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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" (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).
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September 2, 2018
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Contents:
1) Predestination (Kelly Ellis)
2) Jesus Washed Feet, Should We? (J.F. Dancer)
3) Who Is Your Father? (Wayne Goff)
4) Does God Tempt Man? (Tom Edwards)
5) News & Notes
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-1-
Predestination
Kelly Ellis
The Calvinistic concept of the predestination of men — apart from
their will and choice — issues from the false assumption that men
are "born in sin" having inherited the original sin of Adam; and,
"being wholly inclined to evil," with no good in them, such a
condition required an "unconditional election" on the part of God.
This election limited the atonement of Christ to the "elect," who
are saved by the "irresistible grace of God," and will therefore,
never be able to forfeit their right to eternal life. On the other
hand, all who are not of the "elect" are completely shut off from
the grace of God that He has extended to all men through Christ, and
are eternally consigned to damnation and separation from God in the
world to come. This doctrine stands opposed to New Testament
teaching on at least 5 points:
1. It makes God a respecter of persons in that He has
predestinated some to eternal life and others to eternal damnation:
this is contrary to the very nature of God (Romans 2:11; Deuteronomy
32:4).
2. It makes God responsible for the loss of souls in hell;
but the New Testament teaches that He is not "willing that any
should perish but that all should come to repentance" (II Peter
3:9). He "would have all men to be saved" (I Timothy 2:4).
3. It destroys man's power of choice. If my destiny is
already sealed, there is nothing I can do to change it; I have no
choice open to me, and my will cannot be exercised in any way
whatever. However, the Bible says, "Choose you this day whom ye will
serve" (Joshua 24:15), and the "Spirit and the bride say, Come … and
whosoever WILL, let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation
22:17). Jesus said, "If any man WILL" (John 7:17).
4. It nullifies the commission of Christ (Mark 16:15-16).
If one's eternal destiny has already been determined by the Father,
why preach to him?
5. The whole system makes man an irresponsible being. If man
is born in sin, if he is a sinner by birth, he is not responsible
for those transgressions. But man does not inherit sin — he commits
it (Ezekiel 18:1-24). This passage also teaches that man does not
inherit righteousness; he does it.
-- via Eastside church of Christ, December 31, 2017
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-2-
Jesus Washed Feet, Should We?
J.F. Dancer
In John 13, after Jesus had instituted the Lord's Supper, we find
that he washed his disciples' feet (vs. 4-16). Many times the
question arises, "Since Jesus washed the feet of his disciples,
should we not wash one another's feet?" Some in the denominational
world have used this as justification to have a "foot washing
service" as a part of the worship to God.
Washing feet is also mentioned in Luke 7 where a woman washed the
feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with her hair. Then it
is mentioned in 1 Timothy 5 as one of the deeds that would
characterize some widows.
The usual mode of travel in Jesus' day was walking. The roads and
pathways were usually dusty. One of the signs of hospitality in that
time was to wash (or, have a servant to wash) the feet of a guest
when they arrived in your house. This seems to be the thought in
Luke 7 and seems to be given as a symbol of hospitality in 1 Timothy
5. It is certain that the lesson Jesus taught in John 13 was that of
humility and service.
Saints still need to be humble in the sight of God (James 4:10) and
in this humility be willing to do anything they can to relieve the
distress of another — including washing their body (not just feet).
We should show hospitality to those who visit us, but washing
another's feet is not necessarily the only way to manifest this.
And, we all (not just widows) should be active in doing good deeds.
To go through a ceremony of washing another's feet when they don't
need washing is NOT a show of humility nor godliness. So far as I
can see it is NOT something to be done in worship to God.
Let us leave it as the Bible does -- a symbol of hospitality and
good works. Let us manifest hospitality in other ways and do all
good works expected by God — but let us not fall into a ritual of
washing feet in applying the Scripture improperly.
- Via The Beacon (from the Collegevue church of Christ), June
27, 2017
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-3-
Who Is Your Father?
Wayne Goff
I would suppose that it goes without saying that most, if not all,
of us know who our earthly father is. But who is your spiritual
Father?
If you’re reading this article, then you would probably say that God
is your spiritual Father. That’s the right answer, but how do you
know for sure? The Jewish enemies of Jesus claimed that Jehovah was
their Father, but Jesus denied it and said that the Devil was their
father! What a difference that is! So let’s suggest a few proofs
that tell us who is really your father:
If God is your Father, then you trust Him with all your heart.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own
understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). While Jesus was on earth in a
position of subservience, He learned to put His trust in the Father
(Hebrews 2:13). We must do the same.
If God is your Father, then you believe what He says.
Jesus said, “He who is of God hears God’s words…” (Jn. 8:47). It is
not enough to say that God is our Father, we must demonstrate it by
that in which we believe.
If God is your Father, then you delight in His company. “Therefore
submit to God. … Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts you
doubleminded” (James 4:7a, 8). God’s house of worship is your
delight: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house
of the LORD’” (Psalm 122:1).
If God is your Father, then you strive to be like Him. “But I
say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to
those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and
persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He
makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on
the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:44-45).
There are other proofs of sonship, but these are sufficient to give
you something by which to examine yourselves. Who IS your father?
-- Via articles of the Roanridge church of Christ, June 17, 2018
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Does God Tempt Man?
Tom Edwards
"Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God'; for
God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone"
(James 1:13, NASB).
"And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt
Abraham..." (Gen. 22:1, KJV).
The above verses might sound to be contradicting each other, but not
when we understand how the word "tempt" is being used.
Though we probably think of the word to primarily involve the
tempting of someone to do evil, it also has an obsolete meaning,
according to Webster, of "to try or test." In that sense, we can
easily think of God who did not tempt Abraham to do wrong, but was
testing him to see if he would do right.
Many modern Bible translations render the Hebrew word for "tempt" as
"tested" (or another form of that word) in Genesis 22:1. For the
particular Hebrew word for it (H5254) is primarily defined as "to
test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test"
(Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions).
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News & Notes
People to continue remembering in prayer:
Mary Aldrich (Danny Bartlett's mother) has now been in the
hospital about 3.5 weeks, due to a bursting of the bowels. She
is recovering, but slowly. Her transference to a rehabit
clinic September 5 lasted only one day before she had to return to
the hospital.
Seeing a chiropractor does bring some relief to Baxter Cribbs
for maybe 1 to 3 days. He has been suffering pain in his back
for the last couple months because of a nerve on a spinal disc.
Richard Kristianson (Marie Pennock’s youngest brother)
has been dealing with pancreatic cancer for about 5 years, having
tried various treatments. Lately, he has been having a little
more difficulty with it.
After going to the ER three times, following the hernia surgery
(Aug. 9), and developing a new problem (Aug. 25-29) that kept me
rather sleep-deprived for 5 days and 4 nights, I (Tom Edwards)
finally started feeling better again and was able to have a good
night’s rest on the night of the 29th and 30th., though I’m still
having to use a catheter. UPDATE: On September 10, I learned
that I also have a urinary track infection which I am now on
medication for. I'm hoping and praying that eliminating the
infection will also eliminate the need for the catheter. My
next appointment with the urologist will be September 19, and I will
found out, after that, if I can do without it.
Others to also remember in prayer: Danny Hutcheson
(paralysis of all but one arm), Rick Hadley (congestive
heart failure), Jim Lively (collagenous colitis), the
friends and family of Minnie Lanier (Bennie’s sister who
recently passed away), Shirley Davis (pain in legs and
shoulder), Bennie Medlock (aortic aneurysm), Deborah
Medlock (still sore from a recent fall), Pat & A.J.
Joyner, Rex & Frankie Hadley, Tommy Lindsey, Hannah Laughlin,
Misty Thornton, Michelle Rittenhouse, and Mary
Vandevander.
WordPress Version of this bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2018/09/02/the-gospel-observer-september-2-2018/
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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: 2 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)