins ye remit, they are remitted unto
them; and whose sins ye retain, they are retained" (Jno.
20:23). Unto these ambassadors of heaven the Lord gave the
power to state divine law. The law did not originate with them
for it was already settled in heaven. They made it
known. Further, they were given credentials to show their
official embassy in the miraculous powers they possessed.
"Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all
patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds" (2 Cor.
12:12). The age of miracles belonged to the time of their
ambassadorship. During the time they were involved in this apostolic
preaching, their credentials confirmed their word (Mk. 16:20).
(2) Earthen Vessels. In order to "deliver" the faith,
Christ chose the earthen vessels of the apostles into whose hearts
he shined the light of inspiration. "For God, who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" (2
Cor. 4:6-7). The "earthen vessels" of this passage were those
who had the light of divine inspiration and therefore does not
relate to preachers other than those who originally "delivered" the
faith. Since they had "the light" of divine knowledge, their
message was authoritative and not to be rejected. (3)
Witnesses. The faith was "delivered" by witnesses who
saw the Lord, heard him speak, knew directly of his deeds and could
speak as eye witnesses of his resurrection. Jesus said to them
just before his ascension, "But ye shall receive power, after that
the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me
both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Peter said "We...were
eyewitnesses of his majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). John wrote, "That
which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have
seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have
handled, of the Word of life...declare we unto you" (1 Jno.
1:1-3). The special appearance of the Lord to Paul was to make
him "a minister and a witness both of those things which thou hast
seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee"
(Acts 26:16). The faith was "delivered" by chosen and empowered
ambassadors who were vessels of earth into whose hearts the light of
divine truth shone, and who were witnesses of the power and majesty
of our Lord. What they "delivered" therefore is authoritative
and binding on earth even as it is bound in heaven.
Trustees of The Faith -- "The Saints"
Knowledge of the truth delivered and obedience to it made saints of
them even as it does today. A saint is one made holy and
consecrated to the Lord's service. Every saint should cherish
the truth which set him free and should seriously consider his
obligation to guard that body of truth which made him free.
The faith is worth contending for. The word "contend" in Jude
3 represents the most strenuous effort required of man. It
speaks of struggle, of intense effort. If the faith is not
defended from those who creep in unawares then the hope of all
mankind is lost. When saints grow weary from the struggle and
retire from the field of battle then the enemy shall take captive
souls at his will. Those of us who live now are deeply indebted to
those who have gone before us who had to sort out truth from error
and who, upon finding truth, contended for it with all their
might. We owe it to the faith itself to contend for it.
We owe it to ourselves. We owe it to our unsaved friends and
loved ones. We owe it to generations yet unborn. What
God delivered must be kept as he gave it. "There is one Lord,
one faith, one baptism" (Eph. 4:5). Let us be constantly aware
of the sly maneuvers of those who would slip into the flock, deny
the faith, compromise with error and lead souls astray. "Watch
ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong" (1 Cor.
16:13).
-- Via Searching the Scriptures, January 1980, Volume XXI, Number
1.
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-2-
At Your Weakest Moment...
...that's when Satan will tempt you to sin. Our adversary is
no fool. He's not going to waste time and effort by working
against your strengths. He will attack you when you are the
weakest and where you are most vulnerable.
Here's an example: Someone has had harsh words to say about
you. They have assumed the worst, impugned your motives,
jumped to false conclusions, spread rumor and innuendo about
you. How will you react? You are angry, hurt, insulted,
disgusted. The strong temptation is to strike back, to get
even, to put this person "in his place." But, you must not
submit to the temptation. God's word says, "Never pay back
evil for evil to anyone... Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:17,21). It's hard to follow
this instruction at the moment, because you are weak and
vulnerable. But this course of action is best -- the Lord says
so, and our own experience bears this out.
During such times of weakness and vulnerability, we should pray as
David did, "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the
door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to
practice deeds of wickedness with men who do iniquity; and do not
let me eat of their delicacies" (Ps. 141:3,4).
We've been warned that Satan has many "devices" (2 Cor. 2:11).
Chief among these is his ability to detect our weaknesses and attack
us there. Please realize that you must work hardest during
your weakest moments, because that is when Satan is at work against
you.
-- by Greg Gwin (via The Beacon, December 17, 2013)
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-3-
News & Notes
Jean
Calloway requested to be released from the hospital
December 24. But she will need to return the beginning of
January for surgery. As mentioned last week, one of her
latest problems has been a lack of blood circulation to both legs,
with the left one being worse and requiring bypass surgery.
It also appears that she might have to have some toes amputated.
She is at high risk for this; but they have now acquired
two surgeons to be performing the operations, though the exact
date has not yet been given. So let those of us who are
Christians be keeping her in prayer.
Let us also continue to offer prayers for Virginia
Fontenot who has completed 12 chemo treatments for stage 4
cancer, but has not yet begun her once-a-day treatment. And
due to having also hurt her back, she now requires help in getting
out of bed and standing up from a sitting position.
And let us also keep the following in prayer: Shirley Young,
Cheryl Crews, and Terry and Pam MacDonald.
For the last Sunday of this month (Dec. 29), we will have a guest
speaker, Steve Wilsher, presenting a series on "The Big
Picture of the Bible." Steve is one of the elders for
the Fultondale church of Christ, right next to Birmingham, Alabama,
where Rob Slover is now preaching. We are looking forward to
having Steve and his wife Marsha with us and hearing the lessons he
will present. If you'll be in the area, feel free to drop in
and be with us. We would enjoy having you as one of our
guests!
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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)