“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) “Let there be light” (Jerry Fite)
2) The Shame of Acting Without Knowledge (Heath Rogers)
3) How A Christian Is Like A Watch (Johnie Edwards)
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“Let there be light”
Jerry Fite
God spoke these words after He created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1-3). It was the first order of business to help sustain life, which was to come next. Living things, like plants, animals, and man would need light to assure and sustain their existence. As man would be served by animals, and the man and animals would be served by plants, none could exist without light. Therefore, light was commanded by God “to be” and exalting the glorious power of God, “there was light.”
While God ordained the sun to provide light and heat on the earth, God does not need the sun to provide light. Light came by command on the first day of creation, while the sun was made on the fourth day (Genesis 1:3-5; 16-19). John reveals that the glorious eternal city of heaven does not need the sun for its light, “for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the lamb” (Revelation 21:23). God is light and dwells in unapproachable light. Bright light, void of contaminants, exalts His glory (I John 1:5, I Timothy 6:16).
As light was the first priority with God to sustain life, our lives shining as lights to reflect the glory of God should be our life-long priority. In a dark world of coarse speech and impurity, there is a need for clean, uplifting words and pure lives. Christians are “light in the Lord,” therefore they need to walk “as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). Their speech should not spew out verbal filth, or corrupt minds with impure innuendos but their words should lift up others, being filled with thanksgiving (Ephesians 5:3-4). Covetousness and fornication characterize the darkness that light is not only forbidden to “fellowship,” but even must “reprove.” It must because that is what light does. Light always exposes darkness (Ephesians 5:11-13).
In our dark world of ignorance, there is a need for the light of knowledge. As God commanded light to shine out of darkness, He through the Gospel gives “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6); while the “god of this world” tries to blind the eyes of the world so they will not obtain the knowledge of God through Jesus. Christians should be shining, holding forth the word of life (Philippians 2:16).
A dark world needs to see Christians who are not murmuring or questioning the demands of God (Philippians 2:15). How can your so-called light glorify our Father in heaven, and His Son, Jesus Christ, when others in darkness hear us complain of the restrictive or “straitened way” that God demands of us through His Holy Spirit (Matthew 7:13-14).
In this dark world of hate, the light of love needs to shine. If a man confesses to be a Christian, and hates his brother, God says he is really “in the darkness” (I John 2:11). Darkness has blinded his eyes. God’s love is not that we are just kind to people whom we like, but we seek the well-being of all, even our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). Love is not mere fuzzy good intentions, but concrete action which truly meets the need of the one we are to love (I John 3:15-18).
As light was a priority in the sequence of God’s creation of the universe, light should be a priority in our lives as we live in this world before God’s eyes. The command is clear: God said, “Let there be light.” A spiritually dark world desperately needs light. Dear Christian, let us resolve to be a light of purity in our dark world of impurity! May we be a light of knowledge in this dark world of ignorance! In us, let the light of love shine in this dark world of hate!
— Via Glad Tidings, Vol. XXXI, No. 13, March 28, 2021
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The Shame of Acting Without Knowledge
Heath Rogers
“Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps errs. The foolishness of man ruins his way, and his heart rages against the Lord” (Proverbs 19:2-3, NASU).
The impulsive fool acts first and thinks later. Zeal is commendable, but not when it is lacking knowledge (Rom. 10:2). It is one thing for a man to be uninformed about God’s ways, but it is much worse for him to act in his ignorance with zealous haste and end up with the consequences. Solomon elsewhere warns that acting in haste leads to poverty (Prov. 21:5) and punishment (28:20).
The man without knowledge “who hurries his footsteps errs.” The Hebrew word translated errs means to “miss the mark.” It is rendered as “misses his way” in the English Standard Version. In a hurry to do things his own way, the impulsive fool misses God’s path to blessings and reaps the bitter consequences. He runs past the good choice to do things his own way.
This man also ruins his way. The word translated “ruin” means to distort, twist, or pervert. Not only does his foolishness cause him to miss the Lord’s straight path, it also causes him to destroy his own path. He “brings his way to ruin” (ESV). God’s statutes are constraining, but they are “for our good always” (Deut. 6:24). However, fools refuse to listen to God, run past His ways, and plunge themselves into problems.
Had this fool sought for and listened to wise counsel, he would have found blessings. Instead, he has ruin. How many young people today refuse to listen to sound advice, scoff at the warnings of the wise, and bring ruin upon themselves and others?
To make matters worse, this fool blames God for his misery. He only has himself to blame, but he will never take personal responsibility for his undoing. Instead “his heart rages against the Lord.” The word translated “rages” means to be vexed, enraged, or embittered against someone. Some people today blame God for all the pain and failures in their lives, but He is not at fault. God’s wisdom has been offered to them all along, but they have stubbornly refused (Prov. 1:20-33). Such foolishness results in frustration in this life and torment in the next.
When we have acted foolishly, the wise thing is to examine ourselves, take personal responsibility, repent, and seek God’s way. However, God would have us avoid this problem in the first place by seeking knowledge. “Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days” (Prov. 19:20).
— Via Articles from the Knollwood church of Christ, October 2023
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How A Christian Is Like A Watch
Johnie Edwards
By taking something with which we are familiar we can draw some simple comparisons. Let’s show how a Christian is like a watch.
1. Full of good works. A watch is full of good works. Each one who is a Christian should be full of good works also. It is said that Dorcas, “was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did” (Acts 9:36). This woman was not only full of good works but she did good works! Every individual member of the church must “be ready to every good work” (Titus 3:1). We are also admonished, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10).
2. Keeps going in all kinds of weather. We have cold weather this winter but my watch has kept right on going regardless of the weather. Paul has told us to be stedfast. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).
3. Has useful hands. The hands on a watch are important and useful. The hands of a Christian are important and have purpose. Solomon said, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do; do it with all thy might . . .” (Eccl. 9:10). Let’s find a use for our hands and use them for good.
4. Cleanliness insures good performance. For a watch to function properly, it must be kept clean. This is also true of a Christian. He must have a clean heart. The Psalmist said, “Create in me a clean heart” (Ps. 51:10). We are made clean by the word (John 15:3).
5. The main spring must be kept right. The main spring in watches must be kept right for them to run properly. The heart of man is his main spring and it must be right. “Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23).
6. Has to be regulated. Often times a watch has to be adjusted for accuracy. Christians need to be regulated. We are regulated by the word of God. Paul said, “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 perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
— Via Viewpoint from the Valley Grove church of Christ, October 18, 2020
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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. Congregational Song Service: 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.
Wednesday: 7 p.m. 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.)