“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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Contents:
1) If God Be For Us (Jon W. Quinn)
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If God Be For Us
Jon W. Quinn
Support groups are formed today for assistance in solving all kinds of problems. There are support groups for assistance in recovering from disease or accident; recovery from addiction; to lose weight; to deal with family problems; for self-improvement. It’s a huge list, but you get the idea. Support groups are formed to help people succeed.
It is most certainly true that there is strength to be found in support and encouragement we receive from others. Those who have had similar needs to ours, and have found good answers, and are willing to share with others from their own experiences can give good advantages.
I believe that brothers and sisters in Christ can benefit from such as well. But beyond the social or human support, we need the support of God! If we are ever going to be as successful as we need to be in all areas of life, it will need to be with the goodness of God in our lives. To find human support, but turn away from God and His support might make one temporarily successful in the short term, but ultimately life will end in ruin.
We need the support of knowing we’ve been forgiven of our sin based on Christ’s blood, and we need the support of God’s Word to guide and direct us in life. Without any doubt, we need support. But God’s help is the most important of all, but often in today’s world, it is the least sought.
Another problem is sometimes people misunderstand what true support is. For example, someone trying to quit smoking may say, “You just need to be more supportive of me” and by that mean he wants you to go and buy him “just one more pack of cigarettes” and then he’ll be able to quit. If you decline, then you are not being “supportive” he says. But true support does not just accept that what someone wants is always the support that he really needs. Sometimes true support is saying “No.” All some want is for their friends to “support” them in their activities, regardless of what those activities are or where they lead.
Christians are indeed called upon to give support; to be kind and helpful, even sacrificial in helping others, especially other Christians (Galatians 6:9,10). So, what are the ground rules — how do we accomplish this the way the Lord wants us to?
Sin Must Not Be Supported
The best thing I can do to render needed support and encouragement to a sinner is not to support him in his sin. Today much of society expects you to “support and encourage” a person in living whatever “lifestyle” the person chooses to live. If you do not, then you are accused of being “unsupportive” and worse. Just recently, a morally conservative politician’s daughter “came out of the closet” with regard to her homosexual behavior. It was heavily reported in the news that her lifestyle had led to a certain estrangement between them; and he was ridiculed for being “non-supportive” of his daughter. The fact is, his support took the form of trying to help her see that her life was headed in the wrong direction, and he was not going to just act like everything was fine when it wasn’t. He knew that such behavior, if not repented of, will make it impossible for her to inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), and though it was no doubt a hard thing to do, he did it. Genuine support is sometimes tough, and not appreciated.
Think about it; have I really done my best for another by supporting him in that which will cost him his soul (Romans 6:23; Galatians 6:7,8)? It may well be (and most certainly is) that the best support to be offered in such and similar matters is to tell of the grace of God (James 5:19,20; Titus 2:11-13; 3:8). Certainly, as this is done, he needs to be approached as an equal, for I need the grace as much as he does! (Romans 3:23; 1 Corinthians 4:7,8). Not only must we offer the support from God given in His word, but we need to have confidence in the message and power of the gospel. This will help us to give support and help them to receive it (2 Corinthians 3:12,16).
In order to keep up with the times, some denominations/religious organizations have rejected Biblical teachings and actively support and even promote sin. Don’t be surprised. Religious leaders have done so for centuries (2 Timothy 4:2-4; Isaiah 5:20-21; 30:9-11). It does not matter who does the rejecting, those that reject God’s word are incapable of offering the deepest support people need.
We Can Do What Is Right Without Human Support or Approval
What’s right is right. We can do what’s right and good even when we are not supported by friends or our peers! Integrity is measured when we do what is right regardless (Romans 3:4). Personal responsibility in life can be discharged on a daily basis, even if those around you offer no encouragement at the time. “The buck stops here.” It will not be acceptable to excuse ourselves from doing the right thing because we had no human encouragement or support to do it at the time. It may be more difficult. It would be more pleasant to have the support of your companions, the community and the world! But the lack of such support is no excuse to deny the Lord His Lordship in our lives each and every day. One simply must let pleasing God outweigh pleasing man in importance (John 12:42,43).
Besides, standing alone for what is right can never really happen anywhere. One of the saddest statements in the New Testament is made by Paul at the end of his life. He had been arrested and imprisoned and would shortly be put to death. He said, “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them” (2 Timothy 4:16). Sad for Paul, but more sad for the ones who deserted him. Paul had no support from those around him. But now notice the next verse: “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth” (2 Timothy 4:17). Yes, we can do what’s right and good even when we are not supported by others present at the time, knowing that we always have the Lord’s support and strength as long as we walk in His ways and honor His Son.
Our Need For Divine Support
We need God. We need forgiveness through Christ so we can enjoy fellowship with God (1 John 1:6-10). Through our obedient response to the gospel, many good things become ours, given by the Lord. We need the milk and meat of His Word so we may learn how to make the right choices in life — to have discernment (Hebrews 5:12-14). We need the confidence and security that walking by faith in God brings (Philippians 4:11-13; 19; 1 John 2:5; 4:17-19).
Our highest achievement would be to please God and have His approval by doing what is right. One day I will stand before God in judgment. I will stand there either with or without the support of Jesus, depending on whether I have been faithful to Him or not. I want His support now, and I most certainly want it then.
(Based on article by Warren Berkley)
— Via The Bradley Banner, March 13, 2005. Published by the Bradley Church of Christ
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Giving Thanks to the Lord
“He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God” (Psalm 50:23, NASB).
“I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And will glorify Your name forever” (Psalm 86:12, NASB).
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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 Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).
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; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…
6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; 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: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday (all but the first): 7 p.m. Bible Classes
First Wednesday of the month: 7 p.m. Congregational Song Service (about 45 minutes of singing, followed by a short talk)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https://thomastedwards.com/go/all.htm (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)