“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) Holding onto “God’s Unchanging Hand” (Kyle Pope)
2) Patterns (Heath Rogers)
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Holding onto “God’s Unchanging Hand”
Kyle Pope
Mary Jane (Jennie) Bain Wilson was born in Cleveland, Indiana in 1857. Her father, Robert died when she was an infant and at the age of four she was stricken with a spinal illness that left her in bed or a wheelchair for the remainder of her fifty-six year life. Unable to attend school, all of her education took place in the home, where she developed a love for music and poetry. At the age of twenty-four she was baptized by being carried on a chair to a stream. In spite of her restricted condition, Miss Wilson became a prolific writer. She composed around 2200 poems and hymns. Since 1940, one of her most well-known hymns has been published in at least twenty-one hymnals produced by members of churches of Christ—the moving song of praise, “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand.” It was likely penned in 1904, when she sent it to Franklin Eiland, who reportedly conceived of the music to it the following year, while sitting under a tree in the backyard of his Texas home. It was first published in 1906 in the New Hosannas hymnal produced by the Quartet Music Company of Fort Worth, TX, and edited by John E. Thomas. Knowing Miss Wilson’s background, one can easily see this song, as David Cain suggests, as “a paraphrase of how she felt about her life up until that point.”
“Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand”
By Jennie B. Wilson
Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.
Trust in Him who will not leave you,
Whatsoever years may bring,
If by earthly friends forsaken
Still more closely to Him cling.
When your journey is completed,
If to God you have been true,
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.
Chorus:
Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.
Our lives on earth were never intended to be lived alone. This is true of human companionship. After the creation of man, the Lord observed, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him” (Gen. 2:18b, NKJV). Centuries later, the Holy Spirit led Solomon to the practical realization, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor” (Eccl. 4:9). But, this fact is also true of our relationship to God. We were not made to live independent and isolated from God—we were created to seek Him. Paul told the Athenians that God put people in their places and times upon the earth, “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:26-27). We are insufficient within ourselves to guide our own way. The Lord revealed through Jeremiah, “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23).
This need for a connection with God and others can create some challenging choices. Not all companions we may choose are helpful to us. We remember the sad words in Israel’s history, “For it came about when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been” (1 Kings 11:4, NASB). The Holy Spirit warns, “Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them; for their heart devises violence, and their lips talk of troublemaking” (Prov. 24:1-2, NKJV). So too, not all approaches to seeking God are of equal validity or value. Some seek God within their own heart and imagination, but Ezekiel was warned, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!’” (Ezek. 13:3). Paul bemoaned, “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things” (Phil. 3:18-19).
Where then, can we turn for companionship that is truly helpful? How can we reach out to God in the assurance that we are actually taking hold of His hand of guidance?
The Psalmist appealed, “Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me” (Psa. 119:133). Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). If God’s word is that which can direct our steps, it is the source to which we can look for His guidance. If Scripture is profitable to equip us for “every good work,” we can be certain that in following its direction we are seeking God in truth. When our homes, our churches, our friends, our families, our husbands, our wives, our children allow their lives to be governed by what God teaches, the companionship of those of common faith can strengthen us toward the goal of eternal life. These are the relationships we should seek, and these are the companions that prove to be truly helpful to our souls.
Following God, through the guidance and revelation of His word has always been the way by which His people can have the confidence of the Lord’s presence in our lives. Through Isaiah, God assured the Israelites, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:10). Like a small child holding firmly to the hand of his father, the Lord declared, “I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you’” (Isa. 41:13). Through His word, His people, and His providence, God stands ever ready to help us, if only we will choose to “hold to God’s unchanging hand.”
Sources
Adams, Richard W. “Jennie Bain Wilson” Hymntime.com. http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/w/i/l/s/o/n/j/wilson_jb.htm.
Cain, David. “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand—Jennie Wilson.” Song Scoops. http://songscoops.blog spot.com/2015/09/hold-to-gods-unchanging-hand-jennie.html.
Hall, Jacob Henry. Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers. New York: Fleming H. Revell Co. 1914, 372-375.
“Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand.” Hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com. https://hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/ 2014/05/21/hold-to-gods-unchanging-hand/.
— Via Faithful Sayings, Volume 24, Issue 41 (October 9, 2022)
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Patterns
Heath Rogers
Some have the idea there are no patterns set forth in the Bible regarding things like worship, the organization of the local church, or even the plan of salvation. They mock the idea of brethren having lists of things which must be done (the five acts of worship, the steps of salvation, etc.). To some, the New Testament must not be viewed as a legal document but as a love letter from God. It doesn’t really matter what we believe, as long as we are sincere.
This promotes a subjective view toward the Scriptures (the meaning of the Bible is established by the reader, not the author). Such a view allows each person to determine for themselves what is authorized in religion. However, this turns God into the author of confusion and chaos, which the Bible says He is not. “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 14:33).
The New Testament is not a nebulous love letter, saying one thing to one person and something different to another. Instead, it produces a singular pattern to be followed alike by all believers.
Paul commanded Timothy to “hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:13). The truth taught by Paul was a “pattern of sound words” to which Timothy was to “hold fast.”
The word pattern is translated from the Greek word hupotuposis. This is a compound word. The prefix hupo means “under.” The other part of the word, tupos, refers to a model for imitation or writing. It is likely that all of us have traced over something before to make an exact copy. This is the idea behind hupotuposis.
The “pattern of sound words” delivered by Paul and the other apostles are not a rough outline, leaving believers to fill in the details as we see fit. These sound words are a complete form or model which we must trace over and copy perfectly in our personal beliefs and practices.
— Via Articles from the Knollwood church of Christ, October 2022
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Exodus 25:8-9
“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it” (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. We also have a Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.
Wednesday: 7 p.m. for Bible Classes
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.)