Author: Tom Edwards (Page 34 of 50)

The Gospel Observer

July 8, 2018 / Tom Edwards

“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) The Oneness of the Church (Harold Fite)
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The Oneness of the Church

Harold Fite

The oneness of the church is unique. There is only one! It far transcends religious organizations founded by men.

Background

The church belonging to Christ was conceived in the mind of God before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4), and brought into existence by his power through Jesus Christ. The church was not a substitute for the Kingdom as the Premillennialist would have us believe. It came into existence according to God’s eternal purpose (Eph. 3:10, 11). Man cannot thwart the purpose of God. God envisioned a people that would know him, from the least to the greatest, and would have God’s laws written on their heart. He would be their God and they would be his people (Heb. 8:10, 11). “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world . . . having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will (Eph. 1:4, 5). To foreordain or predestinate is to “decide and design prior to acting; making out boundaries or setting limits beforehand; to determine before.” To illustrate the above: He who would be President of these United States must be a natural born citizen, being thirty five years of age, having lived in this country fourteen years, and be willing to take the oath of office, upholding the Constitution. It could be said that the framers of the Constitution foreordained—chose those who would sit in the President’s chair. In like manner, God foreordained those whom he would adopt as sons. God did not choose or foreordain individuals—consigning some to salvation and others to damnation—but as a class of people for his own possession (1 Pet. 2:9, 10). The chosen are those in Christ by virtue of their obedient faith. They fulfill the requirements of adoption.

The Church Becomes a Reality

When Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he announced, “I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18). Approximately six months later the church had its beginning. Peter preached Christ on that occasion and 3,000 obeyed the gospel and were added to the church (Acts 2:41, 47). Note the definite article “the.” Not “a” church, but “the” church! Christ said “my church.”

Christ purchased the church with his blood (Acts 20:28). The word “purchase” means “to gain; to get something for oneself.” It conveys “possession.” When Christ purchased the church, he purchased people: “for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Rev. 5:9). He possessed those whom he purchased. He “gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession” (italics mine), zealous of good works” (Tit. 2:14). Peter echoes the same truth in 1 Peter 2:9: “But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession.” He presented the church unto himself (Eph. 5:27).

There is only one church recognized by the Lord. From the time God planned the church, until it was born, only one church was in his mind. It was never God’s intention to bring forth a multiplicity of churches (denominationalism). Christ built one church, and he is the head of it: “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18). He is “head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:22, 23). That being true, Paul dogmatically declares that “there is one body” (Eph. 4:4). If the church is the body, and the body is the church, and there is one body, it logically follows that there is one church! Denominationalism has no scriptural foundation! It is made up of many bodies (churches), founded by man, wearing different names and adhering to different faiths. This is not what God planned from the foundation of the world. We “were called in one body” (Col. 1:15). We are “baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13). “But now there are many members, but one body” (1 Cor. 12:20).

Oneness of Those in the One Body

As the church is one body, there is oneness among those who compose the one body. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul uses the analogy of the physical body in explanation and application of the diversities of gifts. There are diversities of gifts, but one Spirit. There are many members, but one body. Note the following verses, beginning with verse 12: “For as the body is one, and hath many members. And all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.” “For the body is not one member, but many” (v. 14). “But now there are many members, but one body” (v. 20). The human body is made up of various members operating in conjunction with the head. Each member has its work to do, but all work together for the benefit of the body. This shows the interdependence of the different members of the body on one another. “The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee” (v. 21). The different members complement one another. Thus the spiritual body of Christ is one body, but made up of different members, working together as per instruction from the head, Jesus Christ. The spiritual body of Christ is “knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part” (Eph. 4:16). This contributes to the increasing of the body. There is a oneness there, a mutual supportiveness, kinship, and like-mindedness. This is the reason why we “bear one another’s burdens.” When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. When one member is honored, all rejoice (1 Cor. 12:26). If one member of the physical body is injured, the entire body is affected. Whether one suffers or is honored, it touches other members of the spiritual body. We “rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep” (Rom. 12:15). This could be called sympathetic vibration: “vibration produced in one body by the vibration of exactly the same period in a neighboring body.” Strike one prong of a tuning fork and the tone is transmitted to the other prong, hence the musical term sympathy.

The believers gathered in Jerusalem “were of one heart and soul . . . they had all things common.” The apostle Paul exhorted the Philippians to “stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27). “Seeing that we, who are many, are one bread, one body: for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Cor. 10:17).

Denominationalism has no justification in the Scriptures. Those who are being saved are in his body, the church (Eph. 5:23). “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it” (Ps. 127:1). May we strive earnestly to attain that ideal oneness in the one body.

“All the churches of Christ salute you” (Rom. 16:16).

— Via Truth Magazine, March 2007, Volume LI, Number 3, pp. 14-15
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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)
Wednesday: 7 p.m. (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
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)

The Gospel Observer

July 1, 2018 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) The Greatest Liberty (Bill Crews)
2) Pray for One Another (R.J. Evans)
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The Greatest Liberty

Bill Crews

According to Isaiah 61:1 the Messiah was to proclaim liberty to the captives. In a synagogue in His home town of Nazareth Jesus read the Isaiah passage and announced, “Today hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears” (Lk. 4:16-21).

The captivity referred to is not political (being held prisoner in a government prison) or social (being owned as the slave of another), but spiritual (being in bondage to sin). The word of Christ, in fact, calls upon every soul to be subject to civil authorities (Rom. 13:1-7) and upon slaves to be obedient to their masters (Eph. 6:5-8; Col. 3:22-25), but no one is called upon to be content in sin or obedient to Satan. Sin is, after all, the most oppressive and the most destructive form of slavery. Don’t wait until life is over to discover this!

To certain Jews that had believed on Him (nominally, according to the context), Jesus said, “If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8:31-32). They mistakenly said, “We have never yet been in bondage to any man” (vs. 33; had they forgotten the long bondage in Egypt? the Assyrian captivity? the 70 years of Babylonian captivity?, and other times of national oppression? And if they referred only to themselves, did they think they were now free from the Romans? But Jesus had in mind none of these things. However, they were also enslaved by sin and in bondage to the human traditions of their fathers.)

When Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin” (vs. 34), He made clear His meaning. Christ, the great Deliverer, came to set at liberty those who are enslaved by sin. Solomon said, “Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). And Paul wrote, “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). However, full release is offered by and through Christ, and to the extent that mankind is made free from sin, other forms of oppressive bondage will in time disappear.

The saints at Rome, like all other saints who were saved through Christ, were once the bondservants of sin, but they became obedient from the heart unto that form of teaching unto which they were delivered, and were then made free from sin and became bondservants of righteousness (Rom. 6:17-18). They traded a bondage that was oppressive and destructive for a bondage that was beneficial and salutary (see Matt. 11:28-30 on “yoke”).

Because of the liberating power of the truth, the gospel of Christ, it is called “the law of liberty” (James 1:25; 2:12). Paul refers to it as “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” and declares that it made him “free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). To the saints in Galatia Paul wrote: “For freedom did Christ set us free; stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1).

And how are Christians to use, rather than abuse, this freedom? “For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another” (Gal. 5:13). “As free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God” (1 Pet. 2:16 — notice the context, vv. 13-17). We should think of our freedom in Christ more as freedom from things that are oppressive and burdensome rather than as freedom to do as we please or as freedom from restraint and responsibility

— Via the Roanridge Reader, Volume 32 Issue 45 Page 02
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Pray for One Another

R.J. Evans

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).

Paul wrote two letters to Timothy, a young evangelist he referred to as “my true son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2). Both of the letters are filled with instructions, exhortations and admonitions that would come under the category of commands that Paul was giving his “son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:3, 18; 4:11; 5:7, 21; 6:17; 2 Tim. 4:1). Among other things, Paul commanded him to study the Word (2 Tim. 2:15); live the Word (1 Tim. 4:12); preach the Word (2 Tim. 4:2). But in this article let us note the exhortation Paul gave Timothy concerning prayer: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”

Prayer is one of the most important duties and privileges of a Christian. And I am convinced that praying for others (“intercessions”) should take up a large portion of our prayer time. “I am praying for you” are some of the most encouraging words I have ever heard from others, especially during difficult times. There are some valid reasons for believing this.

Paul is giving a command to intercede by prayer for all men. In the next verse he mentions some in particular— “for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Tim. 2:2). Ephesians 6:18 and James 5:16 also commands us to pray for others. Thus, it is a duty commanded by God for every Christian to pray for others.

Our prayers for others manifest brotherly love and an unselfish attitude. These two areas are so important in the life of a Christian. The Apostle Paul said, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3-4). This being true, the requests we make for others are just as important as the requests we make for ourselves. When the Lord answers our prayers for others, no doubt, our faith is increased. Jesus said loving our neighbor as our self is the second greatest commandment (Mk. 12:31).

The Apostle Paul prayed for all the churches where he labored. For example, in his letter to the Ephesians, he assured them of his prayers on their behalf. He said I “do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Eph. 1:16-17). The list of things he asked God to do for the Colossians was similar (Col. 1:9-12). Epaphras offered fervent prayers for the Colossian brethren. Paul told them, “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Col. 4:12).

I have no doubt that Christians enjoy many blessings from God because some brother or sister in Christ prayed for them. May we not forget that praying for others should be a big part of our lives. Such encouraging words when some faithful brother or sister tells us, “I am praying for you”! Thus, may we constantly practice what James was teaching when he said “pray for one another” (Jas. 5:16).

— bulletin article of the Southside church of Christ, June 10, 2018
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

June 24, 2018 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) “And Be Ye Thankful” (Bill Crews)
2) If Only (Frank Himmel)
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“And Be Ye Thankful”

Bill Crews

The heading of this article is taken from the closing words of Colossians 3:15; it is an appropriate exhortation for every accountable individual. Gratitude is required of every person; ingratitude is deplorable and inexcusable. And why should we be thankful? Because God has given to each of us “life, and breath, and all things” and because “in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:24, 25, 28). To put it another way, “And yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). In both of these passages the apostle Paul was addressing pagans (at Athens and at Lystra). As Christians we have far more reasons than these to be thankful.

A failure on man’s part to be thankful is sin. This is one of the sins charged against the pagan Gentiles in Romans 1:21 (“they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks”). This is one of the sins to be expected among men in the last days (“lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” — 2 Tim. 3:2). Being unthankful goes hand in hand with being selfish and arrogant. Gratitude must be taught and learned; we are not born with it. We must be thankful, express our thanks, and demonstrate that we are thankful TO GOD. From the cradle to the grave, as long as we have our minds about us we should be thankful to God. We should also be thankful to other human beings to whom we are indebted.

Many of the Psalms bring out the importance of and the need for being thankful to God. “That I may make the voice of thanksgiving to be heard, and tell of thy wondrous works” (David in Ps. 26:7). The 50th Psalm is attributed to Asaph. Read verses 7-15; the reader is called upon to be mindful of the sovereignty of God, to be grateful for his blessings, to realize that God owns everything, to offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving” (David in Ps. 69:30). “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving” (Ps. 95:2). “And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with singing” (Ps. 107:22). Read Psalm 100; verse 4 says:

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: give thanks unto him, and bless his name.”

Among the sacrifices offered by the Israelites under the law of Moses were voluntary sacrifices of animals — part of which the worshipers ate in feasts — that were called “peace-offerings” and “thank-offerings,” the latter of which were designed to help them to be thankful to God for their blessings and to express their thanks unto Him. See Psalm 50:14; 107:22; 116:17; Amos 4:5; and Leviticus 7:11-13. In Nehemiah 12 certain Israelites were by Nehemiah divided into two great companies that marched along the new wall that had been built around Jerusalem at the dedication of that wall; as they marched they gave thanks unto God.

In the New Testament a number of examples are commended for the benefit of the reader. Christ is never depicted as partaking of food (which at times He provided for others (the feeding of the 5,000; the feeding of the 4,000; and the feeding of the seven disciples) without giving thanks unto the Father for it. It is usually expressed as “blessed” (cf. our “say the blessing”), and “blessed” and “gave thanks” are used interchangeably. Notice that in Matthew 26:26 Jesus “took bread, and blessed, and brake it,” but in Matthew 26:27 He “took a cup, and gave thanks.” (“Eulogy” and “eucharist” are English words taken from the Greek words.) We are to give thanks for our food also (1 Tim. 4:3-5).

Paul is a great example to us. In Acts 27:35 he gave thanks to God for his food in the presence of others to encourage them to eat. In Acts 28:15 he gave thanks to God for the brethren who came out of Rome to meet him at The Market of Appius (43 miles from Rome) and at the Three Taverns (33 miles from Rome) when he was being taken to Rome as a prisoner. Over and over in his epistles he wrote, “I thank God (or “my God”),” “I give thanks,” “we give thanks to God” or “thanks be unto God” (Rom. 1:8; 7:25; 1 Cor. 1:4, 14; 14:18; 15:57; 2 Cor. 2:14; 8:16; 9:15; Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3; Col. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2; 2:13; 2 Thess. 1:3; 2:13 — in the last two, “we are bound to give thanks unto God for you”; 1 Tim. 1 :12 — he thanked “Christ Jesus our Lord”; 2 Tim. 1:3). He frequently gave thanks to God for the brethren to whom he wrote — in many of the preceding passages. In 1 Thessalonians 3:9 he said, “For what thanksgiving can we render again unto God for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before God.” How beautiful!

Heavenly beings are presented as examples to us. All the angels, the twenty-four elders, the four living creatures are depicted as giving thanks unto God (Rev. 4:9), as falling down before the throne of God on their faces, worshiping God, and giving thanks unto God (Rev. 7: 11-12).

And what does the New Testament say about our thanksgiving? We are to “be thankful” (Col. 3:15 —here, especially for the peace of Christ that is to rule in our hearts, and to which we were called in the one body, the church). We are to “give thanks” (Eph. 5:20 — “always, for all things”; 1 Thess. 5:18 — “in every thing give thanks.” “And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17).

Our prayers unto God must include thanksgiving. “Continuing stedfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2). “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Col. 4:6). Giving of thanks is set in contrast with various sins of the tongue. “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints; nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks” (Eph. 5:3-4). The lesson? Rather than misusing our tongues by uttering sinful things, let us give more time to the giving of thanks.

In conclusion, “As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Col. 2:6-7).

— Via the Roadridge Reader, Volume 33, Issue 11, Pages 2-3
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If Only

Frank Himmel

If only my boss wouldn’t be so rude and domineering, I would be more cooperative at work. “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable” (1 Pet. 2:18).

If only my husband weren’t so lazy and self-centered, if only he would learn to control his temper better, I would live with him. “…wives, be submissive to your husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior” (1 Pet. 3:1-2).

If only the brethren were friendlier and that preacher not so dry, I would go to church more often. “…let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…” (Heb. 10:24-25).

If only I had more income and less bills, I would give a lot more. “…in the churches of Macedonia…in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality” (2 Cor. 8:1-2).

If only my family would be more supportive, I would become a Christian. “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me… (Mt. 10:37).

Do you notice that what God expects of us, He expects regardless of our particular circumstances? Instead of excusing ourselves due to adverse conditions, let us commit ourselves to our Creator and Benefactor. If only we would be like Jesus, who said, “…I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (Jn. 5:30). He not only said it, He lived it — even to the point of death.

— Via The Beacon, May 27, 2018
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

June 17, 2018 / Tom Edwards

“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).
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Contents:

1) Myth or History? (Part 3 of 3) (Forrest D. Moyer)
2) Teeth (Tom Edwards)
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Myth or History?

(Part 3 of 3)

Forrest D. Moyer

Was Jesus Who He Claimed To Be?

It is the claim of skeptics that Jesus was given the attributes of “a god” by fanatical disciples who decided to pattern Jesus after the Greek mythical gods. However, there is not proof that there was teaching of a mythical deity being raised from the dead “…was taught prior to the late second century A. D. Thus, it is certainly a plausible thesis that the mystery religions borrowed this aspect from Christianity, not the reverse.”14

The Old Testament pointed to a Messiah who would be “the Mighty God” (Isa 9:6) born of a virgin (Isa 7:14). The New Testament teaches that Jesus was God in the flesh (John 1:1,2,14; I Timothy 3:16; et al). The first line of proof that Jesus is who He claimed to be is the Biblical account itself. The gospels form a reliable historical account of the life and activities of Jesus. Under the scrutiny of the most critical eye, the gospels will stand the test. They are historically reliable. Inasmuch as they can be shown to be reliable, what they record about Jesus is true. He is who He claimed to be.

A second line of proof of the fact that Jesus is Deity is the resurrection itself. There is overwhelming historical evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. A number of books have set forth irrefutable evidence of the resurrection.

Professor Thomas Arnold, for fourteen years the headmaster of Rugby, author of a famous three-volume History of Rome, and appointed to the chair of modern history at Oxford, was well acquainted with the value of evidence in determining historical facts. He said: “I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God has given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead.” 15

McDowell quotes English scholar Brooke Foss Westcott as saying,

“Taking all the evidence together, it is not too much to say that there is no historic incident better or more variously supported than the resurrection of Christ. Nothing but the antecedent assumption that it must be false could have suggested the idea of deficiency in the proof of it.”16

Dr. Simon Greenleaf is noted as having one of the greatest minds in law in the world. While he was professor at Harvard School of Law, he wrote a book examining the legal value of the testimony of the apostles to the resurrection of Christ. He believed that it was impossible that the apostles

“‘could have persisted in affirming the truths they had narrated, had not Jesus actually risen from the dead, and had they not known this fact as certainly as they knew any other fact.’ Greenleaf concluded that the resurrection of Christ was one of the best supported events in history, according to the laws of legal evidence administered in courts of justice.”17

Frank Morrison was another lawyer who determined to refute the evidence of the resurrection. However, after examining the facts with his legal training, he concluded that Jesus had indeed been raised from the dead and wrote a best-seller, Who Moved the Stone? (Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI. 1958). This book is a great addition to any library.

George Eldon Ladd concludes: “The only rational explanation for these historical facts is that God raised Jesus in bodily form.”18

When all the evidence is in and is carefully considered, one must conclude that Jesus is Who He said He was — the divine Son of the Living God. He is God and, as such, lived a sinless life on earth and went to the cross in order to atone for our sins. He was raised from the dead and now rules at the right hand of God. Jesus is not a myth. He is what and who He claimed to be.

Since Jesus Is Deity, Then Genesis Is Not A Myth

By what right can we say this? Because Jesus taught that Genesis is history.

* He taught the creation. “For those days will be a {time of} tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created, until now, and never shall” (Mark 13:19).

* He taught about Adam and Eve and the beginning of the marriage relationship (Matthew 19:4-6).

* He taught about Noah and the flood (Matthew 24:38-39).

* He taught about righteous Abel and the fact of his blood being maliciously shed (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51).

* He talked about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.

* He spoke of Lot: “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32).

We can see from these few references that Jesus considered Genesis to be the history of God’s dealing with man. He did not look upon it as mythical at all. To Him it was what God said and what God did. Since Jesus is Deity, then He could not make a mistake in this matter. We must conclude that the Bible is a book that contains historical reality and that it does not contain myths and fables that are pawned off as history.

When we examine all the evidence that is before us, we must conclude that the Bible is from God and not from man. The various creation and flood accounts in different cultures only bear record to the fact that God did create the world and there was a flood. The Bible gives us the accurate information about this creation, about this flood and about God who came to earth in a human body. Let us reverently bow before the Lord Jesus Christ and give our hearts totally to Him while we can.

*****

14. Gary R. Habermas, The Verdict of History, Thomas Nelson Publishers, op. cit., 36
15. Josh McDowell, More Than A Carpenter, Tyndal House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, IL., p. 96.
16. Ibid., p. 96-97.
17. Ibid., p. 97.
18. Ibid., p. 98.

— Via the bulletin of the La Vista church of Christ
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“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings” (Psalm 36:7, NASB).
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Teeth

Recently, I was thinking about teeth. If I didn’t believe in God, I’d probably be wondering of the odds of those teeth being right there in my mouth where I needed them. That would then be highly incredible — but that is just one of the many members that make up a human body! I can’t think of any better place to have my teeth than where they are. This, of course, can also be said about every other part of our anatomy as well. They each have their own function and are each in the right place. To an atheist, if the odds of having teeth are highly astronomical, well then how much more so when considering all the many other numerous, essential parts that we have and right where they should be!

— Tom Edwards (from my facebook page, picture from public domain)

“For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well”
(Psalm 139:13-14, NASB)
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

June 10, 2018 / Tom Edwards

“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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Contents:

1) Myth or History? (Part 2 of 3) (Forrest D. Moyer)
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Myth or History?

(Part 2 of 3)

Forest D. Moyer

There are many effective ways to respond to the claims that the Bible either contains or is made up of myths. For example, we can show that the Scriptures have the mark of inspiration totally (plenary inspiration). We can show that prophecy helps to prove the authenticity of the Scriptures. However, the approach that I want to use has to do with the person of Jesus Christ. If we can show that Jesus was a historical person, we will have proven that He was not a myth. If we can show that the claims that He made for Himself are valid, we will have shown that His disciples did not, after His leaving this earth, manufacture the claims of His Deity. If we can show that Jesus is from God, then we will have also shown that Genesis is an inspired account because Jesus looked upon Genesis as actual history. We might state our approach in this manner:

1. Was Jesus a historical person or was He a myth?

2. If Jesus was a historical person, was He who He claimed to be — Deity?

3. If Jesus is Deity, then Genesis is not a myth.

Was Jesus A Historical Person?

“Comparatively few recent scholars postulate that Jesus never lived. Such positions are usually viewed as blatant misuses of the available historical data.”9

It is not within the scope of this paper to elaborate upon the historical trustworthiness of the four gospels. However, they will bear the scrutiny of the severest historical critic. They give testimony to the fact that Jesus was a historical person.

All of the New Testament narratives were completed within sixty years or so of the Lord’s death, and of the twenty-seven New Testament books, no less than ten were penned by personal companions of Jesus. Paul, an eye-witness of Christ, wrote at least thirteen of the remainder. It used to be fashionable in liberal circles to ascribe most New Testament books to the second century A. D., but interestingly, even liberal critics are now admitting that the New Testament documents are first-century sources of information. For example, modernistic theologian John A. T. Robinson of England, in his book, Redating the New Testament (1977), conceded that all of the New Testament books were written within seventy years of the death of Christ, and by men whose names they bear!10

Most skeptics claim that they want non-biblical proof of the existence of Jesus. This, too, can be given.

While some believe that we know almost nothing about Jesus from ancient, non-New Testament sources, this plainly is not the case. Not only are there many such sources, but Jesus is one of the persons of ancient history concerning whom we have a significant amount of quality data. His is one of the most-mentioned and most-substantiated lives in ancient times.11

(One book that contains much information about the historical Jesus is He Walked Among Us by Josh McDowell, Here’s Life Publishers, San Bernardino, California. See pages 35-70 for information on historical sources dealing with Jesus.)

The following information is from A Ready Defense (Josh McDowell, Here’s To Life Publishers, San Bernardino, Ca., pp 198-208):

Ancient Secular Writers

Cornelius Tacitus was born circa A.D. 52-54 and was a Roman historian. He alluded to the death of Jesus and to Christians in Rome when he wrote:

“Hence to suppress the rumor, he (Nero) falsely charged with the guilt, and punished with the most exquisite tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius; but the pernicious superstition, repressed for a time broke out again, not only through Judea, where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also” (Annals, XV. 44).

Lucian of Samosata was a satirist of the second century. He spoke of Christ as:

“the man who was crucified in Palestine because He introduced this new cult into the world… Furthermore, their first lawgiver persuaded them that they were all brothers one of another after they have transgressed once for all by denying the Greek gods and by worshipping that crucified sophist Himself and living under His laws” (The Passing Peregrinus).

Flavius Josephus was born A.D. 37 and was a noted Jewish historian. He is quoted as saying:

“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call Him a man, for He was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to Him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned Him to the cross, those that loved Him at the first did not forsake Him; for he appeared to them alive again in the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning Him. And the tribe of Christians so named from Him are not extinct at this day” (Antiquities, xviii. 33).

In another place he refers to Jesus when he speaks of James “the brother of the so-called Christ” (Antiquities XX 9:1).

Seutonius was another Roman historian and a court official under Hadrian. He said, “As the Jews were making constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus [another spelling of Christus], he expelled them from Rome” (Life of Claudius, 25. 4).

McDowell quotes from Pliny the Younger, Tertullian, Thallus, Phlegon and from a letter by Mara Bar-Serapion all showing the historical evidence that Jesus was a historical person.

Jesus was not a myth. He was a historical person who lived during the first century. “Very few scholars hold the view that Jesus never lived. Even Rudolf Bultmann, one of the most influential critical theologians of the twentieth century and exponent of demythologizing the Scripture, said, ‘By no means are we at the mercy of those who doubt or deny that Jesus ever lived.’”12

Virtually no writers have asserted that Jesus did not exist or have attempted to cast virtually total doubts and obscurity on his life and ministry. But, such efforts are refuted by the early and eyewitness testimony presented by Paul and others, by the early date of the Gospels, by the corresponding historicity and trustworthiness of the Gospels, and by the failure of the mystery religions to explain the Christian faith.13

*****

9. Gary R. Habermas, The Verdict of History, Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nashville, p. 31.

10. Bert Thompson and Wayne Jackson, A Study Course in Christian Evidences. Apologetics Press, Inc. Montgomery, AL. 1991, p. 140.

11. Josh McDowell, A Ready Defense. Here’s Life Publishers. San Bernardino, CA., p. 197.

12. Gary R. Habermas, op. cit., 36.

13. Ibid., p. 36.

— Via the bulletin of the La Vista church of Christ
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“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21, NASB).
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

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)
Wednesday: 7 p.m. (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
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)

The Gospel Observer

June 3, 2018 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Myth or History? (Part 1 of 3) (Forrest D. Moyer)
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Myth or History? (Part 1 of 3)

Forrest D. Moyer

The Bible is either the product of God or the product of men. Christians believe that the Bible is from the hand of God and that it is to be believed and obeyed in order to have a good life now and Heaven in eternity. There have always been those who oppose God and His way. This opposition has come in varied forms. Some have been and are opposed to the idea of God; thus, they are “atheists” (the “a” negates “theist,” a believer in God). There are those who accept the idea of God but reject His interaction with man in revelation or divine authority. These are known as “deists.” The opposition to the Bible as the revelation of God to man has been around for centuries, but it is now becoming more and more prevalent. As humanism advances, so does opposition to the Bible. Humanism and the Bible cannot co-exist. One or the other must fall.

One form of this opposition to Jesus and to the Bible comes with the charge that the Bible is made up of myths that have been foisted upon people by priestly castes in order that priests might control the masses. Our purpose in this writing is to examine the charge that the Bible is made up of myths and fables.

The Charges

First, let us look at some of the charges that are made against the Bible:

“The Gospels do not contain the history of an actual man, but only the myth of the god-man Jesus, clothed in a historical dress.”1

“The Bible is not ‘the word of God,’ but stolen from pagan sources. Its Eden, Adam and Eve were taken from the Babylonian account; its Flood or Deluge is but an epitome of some four hundred flood accounts; its Ark and Ararat have their equivalents in a score of Deluge myths; even the names of Noah’s sons are copies, so also Isaac’s sacrifice, Solomon’s judgment, and Samson’s pillar act; its Moses is fashioned after the Syrian Mises; its laws after Hammurabi’s code. Its Messiah is derived from the Egyptian Mahdi, Savior, certain verses are verbatim copies of Egyptian scriptures. Between Jesus and the Egyptian Horus, Gerald Massey found 137 similarities, and those between Christ and Krishna run into the hundreds. How then can the Bible be a revelation to the Jews?”2

Mr. Graham expresses his humanism by saying, “It’s time this scriptural tyranny was broken that we may devote our time to man instead of God, to civilizing ourselves instead of saving our souls that were never lost.”3

Another quote from him will show how rabid is his opposition to God as he advances his humanistic philosophy:

“Had Christ known the nature of Reality he would not have taught the love of God for man or its reverse. Yet the Gospels have him say: ‘And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment’ (Mark 12:30). It is not the first of an enlightened Christ but only of a priesthood that needed it professionally. God being but the ruthless creative power, man has no right to love it, since from it spring all his pain and suffering, his savagery and war. If he would escape from these he must not only cease pretending to love it but oppose and conquer it. Mythologically man rebelled against this one–to become human; he must now rebel against it mentally and morally to become divine.”4

It is obvious from these quotations that Graham “errs, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.” However, humanists and atheists are not the only ones to regard the Scriptures as filled with myths. The Interpreter’s Bible commentary is considered to be one of the most scholarly works in its field. We quote:

“Obviously, the book [Genesis] begins in that misty region of tradition and transmitted myth in which imagination precedes knowledge. Few will suppose that Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden belong to factual history. Cain and Abel and Lamech and Nimrod and Methuselah and Noah–these also come down to us as legends rather than as persons identifiable in the literal history of a particular time.”5

“Not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God” has led many to look upon the Biblical accounts as myths. Hermann Gunkel wrote toward the end of the last century:

“The clearest criterion of legend is that it frequently reports things which are quite incredible… Thus many things are reported in Genesis which go directly against our better knowledge: we know that there are too many species of animals for all to have been assembled in any ark; that Ararat is not the highest mountain on earth;… And however cautious the modern historian may be in declaring anything impossible, he may declare with all confidence that animals–serpents and she-asses, for instance–do not speak and never have spoken, that there is no tree whose fruit confers immortality or knowledge…”6

In Response

It is impossible to reply to all the various charges that the Biblical account contains myths in this one paper. However, I shall address some questions of significance in response.

The Biblical Claim

Let it be understood that the Biblical writers did not regard the Genesis account or the person of Jesus as mythical. The New Testament writers quote from Genesis numerous times, thus placing their stamp of approval upon what was recorded in Genesis. If the New Testament writers were inspired (and I affirm that they were), then it follows that the account given in Genesis is historically accurate. Geisler and Nix give a list of thirty-two people and events of the Old Testament which are referred to as historical by New Testament writers. Fifteen of these are from the first twelve chapters of Genesis:

* Creation of the universe (Genesis 1): John 1:3; Colossians 1:16

* Creation of Adam and Eve (Genesis 1-2): I Timothy 2:13-14

* Marriage of Adam and Eve (Genesis 1-2): I Timothy 2:13

* Temptation of the woman (Genesis 3): I Timothy 2:14

* Disobedience and sin of Adam (Genesis 3): Romans 5:12; I Corinthians 15:22

* Sacrifices of Abel and Cain (Genesis 4): Hebrews 11:4

* Murder of Abel by Cain (Genesis 4): I John 3:12

* Birth of Seth (Genesis 4): Luke 3:38

* Translation of Enoch (Genesis 5): Hebrews 11:5

* Marriage before the flood (Genesis 6): Luke 17:27

* The flood and destruction of man (Genesis 7): Matthew 24:39

* Preservation of Noah and his family (Genesis 8-9): II Peter 2:5

* Genealogy of Shem (Genesis 10): Luke 3:35-36

* Birth of Abraham (Genesis 11): Luke 3:34

* Call of Abraham (Genesis 12-13): Hebrews 11:8

In this sample survey, several things should be noted. Most of the controversial passages of the Old Testament are referred to, for example, the creation, fall, flood, miracles of Moses and Elijah, and Jonah in the great fish. These are not just alluded to, they are authenticated as historical events by the New Testament. If these major miraculous events are authentic, there is no difficulty in accepting the rest of the events of the Old Testament.8

(To be continued)

*****

1. Arthur Drews as quoted by Lloyd Graham, Deceptions and Myths of the Bible, Carol Communications, N.Y., p. 282.

2. Lloyd Graham, Ibid., p. 5.

3. Ibid., p. 6.

4. Ibid., p. 426.

5. The Interpreter’s Bible. Abingdon Press. New York. Vol. I. 1952, p. 460.

6; Gunkel, Hermann. The Legends of Genesis: The Biblical Saga and History. Schocken Books. New York. 1964. pp 7-8. Quoted in a manuscript by Brad Bromling, Is Genesis Myth? Apologetics Press, Inc. Montgomery, AL.

7. Geisler, Norman L. and William E. Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible. Moody Press. Chicago. 1968, p. 85.

8. Ibid., p. 86.

— Via the bulletin of the La Vista church of Christ
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

May 27, 2018 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Jephthah’s Daughter (Jeff Hamilton)
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Jephthah’s Daughter

Jeff Hamilton

The story of Jephthah recorded in Judges 11:29-40 has caused difficulties for Bible students. Jephthah, by the Lord’s leading, is about to wage a major battle against the Ammonites. Before going off to battle, Jephthah makes a vow to God. The first thing that greets him from his home when he returns victorious from battle would be given as a burnt offering to God. The vow was not well thought out. Jephthah could not control who or what would first come from his door. In a sense he was letting chance determine what he would be offering. Some scholars point out that word translated “whatever” in Judges 11:31 is actually more properly translated “whoever.” [1] Hence, there is a strong indication that Jephthah was expecting to offer a person to the Lord as a burnt offering.

Herein lies the point of confusion. We know that God despises human sacrifices. The sacrifice of children to idols carried a death penalty (Leviticus 20:1-5). In Jeremiah 7:31-32 God not only said it wasn’t commanded, He said that He never thought about asking for it. “When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it” (Deuteronomy 12: 29-32).

Why would God allow Jephthah to win a battle after vowing to offer up a human being to Him? Why is Jephthah listed among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:32? Even if we argued that Jephthah wasn’t expecting a person to come out of his door, wasn’t it possible for an animal unsuitable for sacrifices, such as a dog, to exit his home first? How could Jephthah know that an unblemished cow, goat, or lamb would be the first to greet him?

Old Testament Sacrifices

The Mosaical Law contained a variety of offerings (Leviticus 7:37). Sin offerings were given when a person unintentionally sinned (Leviticus 4). Guilt (or trespass) offerings were given when a person sinned unintentionally and had the possibility of making restitution for his sin (Leviticus 5:1-6:7). The purpose of the grain offering is never directly stated, but it appears to be used to express thankfulness to God (Leviticus 2; 6:14-23). It was offered at first harvest and in combination with other sacrifices, perhaps to show thankfulness for forgiven sins. Peace offerings were to show fellowship between the worshiper and God (Leviticus 3). When combined with other sacrifices, the peace offering was always done last as sin must be atoned before fellowship can exist with God. Burnt offerings are related to the sin and guilt offerings (Leviticus 1). It was offered for the atonement of sin (Leviticus 1:4), but the one making the offering could chose what was being offered. All the offerings involved burning portions, but the burnt offering was given wholly to God (Deuteronomy 33:10). Only the skin of the animals offered were kept (Leviticus 7:8). Dedication offerings were given when articles of the tabernacle or temple were put into service or when a person became a priest.

The burnt offering and grain offering were to be done on a daily basis for the nation. The sin offering, guilt offering, and dedication offerings were done as needed for the individual. The burnt offering, grain offering, and peace offering were offered by individuals at appointed occasions, such as feasts, as the fulfillment of a vow, or as a freewill offering (Numbers 16:3; 29:39).

When an individual offered a burnt offering, grain offering, or peace offering he was allowed to choose to offer whatever he desired within certain guidelines. For example, money and goods were given as freewill offerings (Ezra 1:4-6; 8:28); however, money gained from prostitution could not be accepted as fulfillment of a vowed offering (Deuteronomy 23:18). Even words of praise were considered to be freewill offerings (Psalms 119:108). Obviously, items that were not sacrificial animals were not burnt, in whole or in part. Instead, they were used in God’s service. II Chronicles 31:14 speaks of a man appointed to oversee the usage of freewill offerings.

Jesus’s death upon the cross is described as a combination of offerings. His death is called a sin offering (Hebrews 9:24-10:3; 13:10-14). If you recall that offerings which were burnt were said to be a sweet-smelling aroma to the Lord (Leviticus 1:17; 2:2; 3:16), you can see then that the Lord’s death was also a “burnt offering” even though he was not burnt (Ephesians 5:2). This is because Jesus gave himself wholly over to God to appease God’s wrath.

In the same way, Christians are expected to be a whole (or burnt) offering to God when we dedicate our lives in the service of God (Romans 12:1-2).

Special Rules for Vowed Sacrifices

Peace offerings, grain offerings, and burnt offerings could be vowed to God. When the vow was fulfilled, the offering had to be made (Deuteronomy 23:21-23; Ecclesiastes 5:1-4). Just about anything that belonged to a person could be vowed to God: people (Leviticus 27:2-8), livestock (Leviticus 27:9-13), homes (Leviticus 27:14-15), or property (Leviticus 27:16-25) are given as examples. Most vowed offerings could be redeemed, or bought back, and most of Leviticus 27 deals with how to determine the redemption price. However, certain things could not be redeemed: sacrificial animals (Leviticus 27:9-10), firstborn clean animals because they already belong to the Lord (Leviticus 27:26), or anything that a man sets apart for destruction, whether man, animal, or property (Leviticus 27:28). Anyone whom the Lord has set apart for destruction cannot be redeemed as they are under a death sentence (Leviticus 27:29). By implication, firstborn children also could not be redeemed if they are vowed because they already belong to God (Exodus 13:2, 12-15). In addition, anything vowed once and redeemed, could not be redeemed if it was vowed a second time.

Obviously, anything vowed as a burnt offering is vowed for destruction. It cannot be redeemed. If it is a sacrificial animal, it will be offered up to God. Everything else becomes most holy and belongs to God (Leviticus 27:28). For example, property that becomes vowed for destruction, whether on purpose or by selling it before it is redeemed, becomes the property of the priests (Leviticus 27:20-21). Other things would be put into service for God.

This is how Samuel, the firstborn son of a Levite (I Chronicles 6:16, 28), came to serve the Lord (I Samuel 3:1). His mother made a vow that if she was given a child, the child would be given to the Lord (I Samuel 1:11). Though Leviticus 27 allows for vowed children to be redeemed, a firstborn child already belongs to God and hence cannot be redeemed.

What Happened to Jephthah’s Daughter

When Jephthah returned from a victorious battle, the first person to greet him from his house was his only child. Because she was his first child, he would not be able to redeem her. Because he vowed her for destruction as a burnt offering, she not only could not be redeemed, but she was also marked as being most holy to the Lord (Leviticus 27:28). Both Jephthah and his daughter realized that Jephthah’s vow bound his daughter to be a virgin for the rest of her life. For Jephthah that meant the end of his lineage.

His daughter rightly encouraged her father to keep his vow. She just asked for two months to bewail her virginity (Judges 11:38). Notice that she did not grieve over her short life because her life wasn’t coming to an end. When Jephthah fulfilled his vow, it is noted that she never had sexual relations with a man (Judges 11: 39). There is no mention of her losing her life because of her father’s vow, nor is there any need to make such an assumption. Only sacrificial animals could be placed on the altar. Everything else was either redeemed or placed into service for God.

What would Jephthah’s daughter do in service to God? I’m sure there were many jobs the Levite women did which Jephthah’s daughter could have joined in doing. There are two verses mentioning women who served at the door of the tabernacle (Exodus 38:8; I Samuel 2:22). From John 18:16-17 and other ancient sources it appears that women were frequently employed as doorkeepers. Some believe that women vowed to God became the source of these workers. There is also mention of the widow Anna who stayed at the temple and served the Lord with fasting and prayers (Luke 2:36-37), like those mentioned in Psalm 134.

******

[1] New English Bible, Translator’s Notes: “the one coming out, who comes out from.” The text uses a masculine singular participle with prefixed article, followed by a relative pronoun and third masculine singular verb. The substantival masculine singular participle הַיּוֹצֵא; (hayyotse’, “the one coming out”) is used elsewhere of inanimate objects (such as a desert [Num 21:13] or a word [Num 32:24]) or persons (Jer 5:6; 21:9; 38:2). In each case context must determine the referent.

— Via Articles from the La Vista church of Christ
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

May 20, 2018 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Forgiveness (Tom Edwards)
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Forgiveness

Tom Edwards

Having the ability to forgive is necessary for our own well-being and salvation. After giving His model prayer, in response to His apostle’s request to teach them how to pray, which included the need to ask God to “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matt. 6:12), the Lord then went on to point out the need for that, by saying, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (vv. 14-15).

The need for this is also shown elsewhere in the Bible. For instance: “so as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, AND FORGIVING EACH OTHER, whoever has a complaint against anyone; JUST AS THE LORD FORGAVE YOU, SO ALSO SHOULD YOU” (Col. 3:12-13, emphasis mine). And to the Ephesians, Paul wrote a similar instruction: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, FORGIVING EACH OTHER, JUST AS GOD IN CHRIST ALSO HAS FORGIVEN YOU” (Eph. 4:31-32, emphasis mine).

From what we see of God in the Bible, He wants to forgive everyone. For He “is not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). And this is because He “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). This is also seen in Ezekiel 33:11, in which God declares, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezek. 33:11).

And how can we ever forget the longing Jesus had toward saving the lost, as expressed in Luke 13:34: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!”

No wonder we also see of the Lord being so moved that he wept over the lost souls in that city. For He knew of the destruction that was coming their way and of the many who would lose their lives when Rome would have the city under siege for a couple years and bring about the death of more than a million of its inhabitants in A.D. 70. Therefore, “When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ’If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation’” (Luke 19:41-44).

Jesus did not come to this world to condemn the transgressors, but to make salvation possible for all. When the “Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, ’Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?’ …Jesus answered and said to them, ‘It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance’” (Luke 5:30-32).

God truly does want all to be saved.

The apostle Paul, for example, had not only been a persecutor of the Lord’s church, prior to his conversion, but had also consented to the death of innocent Christians. Concerning the stoning of Stephen, for instance, Saul (Paul) had not only been there to witness that (Acts 7:58), but had also been “in hearty agreement with putting him to death” (Acts 8:1). And following that, Saul then “began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women…and put them in prison” (v. 3). He was given to “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” and sought to “bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1). In one of his testimonials, following his conversion, he had said, in speaking of his previous life, “I persecuted this Way to the death” (Acts 22:4). And he did all that at that time because, as he says, “I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities” (Acts 26:9-11).

And why did I bring all that out about Saul of Tarsus who became the apostle Paul? Because of the great example we see of the Lord’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness demonstrated in the life of that one who was persecuting Jesus (Acts 9:4-5) and His people — even consenting to the death of those Christians. Yet, what did Paul declare, following his conversion, in 1 Timothy 1:15-16? “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.” In the King James Version, Paul refers to himself as the “chief” of sinners for whom Jesus also came to save (1 Tim. 1:15).

So even for the many in the world today who continue to reject “the kindness of God” that “leads…to repentance” (Rom. 11:22) and, as a result, remain lost in their sins, yet it is still God’s desire to forgive and save these people. But that will not happen, until they, of their own free will, submit to His plan of salvation.

Therefore, should we not also always have that desire to forgive those who have sinned against us — and even if they do not repent, nor want our forgiveness? For we should continue, similarly to God, to have that desire to forgive them of whatever the wrong — rather than harboring any grudge against them and being embittered.

In this, we also see the benefit for us in having a forgiving heart! And if they repent and seek our forgiveness, it will be a benefit for them, too.

And how often should we be willing to forgive the same person? It appears that Peter initially thought that seven times would be enough. But the Lord told him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matt. 18:21-22). This, of course, is not to be taken literally, as if 490 times to forgive someone is the limit. Rather, it figuratively expresses the need to always be able to forgive a person regardless of how many times that individual has sinned. And if we have trouble in that, we, who are Christians, should try thinking of how many times God has forgiven us. For forgiveness is something we are to ask of Him every day (Matt. 6:12).

Though we are to be a forgiving people, we actually do not have the power to blot sins out of the lives of others. So though we could forgive someone who had stolen from us, that person will still need God’s forgiveness so He will no longer hold that sin against that person.

The scribes and Pharisees were right in their reasoning that only God alone can forgive of sins (Mark 2:7); but they were wrong in not recognizing that Jesus was also Deity and, therefore, had the right and the ability to blot out iniquity in one’s life.

In the very passage where these took issue with Jesus over this matter, the Lord proved the power He had to forgive by healing a paralytic.

This took place in Capernaum, where four men had carried the invalid to the home in which Jesus was. But because of the crowd, the carriers had to make an opening in the roof to lower the paralytic on a pallet to the Lord. Jesus “seeing their faith said to the paralytic, ’Son, your sins are forgiven’” (Mark 2:5), which led to the scribes and Pharisees finding fault in that statement. Jesus then told them, “…’Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven”; or to say, “Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk”? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’ — He said to the paralytic, ‘I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.’ And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this’” (Mark 2:8-12, emphasis mine).

Of all the blessings of life, whether they be physical or spiritual, having the forgiveness of sins is one I find at the top of the list! What could be more needful in our lives than that? Having God’s forgiveness is more important than even the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe!

“BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT” (Rom. 4:7-8).

(All Scripture is from the New American Standard Bible, unless otherwise indicated.)
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

May 13, 2018 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Seeing the Road Ahead (Alan Jones)
2) News & Notes
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-1-

Seeing the Road Ahead

Alan Jones

A few years ago I was traveling south on I-69 in northern Indiana when I encountered a traffic slowdown. Soon I found out why we had slowed to a crawl. There was a horrible accident on the northbound side.

Everyone was slowing down to look. The accident involved two semis. One was turned on its side with all of the glass gone from the tractor. The nose of the other tractor was shoved in like an accordion.

Immediately I prayed for the welfare of the drivers and the comfort of their families. Their lives had been suddenly and unexpectedly changed. As the drivers left the terminal for the highway, they did not know what awaited them on the road ahead. The backup caused by the accident was five miles long and was still growing. Motorists caught in it had a certain timetable in mind to get to work or to get home from work, to get to a vacation destination or to return home. But, they, too, did not know what awaited them on the road ahead. Their timetable went out the window. They were making good time when suddenly and unexpectedly they were forced to stop and wait, and wait, and wait.

Man can’t see the future. Solomon wrote, “Do not boast about tomorrow. For you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Prov 27:1). A humble person will plan accordingly. James admonished, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow, we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little time and vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord will, we will live and also do this or that.’ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil” (James 4:13-16).

Yes, far be it from us to boast of what we’re going to do in the future when we can’t foresee a traffic tie up on the interstate or even on the bypass as we try to get to the mall or to Walmart and back home again…

Trusting in God Who Sees the Road Ahead

Our future is subject to the will of the Lord who sees the future before it happens. God proved to Israel that He is God because He knows the future. He predicted their coming destruction by a ruler from the north (Assyria) so that when it happened they would say, “He is right!” (Isa 10:5-6; 41:25-26). God even foretold what would happen after He had used Assyria and Babylon to judge His people. He would bring His sheep home by His shepherd Cyrus, calling this king of Persia by name before He was ever born (Isa 44:27-45:3). History verifies that all of these things happened as predicted by God through His prophets and hundreds of other fulfilled predictions could be added to them to confirm that there is a God who sees the road ahead.

Commenting on the Lord’s infinite knowledge, David wrote, “Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all” (Ps 139:4). He marveled that God could see the end of his life from his beginning in the womb, “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them” (Ps 139:16).

When we, as David, meditate on God’s far-reaching thoughts, we will value them — “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” (Ps 139:17). We will trust His thoughts above our own. As the wise man Solomon wrote, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6).

If we trust God, we will not worry about the future. If God looks ahead and provides for the birds who do not store up for the future, He will feed us. If God clothes the lilies of the field without their toiling or spinning, He will clothe us. Instead of being of little faith and anxious, we will turn every care into a prayer, with the confidence that He who looks ahead will provide for tomorrow. Knowing that God will take care of us on the unseen road ahead, we experience a peace that surpasses all comprehension (Mt 6:25-34; Phil 4:6-7).

If our confidence is in the One who holds the future in His Hands, we will realize that, if we love Him, God will use even the tragedy and suffering that may lie ahead on the road to accomplish His purpose in us — to help us to be conformed in our character to the image of His Son and to get us home to glory in heaven (Rom 8:28-30). We need not live in fear and dread of unseen sorrows, trusting that God will discipline us for our own good, so that we may share His holiness (Heb 12:10).

Do you trust God? Is it seen in your respect for God’s Word? Is it seen in your peace concerning both blessings and trials yet unseen? Do you trust in God who sees the road ahead or in yourself — you who cannot even anticipate an accident or traffic jam?…

What God Tells Us Is on the Road Ahead

When I passed by the exit following the end of the traffic jam and saw cars and trucks streaming along at 70 m.p.h., I thought, “I sure wish I could warn them of the five mile backup ahead so they could exit and try to find an alternate route.” There was nothing I could do but let the unsuspecting travelers run right into the delay, but I can warn you about the things God tells us as on the road ahead. But, I must tell you also, there is no escaping them. There is no alternate route.

Death is on the road ahead of you. God says, “It is appointed for men to die once” (Heb 9:27). This is an appointment we must all keep (unless we are alive at the coming of Jesus — 1 Thess 4:15). Jesus told the story of a rich farmer who made big plans with no thought of this appointment. The farmer had more harvest than he knew what to do with. He planned to tear down his barns and build bigger ones and then sit back and enjoy life for many years to come. But, he didn’t have many years left to live. In fact, God required his soul that night (Lk 12:16-20). Are you living like your life on earth will be forever or are you looking down the road?

Judgment is on the road ahead of you. God continues His sentence, “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” John described a vision he saw of this day, “And, I saw the dead, the great and the small standing before the throne, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds” (Rev 20:12). God will pronounce sentence on you based on how you lived compared to His Word and whether or not your name is in the book of life, His record of those who have a relationship with Him.

Heaven or hell is on the road ahead of you. At the Judgment, Jesus will hand out to you either the sentence of eternal life or eternal punishment (Mt 25:46). The eternal punishment is hell, the torment of the eternal fire that God has prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt 25:41; Mk 9:43-48). Eternal life is never-ending fellowship with God and His Son in heaven, being honored as His children. God will wipe away all the tears of earth life and its sorrows will never be experienced again (Rom 8:19; Rev 21:1-4).

Death and judgment you cannot change, but your eternal destination you will choose. You will choose either to receive the wages of your sins (Rom 6:23) or you will choose to have Jesus pay for them with His blood so that your name can be added to the book of life. Believe in Jesus and confess Him as your Lord (Rom 10:9-10) and repent of your sins and be baptized (Acts 2:38). Continue in the book of life by walking in the light as God is in the light, confessing your sins so that the blood of Jesus will make you pure (1 Jn 1:5-10). Remember, no one will arrive at heaven by accident and you must get there by the road less traveled (Mt 7:13-14).

Is heaven or hell at the end of the road you are traveling?…

— Via The Auburn Beacon
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“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH” (Ephesians 6:1-3, NASB).
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Gospel Observer

May 6, 2018 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Satire Versus Sarcasm (R.J. Evans)
2) Everyone Counts (Greg Gwin)
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Satire Versus Sarcasm

R.J. Evans

“We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored” (1 Cor. 4:10).

Satire can be a very effective method of teaching when dealing with the errors and shortcomings of others. The main purpose of the satirist is to mock the faults of others in a witty, ironic way so that they might benefit from it. Satire can be found in every type of literature throughout all the ages. There are instances when satire is used in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments (1 Kgs. 18:27; 1 Cor. 4:7-10).

In defining satire, the word “sarcasm” appears. Certainly, in one sense, a satire is simply the use of sarcasm. But, there can also be a difference in the usages of the two. Sarcasm often involves a cutting, hostile, or contemptuous remark; the use of caustic or ironic language. We might consider the use of sarcasm as it has to do with the one who continually replies to another with a biting or cutting remark. When this is the case, the person who is being sarcastic is not really trying to help others—he is simply putting them down in an effort to further inflate his own ego. Usually, the results are that the person who is cut down by the sarcastic remark becomes hostile by what has been said to him, as well as becoming indignant toward the person who is being sarcastic. Nothing beneficial is accomplished by this! Proverbs 15:1 comes to mind – “A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.”

We may use satire when it is motivated by an attitude of love and helpfulness, and be very effective. But we must guard against using sarcasm in a hurtful, rude, obnoxious manner. The latter should not characterize the child of God. We are to have hearts that are filled with compassion towards others. “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous” (1 Pet. 3:8).

We must have a disposition of kindness toward one another (Eph. 4:32), with love being the reigning principle in our lives (1 Cor. 13). The next time we make some sarcastic remark to another, we should ask ourselves, Did I say that in love with the intention of helping that person, or was I trying to get in a “little dig,” or was I just trying to be “cute”? “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:4-7).

The Apostle Paul tells Christians to “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Eph. 4:29). May we all seek to use words that are fitly spoken. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Prov. 25:11).

— via the bulletin of the Southside church of Christ, Gonzales, LA, November 13, 2017
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Everyone Counts!

Greg Gwin

Our country accomplished some incredible things during the hard trials of World War II. The feats of brave men and women who faced the enemy on the battlefields inspires us. But there is also amazing historical data that documents the amount of war materials and supplies that were produced in relatively short periods of time right here on the home front. With limited resources that sometimes required rationing, and without the advantages of the technology we now enjoy, the nation’s “war machine” turned out essential equipment at a staggering pace. How was this done?

The key to this effort was a campaign to convince every single worker of his or her importance to the ultimate goal of defeating the enemy and winning the war. The leaders of our country successfully persuaded everyone to work hard, make sacrifices and contribute what they could to this end. The results were amazing. Against huge odds, the victory was won.

We are in another sort of a war. There are no tanks, planes, bombs or missiles. We do not need workers preparing bullets or medical supplies. There’s no need for rationing of gasoline or other necessary products. Instead, we are in a spiritual war (2 Cor. 10:3,4). We battle against a very real and powerful enemy (1 Peter 5:8).

To win this war, we definitely need every Christian fully engaged. Everyone counts! We cannot afford to have some of our vital workers slacking off in their duties. We must all “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3). Diligent effort, significant sacrifice, and determined commitment to the cause are essential. Every Christian serves in a critical capacity (Eph. 4:15,16).

Some might suggest that the odds against us are overwhelming. But in truth, with God on our side, the enemy is doomed! As Elisha told his fearful servant: “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kings 6:16).

— Via the bulletin of the Collegevue church of Christ, Columbia, Tennessee, January 14, 2018
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The Oneness of the Church

Background

The Church Becomes a Reality

Oneness of Those in the One Body

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Greatest Liberty

Pray for One Another

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

“And Be Ye Thankful”

If Only

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Myth or History?

Was Jesus Who He Claimed To Be?

Since Jesus Is Deity, Then Genesis Is Not A Myth

Teeth

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Myth or History?

Was Jesus A Historical Person?

Ancient Secular Writers

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Myth or History? (Part 1 of 3)

The Charges

In Response

The Biblical Claim

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Jephthah’s Daughter

Old Testament Sacrifices

Special Rules for Vowed Sacrifices

What Happened to Jephthah’s Daughter

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Forgiveness

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Seeing the Road Ahead

Trusting in God Who Sees the Road Ahead

What God Tells Us Is on the Road Ahead

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Satire Versus Sarcasm

Everyone Counts!

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

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