Category: Uncategorized (Page 11 of 49)

The Gospel Observer

November 13, 2022 / 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) Kingdom Growth (Mark 4:26-29) (William C. Sexton)
2) Truth and Error: How to Tell the Difference (Steve Klein)
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Kingdom Growth

(Mark 4:26-29)

William C. Sexton

A parable of the Lord which is peculiar to Mark’s gospel is that of the seed! We would do well, if we would look carefully at this parable relative to the growth of God’s kingdom. Let us think on two levels! how the individual is gained for the rule of Christ and how the ruled people work to build up a group who will submit to His Rule!

Jesus said,

“So is the kingdom of God, as if a man cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come” (Mk. 4:26-29).

There are a number of significant points made in this parable, which we should be conscious of as we operate under the authority of Christ. We should observe these principles as we seek to grow, as well as observe them as we seek to help others to enter and develop in the kingdom of God.

1. Seed is essential to provide kingdom-citizens! This fact is stated clearly in many places and it is illustrated here, as parables illustrate principles established elsewhere.

Man may sow seed, but the germ of life resides within the seed, producing after its kind. One will never sow one kind of seed and reap fruit of another kind; the plant is determined by the seed. The seed of the kingdom is the word of God (Lk. 8:11). Therefore, the seed is indispensable, if kingdom-citizens are to be made.

Many people fail to accept this principle, thinking that God operates independently of His revealed word. However, just as surely as night follows day, one will not find a Christian where the seed, the word of God, has not been planted. Let us be aware of this fact and see the implications of it. (1) If we wish to grow, as citizens in the kingdom, we must have planted in our mind the word of God. (2) If we wish to gain others and bring them into the kingdom, we must be careful and sure to present to them the pure seed, unmixed with our ideology, etc.

2. Mystery in the Seed. None of us can explain why a seed placed in the ground, provided proper moisture, conditions, etc. will in time sprout, spring forth in a plant. However, we have all observed that such is the case. God, the Creator, has placed the life in the seed. Such is the way things are! We have no plants which are not so produced.

The principles that are operative in the plant and animal kingdom are also operating here. We need to see that such is true, and conclude “no planting, no harvest.” The kind of seed planted will determine the kind of fruit that can be expected, if indeed fruit is produced. The Word of God produces faith (Rom. 10:17; Jn. 20:30-31). Faith produces movement to obey the words, the requirements set forth therein (Rom. 6:16-18; Heb. 5:8-9). Repentance is a demand of “all” men everywhere (Acts 17:30-31). Confession is produced by the person whose faith leads him to repent, because Jesus points to the necessity of such (Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9-10). Baptism is the last of these steps in one’s movement toward salvation in Christ, which bring about the establishment of the relationship (Rom. 6:3-4).

Why such things are required, man does not know, except as we observe what happened in the New Testament (Acts 2:22-41; Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). We see that these are acts produced by the word working in the heart of persons. Christ promises that sin is forgiven at this point. Faith moves one to so act. What about you, friend? Have you allowed the seed to enter the ground (your heart)? Has it produced the plant (baptized person by faith)? Are you growing?

3. The progress is orderly! First the blade, then the ear, and finally the grain is produced. One will not become a citizen of the Kingdom, except in an orderly fashion: Seed planted, time to germinate, plant springing up — one coming in faith, obeying, because he understands that such is required of God.

Likewise, growth doesn’t just happen! People begin to put off the old man and put on the new man. Daily, one has to consciously watch his language (Eph. 4:29), do that which is good (Eph. 4:28), and put away all unclean behavior. He has to allow Christ to be the example (1 Pet. 2:21-25).

One will not find himself automatically doing all that should be done or automatically leaving undone the inappropriate. Instead, one will find that he is missing the mark. Immediately, confession, repentance and prayer to God is in order (Acts 8:22; 1 Jn. 1:9). Moving on, growing by study and practice (Heb. 5:11-6:1ff) is essential for the kingdom-citizen.

4. Congregational Development. Just as the growth of kingdom-citizens is orderly and gradual, so is the growth of a congregation of those citizens in a community. The citizen must meet regularly, with the God-ordained practices of worship, teaching the pure word of God, and encouraging godly living. Such must take advantage of the many methods of evangelism available to them. Individually and collectively a demonstration must be made of the power in the gospel message to change peoples’ lives.

The faithful must be consistently patient, ever standing for the right and opposed to the wrong! Honesty must characterize them — individually and collectively. Spirituality must be “first” in the order of business in the life of the individual and the group in all that they do. Fruit isn’t reaped the next day after the planting takes place. Cultivation, watering, and waiting are all necessary to produce the fruit (1 Cor. 3:6-10).

Each group, that is under the headship of Christ, will take care of its own inter-group functioning, according to God’s instruction. Then they will reach out with the gospel message to others. Many groups go astray today because they reach out with something other than the seed. When the fruits are ready for picking, the taste has changed, because another seed was sown. Beloved, a congregation of God’s people has to get its life from Christ. His blood flows only to those who are connected by way of having been born into that family and then continued by correcting the faults in which one finds himself involved (Acts 8:22; 1 Jn. 1:9). A congregation which offers fellowship on any basis other than that approved by Christ through His word, is sowing seed other than that of the kingdom of God.

Beloved, all growth is not healthy, desirable, and God-approved. Are we mindful of these principles of growth set forth by the Master in this parable? Let us be careful observers, faithful practitioners, optimistic activists involved in the growth of the kingdom of God on both the personal, as well as the group, level. The results will be eternal in duration and spiritual in nature.

— via Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 7, pp. 209-210 April 5, 1984 https://www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume28/GOT028116.html

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Truth and Error: How to Tell the Difference

Steve Klein

We learn about a thing by experiencing it. Babies learn sweet from sour, hot from cold, and wet from dry by experiencing these things. Even so, we learn spiritual truth by experiencing it in God’s word, which is truth (John 17:17). Our use of God’s word enables us to readily distinguish between truth and error. Haddon Robinson relates the following story that illustrates this point:

A Chinese boy who wanted to learn about jade went to study with a talented old teacher. This gentleman put a piece of the stone into the youth’s hand and told him to hold it tight. Then he began to talk of philosophy, men, women, the sun, and almost everything under it. After an hour he took back the stone and sent the boy home. The procedure was repeated for weeks. The boy became frustrated — when would he be told about jade? — but he was too polite to interrupt his venerable teacher. Then one day when the old man put a stone into his hands, the boy cried out instantly, “That’s not jade!” (Biblical Preaching, p. 102).

In Hebrews 5:12-14, the inspired writer is addressing Christians who were not mature enough to tell the difference between right and wrong. He admonishes them with these words:

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

There are two words in the text that shed much light on our current topic. The first is the word “unskilled” and it means “inexperienced.” The Hebrew Christians had not progressed and developed because they did not have enough experience in the word. As a result, they were like children who cannot discern right from left; they were spiritual babes who could not tell right from wrong. The second word to consider is the word “exercised.” It comes from the Greek word “gymnazo” from which we get our word “gymnasium” — the place where athletes practice and train. Those who regularly use God’s word have their senses trained to “discern both good and evil.”

Why is it that some brethren don’t seem to be able to identify obvious error when they hear it? Why are so many Christians bogged down in their spiritual lives by moral relativism and compromises with the world? Can we not tell the difference between good and evil? Could the root of the problem be that we have had no meaningful experience with the “word of righteousness”?

My friends, may we this day resolve to hold God’s word in our hearts — to study it, meditate on it, and practice it — so that when we’re given something else we will be able to simply exclaim, “That’s not truth!”

— Via The Beacon, July 3, 2022

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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 (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; Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-27; Col. 2:12; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:27). And 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. 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, 10 a.m. Worship
Every First Sunday of the Month: 5 p.m. Congregational Song Service

Wednesday: 7 p.m. Bible Classes

evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com

https://thomastedwards.com/go/all.htm/ (older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990)

The Gospel Observer

November 6, 2022 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Seeing God within Me (Kyle Pope)
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Seeing God within Me

Kyle Pope

In 1983, actress Shirley MacLaine authored a book entitled Out on a Limb (New York: Bantam Books, 1983). Five years later, on January 18 and 19 of 1987, the book was adapted to a two-part, five-hour television mini-series of the same title which was broadcast on ABC. The book and mini-series portrayed MacLaine’s personal spiritual journey to accept a mix of Eastern religious beliefs and extraterrestrial mysticism that came to be known as the “New Age Movement.” At a pivotal moment in the mini-series, MacLaine (playing herself) sits on a beach with one of her spiritual advisors (played by actor John Heard) who urges her to recognize that all things are a part of God—a core belief of Hinduism. The two eventually stand, with arms outspread shouting to the sea, “I am God!,” “I am God!”

While I absolutely reject New Age concepts such as this that argue that all souls have a “God-Force” within them that must simply be unleashed, as the title of this study suggests, I would like to explore the Biblical sense in which each of us should realize the importance of allowing others to see God within us.

The God of the Bible

Ultimately, all sound concepts about God must be drawn from the Bible. “It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23b, NKJV). So, it cannot be that we simply tap into an inner “God-Force.” Yes, the God of the Bible is said to “fill heaven and earth” (Jer. 23:24), but that is not because He is all things (the doctrine known as pantheism). Instead, it is because He sees and sustains all things—“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Prov. 15:3). The God of the Bible is transcendent, that is, “existing apart from and not subject to the limitations of the material universe” (New Oxford American Dictionary). What may be known of God is available to us because, “the LORD revealed Himself” (1 Sam. 3:21), to the inspired writers of Scripture. Thus, the Bible has, “given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him” (2 Pet. 1:3). Through it we may, “be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17). That doesn’t mean we know every conceivable thing about God. He tells us, “My thoughts are not your thoughts” because, “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8-9). God has given us all we need, but we must learn to be content in the recognition that, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever” (Deut. 29:29).

“Some Do Not Have the Knowledge of God”

While the Bible is the true source of what may be known about God, as Paul acknowledged, “some do not have the knowledge of God” (1 Cor. 15:34). So, how will they ever “come to the knowledge of the truth” (1Tim. 2:4; 2 Tim. 3:7)? Many hymnals include the beautiful song written by Annie Johnson Flint, entitled “The World’s Bible.” Its second stanza reads:

We are the only Bible
The careless world will read;
We are the sinner’s Gospel,
We are the scoffer’s creed;
We are the Lord’s last message,
Given in deed and word;
What if the type is crooked?
What if the print is blurred?

What Flint writes about the Bible may apply equally to God Himself. God does not personally reveal Himself today, as He did to inspired writers in the past. For some, before they ever even look to the pages of Scripture the concepts they form about God will be drawn from what they see in the lives of Christians. Consider how this can happen.

Children. A child learns about God from what he or she is taught by parents, grandparents, and teachers. Simple truths, such as “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16) or “God is faithful” (1 Cor. 1:9; 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:18) will be etched into children’s hearts and minds by what they see in us about love and faithfulness.

Our Spouse. Whether both husband and wife come from backgrounds of faith, one is new to faith, or one has no faith, there are few relationships that have more impact on our spiritual welfare than our relationship with our spouse. Although we should strive to be “heirs together of the grace of life” (1 Pet. 3:7) or that even if one does “not obey the word” the other “may be won by the conduct” of the other (1 Pet. 3:1), what my spouse sees in me can shape concepts about God and a willingness to be faithful to Him.

Neighbors and Co-Workers. People are always watching us. They know we are Christians and they see just how true we are to our faith. God’s nature doesn’t change when we are hypocrites, dishonest, immodest, or unkind, but all too often what others see in us shapes what they think about God. This is surely why an elder is to be a man who has “a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” (1 Tim. 3:7). Wives are to obey their husbands, “that the word of God may not be blasphemed” (Titus 2:5). When people speak against God’s word they are speaking against Him. Believers generally are commanded to, “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time” (Col. 4:5).

Unbelievers. When Paul instructed the Corinthians about the proper use of spiritual gifts, he emphasized the need to guard their actions because of what it could communicate to the “uninformed or unbelievers.” Improper action could lead them to think Christians are out of their minds. Proper action could lead them to recognize “God is truly among you” (1 Cor. 14:23-25). Like children, our behavior can shape what others think about God.

Fellow Christians. Concerning the impact that sin and falsehood can have on other believers, Paul warned, “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Cor. 5:6; Gal. 5:9). Again, one person’s wrongdoing doesn’t change who God is, but sadly, as our brothers and sisters look at us they often either grow in their love for God and confidence in His word, or start to ask themselves, “What’s the point in serving God?” “Why should I stay faithful?” What they see of God living (or not living) in us can influence their own concepts of accountability to Him.

“God’s Fellow Workers”

In Shirley MacLaine’s miniseries, she first demonstrated a resistance to saying, “I am God,” feeling it would be arrogant or delusional to say such presumptuous words. Her hesitation was fitting. It is arrogant and delusional to imagine that we are God. Although we are His offspring (Acts 17:28-29) and bear His image (Gen. 1:26-27) we are not God! What was said of the Egyptians is true of all of us, we “are men, and not God” (Isa. 31:3).

Is it then equally arrogant and delusional to imagine that what others see in us can shape their own concepts about God? Well, perhaps if we allowed it to stop there. When Paul and Barnabas were in Lystra, when the residents imagined that they were gods, they at once declared, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them” (Acts 14:15). They used that as an opportunity to explain to the people the truth about the true and “living God.” I am not suggesting that we encourage others to shape their concepts of God on us. Instead, I am challenging us to recognize that our actions can help move people closer to the knowledge of the God revealed in Scripture, or move them further away from ever even considering Him.

The Bible teaches that as we obey Him, we participate in His work. Paul told the Corinthians “we are God’s fellow workers” (1 Cor. 3:9). Christians are “fellow workers for the kingdom of God” (Col. 4:11). As Christians, while we have no innate “God-Force” within us, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are said to dwell within us (John 14:23; Rom. 8:9). We are led by His Spirit as we set our minds on the “things of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:5)—i.e., the things revealed in Scripture. His word “effectively works” in those who believe (1 Thess. 2:13). We strive to be “imitators of God” (Eph. 5:1), recognizing that His power works within us in ways beyond our understanding unto His glory (Eph. 3:20-21). We are “workers together with Him” (2 Cor. 6:1). This leaves no place for arrogance or delusion. In doing His will we realize, “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). Like Paul, our attitude must be, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20a). In this spirit, may each of us work diligently to allow the world to see a sound picture of God within the hearts and lives of each of us.

— via Faithful Sayings, Volume 24, Issue 43 (October 23, 2022)

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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

1) Hear the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31).

2) Believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).

3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).

4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).

5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…

6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501

Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service. We also have a Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. 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.)

The Gospel Observer

October 30, 2022 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) “What Mary Could Not Do” (Steven J. Wallace)
2) “Just as I Am” (Doy Moyer)
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“What Mary Could Not Do”

Steven J. Wallace

There are many godly women in the Scriptures, but Mary holds a special place in our hearts, because it was her of whom the Savior came. However, some have built up ideas and exaggerations about this godly woman that are purely unfounded. In this short study, we want to simply look at some things that Mary could not do.

1. Mary could not be the source of origin of the Son of God. In other words, Jesus Christ’s existence did not begin with her. He existed before her as is implied by the statement that He is the “root” and “offspring” of her ancestor, David (Rev. 22:16). In fact, Jesus was in the beginning with God (John 1:2). Further, He is the One who created all things. He is the “firstborn of all creation,” an expression that is defined by Paul as, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” “Firstborn” is an expression of position and authority. As such, Jesus is the “beginning of the creation of God” (Rev. 3:14). John does not say that He is in the beginning of created beings, but rather the beginning, that is, origin, source, and governor of the creation of God. It is in this vein that the word is to be applied to Christ (cf. word usage “magistrates,” Luke 12:11; “power,” Luke 20:20; “rule,” 1 Cor. 15:24; “principality,” Eph. 1:21; “rulers,” Tit. 3:1; “first,” Heb. 2:3; 5:12; “domain” Jude 1:6).

2. Mary could not ignore her maternal instinct. As the Lord’s mother she cared very deeply about her Son. When He had lingered in Jerusalem, He had become separated from her. She and Joseph were worried sick as to where He had gone. They searched everywhere from a day’s journey away among their relatives and then back to Jerusalem frantically looking for their Son for three days. Finally, they found Him in the temple. Jesus is likewise found today in the temple, the church of Christ. But while others were astonished at His understanding and His answers, she was perplexed with distress that she could not find her Son all this time. “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously” (Luke 2:48). Any parent could empathize with her. This would be the natural response of any loving and concerned mother. She would have equally been as emotionally upset as any mother would be when she stood before the cross watching her firstborn bleed to death (Luke 2:35; John 19:25). The cross and your salvation was not only costly to Jesus, but it was also to His mother. What we sometimes complain about as being “too hard” or “too difficult” in relation to doing the work of the church and representing Christ on earth embarrassingly pales in comparison to such a cost. Such statements that come out of the mouth of Christians only show an admission of frail discipleship where other things are competing with Christ, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34; “other things” see Mark 4:19).

3. Mary could not disrupt the Lord’s mission. After the episode, Jesus responded to her, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49). Our Lord always places what is most important first. His business was to be about His Father’s business. When He was older, and after He appointed for Himself apostles, some of His relatives came apparently to rescue Him from fanaticism, “But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, ‘He is out of His mind’” (Mark 3:21). We find Mary and her sons outside seeking for Him a few verses later to which He responds, “. . . ‘Who is My mother, or My brothers?’ And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother” (Mark 3:33, 35).

4. Mary could not be a mediator between God and mankind. She was in need of a savior as any man or woman is (Rom. 3:23). As she stood before the cross, she stood before her Lord and her Savior. Men have elevated Mary to a status which she never knew nor would she be willing to accept. “And Mary said: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46, 47). Praying to and through Mary is not only vain, but idolatry and insulting to the ministry of Jesus Christ. Peter stated boldly with the Holy Spirit, “… for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “No other name,” means “not any other name!” The name of Jesus excludes the name of Mary, Mark, Matthew, Peter, and Paul (cf. 1 Cor. 1:12, 13). “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Tim. 2:5, 6).

— via Truth Magazine, Volume LV, Number 7, July 2011 https://www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume55/2011_07_Jul_Truth_Magazine.pdf

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“Just as I Am”

Doy Moyer

Just as I am without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me.
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee
O Lamb of God, I come. (Charlotte Elliot)

I have long thought that “Just as I am” is a beautiful, inspiring hymn. While I don’t know that it was initially written to be an “invitation song,” as we call it, it has become one of the best known for that. My dad, Forrest D. Moyer, used to tell me that back when meetings were much more active and well attended (tent meetings, two week meetings, etc.), he had more responses to that song than any other. It does tend to touch the emotions in a powerful way when someone has first been touched by Scripture to reflect upon his or her relationship with God. But this is not really about the hymn, per se.

“Just as I am” is not saying that we come to God without needing to repent or that somehow we are good enough to merit what He gives. As the hymn notes, we come to Him “to rid my soul of one dark blot,” and that when we come, God will “welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve.” This is God’s promise. Scripture is clear on the need for repentance (Acts 2:38; 3:19). What the idea does do, however, is point to the fact that God wants us to come to him as we are — sick, hurting, broken, and in need of His healing. We cannot just fix ourselves first, then try to come to Him as if we are capable of that. There are a couple things I think about with this:

1. I have talked with people who have thought that they have to perfect their lives before they were worthy to come to the Lord. This is backwards. If you are going to wait until you have somehow made yourself worthy, you’ll never come to Him. God doesn’t say, “Only the worthy may come.” He tells all to come, and He will forgive and heal. Then our manner of life can reflect walking worthy of the calling (Eph 4:1).

If you think you are not good enough to come to the Lord, you are the very one who needs to come to the Lord now. The truth is that you are not good enough. Nor am I. That’s the point of God’s grace. Come just as you are and you will be changed into a new creation: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor 5:17).

2. If you think that you aren’t good enough to begin with, you might have corollary feelings that God just doesn’t want you. After all, how can God want someone who has been impure? How can God love the unlovable? How can God desire to have in His fellowship any who has been evil, immoral, and so stained by the world? What hope can I possibly have for God to want to do anything with me?

Let’s clear this up now: God wants you! He wants you if you have been stained, immoral, and evil. He wants you when you are broken and sick. He wants you when you have hit bottom and have nowhere else to turn. He wants the drug addict, the alcoholic, and the sexually immoral. Come to Him just as you are in your broken state…

And you will be changed: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:11).

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32).

Think of the sinful woman in Luke 7:36ff. Think of the woman at the well (John 4). Think about the fact that the Lord, against the convention of the Pharisees, sat with tax collectors and sinners (Matt 9:10-13).

Let us, then, admit that we aren’t good enough. We do not waltz up to God’s banquet table without an invitation. We are invited. We might first be found on the by-ways, but we are yet invited.

Let us admit, then, that that we are weak, hurting, sick, and in need of the Great Physician. There is no one whom He cannot heal, none whom He cannot re-create, none whom He cannot bless. The only thing left to get rid of, the one thing that keeps us from coming to Him, is our pride. Give that to Him, too, and He will give grace to the humble.

There may be many conflicts, doubts, fears within and without. Yet we can rely upon the promises of God and entrust our souls to Him who loved us and died for our sins.

O Lamb of God, I come!

— via Bulletin Articles of the Vestavia church of Christ, November 15, 2020

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Ezekiel 33:11

“Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘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?'” (NASB).

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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501

Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classesand 10 a.m. Worship Service. We also have a Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. Bible Classes

The Gospel Observer

October 23, 2022 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) “What Shall I Do With Jesus?” (Jeff Himmel)
2) Can Anything Good Thing Come From of Nazareth (Ethan R. Longhenry)
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“What Shall I Do With Jesus?”

Jeff Himmel

When Jesus was brought before Pilate, the governor found no guilt in him. Hoping to get the problem off his hands, Pilate invoked his Passover custom of releasing a prisoner of the Jews’ choosing. He offered them either Jesus or Barabbas, a rebel and murderer. The people demanded the release of Barabbas. Pilate said, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” We all know the rest of the story.

Ever since, people have had to ask themselves the same question. Jesus’ teaching is profound, his claims are astounding, his historical reality is undeniable. So “What shall I do with Jesus?”

■ Try to be neutral? That’s what Pilate did. Seeing that the crowd would riot if Jesus was not executed, Pilate “took water and washed his hands in front of the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to that yourselves’” (Matthew 27:24). Even today we speak of “washing our hands” of something, meaning we refuse to have any responsibility in the matter. But there really is no neutrality when it comes to Jesus. “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).

■ Put him off? That’s what Felix did. Paul appeared before this governor and spoke about his faith in Christ. “And as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, ‘Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you’” (Acts 24:25). The gospel moved Felix enough to know he must do something, but all he did was procrastinate. Countless people have been lost by responding as he did.

■ Forsake him? That’s what some disciples in Capernaum did. Jesus taught some things which they perceived as very difficult. “As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore” (v. 66). Like them, many today turn away from Jesus because they think his teaching is too demanding.

■ Deny him? That’s what Peter did. As Jesus stood on trial before the high priest Caiaphas, several people noticed Peter sitting in the courtyard and asked if he was one of Jesus’ companions. Three times he denied it: “I do not know the man!” (cf. Matthew 26:70,72,74). Many have followed Peter’s example of that night, following Jesus in fair weather, only to turn their backs on him when the going gets tough.

■ Sell him out? That’s what Judas did. For a measly thirty pieces of silver one of Jesus’ own apostles agreed to hand him over to those who sought his life (Matthew 26:14-16). Whatever keeps you from serving Jesus is, in effect, the price for which you’re willing to sell him out. For most people the price is remarkably low.

■ Crucify him again? That’s what happens when a Christian returns to a life of sin. “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened…and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame” (Hebrews 6:4-6).

■ Obey him. The apostles preached Christ to the crowd of Jews assembled at Pentecost. “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins’” (Acts 2:37-38). Three thousand of them did (v. 41).

The question is: What will you do with Jesus?

— Via The Plant City Planter, January 23, 2022

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Can Any Good Thing Come From Nazareth?

John 1:45-46

Ethan R. Longhenry

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” And Nathanael said unto him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip saith unto him, “Come and see” (John 1:45-46).

Location factors heavily into our assumptions and judgments about people. Imagine you are told about a group of people: one person grew up in Appalachia, another in Manhattan in New York City, another in south Alabama, another in Texas, another in Wisconsin, and another from rural Nevada. In all likelihood you have already come up with some concept of who these people are based on their location of origin and raising. Yes, there will be times when those assumptions will prove false, yet how much more often do they prove true?

This tendency is nothing new; it went on in first century Israel as well. People would be judged based upon whether they grew up in Judea, Samaria, or Galilee (cf. Acts 2:7), whether in more urbanized areas or more rural areas. And, then as now, the more remote and less urban the location, the more likely people were to look down on those who came from there.

So it is with Nazareth in Galilee. Galilee itself was seen as remote, away from the epicenter of Judaism in Jerusalem, not known for erudition or much civilization. Within Galilee itself, Nazareth barely registers, receiving no mention from Jewish sources before the third century of our era. This insignificance led some skeptics to doubt whether Nazareth existed at all in the first century CE, but archaeological evidence does indicate the place was inhabited. It is now believed that Nazareth was a village of no more than 500 in the days when Jesus grew up there. Nazareth is about 16 miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee; it is not near the Mediterranean Sea and would not be on a lot of travel routes. It is evident why Nazareth would easily be despised in the eyes of others: it is in the backwoods or out in the sticks, a small village. In the eyes of more educated and urban Jews, the Nazarenes would have been judged as ignorant at best and perhaps as simple-minded sinners at worst.

Philip is a Galilean whom Jesus had called, hailing from Bethsaida on the coast of the Sea of Galilee (John 1:43-44). Based upon what he has seen and/or heard, he is immediately convinced regarding who Jesus is: he finds Nathanael and tells him how he has found the “him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote,” otherwise known as the Messiah, which was the hope of all Israel in these days. We can imagine how excited Nathanael would be at the prospect of meeting the One whom God had promised! And then Philip identifies who He is: Jesus of Nazareth (John 1:15).

For Philip, “of Nazareth” is not meant to be degrading or demeaning, but simply a way of identifying which Jesus is being described. Both “Jesus” and “Joseph” were quite popular names among the Jews of the first century; therefore, to say then that Jesus is the Messiah would likely prompt the response, “Which Jesus?” “Jesus the son of Joseph” would likely accurately describe many other Jewish men of the day. Yet “Jesus of Nazareth” was unique: if nothing else, no other Jesus in Nazareth was known for doing anything that might make him to be considered a possible Messiah.

Nevertheless, all Nathanael now knows about Jesus is that his friend Philip thinks He is the One of whom Moses and the prophets wrote in the Hebrew Bible, and that He is from Nazareth. And so he asks his famous question: “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46).

Nathanael’s reaction is honest; perhaps such is what partly prompts Jesus’ declaration that Nathanael is an Israelite “in whom is no guile” (John 1:47). There is some dispute as to whether Nathanael asks the question on account of Nazareth’s relative insignificance or possibly because Nazareth has a reputation for sinfulness or immorality. The answer depends on whether “good thing” should be understood in a “moral” sense or in a more “qualitative” sense. He also might have the prophecy of the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem in view as well (cf. Micah 5:2, John 7:40-52): how can such a good thing as the Messiah come out of Nazareth or even Galilee, since the Messiah is to come from Bethlehem and ostensibly grow up in the environs of Jerusalem? Since we do not know a whole lot about Nazareth’s reputation in the first century, we cannot know for certain, but we can see clearly that Nathanael is judging the situation based upon the stereotype and/or geographic prejudice.

But Nathanael does not allow that prejudice to get in the way: he does not dismiss Philip’s claim out of hand, and he quickly ascertains how special Jesus is, to the point of making similar declarations regarding Him as Philip did (cf. John 1:47-51). Nathanael learned quickly that yes, a good thing can come from Nazareth; in fact, the greatest thing of all has come from Nazareth!

Nathanael’s story provides good reminders for us about judgment. It is easy to fall prey to snap judgments about people based upon many factors, including geography and the culture inherent in geography, but geography need not be destiny. It remains true that stereotypes exist for a reason, but not everyone fits the stereotype. Imagine if we had been in Nathanael’s place so long ago: if we strictly judged everyone by their place of origin, we would have rejected Jesus the Christ, confident in our misguided assumption that no good thing could come out of Nazareth. How terrible would have been our fate!

Jesus warns us about judgment (cf. Matthew 7:1-4), encouraging us not to judge by appearance but to render right judgment (John 7:24). We may not be able to resist every caricature or stereotype, but we have no right to condemn the lot of a group of people on account of superficial factors. Let us maintain a spirit like Nathanael’s, willing to judge on the merits and character of a person, and so honor and glorify God in Christ!

— Via Expository Files 19.7; July 2012

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1 Samuel 16:7

“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart'” (NASB).
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

1) Hear the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31).

2) Believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).

3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).

4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).

5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…

6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501

Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service. We also have a Congregational Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. for Bible Classes

evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com

https://thomastedwards.com/go/all.htm (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)

The Gospel Observer

October 16, 2022 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Holding onto “God’s Unchanging Hand” (Kyle Pope)
2) Patterns (Heath Rogers)
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Holding onto “God’s Unchanging Hand”

Kyle Pope

Mary Jane (Jennie) Bain Wilson was born in Cleveland, Indiana in 1857. Her father, Robert died when she was an infant and at the age of four she was stricken with a spinal illness that left her in bed or a wheelchair for the remainder of her fifty-six year life. Unable to attend school, all of her education took place in the home, where she developed a love for music and poetry. At the age of twenty-four she was baptized by being carried on a chair to a stream. In spite of her restricted condition, Miss Wilson became a prolific writer. She composed around 2200 poems and hymns. Since 1940, one of her most well-known hymns has been published in at least twenty-one hymnals produced by members of churches of Christ—the moving song of praise, “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand.” It was likely penned in 1904, when she sent it to Franklin Eiland, who reportedly conceived of the music to it the following year, while sitting under a tree in the backyard of his Texas home. It was first published in 1906 in the New Hosannas hymnal produced by the Quartet Music Company of Fort Worth, TX, and edited by John E. Thomas. Knowing Miss Wilson’s background, one can easily see this song, as David Cain suggests, as “a paraphrase of how she felt about her life up until that point.”

“Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand”
By Jennie B. Wilson

Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Trust in Him who will not leave you,
Whatsoever years may bring,
If by earthly friends forsaken
Still more closely to Him cling.

When your journey is completed,
If to God you have been true,
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.

Chorus:

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Our lives on earth were never intended to be lived alone. This is true of human companionship. After the creation of man, the Lord observed, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him” (Gen. 2:18b, NKJV). Centuries later, the Holy Spirit led Solomon to the practical realization, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor” (Eccl. 4:9). But, this fact is also true of our relationship to God. We were not made to live independent and isolated from God—we were created to seek Him. Paul told the Athenians that God put people in their places and times upon the earth, “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:26-27). We are insufficient within ourselves to guide our own way. The Lord revealed through Jeremiah, “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23).

This need for a connection with God and others can create some challenging choices. Not all companions we may choose are helpful to us. We remember the sad words in Israel’s history, “For it came about when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been” (1 Kings 11:4, NASB). The Holy Spirit warns, “Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them; for their heart devises violence, and their lips talk of troublemaking” (Prov. 24:1-2, NKJV). So too, not all approaches to seeking God are of equal validity or value. Some seek God within their own heart and imagination, but Ezekiel was warned, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!’” (Ezek. 13:3). Paul bemoaned, “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things” (Phil. 3:18-19).

Where then, can we turn for companionship that is truly helpful? How can we reach out to God in the assurance that we are actually taking hold of His hand of guidance?

The Psalmist appealed, “Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me” (Psa. 119:133). Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). If God’s word is that which can direct our steps, it is the source to which we can look for His guidance. If Scripture is profitable to equip us for “every good work,” we can be certain that in following its direction we are seeking God in truth. When our homes, our churches, our friends, our families, our husbands, our wives, our children allow their lives to be governed by what God teaches, the companionship of those of common faith can strengthen us toward the goal of eternal life. These are the relationships we should seek, and these are the companions that prove to be truly helpful to our souls.

Following God, through the guidance and revelation of His word has always been the way by which His people can have the confidence of the Lord’s presence in our lives. Through Isaiah, God assured the Israelites, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:10). Like a small child holding firmly to the hand of his father, the Lord declared, “I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you’” (Isa. 41:13). Through His word, His people, and His providence, God stands ever ready to help us, if only we will choose to “hold to God’s unchanging hand.”

Sources

Adams, Richard W. “Jennie Bain Wilson” Hymntime.com. http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/w/i/l/s/o/n/j/wilson_jb.htm.

Cain, David. “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand—Jennie Wilson.” Song Scoops. http://songscoops.blog spot.com/2015/09/hold-to-gods-unchanging-hand-jennie.html.

Hall, Jacob Henry. Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers. New York: Fleming H. Revell Co. 1914, 372-375.

“Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand.” Hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com. https://hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/ 2014/05/21/hold-to-gods-unchanging-hand/.

— Via Faithful Sayings, Volume 24, Issue 41 (October 9, 2022)

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Patterns

Heath Rogers

Some have the idea there are no patterns set forth in the Bible regarding things like worship, the organization of the local church, or even the plan of salvation. They mock the idea of brethren having lists of things which must be done (the five acts of worship, the steps of salvation, etc.). To some, the New Testament must not be viewed as a legal document but as a love letter from God. It doesn’t really matter what we believe, as long as we are sincere.

This promotes a subjective view toward the Scriptures (the meaning of the Bible is established by the reader, not the author). Such a view allows each person to determine for themselves what is authorized in religion. However, this turns God into the author of confusion and chaos, which the Bible says He is not. “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 14:33).

The New Testament is not a nebulous love letter, saying one thing to one person and something different to another. Instead, it produces a singular pattern to be followed alike by all believers.

Paul commanded Timothy to “hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:13). The truth taught by Paul was a “pattern of sound words” to which Timothy was to “hold fast.”

The word pattern is translated from the Greek word hupotuposis. This is a compound word. The prefix hupo means “under.” The other part of the word, tupos, refers to a model for imitation or writing. It is likely that all of us have traced over something before to make an exact copy. This is the idea behind hupotuposis.

The “pattern of sound words” delivered by Paul and the other apostles are not a rough outline, leaving believers to fill in the details as we see fit. These sound words are a complete form or model which we must trace over and copy perfectly in our personal beliefs and practices.

— Via Articles from the Knollwood church of Christ, October 2022

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Exodus 25:8-9

“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it” (NASB).

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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

1) Hear the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31).

2) Believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).

3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).

4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).

5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…

6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).

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Wednesday: 7 p.m. for Bible Classes

The Gospel Observer

October 9, 2022 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) “But If Not” (Kyle Pope)
2) Give Glory to God (Joe R. Price)
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“But If Not”

Kyle Pope

During the Babylonian Exile, a trial of faith came upon three of the young Israelites who had been carried off from their homeland by Nebuchadnezzar. In his idolatrous arrogance he had set up a golden image sixty cubits high on the plain of Dura, near Babylon (Dan. 3:1). The king commanded all of his people and the nations he had subjugated to “fall down and worship” the image at the sound of a musical call to worship (Dan. 3:4-5). It is unclear if this image represented a Babylonian false god, a symbol of national grandeur, or perhaps even Nebuchadnezzar himself. Whatever the case, the penalty for failing to worship this image was severe. Violators of this order were to be “cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace” (Dan. 3:6, NKJV). In many ancient cultures, compulsion to worship the king or deities and symbols tied to national identity was a common requirement of conquered peoples. In the late first century, the refusal of Christians to burn incense to Caesar and proclaim, “Hail Caesar” led many men and women of faith in Christ to their deaths. This likely is part of what John spoke of as worshipping “the beast and his image” (Rev. 14:9, 11). In the case of Rome, as was likely the case with Nebuchadnezzar, this was not so much about religious faith as it was about political loyalty. Those who showed reverence for the symbols of the ruling authority would likely remain loyal to the one in power.

For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, three Israelite exiles—like Christians of the late first century and early second century, to bow before an image was more than simply showing political loyalty. Mosaic Law taught:

“You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God” (Exod. 20:3-5a).

In His own temptation by Satan, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:13 declaring, “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Matt. 4:10). To bow before an image would violate the command of God. Thus, for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, in spite of the fact that they had attained high positions “over the affairs of the province of Babylon” (Dan. 3:12a), their refusal to worship the image was seen as an insult and as an act of rebellion to the king himself. The accusation was made that in this refusal, “these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up” (Dan. 3:12b).

Upon learning this, Nebuchadnezzar was enraged (Dan. 3:13a), but oddly enough he does not have them “cast immediately” into the fiery furnace, as his own decree had demanded. He actually commands them to be brought before him to question them in order to verify the truth of the accusation (Dan. 3:13b). This likely showed the esteem he held for these men, who had already distinguished themselves earlier in their exile (see Dan. 1:1-21). His interrogation carried with it what surely would have seemed like a generous offer to his fellow Babylonians. First, he asked if the accusation was true (Dan. 3:14). Yet, before they could even answer, he extended a second chance to them to “fall down and worship the image” (Dan. 3:15a). However, with this second chance, he adds a warning that strikes at the heart of his own idolatrous arrogance as well as the reason these faithful men could not worship this image. He warns, “But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” (Dan. 3:15b).

The very reason Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego could not worship a false god was because they knew the true God who held the power to “deliver” them from the hands of a mere mortal. It is this faith that led them to respond courageously, and I would like for us to focus on their brave response. First, they tell him, “we have no need to answer you in this matter” (Dan. 3:16). They didn’t wait until the hour of testing to make up their minds about their loyalties. Like Paul, they knew the one in whom they believed and were confident in His power of deliverance (cf. 2 Tim. 1:12). So, they tell the king, “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king” (Dan. 3:17).

We might imagine from these words that these men, as they had with Daniel earlier in the book (cf. Dan. 2:1-49), had been given some prophetic insight into the future. But Scripture does not tell us that such a revelation was given to them. In fact, their next words make it clear this was not the case. They were not speaking from prophetic foreknowledge. They were demonstrating a faith in God’s ability and power. They say God “is able to deliver them” adding their firm hope that “He will deliver us.” Yet they then go on to say, “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Dan. 3:18).

Most of us know the rest of the story. They are cast into the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:19-23), God delivers them (Dan. 3:24-27), and Nebuchadnezzar actually praises God, punishes their accusers, and promotes them to higher positions than they held before (Dan. 3:28-30). But let’s consider some things their bold response should teach us.

1. It isn’t wrong to imagine that faith in God will produce certain conditions in our lives. If it had been revealed to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego that God would definitely deliver them from the furnace it would have been meaningless to tell the king “but if not . . . .” These words tell us that their confidence in telling Nebuchadnezzar, “He will deliver us from your hand” was based on their trust, hope, and assurance of God’s power—not their absolute certainty. We often face hardships and trials and in our trust in God foresee exactly how we imagine God will deliver us from them. Like these men, we don’t know the future by revelation, but it isn’t wrong to trust in God’s power to carry us through. Peter taught that you should cast “all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). But we must also recognize . . .

2. Faith in God doesn’t guarantee that what we know God can do, He necessarily will do. If God had not delivered these men, would it have changed the fact that God is still the only true and living God? No. God didn’t keep Abel from being killed or Stephen from being stoned, but that didn’t change God’s existence or power. John taught, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14). How important it is for us to recognize of God: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD” (Isa. 55:8). This is why we must see that . . .

3. True faith means we trust God even if the conditions He allows are different from what we expected. These men’s faith was not shown merely in the recognition and hope that God could deliver them, but even more so in the bold declaration, “but if not” their obedience to Him would not change. It’s easy to serve God when every trial we face is brought to a happy resolution, but the real question is will we continue to serve God even if His deliverance is different than we had hoped for? Far too often, we put ourselves in the place of God and imagine “if there really is a God, here is what He will do!” When things turn out differently, we ask, “Where is God?” Or, “If there really is a God, why didn’t He act?” How important it is for us to have the kind of confidence shown by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. We serve a God who can, and often does deliver us from life’s trials. The greatest deliverance He will one day grant is redemption from sin and death unto eternal life. Yet may we have the kind of faith—as we hope for certain types of deliverance—to say with confidence, “But if not, let it be known” to all “we do not serve” the gods of this world! We will serve God no matter what!

— Via Faithful Sayings, Volume 24, Issue 40, October 2, 2022

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Give Glory to God

Joe R. Price

7 Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. 8 Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts. 9 Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth (Psalm 96:7–9, NKJV).

Psalm 96 is a call to worship the Lord God because “He is coming to judge the earth” (Ps. 96:13). He is sovereign over every kingdom of earth and over every family of people who inhabit it.

People of every nation are called on to attribute to the one true God the glory and strength by which He reigns, provides, and judges us all. Worship is about honoring God, not ourselves (v. 8).

We must bring our offerings into His presence with holiness and reverence. Jesus teaches us to worship God “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). His gospel reveals the offerings of praise that God accepts (Acts 2:42). These offerings consist of the Lord’s Supper, praying, singing, giving, and teaching God’s word (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 14:15, 26; 16:1-2; Eph. 5:19).

The Old Testament repeatedly teaches God will not accept whatever we decide to give Him as worship, but that which He instructs us to give Him in worship. From Cain and Abel to Nadab and Abihu, from King Saul to King Uzziah and more, we learn God only accepts worship from hearts that reverently offer Him the worship He commands.

Let us give God the homage He is due. May we ever come before God with praise and adoration from hearts that fear Him and with lives devoted to holiness.

— Via Viewpoint from the Valley Grove church of Christ, June 19, 2022

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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 (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; Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-27; Col. 2:12; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:27). And 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. 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, 10 a.m. Worship
Every first Sunday of the month: 5 p.m. Song Service
Wednesday: 7 p.m. Bible classes

evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com

https://thomastedwards.com/go (older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990)

The Gospel Observer

October 2, 2022 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Proper Prescription (Irvin Himmel)
2) The Holy Spirit and Illumination (Joe R. Price)
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Proper Prescription

Irvin Himmel

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones (Prov. 17:22).

This proverb, like many others, draws a contrast. The difference is between a merry heart and a broken spirit. The former does good; the latter is detrimental.

Merry Heart

The heart under consideration is not the physical organ that pumps the blood. The heart which is brought into focus here is the mind – the heart which thinks, reasons, understands, purposes, and has emotions.

One’s heart is the center of his life. The tone of the heart (thoughts and attitudes) affects the whole life. If it is a merry heart, there is joy, cheerfulness, and pleasantness present. A cheerful outlook relates to the manner in which problems are handled, how well one does in his work, and the ability to get along with people.

A number of factors contribute to a joyful heart. The following are significant:

1. Peace with God. The heart may seem merry due to laughter and humor, fun and jovial conversation. However, there can be no deep spiritual joy in the heart without favor with God. The gospel of Christ is God’s remedy for sin and guilt. It shows us how to have peace with God. It reveals the way of salvation. One who has submitted to Christ through obedience to the gospel has good reason for true joy. To the saints at Colosse, Paul wrote, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Col. 3:15).

2. Strong Faith. The New Testament teaches us to walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7). The child of God is given assurance of all things for which he is taught to hope by faith. And faith gives conviction of things in the unseen realm (Heb. 11:1). The joy that we have in Christ grows out of strong faith. Paul wrote to the Philippians about the “joy of faith” (Phil. 1:25). Many who profess religion have no real joy in their hearts because they are so weak in faith.

3. Active Service. Joy comes to the heart of the Christian who participates actively in the Lord’s work. There is diligence in Bible study, regularity in prayer, faithfulness in assembling with the brethren, earnestness in doing good, carefulness in righteous conduct, and unselfishness in service. The joy produced by this active participation is the delight of faith in action.

4. Contentment. Paul wrote, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Phil. 4:11). Again he mentioned that “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim. 5:6). The person with a merry heart has learned to make the best of his situation, whatever his circumstances.

A merry or joyful heart does good like a medicine which is just the right prescription. A cheerful disposition is a valuable asset.

Broken Spirit

A broken spirit has the opposite effect of a merry heart. It dries up the bones, which is a way of saying that it saps life and paralyzes hope.

“The spirit is the power of self-consciousness which, according as it is lifted up or broken, also lifts up or breaks down the condition of the body” (F. Delitzsch).

There is a definite relationship between one’s mental attitude and his bodily health. Many illnesses are not due to organic causes at all. “They are the results of our attitudes rather than the ills of the body. . . A person who always dwells on the negative aspects is a pessimistic person in all he does and thinks. However, it is foolish to attribute all ills to ‘a broken spirit.’ A broken arm is a broken arm despite any mental attitude you may have about it. Any amount of thinking will not replace a good cast. But the merry heart not only prevents many problems, it also helps to cure them” (Chas. W. Turner).

The following are some of the causes of a crushed spirit:

1. Bringing the future into the present. We need to learn to live one day at a time. Jesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34, NASB).

2. Burden of guilt. An individual who feels the heavy weight of sin pressing down on his soul may be broken in spirit. He needs to turn to the Lord for forgiveness.

3. Gloom. Some folks live on despair and misery. They make others around them miserable. They always look on the dark side of things. In gloom there is no merit. Dejection and melancholy break the human spirit.

“Nothing has such a direct tendency to ruin health and waste our life as grief, anxiety, fretfulness, bad tempers, etc.” (A. Clarke).

— Via Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 2, p. 45, January 18, 1990 https://www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume34/GOT034020.html

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The Holy Spirit and Illumination

Joe R. Price

Many people believe in the doctrine of “illumination” as part of the Holy Spirit’s work. Christians are being given false assurances that the Holy Spirit personally guides and influences them apart from the word He revealed.

“Illumination is the Holy Spirit’s work as he enlightens the human mind with spiritual understanding in order that man might grasp the revealed truth…The Spirit still illumines the mind and heart of every serious student of God’s Word so that he may discover truths hitherto unknown to him” (Hershel Hobbs, The Baptist Faith and Message, page 21).

This doctrine says we can understand the Scriptures only as the Holy Spirit enlightens our minds with understanding. It asserts (but does not prove from Scripture) the Holy Spirit leads a person to understand the Bible in a personal and individual way separate from the Scriptures. (Jesus repeatedly said, “Have you not read?” not, “Have you not been illuminated by the Holy Spirit?”) This Calvinistic doctrine of illumination is deemed essential before you can even understand Scripture because (according to that collection of error) you are totally depraved and incapable of anything good without it.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also teach an “illumination” doctrine. As a Mormon friend put it, “It is my contention that Timothy could not have ‘rightly divided the word of truth’ without revelation through the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Alma Allred, Allred-Price Exchange on the Nature of Revelation). Mormonism teaches one must receive a personal revelation from the Holy Spirit to understand God’s written revelation.

Both of these approaches to understanding Scripture makes God responsible for either “enlightening” a person or keeping that person “in the dark.” The person’s role in learning truth is minimized and a false hope is fostered as people are urged to expect personal guidance from the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit’s work of helping people know God’s truth is accomplished by (1) The truth He revealed (John 16:13; Gal. 1:12), (2) The truth He miraculous validated (Mark 16:20; 1 Cor. 2:4-5; Heb. 2:3-4), and (3) The truth He inspired that was preached to the world (Col. 1:5-6, 23; 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Tim. 3:16). He continues His work through the Scriptures today. No Scripture teaches a separate function of “illumination” by the Holy Spirit before one can understand the Bible.

Illumination comes as we are educated in God’s word. This is how we gain knowledge and understanding of His will. God expects us to educate ourselves and be led by the Spirit by hearing, receiving, studying, and learning His word (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31; 2 Tim. 2:15; Acts 17:11-12; Eph. 3:3-4; Neh. 8:8).

You can understand the Bible. God wants us to educate ourselves in His word so we will obey Him in faith and be blessed (Matt. 7:24-27; James 1:25). Do not wait for some additional “illumination” from the Holy Spirit. Follow the illumination of God’s word and you will walk in the light (Psalm 119: 105; 1 John 1:5-7).

— Via The Spirit’s Sword, Volume 24, Number 13, May 1, 2022

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“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:16-17, NASB).

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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501

Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service. We also have a Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. for Bible Classes

The Gospel Observer

September 25, 2022 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Paul’s Motivation (Aude McKee)
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Paul’s Motivation

Aude McKee

For some time I have been considering the motivations of Paul’s life. Probably no person suffered more for the cause of Christ, than did he; and few, if any, have surpassed him in devotion and commitment. What made him different from so many of us today? What did he have that lots of us lack?

The word “motivate” means “to stimulate to action; provide with an incentive or motive; impel, incite.” The word “motivation” is defined as “an incentive, inducement or motive, especially for an act.” The same act may be motivated differently in different people. One man buys a new automobile because his old one is worn out. His motive is need. A second man feels he can save money by getting rid of the old car before it begins to cost him for repairs, so his motivation is economics. A third man sees a shiny new model in his neighbor’s driveway, and he trades out of pride. Two men might outwardly be equally committed to the Lord, but because of entirely different reasons. The first views the church as an institution in which he takes pride. He wants it to grow, surpass others in the area, etc., because it is “his church.” The other man is equally faithful and works just as hard, but all he does comes from a heart filled with love for the Lord and the salvation of souls. The first man may see his zeal cool, his attendance slacken, and his work retarded if things don’t go to suit him. If his favorite preacher moves or problems arise, his motivation may be gone. But the second man is stable and unwavering. His faithfulness is not tied to any man, or program. Externals don’t affect his relationship to the Lord or the fact that he lives in a world of dying, lost people.

Some Things Which Did Not Motivate Paul

Now let us notice three things of a negative nature about Paul’s motivations. First, he never did anything out of spite or ill will. In Phil. 1, we learn that some were preaching Christ in order to add affliction to Paul’s bonds (vv. 12-18). Certainly Paul did not defend the motive of those wicked men, but he rejoiced that Christ was being preached. Second, he never obeyed the Lord simply because it was convenient. Paul was a wealthy, well-educated and prominent member of the Pharisee sect, but from the day he met the Lord on the road to Damascus until the day he died in a Roman prison, he was continually faced with doing the inconvenient. When he learned the truth from the lips of Ananias, “he arose and was baptized.” But that meant turning his back on his cronies with whom he had labored to destroy the Lord’s church, and as soon as the news got out, he probably could count his friends on the fingers of one hand. The religion that he and his ancestors had held dear was put behind him because he began preaching that the law was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14), that Jesus is the Son of God (1 Cor. 1:2), and that He not only died on the cross but He was raised from the dead (1 Cor. 15:14). And third, Paul was not motivated by the new and the novel. He wasn’t on fire one day and dead as a mackerel the next. Day after day of hard work, very little of this world’s goods, persecution, hardship, and the danger of death were his lot in life. But in the face of all this, he could write, “Be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).

Motivated By Gratitude

What motivated Paul? For one thing, he was motivated by gratitude. On one occasion he wrote, “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am…” (1 Cor. 15:9-10). He never forgot what he had been and what he was able to become because of God’s mercy and grace. I think that sometimes many of us feel we were pretty good before we obeyed the gospel — sort of like Simon in Lk. 7:36-48 — and our gratitude simmers on low heat. If we could get a glimpse of the horrors of hell that we would have suffered had it not been for God’s forgiveness, we might be capable of a deeper sense of gratitude. How thankful we need to be every day of our lives!

Motivated By Trust In Jesus

Another thing that motivated Paul was his faith and trust in the Lord. In 2 Tim. 1:12, he said, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” To the Galatians he made an unusual statement: “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). There is probably nothing that will rob a person of his zeal any quicker and more effectively than doubts. How could a person serve the Lord faithfully and make sacrifices gladly, if he is not sure that the one he serves is for real? When John the Baptist was in prison, he was afflicted with this problem of doubt, but Jesus laid it to rest. He told the two disciples John had sent, to go and tell John again what they were hearing and seeing. “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them” (Matt. 11:2-5). I doubt Paul ever doubted for a moment, but if we suffer from the problem, the answer lies in more investigation of the evidences of our Lord’s divinity (Rom. 10:17).

Motivated By Desire To Save The Lost

A third thing that motivated Paul was his deep desire to see lost people saved. In 2 Tim. 2:10, he told this young man he loved so dearly, one of the secrets behind the sacrifices he made. “I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” Again, regarding his Jewish brethren (in the flesh), he said, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Rom. 10:1). One chapter back, he made an amazing statement when he said he would be willing to be lost himself if his Jewish kinsmen could be saved! If we could arrive to the point of spiritual development where we see our neighbor as a person on his way to hell, instead of a good fellow who is a little mixed up in his religion, it would revolutionize our conduct. I have read that Henry Ward Beecher would occasionally say, as he preached before an audience of thousands, “I preach as a dying man to dying men and women.” May God help us to increase our concern for the souls of dying men and women.

Motivated By The Unseen

Paul was also motivated by his ability to see the unseen. In 2 Cor. 4:8-9, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” How could he keep on keeping on under such circumstances? “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal” (vv. 16-18). Paul could see his eternal spirit as clearly as others of us can see our hands or feet. He could experience the second coming of Christ as though it had already happened, and heaven and hell were as real to Paul as Corinth or Antioch. When we are spasmodic in our attendance, neglectful of our responsibilities, and hesitant to make sacrifices, it could be that our spiritual eyesight is at fault. We need, like Paul, to keep our eyes on the unseen instead of putting so much emphasis on this world.

Conclusion

I have been around for a considerable number of years, and back in my boyhood days a lot of people got their water from a well with a “pitcher pump” device to draw the water. As I recall, those things had to be primed every time you used them. They weren’t on “go” when the need existed. But other people more fortunate had a spring close by and the water ran all the time. Paul was not a fellow who had to be “primed.” He did not need to be pumped to get him started. He was more like a spring with internal motivation that “forced” him to worship, to preach the gospel, to break out in prayer and song even in the midst of trying circumstances. I grew up in a country congregation in western Indiana. The lighting system in the building was unique. In the rear of the building was a tank of gasoline with an air pump attached. Pipes ran from this tank to one or two drop lights with mantles like our gasoline lanterns today. But the system was not designed to run for an hour, and so about half-way through services, Woodford Neal would go to the rear, pump for a few minutes, and then the dim lights would be bright again. When we find ourselves in need of “pumping up,” the fault is not in the Lord but in us. We are surrounded every hour of every day by the goodness of God. “Every good and perfect gift cometh down from above” (James 1:17). In Christ Jesus we have access to all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3). Gratitude ought to be ever-present in our hearts. Too, we are surrounded every day by lost people and “into our hands the gospel has been given.” Under such circumstances our work of preaching and teaching ought never to slacken. It is true that God’s word adequately supplies us with evidences that will cause us to grow in faith and trust. As we act on our faith day by day, our trust will deepen as the Lord’s promises are fulfilled in our own lives. Finally, we are caused to be more consistent in our service to our Lord as we learn to keep our eyes on things that transcend this earth and this life.

— Via Viewpoint from the Valley Grove church of Christ, May 23, 2021

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Romans 15:13

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

— NASB

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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

1) Hear the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31).

2) Believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).

3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).

4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).

5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…

6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501

Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service. We also have a Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. for Bible Classes

The Gospel Observer

September 18, 2022 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) The Grace of God That Brings Salvation (Irvin Himmel)
2) “Let Us Also…” (Jarrod Jacobs)
3) Living for Jesus (video sermon, Tom Edwards)
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The Grace of God That Brings Salvation

Irvin Himmel

Nothing is more clearly revealed in the Scriptures than our dependence on God’s grace for redemption. Paul said to the saints at Ephesus, “by grace are ye saved” (Eph. 2:5). Everyone who is permitted to enter heaven will be there by grace.

Today there are teachers, even in the church, who have warped conceptions of grace. Some seem to feel that grace is the big “cover-up” for whatever they want to allow that is not taught in the Bible. There is endless speculation about what grace may do. Having no desire to join the ranks of the conjecturers, I offer the following facts revealed in God’s word.

1. Grace does not circumvent Jesus Christ. It is folly to imagine that God’s saving grace may somehow take a circuitous route that by-passes Jesus Christ. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). God demonstrated His loving-kindness for sinful man in the gift of His Son. In Christ “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). Saving grace is found in Jesus, not out of Him. Paul said to the Corinthian Christians, “I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:4). The grace that saves comes to man by or through, not apart from, Jesus Christ.

2. Grace does not ignore the Gospel. The good news of justification through Christ is referred to as “the gospel of the grace of God” and “the word of his grace” (Acts 20:24, 32). To preach the gospel is to distribute saving grace. The saints at Colosse were reminded of “the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth” (Col. 1:5,6). It was not until the gospel was preached in Antioch that people turned to the Lord and the grace of God was “seen” in that locality (Acts 11: 19-23).

3. Grace does not permit access apart from faith. “Access” is that which gives admittance, entrance, or introduction. One must show faith in Jesus Christ in order to gain access into saving grace. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:1,2). Since faith comes by hearing God’s word (Rom. 10:17), one must hear the gospel to enter God’s favor. “For by grace are ye saved through faith . . .” (Eph. 2:8). God provides salvation through undeserved favor; man accepts that provision of grace by means of faith.

4. Grace does not rule against baptism for the remission of sins. The faith which gives access into grace is active trust-confidence expressed in cheerful obedience. God requires that we show faith by being baptized, and that demonstration of faith is unto the remission of sins. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead” (Col. 2:12). Peter preached repentance and baptism “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). But he acknowledged that it is “through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” that we shall be saved (Acts 15:11). Salvation by grace requires faith, and faith requires baptism unto the forgiveness of sins.

5. Grace does not give license to sin. The law of Moses was given to show the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Under the law sin abounded. “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. . . ” (Rom. 5:20). Does this mean that the more men sin, the more grace will be shown? Or, as Paul worded the question, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” He answered, “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:1,2). The triumph of God’s grace over sin is not to be interpreted as a license for the Christian to indulge in unrighteousness. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Rom. 6:12). “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly . . .” (Tit. 2:11,12).

6. Grace does not offer unconditional security. Just as our entrance into saving grace is conditioned on our willingness to show faith in Jesus Christ, our remaining in that grace is conditioned on our willingness to continue in faith. The Hebrew writer warns us that one may “fail” or “come short” of the grace of God (Heb. 2:15). The Galatians were called “into the grace of Christ” but afterward accepted false teaching that “removed” them (Gal. 1:6,7). Paul wrote to them, “ye are fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4). This explodes the theory of once in grace, always in grace.

7. Grace does not save on the basis of human merit. The Bible sometimes uses the word “work” to convey the thought of activity that earns, or effort that deserves reward. In this sense Paul used the word when he wrote, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt” (Rom. 4:4). Our salvation is based on faith, not something earned or deserved, “that it might be by grace” (Rom. 4:16). This is why boasting is excluded. “Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:9). Actions in exercise of faith are sometimes called “works” (James 2:24), but they are not in the category of efforts that earn or merit. No man deserves salvation. God’s grace saves and shows our inability to reach heaven by our own might, ingenuity, or deserving. God owes us nothing; we owe Him everything.

I have used this negative approach to show some of the revealed limitations which God places on grace. Hopefully, this will point out that God’s saving grace is not a mystical catch-all for whatever odds and ends the speculators in theology may wish to conceal. And let us stay with revelation, giving no honor to speculation.

— Via Truth Magazine, XVIII:8, p. 2, December 20, 1973,
https://www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume18/TM018057.html

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-2-

“Let Us Also…”

Jarrod Jacobs

In Hebrews 12:1, we read the statement that draws Hebrews 11 to its conclusion. By my count, I found at least 20 distinct instances (but more than 20 people!) of those God says were living by faith. After listing these, the statement is made, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1). What can we learn from this statement, and specifically, those three words, “Let us also” ?

“Let us also” means that those reading this letter are included in what was said in the previous chapter. In other words, the Holy Spirit is saying that after reading the examples of these “great faith heroes,” then let everyone reading this letter do the same.

Let us also …

. . . “Lay aside every weight” (Heb. 12:1). What does this mean? It means we have to let go of things that are holding us back from growing as we should (II Pet. 3:18). It means letting go of things that we know are keeping us from a right relationship with God! In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said to pluck out an eye or cut off an appendage if these things cause us to offend (sin) in Matthew 5:29-30. No, Christ was not teaching self-mutilation. Rather, His point was the same point made in Hebrews 12:1 — lay aside the weights keeping us from living right. This could be grudges, sinful habits, or any number of things. Let them go so you can run the race!

. . . Lay aside every “sin” that besets us (Heb. 12:1). The word “beset” means to cling, or stand close by. What sins “cling” to us? Lay all those aside! To what sins do we return often? Is it lying? Is it cursing? What? Lay those things aside and leave them! Paul gave us a remedy for sins which beset (cling to) us in Romans 13:14 when he reminds us to not “make provision” for the flesh to fulfill its lust. Lay it aside!

. . . “Run . . . the race set before us” (Heb. 12:1). Our race needs to be run with endurance (patience). In other words, we have to run with the view of the future, and not just the immediate. When (not if!) we fall (Rom. 3:23; I Jn. 1:7-10), we must get up again! Those of old had to do this (see: Heb. 11), and so must we!

. . . “Look to Jesus” (Heb. 12:2). He is the origin and completion of our faith! Just think, even those in Old Testament days were aware of the promised Messiah and they looked forward to His coming (Jn. 8:56; Heb. 11:26; I Pet. 1:10-12). We now look to the Resurrected Messiah, knowing of His life, death, burial, and resurrection (I Cor. 15:1-11). We now look to Him and walk in His footsteps (I Pet. 2:21; I Cor. 11:1).

“Let us also” (Heb. 12:1) means we are included in this text of Hebrews 11-12. Do the things those faith heroes of old did! Live by faith! When we do, we will be blessed as they were, and be people of faith as they were. Are you doing this? If not, why not? We can do it!

— Via Viewpoint from the Valley Grove church of Christ, September 4, 2022

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-3-

Living for Jesus

Tom Edwards

For the video sermon with the above title, just click on this following link:

https://thomastedwards.com/wordpress/Living_for_Jesus.mp4

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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).
——————–

Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501

Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service. We also have a Congregational Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. for Bible Classes

The Gospel Observer

September 11, 2022 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) “The Winds and the Waves Obey Him” (Luke 8:22-25) (Wayne Walker)
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-1-

“The Winds and the Waves Obey Him”

Luke 8:22-25

Wayne Walker

During His short earthly ministry, Jesus performed many miracles. He healed the sick, cast out demons, and even raised the dead. However, next to raising the dead, one of the most spectacular of these miracles has to be His stilling of the tempest in Luke 8:22-25. I have never been through a hurricane or even a tornado, although I have experienced some fairly severe thunderstorms. But can you imagine during just such a storm what would happen if you and I stepped out, raised our arms to heaven, and said, “Peace, be still!”? Very likely, nothing would happen. But Jesus did exactly that, and the raging immediately stopped. The purpose of Jesus’ miracles was to produce faith in Him by confirming His message as being from God. Sometimes they were done for the benefit of the multitudes, but other times primarily for the apostles, as it obviously must have been in this case. Notice their reaction: “Who can this be? For He commands even the wind and the water, and they obey Him?” (verse 25). Yet, the Bible also says that these miracles were recorded so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. At the same time, there are some other applications that we might make of this account to our lives.

The Storm

We see the storm arise in verse 23. Such wind storms are very common on the Sea of Galilee. Their suddenness and fierceness were very troublesome to those who worked and traveled on the sea. This reminds us that, “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). Just as the disciples found themselves in the midst of a terrible storm, so we often face stormy trials and tribulations in life.

Some of these storms are just the natural result of living on this sin-cursed earth. We may experience problems of physical health, as Paul did in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. We will likely have to deal with the sorrow caused by the deaths of loved ones, as did Mary and Martha when their brother Lazarus died in John 11:17-35. And we may even suffer financial difficulties, as Lazarus in the story that Jesus told in Luke 16:19-21.

Some of our storms that we face in life are the direct result of our faith as opposed by evil people, as did the apostles in Acts 5:40-42. “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3.12). At the same time, some of our storms may be the result of our own bad choices, mistakes, and sins. In 2 Samuel 12:9-14, David was told that he would suffer greatly as a result of his committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband killed. David repented of his sin and was forgiven, but he still had to come through many storms as a consequence of his behavior. Whatever their cause, we can allow our storms either to make us bitter or make us better.

Anxiety

We see anxiety in verse 24. The storm created a situation where the apostles were in danger of drowning, and this produced anxiety in their minds. “Master, Master, we are perishing!” In like manner, the various storms that we face in life have the potential of causing anxiety or worry in our minds as well. Jesus warned about those who would allow the word to be choked by the cares of this life (Luke 8:14). How can we learn to cope with such anxieties as they arise? To begin, we must learn to trust in God no matter what (Matthew 6:25-34). Even when it may seem that we lack even food and clothing, we must remember that God cares for us and will provide. This is not always an easy thing to do, but putting our lives completely in the hands of almighty God will help to cut down on worry.

Next, we can learn from the example of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). While Martha’s worry may have been due to a different situation much different from the apostles’ on the sea, still it was very real to her. This account reminds us that one thing we need to do in dealing with our anxieties is to put the most important things first in our lives. One other thing that we can do about anxiety is to pray. “Be anxious in nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

“Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer.” The reason why prayer is such an effective antidote to anxiety is that “…The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).

Peace

We see peace in verse 25. The apostles were facing a storm on the sea which created great anxiety in their hearts. However, when they came to Jesus they found peace. In fact, Jesus came to bring peace to mankind. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). Yet, before we can have peace in our own lives, we need to make sure that we are at peace with God. Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). When there is sin in our lives, we can never really be at peace; therefore, we need to obtain remission of sins (Matthew 26:28, Acts 2:38). Then, having been justified by faith, we can have peace with God (Romans 5:1). Then, we need to seek peace with others too. When I know that there is a problem between some other person and myself, it is hard for me to be at peace, so I should do whatever I can to correct it (Matthew 5:23-26, 18:15-17). Of course, we cannot control how others will respond to our efforts, but Paul tells us, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:17). And especially among our brethren we should “pursue the things which make for peace” (Romans 14:19). Then, when we know that we are right with God and have done everything in our power to make things right with others, we can be assured that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Such peace is not the absence of conflict, because we shall have that as long as we are in this world. Rather, it is an attitude of equanimity that will sustain us even during the conflicts that we face.

Conclusion

Sometime before 1874, Mary Ann Baker had lost both her parents to a terrible disease. Then her beloved brother became ill with the same disease and left their home in Chicago, IL, to seek healing in a warmer climate. Yet, he grew worse; and Mary Ann, who became ill and bedfast herself, could not go to him nor do anything to help him. So when she received word that he had died, she turned away from God in anger.

However, after a while, her heart softened and her childhood faith returned to transform her from a rebellious woman to a more loving one. It was then that she wrote the following words, based on this story of Jesus but reflecting her own experience:

“Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness,
No shelter or help is nigh;
Carest Thou not that we perish?
How canst Thou lie asleep,
When each moment so madly is threatening
A grave in the angry deep?”

The answer that she learned and shared with others in this wonderful song is:

“The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will,
Peace, be still!
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea,
Or demons or men, or whatever it be,
No water can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
Peace, peace be still.”

We shall all have to deal with such storms in our lives. We can either face them with God’s help to overcome or without it to be overcome. To have the peace of God that will keep our hearts and minds through these storms, we need to obey the gospel that we might be saved from our sins and then strive to be faithful to the Lord all the days of our lives.

— via Expository Files 10.2, February, 2003

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“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3, NASB).

——————–

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).
——————–

Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501

Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service. We also have a Congregational Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. for Bible Classes

Kingdom Growth

(Mark 4:26-29)

Truth and Error: How to Tell the Difference

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Seeing God within Me

The God of the Bible

“Some Do Not Have the Knowledge of God”

“God’s Fellow Workers”

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

“What Mary Could Not Do”

“Just as I Am”

Ezekiel 33:11

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

“What Shall I Do With Jesus?”

Can Any Good Thing Come From Nazareth?

John 1:45-46

1 Samuel 16:7

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Holding onto “God’s Unchanging Hand”

Sources

Patterns

Exodus 25:8-9

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

“But If Not”

Give Glory to God

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Proper Prescription

Merry Heart

Broken Spirit

The Holy Spirit and Illumination

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Paul’s Motivation

Some Things Which Did Not Motivate Paul

Motivated By Gratitude

Motivated By Trust In Jesus

Motivated By Desire To Save The Lost

Motivated By The Unseen

Conclusion

Romans 15:13

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

The Grace of God That Brings Salvation

“Let Us Also…”

Living for Jesus

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

“The Winds and the Waves Obey Him”

Luke 8:22-25

The Storm

Anxiety

Peace

Conclusion

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

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