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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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September 10, 2017
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Contents:
1) The Christian's Spiritual Armor (Tom Edwards)
2) News & Notes
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-1-
The Christian's Spiritual Armor
Tom Edwards
We see of a promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that should give us
comfort during times of trials and temptations. The verse
says, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man;
and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond
what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of
escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”
We believe this promise to be true. However, we are not told
in this particular verse just how God will go about providing this
victory for us. But one thing we can see in the context is
that it also involves our working together with the Lord. For
notice the very next verse: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from
idolatry” (v. 14). The implication being: if we want victory
in Jesus, we then must turn from sin and turn to the Lord.
Something else that helps us gain the victory is by putting on the
spiritual armor that the Lord has made possible for us, which is
referred to in Ephesians 6:10-17. For this is truly one
of the ways that the Lord can provide us with a means of escape – by
being well-protected from the onslaught of the evil one and even
have a weapon -- “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
-- to fight back with.
In this passage, Paul begins by exhorting the brethren to “be strong
in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full
armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the
schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh
and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the
world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of
wickedness....” (vv. 10-12).
Paul, therefore, then urges the brethren to “Stand firm” by “HAVING
GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH..." (v. 14). The literal act of
girding one's loins involved pulling up one's long, flowing
robe and fastening it with a belt to the waist, so that it would not
get in the way when engaging in battle or some other physical
activity. From that meaning, it is also easy to see its
figurative usage of preparing oneself. But we also note that
what we are to prepare ourselves with is the “truth.” So being
a good soldier of Jesus Christ involves studying God's word.
In the same verse, we also see the next instruction of “HAVING PUT
ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.” You probably also notice
a logical order in this. For we must first study God's word so we
can know and prepare ourselves with it. Then we are to put it
into practice. As we have seen in the Old Testament, all
of God's “commandments are righteousness” (Psa.
119:172). So this is also true of the Lord's commands for us
today in the New Testament. Furthermore, John shows in 1 John
3:7 that to be righteous one needs to practice righteousness; and,
in verse 10, he states that “anyone who does not practice
righteousness is not of God...” So having the “breastplate of
righteousness” also involves our being doers of the Lord's word –
“...and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (Jms. 1:22).
The next instruction Paul gives for the Christian is that of "having
shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE” (v.
15). When we think of feet in connection with the gospel, it
evokes a picture of taking God’s message to others, which is an
important part of being a Christian.
These first three instructions -- which pertain to 1) acquiring a
knowledge of God's word, 2) obeying it, and 3) teaching it to others
-- might also remind us of the great example that Ezra sets forth:
“For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and
to practice it, and to teach His statutes and
ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10, emphasis
mine).
Again we also see a logical order in these instructions. For
after one begins studying God's word and putting into practice what
he learns, he is then to teach it to others. And would we not think
that by his doing the first two steps, he will also then, as a
result, have better success with the third?
But let it also be pointed out that one does not need to know all of
the Bible before being able to instruct others with what one does
know about it. For how much did that woman at the well know
before she went into the city to tell others about the Christ? Her
testimony led to “many of the Samaritans” believing in Jesus (John
4:39) – and they also came out to hear the Lord for themselves, and
then believed based on His message to them (v. 42). This can
also be said about Paul who began preaching in Damascus, soon after
his conversion, and before he spent about 3 years in the Arabian
Desert where he was being instructed by God and obtaining a fuller
knowledge of His truth (cf. Gal. 1:11,12, 15-18).
Paul then exhorts the brethren in Ephesians 6:16 to take up “the
shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one.”
Again we see the logical order in this. For the one who studies
God's word, puts it into practice, and is teaching it to others,
truly does have that kind of saving faith that the Bible speaks
of. For it is an obedient faith, a faith that pleases God; and
a faith that will save one's soul – rather than being merely a
mental acceptance toward the Deity of Christ. As Jesus
declares in Luke 6:46, “And why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do
not do what I say?” And “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” (Matt. 7:21). James also
teaches that “faith without works is dead” (Jms. 2:26).
And the objective faith, which is the gospel itself (Jude 1:3; Acts
6:7), protects like a shield from the poisonous darts of false
teaching.
The one who studies God's word, strives to live according to it,
teaches it to others, and as a natural result is increasing in the
faith, is also the one who can have great assurance in his
salvation. Or as Paul metaphorically speaks of it, this is the
person who has truly put on that “HELMET OF SALVATION.” Being
sure of one's salvation can give a person great confidence, a
positive outlook, and the zeal to endure the most difficult
circumstances or trials, which is just what a person needs when
facing and engaging in spiritual battles. And this is
assurance is not based on mere feelings; but, rather, on God's
word. As John declares: “These things I have written to you
who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may
know that you have eternal life” (1 Jn. 5:13).
All these components that we have briefly considered will help
protect us from the enemy; but, as soldiers of Christ, not only are
we to be protected, but we are also to fight back. So the
Lord, in addition, provided us with a spiritual weapon -- “the sword
of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). This is
what Jesus used, following his 40-day fast, when He was tempted by
Satan three times in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11). For to
each of those temptations, the Lord responded with an “It is
written...” He quoted Scripture, and we must look to it as
well and use it. The need to do more than to merely protect
ourselves can also be seen in Ephesians 5:11: “And do not
participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even
expose them.” Paul had warned Timothy of the “many rebellious
men, empty talkers and deceivers...who must be silenced because they
are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach,
for the sake of sordid gain” (Titus 1:10,11). So just as soldiers
have often fought the enemy in order to protect others, we as
soldiers of Christ are to similarly engage in these spiritual
battles – not only for our selves, but also for the safety of
others.
Seeing the sword being mentioned last is also in logical
order. For before we go into battle, it is important that we
do have on the proper armor that will protect us while we strive to
fight in confronting the foe.
Notice, too, that — even after we have prepared ourselves by putting
on this spiritual armor and taking the Spirit's sword — there is
still another important thing to help us through, and that is
prayer! As Paul writes, “With all prayer and petition pray at
all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with
all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my
behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my
mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for
which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may
speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Eph. 6:18-20). Yes, we
need to pray for ourselves — and we need to pray for one
another! And as we see here, even the apostle Paul wanted the
brethren to be praying for him! So if someone as devoted as
Paul needed the prayers of the saints, how much more do we?
May we each realize the importance of putting on the Christian's
spiritual armor, which the Lord is providing, and not neglect the
power of prayer. For through these means, the Lord will lead
us into victory as we engage in whatever spiritual battle we
encounter!
(All Scripture from NASB, unless otherwise indicated.)
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-2-
News & Notes
Let us continue in our prayers for all who have been affected by
Harvey and Irma, along with the ongoing situation of fires covering
more than a million acres in Montana.
Our sympathies and prayers go out for all the family and friends of
Ronald Ray Renfrow who passed away September 12. He is
a Christian who had also served as an elder for about 15 years for
the Parkway church of Christ in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and had
also worked as a pharmacist for 50 years and was the husband of
Patricia Byers Renfrow for 51 years.
Let us also be remembering Kelli Fleeman in our prayers who
has now been put on hospice care. She has been battling with
lymphoma.
Also for prayer: friends and family of Ladonna Andrews, Shirley
Davis, Charles Crosby, Cedell Fletcher, Judy Daugherty, Pat
Joyner, Misty Thornton, Michelle Rittenhouse, Rachael Gerbing,
Cheryl Crews, Cicily Thompson, and Mary Vandevander.
WordPress version of this week's bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2017/09/16/the-gospel-observer-september-10-2017/
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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, living for the Lord; for, if not,
salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00 a.m. (Bible class); 10 a.m. & 5 p.m.
(worship)
Tuesday: 7 p.m. (Ladies' Bible class)
Wednesday: 7 p.m. (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 614-8593
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com (Gospel Observer
website with pictures in WordPress)
http://thomastedwards.com/go (Older version of Gospel Observer
website without pictures, but back to March 1990)
http://tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org/
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html (audio sermons)