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The Gospel Observer

May 21, 2023 / 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) “Not Dead, But Sleeping” (Kyle Pope)
2) Sword Tips #13 (Joe R. Price)
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“Not Dead, But Sleeping”

Kyle Pope

While Jesus was upon the earth the gospel of Matthew records a powerful statement He made just prior to raising a young girl from the dead. Her father came to Jesus declaring, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live” (Matt. 9:18, NKJV). As Jesus went to the house where the little girl’s body lay there was a crowd of people mourning for her. The text tells us, “He said to them, ‘Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him” (Matt. 9:24). A profound doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ is articulated with these words. Jesus teaches us that death is not the end—it is merely sleep.

This truth runs throughout Scripture, but it is especially clear in Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica. Near the end of the epistle Paul writes, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13). Like the crowd mourning the little girl, death brings sorrow to the family and friends of those who pass away. But like Jesus, Paul says those who die are not gone—they have simply “fallen asleep.” Is Paul speaking metaphorically? Is he talking about sleep in some spiritual sense? No. The next verse connects it with Jesus’ death and resurrection. He writes, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thess. 4:14). Paul says the physical death and bodily resurrection of Jesus served as evidence that informs us about our own nature. The fact that He lived again after death foreshadows the promise that when He returns He will “bring with Him” those described as those who “sleep in Jesus.”

Again, Paul isn’t talking about some spiritual “sleep.” This is contrasted with those who are physically alive. Paul continues, “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep” (1 Thess. 4:15). Those who “are asleep” are not those who are physically “alive and remain”—those who “sleep in Jesus” have died physically. Will they miss out on the blessings of the Lord’s return? No. When Jesus returns the dead will return also. But, in what sense will Christ bring them “with Him” when He returns? Paul continues, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thess. 4:16). The “dead in Christ” are those who “sleep in Jesus.” How will He bring them “with Him” when He comes? They will “rise first.” Is Paul talking about some type of spiritual resurrection? No. Nothing about Jesus’ physical death and bodily resurrection relate to a spiritual resurrection or simply the revival of a cause. Paul, like Jesus, tells the saints in Thessalonica that their brothers and sisters in Christ who have died are “not dead” (in one sense) “but sleeping.”

The dead will not miss out. They are not gone. Their life is not extinguished. Paul continues, “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17). Those in Christ can look forward to a grand reunion with those who have passed away in Christ. The living, together with the “dead in Christ” who have risen will be “caught up together” to meet the Lord. The Bible doesn’t ever teach a concept of “The Rapture” (as the world teaches it), but at the Lord’s return His people with the resurrected saints will be “caught up” with “them in the air.” This is not describing events before some imagined earthly kingdom. It is not describing our fellowship with one another in the church. When this happens God’s people are promised a time when “we shall always be with the Lord.” In this life we can separate ourselves from fellowship with God at any time we choose to reject Him. That will not be the case in the age to come. Paul ends by urging them to “comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:18). What a comfort it is to know that though life may pass from our body we need not fear. When it happens we will not be “dead, but sleeping.”

In the next chapter, however, Paul uses the figure of sleep in a different way. After comforting the saints with a lesson on the Lord’s return and our own hope of resurrection he addresses the question of timing. When will all of this happen? He writes, “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2). Jesus used this wording in His discourse with His disciples on the Mount of Olives. After talking to them about the destruction of Jerusalem and His final coming, He warned, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matt. 24:42). He then compares it to a thief coming in the night (Matt. 24:43), concluding, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matt. 24:44). Paul cites the Lord’s very teaching in his words to those in Thessalonica. When will this happen? We don’t know—it’s like the coming of a “thief in the night.” Paul continues, “For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape” (1 Thess. 5:3). If we live our life imaging that all is “peace and safety” but never consider our accountability before God we are not following the Lord’s charge to “watch” and “be ready.” Paul urges Christians not to make that mistake. Christians must be “sons of the light” and “sons of the day”—not living “in darkness” lest this day over take us “as a thief” (1 Thess. 5:4-5). What are we doing if we don’t heed that advice? What is our condition if we are not ready? Paul writes, “Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thess. 5:6). In what sense does Paul say in this verse that some “sleep”? Is he talking about physical death? No. This is a charge not to sleep. The sleep of death is not a matter of choice. Paul is talking about those who are living, but who are unwilling to “watch and be sober.” They are not living their lives prepared to stand before God. In their blind unwillingness to be ready for the Lord’s return, they (in a different sense) are “not dead, but sleeping.”

What is your condition today? Perhaps you have avoided thinking about your own mortality not knowing what lies beyond this life. Jesus offers the only source of true comfort and assurance after death. To die in Christ is not a fearful thing. John wrote, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them’” (Rev. 14:13). If you are obedient to the gospel you need not fear. If death comes before the Lord’s return you can take comfort in the promise, you will not be “dead, but sleeping.” On the other hand, if you avoid preparing yourself for the Day of Judgment through fear or indifference, you may tell yourself you are truly living while stumbling through life with your eyes closed to its inevitable realities. In such a case you are “not dead, but sleeping” through the moments of life that the Lord has given you to prepare for His return. If so, we urge you “Wake up, O sleeper” don’t linger in the spiritual death of separation from God—“rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Eph. 5:14).

— Via Faithful Sayings, Volume 25, Issue 20, May 14, 2023
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“And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17).

Sword Tips #13

Joe R. Price

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (1 Peter 1:13-16)

Holy living is the result of holy thinking. Peter clearly tells us we must set our minds on the blessings we will receive when Jesus returns. By doing so we keep away from the lustful thinking and conduct in which we used to live before we became Christians. This helps us be obedient children who live holy lives.

You have control over your mind. You decide the thoughts, motives and intentions that drive your conduct and define who you are. So today, think about God’s holiness and let that motivate your decision to be holy. Determine to be like God. After all, God is your father. So, choose to be an obedient child. Put away the thinking and desires of the world and set your mind on the eternal life your heavenly father will give you when Jesus returns. This will help you be equipped to live a holy life every day.
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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

May 14, 2023 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Devotion (Matthew Bassford)
2) Sword Tips #12 (Joe R. Price)
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PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Devotion

Matthew Bassford

Synopsis: Biblical examples of devotion challenge us to manifest love and loyalty, constancy and commitment—in worship, in service, and in suffering.
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Introduction

The transition from the old covenant to the new covenant is one of the most dramatic in the Bible, particularly in its implications for worship. Animal sacrifices of the Law of Moses have been replaced with the sacrifice of Christ and the Lord’s Supper under His law. Tithing has been superseded by giving as we are prospered. The instrumental music of the temple cult has given way to speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Nevertheless, these changes in form conceal a continuity in the heart that God wants to see from His worshipers. Decades of Bible-class generalizations to the contrary, even the Old Law never was about checking off worship boxes. Isaiah 1:10-15 reveals the lie to such mischaracterization! Instead, God expected the Israelites to come before Him, not merely with the outwardly correct form, but also with devoted hearts.

Indeed, these two things go together. Whenever anyone insists that their adherence to God’s worship commandments doesn’t matter because their heart is good, we should be deeply skeptical. If your heart is so good, why aren’t you determined to honor God through your obedience?

The converse is also true. If a worshiper only is concerned about form and doesn’t worship with heartfelt commitment, that lack of inward involvement inevitably will erode outward obedience. Tithing mint, dill, and cumin is no substitute for working justice, mercy and faithfulness!

God calls us to be devoted worshipers, inwardly, outwardly, intellectually, and emotionally. The One who has given everything for us expects us to give our all to Him. However, in this pursuit, He does not leave us without guidance. Rather, biblical examples of godly worshipers in all times teach us what devotion looks like.

The Devotion of David

One of the best examples of devoted worship in Scripture is the Israelite king David. Unsurprisingly, the man after God’s own heart revealed a heart for God in the way he praised Him. There are many texts, including half the Psalms, that reveal David’s devotion, but one of the most striking is his great prayer in 2 Samuel 7:18-29.

Contextually, this story begins with David’s misguided determination to build a permanent temple for God. God then uses the prophet Nathan to warn David away from this inappropriate if well-intentioned course (please note, by the way, that devoted worshipers do not continue in unauthorized worship once they realize it is unauthorized). David is not to build a house for God; instead, God will build a house for David. David’s lineage, kingdom, and throne all will endure forever.

This is a big deal! Any student of the Old Testament knows how important having descendants was to God’s old-covenant people. Now David knows that his line never will perish. Of course, this news is better than even David can understand fully (though he understood more than most) because it turns out to be a prophecy that his heir will be the Son of God.

In response to this unanticipated promise, David worships. However, the content of his worship is revealing. To use the language of John 4, he clearly is worshiping in spirit and in truth. He praises God emotionally, but his praise focuses in specific detail on the nature and character of God. He is deeply thankful, but does not express his thankfulness using a dozen repetitive thank-you’s. Instead, he thoughtfully explains why. Even 3000 years later, his prayer remains both enlightening and moving. All of us can say, along with him, “Who am I. . . that you have brought me this far?”

The Devotion of the Apostles

We see similar devotion expressed in the worship of the apostles in Acts 4:23-31. Like David, they are provoked to praise God, not by what God already has done, but by what He has promised. However, unlike David’s situation, their position seems considerably less promising.

The day previously, Peter and John had been doing the Lord’s work, healing the lame man and proclaiming the Christ. However, even though they had broken no laws, their good work led to their arrest, and a night spent in jail. The next morning, the high council of their people calls them to account for their “unauthorized” preaching. With the help of the Holy Spirit, Peter turns the Sanhedrin’s accusation around on them, but the confrontation ends with the same people who had killed Jesus threatening to harm the apostles also.

It is in the face of this threat that the apostles join in worship—exalting God’s power and noting that He had previously predicted the troubles they faced (Ps. 2). Yes, these wicked men killed the Anointed One, but in so doing, they only carried out God’s purpose.

The apostles then pray for boldness, but it is the unspoken rest of Psalm 2 that provides their motivation. In it, David reports that the nations will rise against the Messiah, but He will shatter them with a rod of iron. The Sanhedrin and their Roman overlords may seem menacing, but Christ will ultimately triumph.

The apostles’ behavior highlights another aspect of devotion. Their emotional, content-rich prayer shows that their whole selves are engaged, but they also are wholly focused on God. Their powerful enemies do not concern them. Only His power does. If we are as God-focused in our worship today, He will bless us as surely as He blessed them.

The Devotion of Job

God’s blessing should stir our devotion even when, and perhaps especially when, its presence is not obvious. Starting with the crucifixion of the Lord Himself, the Scripture records many episodes of the suffering of the faithful, but one of the most striking worship responses appears in Job 1:20-22. At this point, Job’s sufferings have not yet been completed, but he already has endured enough to bring any of us to our knees. This same day has seen the destruction not only of his fortune, but also of his children. I know what it’s like to lose one child. I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose all ten of them!

However, when Job falls to the ground, he does so in worship. His next words are surely among the most difficult to speak in the entire Bible. He says, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Later, Job calls God to account for what has happened to him (and God still does not charge him with sin), but his initial response is magnificent. It shows an incomplete understanding of what has befallen him (though God allowed his suffering, Satan directly caused his misery), but it also reveals a deep connection to God. Through all of Job’s tragedies, the name of the Lord continues to be blessed!

So too, our mind-and-heart connection to God in worship should not be severed by anything that happens to us in our lives, whether good (which is more of a problem than Americans think) or bad. Even on the worst day of our lives, He still deserves our praise, and if we will only seek, we will find all the reasons we need.

Conclusion

Worshiping with devotion is a difficult goal to achieve, but it’s an important one. From the beginning, the God who searches the hearts has wanted the hearts of His people to be lifted up to Him. The greatest heroes of faith are frequently great because of the greatness of their worship. If we too offer our entire selves wholly to God through all of our days, it will transform not only our worship but also our lives.

— Via Truth Magazine, Volume 65, No. 10, October 2021

https://truthmagazine.com/kindle/2021/2021-10-oct/05_Praise.htm
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“And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17).

Sword Tips #12

Joe R. Price

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Continually be thankful to God! The greatest blessing of all is the victory we have over sin and death through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sin has been utterly defeated by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Therefore:

1) Be thankful today for God’s grace, by which Jesus died for everyone and brought salvation to all who will believe and obey (Heb. 2:9; Titus 2:11).

2) Be thankful today that you have received God’s gift of salvation by your obedient faith to Christ (Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 5:8-9; Rom. 6:17-18).

Death has been utterly defeated by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. The empty tomb is a constant memorial to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God and that he has complete power over death (Rom. 1:4; Rev. 1:18). Therefore:

1) Be thankful today that death is no longer fearful – Jesus replaced the fear of death with confident hope (Heb. 2:14-15).

2) Be thankful today that death will be your doorway into eternal joy, peace and life (Phil. 1:21).

God gives you no greater blessing than victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ. Praise be to God!
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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

The Gospel Observer

May 7, 2023 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Resisting the Victim Mentality (Kyle Pope)
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Resisting the Victim Mentality

Kyle Pope

Why do we do certain things? What made us have the strengths or weaknesses we do? If I am not what I should be in some area of life, is it my choice and my responsibility? Or am I helpless to shape my own character, behavior, and disposition?

This world certainly has more than its share of horror stories about souls who have suffered the abuse, mistreatment, disrespect, and exploitation of life circumstances or treatment by others. Living through such pain leaves scars, wounds, and obstacles that may never go away. This can make the path to happiness, healthy attitudes, and righteous living far more elusive for these injured souls than for those who have not endured such nightmares. Far too many people can look back on such a dark history in their lives. These victims deserve our kindness, love, sympathy, gentleness, and patience. The Hebrew writer urges Christians to, “strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed” (Heb. 12:12-13, NKJV).

Unfortunately, there have been times when our world failed to acknowledge the importance of support for those who have suffered such horrid things. Victims were ignored, abuse was “swept under the rug,” and those who had faced such mistreatment were stigmatized and shamed if they openly acknowledged what they had endured. They were looked down upon if they sought help to overcome what they had been through. While this may still happen at times, the willingness to address these realities is making this neglect less common. Yet, with this increased spotlight on conditions people have had to endure, I fear our world now suffers from another extreme attitude. More and more, it has become fashionable for more and more people to present ourselves to those around us and in our own minds as victims. Has life truly become that much harder? Is there more mistreatment now than in the past? That doesn’t seem to be the case, but even so, in our world there is a growing push for everyone to see themselves as victims.

Why would people want to be viewed or view themselves as victims?

1. It garners sympathy. We like it when others look at us with care and compassion. If that doesn’t happen under normal conditions, we may come to relish painting ourselves in a light that draws attention, a listening ear, and the sympathetic encouragement that now comes to victims.

2. It gathers allies. Victims must have those who have victimized them. If we can make others support us and hate those by whom we feel victimized, we don’t have to suffer alone. Although we may not be able to return the mistreatment we have received, if we can turn others against those who have hurt us we can subtly destroy them and make ourselves feel better in the process.

3. It excuses personal responsibility. While even the worst abuse and mistreatment does not excuse wrongdoing, that’s not always how we view things. If my life circumstances are bad enough, or someone else’s behavior towards me has been bad enough, my misdeeds don’t look as bad. If I can see myself as a victim, I can rationalize away things I do that are wrong.

The problem is that when we allow ourselves to adopt this victim mindset it can lead to some unintended consequences.

1. It puts the focus all on us. Was the situation that made us feel abused one-sided? Are we the only one who felt pain? Was there nothing else going on in the world of any importance as we faced this experience? A victim mentality makes us forget everything else around us except how we feel; how things affect us. That can be a selfish, narrow, and shortsighted perspective.

2. It creates warring sides. As allies are gathered to support us, our adversaries are likely doing the same thing. Their allies view us as the enemy and grow to hate those who support us. This makes enemies of those who had nothing to do with the things that originally caused us pain. But it results in spreading our pain to increasing circles of supporters on opposite sides in this escalating conflict.

3. It can lead us to excuse our own behavior. What if I did wrong? What if I had the wrong attitudes or beliefs in a given situation? The victim mindset shuns self-examination. It’s not my fault! Even if I do wrong, it is justified because of what I have been through. Is that sound reasoning? Paul taught that, “each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12).

4. It minimizes the seriousness of worse things that others have suffered. All of us have seen toddlers with a bruised knee act as if their world is coming to an end. We may also have seen the irony of a grandparent, suffering under the pains of arthritis or undergoing chemotherapy for life-threatening cancer kneel to the ground in compassion to comfort the child in tears over such a small hardship. We all recognize in this the “upside-down” picture of things in such a scene. When I treat pains that I have suffered with the same terminology, gravity, and importance that the most horrid victims of life’s circumstances and mistreatment deserve I do them a disservice. I trivialize their pain in order to elevate mine. That is not right, nor is it helpful to anyone involved.

Does the Bible teach us to foster such a victim mindset? If anyone could have allowed such a spirit of victimhood to shape his mindset, it would have been Paul. In answer to those who questioned his status as an apostle, he recounted his suffering. Among other things, he wrote:

“From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren” (2 Cor. 11:24-26).

That’s quite a list! Who of us could write a comparable history? Not many! Yet, amazingly, Paul never allowed himself to see himself as a victim.

First, because he recognized how his sufferings compared to what Christ endured for us. He told the Colossians, “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church” (Col. 1:24). What if instead of a victim mentality we chose to see anything we suffer as sharing just a small degree of what Christ went through for us?

Second, he recognized the depth of his sin and the glory of the mercy and hope he had received. He said to the Corinthians that he was “not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Cor. 15:9). He considered himself the “chief” of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15), but recognized that he had “obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life” (1 Tim. 1:16). We may not have persecuted the church—and I’m not saying we should think that because of our sin we deserve any mistreatment we have endured. But, what if we chose to see any hardship we face (in the present or the past) as “not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18b)? That’s how Paul said we should view “the sufferings of the present time” (Rom. 8:18a).

Yes, Paul had enemies, but amazingly he was able to look beyond the bad attitudes others had towards him and consider the cause of Christ above his own discomfort. He told the Philippians:

“Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from good will: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice” (Phil. 1:15-18).

Does that mean we should ignore wrongdoing? No. Jesus taught, “If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him” (Luke 17:3b). But He began these words by saying, “Take heed to yourselves” (Luke 17:3a).

Does this mean we should never reach out to others for encouragement as we go through trials? No. Paul taught the Corinthians:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ” (2 Cor. 1:3-5).

We should support one another. We should encourage one another. But that doesn’t mean we have to announce with a trumpet how bad we have it, how everyone has mistreated us, and how deserving we are of sympathy. God has called us to a better mindset.

Ultimately, we are responsible for ourselves. Even the most reprehensible oppression one must endure does not have to determine who we are, what we do, and how we see our lives. Paul taught, “let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load” (Gal. 6:4-5). Perhaps what you have had to face presents some obstacles to you that are much more challenging than what I have ever faced. I am so sorry! But you have a choice how you will let that shape your life going forward. Will you view yourself as a helpless victim or will you take the reins of who you are, how you will act, and what your life will be from here on out?

The Christian is not a victim, but a conqueror! We once were “slaves of sin” (Rom. 6:6), but in obedience to the gospel of Christ we have been “delivered” (Rom. 6:17) and “set free from sin” (Rom. 6:22). Now, God “leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Cor. 2:14). That would lead Paul—the very man we saw who suffered so many things, to write:

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:37-39).

We don’t have to be victims. In Christ, we can be conquerors, an even “more than conquerors.” Thanks be to God!

— Via Faithful Sayings, Volume 25, Issue 17 (April 23, 2023)

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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 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

April 30, 2023 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Mindfulness (Matthew Bassford)
2) Sword Tips #9 (Joe R. Price)
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PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Mindfulness

Matthew Bassford

Synopsis: Our worship must reveal thoughtfulness in the way we choose to worship, how we prepare for worship, and in the content of what we say.
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Introduction

Even though we serve God according to a different covenant and different laws than did the ancient Israelites, the fundamental attributes that God desires in His people have not changed since the beginning. Sometimes, people will argue that the Law of Moses was outward and ceremonial, whereas the commandments of Christ concern the inward man. This is nonsense. Indeed, the Old Testament commands the faithful to love God more frequently than does the New Testament!

The Biblical concept of love for God is much broader than most Americans would think. It is not merely concerned with emotions, but also with the will and the intellect. Mushy, content-free emotional outpouring has no place in the expression of our love for God, and it never has. Far from being a distraction from the warmth of our relationship with God in worship, intellectual involvement heightens our emotion and strengthens the relationship.

We see this clearly in the worship of godly people of old. Men such as Hezekiah, David, and Ezra were deeply devoted to God, but their devotion led them to seek Him mindfully rather than mindlessly. If we wish to express our love for God through mindful worship today, we have a great deal to learn from their example.

Mode of Worship

As is true of the biblical discussion of worship generally, these examples show us that mindful worship means using the proper mode of worship. We see this in the worship of Hezekiah’s time in 2 Chronicles 29:25-26. During this ceremony, Hezekiah actively required the Levites to use various instruments of music in worship.

At first glance, this would seem to be an argument for the use of the instrument in worship today. However, it really is a powerful argument for the opposite. Hezekiah didn’t pass out the cymbals, harps, lyres, and trumpets because he enjoyed the sound of those particular instruments.

Rather than being an emotional decision, it was a rational one. Hezekiah consulted the commandments of God repeated through His prophets David, Gad, and Nathan. From those commandments, he learned that God required the use of instruments in the tabernacle/temple worship of Israel. In obedience to that requirement, Hezekiah instructed the Levites to adopt the instrument.

Today, this is precisely the same thought process that we must follow. Our decisions about modes of worship can’t be based on personal inclinations. Rather, we must ask, “What has God commanded?” Here, our inquiry should not concern itself with the requirements of the Law of Moses, which has been nailed to the cross with Christ. Instead, we must look to the New Testament, for the law of Christ continues in force to this day.

Once we ask the right question and look in the right place, the answer is simple and clear: Repeatedly, the writers of the New Testament urge the people of Christ to worship Him with singing. Not once do they instruct us to bring the instrument into our worship. If our goal truly is to express our love for God through mindful worship, this is all we need to know.

Approach to Worship

The Old Testament also shows us what a mindful approach to worship looks like. Many texts illustrate this principle, but one of the most interesting concerns David’s preparations for the construction of the temple in 1 Chronicles 28-29. As per Philippians 4:18, his forethought and generosity represent a God-pleasing sacrifice, as much as the animals he offered in 1 Chronicles 29:21.

David’s preparations are twofold. First, he devises plans for the construction of the temple and its furnishings, and he gives them to his son Solomon. 1 Chronicles 28:11-18 records the tremendous amount of detail those plans contained. Second, as reported by 1 Chronicles 29:1-5, he devotes a tremendous amount of his personal treasure to the project, tons of precious metals and other valuable commodities.

Besides pleasing God, David’s careful work has another spiritually significant effect. In 1 Chronicles 29:5-9, after showing the people what he has given, he asks them what they were going to contribute. They respond bountifully and enthusiastically, providing Solomon with everything that he needed to carry out this great work.

David’s painstaking preparations provide a powerful example for worship leaders today. God is worthy of our care and forethought. We must prepare wisely if we wish to help His people worship.

Sometimes, wisdom leads us not to do something. It might seem godly to script out a 15-minute opening prayer, but how many Christians could say the “Amen” at the end of that prayer without lying? So too, disciples who aren’t crack sight readers are going to struggle to worship with an unfamiliar hymn led before the Lord’s Supper on Sunday morning. There are wiser ways to “sing a new song!”

However, when a worship leader plans his work with care and wisdom, it will be obvious to the congregation. Just as David’s example inspired the Israelites to give their best, thoughtfulness in leading songs and prayers will stir the congregation up to new heights of worship!

Content of Worship

Finally, of course, let us ensure that the content of our worship is thoughtful. Ephesians 5:18-19 and Colossians 3:16 teach us this today. Yet, long before Paul ever penned those words, spiritual depth is evident in every line of the psalms and the prayers uttered by ancient Israelites. Once more the Scriptures offer us multiple examples from which to choose, but it’s instructive to consider the great penitential prayer of Ezra (Ezra 9:6-15).

Contextually, Ezra discovered that the Jews had a serious spiritual problem. Many of them had been intermarrying with the people of the land, thus inviting retribution from God. When Ezra hears this unwelcome news, he tears his clothes and collapses until evening, attracting the attention of a large crowd. Thus, his prayer was offered for the ears of his audience and the ears of God.

In it, he contrasts the faithlessness of the Jews with the graciousness of God. They wickedly abandoned Him, but after seventy years of captivity, He compassionately restored them to the land. Now the sin of mixed marriages invites God to wipe them out completely, and it leaves them without excuse.

This prayer shows Ezra’s thoughtfulness in two ways. First, it is instructive. He takes his audience on a tour of the core narrative of the Old Testament: God’s faithfulness and Israel’s faithlessness. It cites the prophets who condemn exactly what the Jews are doing.

Second, it is timely. It highlights the sin in which the people are currently engaged. It explains the seriousness of their spiritual predicament, implying the powerful need for immediate action.

So too, worship leaders today should strive to enlighten and inspire the congregation. Sad to say, as diligent as song leaders can be in sniffing out false doctrine in hymns (sometimes finding false doctrine where none exists), brethren are all too blind to the peril of hymns that say nothing and teach nothing. By contrast, a good hymn pierces the heart of the singer with the word of God, inspiring worshipers to more devoted discipleship.

Conclusion

The kindest thing to be said about mindless worship is that it is easy. Nevertheless, it falls far short of what God expects from His people. When we engage our minds in deciding how to worship, how to prepare, and what to offer, we fulfill His design and glorify Him. May it never be said that we have presented to God what was meaningless to us!

— Via Truth Magazine, Volume 65, No. 8, August 2021

https://truthmagazine.com/kindle/2021/2021-08-aug/05_Praise.htm

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Sword Tips #9

Joe R. Price

“From the rising of the sun to its going down the Lord’s name is to be praised” (Psalm 113:3).

As the days grow shorter, moving from autumn to winter, we are reminded that God set the seasons in place for our good (Gen. 1:14; 8:22). God ordained the sun’s daily circuit, and it declares his glory (Psa. 19:1-4).

Praise God today for his power; Power that keeps the sun in its place and that gives us both summer and winter. The winter rest will eventually give way to spring’s renewal and summer’s growing season. And so it goes – just as God planned.

Like the days that draw toward winter, our lives are drawing ever shorter. Do not forget God. He gave you life; praise him for it! Eventually, you will stand before God and answer to him for how you used the life he gave you (2 Cor. 5:10). He has appointed a day of judgment for us all (Heb. 9:27; Acts 17:30-31).

God is worthy to be praised. Today and every day; praise his great name!

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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

The Gospel Observer

April 23, 2023 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) Redeeming the Time (Kyle Pope)
2) Sword Tips #6 (Joe R. Price)
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Redeeming the Time

Kyle Pope

This week I turned sixty. That doesn’t seem as old as it used to; but even so, it will take awhile to sink in. It will take some getting used to, to say “I’m sixty.”

Moses, in the prayer recorded in Psalm 90, declared, “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Ps. 90:10, NKJV). He wasn’t describing a hard and fast rule, but a general tendency. Moses himself lived to be one hundred and twenty and in good health—“his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated” (Deut. 34:7). This side of the flood, human life on earth does not last for centuries, but only about seventy years, or “threescore years and ten” (as the King James put it).

Moses’s words bear an amazing correlation to modern conditions in America. Before Covid-19, from 1960-2020 the average life expectancy in the US rose steadily from 70 to 77. It hasn’t always been that way. In 1860 it was 39! Nor is it the same everywhere. Today in Japan it’s 84. In Great Britain it’s 80.

So, “I’m sixty!” What does that mean for me? At twenty, it was easy to feel “ten feet tall and bulletproof,” but at sixty it is burying one’s head in the sand to imagine life on earth will continue indefinitely. David prayed, “LORD, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am” (Ps. 39:4). We have no indication that David, like Hezekiah, was told in exact terms how long he had to live (cf. 2 Kings 20:1-6; Isa. 38:1-5). David is praying that he would not take his life for granted and presume to have more time than he really did.

James, through the Holy Spirit warned of this attitude. He wrote:

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” (Jas. 4:13-15).

This is not teaching that we should live with a morbid fear that death is around every corner. Jesus has released the Christian from “bondage” to the “fear of death” (Heb. 2:14-15). Like David’s prayer, James is teaching disciples of Christ to live in recognition of God’s providential care and the brevity of our own lives.

Paul expressed this idea with a figure of speech he used in two different epistles in different contexts. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, he urged them to “walk circumspectly,” or “carefully” (ASV), not behaving as “fools but as wise” (Eph. 5:15, NKJV). He urged them not to “be unwise but” to “understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17). In the midst of this admonition he told them they should be “redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16). In a similar way, he urged the Colossians to consider their influence on non-Christians. He commanded them to, “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside” (Col. 4:5a). Part of this involved how they speak. He explained, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Col. 4:6). In the midst of this teaching, he told them also that they should live “redeeming the time” (Col. 4:5b).

Redemption involves the “regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment or clearing a debt” (New Oxford American Dictionary). How does one redeem time? The Holy Spirit, through Paul, is teaching Christians that we have a debt, or an obligation when it comes to the use of the time entrusted to us. Whether our days are many or few the Lord has given them to us with the expectation that we will use them wisely. We must not waste our time. There is work to do in service, devotion, and obedience to Him. Using time wisely doesn’t clear our debt to the Lord as it relates to sin, but the careful use of time in recognition that it is a trust bestowed upon us by God, Paul describes as “redeeming the time.”

So, “I am sixty.” How much time do I have to redeem? Only the Lord knows, but sometimes family trends can offer clues. My father lived to be seventy-seven. If I live as long as he did, I have seventeen years, or 204 months, 6,205 days, or 148, 920 hours! That’s quite a bit of time. Yet, one of my grandfathers died at sixty-two. That would leave me only two years, or twenty-four months, 730 days, or only 17,520 hours. That’s not as much time to redeem, is it? Perhaps I have inherited some longevity from my great-grandparents. My father’s grandpa lived to be eighty-eight. I met him once. If I lived that long, I have twenty-eight more years, or 336 months, 10,220 days, or 245,280 hours. Do I have that much time? My mother’s grandma lived to be 100! I was with her on her last birthday. That would leave me forty more years, or 480 months, 14,600 days, or 350,400 hours. That’s a lot of time! Do I have that much? Only the Lord knows.

What’s clear is I have no time to waste! I need to redeem whatever time I have. Peter told his readers, “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries” (1 Pet. 4:3). To apply this to myself, I have no time for crankiness, self-pity, or selfishness—I have “spent enough” time on those things. I must redeem my time! The Wise Man urged one to “rejoice with the wife of your youth” (Prov. 5:18b) and the psalmist declared, “children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward” (Ps. 127:3). I have no time to waste. I must show my love to my wife and family. I must work to influence their faith and encourage their love and service to the Lord. I must redeem my time! Paul told the saints in the church in Rome to “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Rom. 12:10, NIV). I have no time to waste. I have a commitment to serve the congregation with which I am identified. I have brothers and sisters who need my encouragement, edification, and love. I must redeem my time! Peter taught, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Pet. 3:15, NKJV). I have no time to waste. I must stand ready to share my faith with those around me. I must redeem my time!

All of this assumes that “all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Pet. 3:4b). We can’t presume that. Peter warned, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10). Paul told the Thessalonians, concerned that their loved ones who had already died had missed out on the blessings of the gospel, that at any moment:

. . . The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

That means that at any moment the Lord could return, this life will come to an end, and each of us will be called to account for how well we have redeemed the time we have been given.

“I am sixty!” How will I redeem the time the Lord may give me? That isn’t a dark and gloomy thought to ponder. Paul wrote that we should live, “knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:11). Whether the Lord grants me many days or few; whether the Lord returns before I see even another day, may I (and all children of God) recognize the blessing we have been given to have time in service to Him and live everyday “redeeming the time.”

— Via Faithful Sayings, Volume 25, Number 15, April 9, 2023

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Sword Tips #6

Joe R. Price

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Flashlights are a great invention. With the days getting shorter and shorter as winter approaches, they are useful tools in the dark, cold night.

We all need light to show us the path to take in our lives. Jesus is “the true Light which gives light to every man” (Jno. 1:9). He is the “light of the world” who removes the darkness of sin and gives life to those who follow him (Jno. 8:12). The light of his word is available to everyone.

Remember to use God’s word to guide your steps today, and every day. Let your decisions and your choices be directed by his truth, not by the false promises of the flesh or the passing pleasures of sin.

God’s word will always lead you in paths of righteousness. Treasure its worth, trust its message, and take its truth with you everywhere you go.
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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 Congregational Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. for Bible Classes

The Gospel Observer

April 16, 2023 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Dependence in Worship (Matthew Bassford)
2) Sword Tips #5 (Joe R. Price)
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PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Dependence in Worship

Matthew Bassford

Synopsis: Like past heroes of faith, Christians look to God for guidance, and submit to His instruction. This spirit of dependence should be ever present in our worship.

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Introduction

As Christians, we know we are utterly dependent on God, and we frequently acknowledge that dependence in worship. In the words of the great hymn “Be with Me, Lord,” we dare not try to take one step alone. Indeed, it is hard to imagine going through an entire worship service without some expression of our complete reliance on God. We know the truth, so we’d better confess it before Him!

This is not a new idea. For as long as God’s people have confronted challenges beyond their ability, puzzles beyond their understanding, and enemies beyond their strength, they have admitted their helplessness to their Creator and looked to Him for grace. They knew they needed Him just like we do, so they sought His help in worship.

In fact, it is striking how often biblical heroes adopted this approach. Many of the stories of Scripture that most inspire us do so not because of the hero’s abilities, but because of his decision to turn his problems over to God. Nor are any of these ever disappointed. When we consider how they overcame through confessing their dependence in worship, it is clear how we can overcome too.

Solomon’s Appeal for Wisdom

The first of these stories of worshipful dependence that we are going to consider (there are many more that we will not) concerns the young king Solomon. Once he has established his reign by carrying out the bloodthirsty advice of his aged father, David, he is left at a loss about what to do next. He has inherited a vast kingdom that takes up almost the entire eastern coast of the Mediterranean. In this kingdom are countless people and a number of subject nations. Even David himself had trouble keeping this massive realm under control!

In Solomon’s own estimation, this is not a job for which he’s equipped. As he says to God in 1 Kings 3:7, “I am a little child and do not know how to go out or come in.” When it comes to managing his massive responsibilities, he’s baffled.

Indeed, he sees only one way out. As God does for Solomon’s descendant, Ahaz, in Isaiah 7, so He does for Solomon in 1 Kings 3. God offers him help. Unlike Ahaz, who refused to ask the Lord for a sign, Solomon takes Him up on His offer. God tells Solomon to ask for whatever he wants, and Solomon asks for wisdom: an understanding heart and the ability to judge a great people. Without God’s help, Solomon has no hope of success; but with it, he has no fear of failure. Unsurprisingly, this humble admission pleases God, and He blesses Solomon with wisdom more richly than anyone else before or since.

When we ourselves feel overwhelmed, we could ask for no better example. We need to bring our overwhelmedness to God, and one of the best ways to do so is in the songs we sing. “Be with Me, Lord” does a great job of expressing these sentiments. So also does “I Need Thee Every Hour.” When we come to our Father seeking His help in this way, we can be certain that He will give us bread, not a stone.

Daniel’s Prayer for Insight

We see the same dependence on God in young Daniel and his friends (Dan. 2). However, unlike Solomon, who was at sea in a complicated and confusing situation, the four Hebrew exiles know exactly what their problem is. His name is Nebuchadnezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar has got it into his kingly head that any wise man worthy of the name not only will be able to interpret the dream he has had, but they will be able to tell it to him without him telling them first. As the assembled Chaldean sorcerers point out in Daniel 2:10-11, this is impossible. Nobody can do that!

Nebuchadnezzar takes this refusal in the way that ancient Middle Eastern rulers commonly took refusals. He becomes violently angry and commands the death of every wise man in Babylon—including Daniel and his three friends, even though none of them had anything to do with the mess! In response, Daniel pleads with the captain of the guard for a stay of execution, and he urges his three friends to pray so that the nature of the king’s dream will be revealed to Daniel, and they all can survive.

Once again, as soon as God’s people admit their dependence on Him and turn to Him for help, He comes through in the clutch. That very night, God gives the answer to Daniel in a vision of his own, and because of His help, all the wise men of Babylon are spared.

It’s quite common for us too to encounter dilemmas that seem insoluble to us. We don’t know the answer, and bad things will happen to us unless we find it. Seeking God’s help is the right answer here, too. Once again, we can seek it in song. “Teach Me Thy Way” is a hymn that can help us with this. “In the Hour of Trial” is another, focused particularly on our dependence on Jesus when we are tempted.

Jehoshaphat’s Request for Deliverance

Sometimes, though, the problems that we have are not easily addressed. We are faced with a foe whom we know we can’t defeat, so we must depend on God to defeat him for us. This is where Jehoshaphat and the nation of Judah find themselves in 2 Chronicles 20. According to 20:1, three of the nations around Judah (i.e., the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites) have made an alliance to invade and destroy their neighbor.

We don’t know exactly how many of them there were (beyond “a vast number”), but the total is clearly enough to terrify Jehoshaphat. However, good king that he is, he brings his despair to God in 2 Chronicles 20:6-12. The last verse of his prayer puts things starkly: “We are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you.”

Once again, God proves Himself faithful to those who rely on Him. In 20:17, He promises them that He will fight for them so powerfully that they won’t have to lift a hand in their own defense. In 20:22-24, He carries out His word. The overwhelming host of enemies is itself overwhelmed by His might.

In our lives, there is a long list of enemies who are too much for us. At the head of the list, though, are the twin foes of sin and death, adversaries whom only Christ can defeat. Unless we seek His help and lean on Him, we’re doomed. A couple of hymns that express our dependence in these areas are “Abide with Me” and “O Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”

Conclusion

Though Americans are famed for idealizing self-reliance, one suspects that all people in all times are prone to believe the myth of their own sufficiency. Life teaches us differently. Sooner or later, all of us are forced to acknowledge that we cannot direct our own steps and that we must depend on God.

When we consider the holy men of old, we see that they knew this and confessed it when they worshiped God. Their example should impel us to do the same. He hears those who call on Him, and none of the problems and fears that can crush us has any hope of standing up to Him.

— Via Truth Magazine, Volume 65, No. 6, June 2021

https://truthmagazine.com/kindle/2021/2021-06-jun/05_Praise.htm

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Sword Tips #5

Joe R. Price

“So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:8-11).

A righteous man, Zacharias the priest and his wife, Elizabeth, had no children; “they were both well advanced in years” and she was barren (Lk. 1:7). However, this reality did not embitter them or debilitate them. Zacharias had a responsibility to serve in the temple which he faithfully met. When disappointments come in life, do not allow them to hinder your faithful service to the Lord.

Furthermore, God blessed Zacharias and Elizabeth beyond their wildest imaginations, giving them a son named John – the forerunner of the Messiah. God has great things ahead for you as you trust him and do his will.

Do not be distracted or discouraged today as you serve the Master. Instead, faithfully “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).

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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 Congregational Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. for Bible Classes

The Gospel Observer

April 9, 2023 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Dependence in Worship (Matthew Bassford)
2) Sword Tips #4 (Joe R. Price)
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PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Dependence in Worship

Matthew Bassford

Synopsis: Recognizing our dependency upon God is fundamental to maintaining a proper view of our lives and a healthy relationship with Him. Expression of this dependence in song helps to instill this concept within our hearts and minds.

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Introduction

One of the greatest of human delusions is the conviction that we can rely on ourselves. Inside every one of us, there lurks a budding Nebuchadnezzar. Along with the Babylonian king in Daniel 4:30, we too want to exclaim about how our accomplishments show how wonderful we are. We want to believe that our strength and wisdom are such that we can emerge from all of life’s trials unscathed.

In reality, rather than being utterly independent from God, we are completely dependent on Him. This is true not only of the faithful Christian but also of the hardened sinner and the contemptuous rebel. As Jesus reveals in Matthew 5:45, the sun shines and the rain falls upon such people only because of the Father’s impartial mercy. All of us are indebted to God for every good thing we enjoy.

Additionally, our ability to overcome is not what we think it is. Paul was a man of tremendous willpower and intellectual gifts, yet he acknowledges in 2 Corinthians 1:8 that he faced trials that were more than he could bear. In time, every human being will reach the same point. In this fallen world that contains such shocking injustice, suffering, and tragedy, all of us will be burdened beyond our strength sooner or later. Even this is to say nothing of the problem of sin, a problem utterly beyond our ability to solve for ourselves.

Learning Dependence

In short, our dependence on God is a lesson that we must learn, learn, and relearn, for so long as we live. According to Deuteronomy 8:3, God fed the children of Israel with manna in the wilderness for forty long years to drive home the point that they were sustained not by their own efforts, but by Him. We can refuse to accept this vital truth, but such resistance can amount to nothing more than kicking against the goads.

There are many ways in which God teaches us about our dependence on Him, but one of the most valuable is through song. Our Creator designed us so that we are uniquely susceptible to the emotional truths that we sing. In our worship, we are not supposed to summon that emotional power for its own sake. We are supposed to use it to drive the word of God deeply into our hearts.

The importance of expressing our dependence on God is amply revealed in the only inspired hymnal we have, the book of Psalms. Certainly, the specifics of our worship have changed since David’s day, but the essential relationship between man and God has not. Three thousand years ago, God’s people needed Him neither more nor less than do we.

From beginning to end, the Psalms exalt this timeless truth. Few indeed are the psalms that do not address human dependence on God in some way. When the Israelites sang those words wholeheartedly, they were confessing how much they needed the Lord. When we similarly acknowledge our reliance on God in the sentiments we express in singing, it transforms our worldview too.

Dependence in the Psalms

Our worship should first expose our dependence on God for the physical blessings we enjoy. The Psalms express this valuable perspective in, among other places, Psalm 127:1-2. Here, Solomon makes no bones about the insufficiency of human effort. Think you can build a house without God? Think you can guard against danger without Him? Think you can provide for yourself and your family by yourself, even working 24/7? Think again! As Jesus points out in Matthew 6:27, none of us can add so much as a cubit to the span of our lives. Despite our pretensions, we are every bit as dependent on God’s providence as the ravens and the lilies.

So too, only God is able to guard us from the evil that others work. Psalm 142 relates a sad story. David finds himself beset by enemies who are laying traps for him, but when he looks to his right hand, where his protector should be (as in the English idiom “right-hand man”), there’s no one there. He has been abandoned. He certainly can’t overcome his enemies by himself, so in his extremity, he has no other option than to call out to the Lord for rescue. When God delivers David, he promises to praise Him to other righteous people too, so that they will know where to turn when they need help.

This is particularly relevant in a time when evil seems to have the upper hand. Most of us would agree that we live in such a time, but in Psalm 11, David says the same. If the righteous try to flee like a bird (our hymn “Flee as a Bird” originates from Psalm 11:1), the wicked will just shoot them out of the sky like an archer! Nor can the godly stay where they are because the very foundations of human society are being destroyed.

When this is the situation, God is the only hope of those who love Him. He is not asleep. He was fully aware of everything that was going on during Saul’s reign, and He continues to be fully aware today. When the time is right, He will judge, and we can count on Him to punish the wicked and exalt the righteous. When we remind ourselves of this in song, it will give us the boldness to endure until the end as well.

More personally, our worship should also instruct us that we must depend on God for forgiveness. David makes this point plainly in Psalm 32:3-6, and he speaks with the voice of experience. He tried to hide his sin. It ate him up. However, when he brought his sin to the Lord, he found forgiveness instantly. His conclusion for all the faithful is that they should likewise turn to God.

If this was true for David, who lived under the Law of Moses and could only have his sins rolled back for a time, how much more true is it for us! In Christ, we can find forgiveness that is truly incomprehensible in its extent and depth. Of ourselves, we cannot atone for a single sin, but in Him, we can find forgiveness for all of them, and the number of sins in “all” is irrelevant. If ever there was reason to rely on God (and to sing about that reliance), our need for forgiveness is it!

Finally, the Psalms show us that we must rely on God to inherit eternal life. As is often the case in the Old Testament, this truth is not revealed plainly, but it is there. Consider the discussion of Psalm 102:23-28. There, the psalmist laments that God appears to be about to cut his life short.

However, God has the power to sustain him, as shown by His establishment of the heavens and earth. Even though the psalmist anticipates a time when the physical creation will wear out and pass away, he remains confident in His ability to preserve His people. This, too, is our hope. We will never overcome death on our own, but through God, all things are possible, and that’s a hope we should celebrate in song until our dying day.

Conclusion

One of the most unwelcome truths about our lives is that their course is fundamentally out of our control. The most welcome truth is that we don’t have to control them because we can depend on God instead. Everything that His people need He will unfailingly provide. When we concede our dependence in worship, we lose any lingering illusions about our self-sufficiency. However, we gain something that is very much greater: our assurance and rest in Him.

— Via Truth Magazine, Volume 65, No. 5, May 2021

https://truthmagazine.com/kindle/2021/2021-05-may/05_Praise.htm

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Sword Tips #4

Joe R. Price

“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images” (2 Chronicles 34:1-3).

Young people can do great things for the Lord! As a young person, seize your opportunities to obey the Lord and live by faith (1 Tim. 4:12). As a parent, advance your child’s faith by teaching God’s word, by godly discipline and by setting worthy examples for them to follow (Eph. 6:3-4).

Why not encourage a young person today? They can live for Christ and resist the evils of this world. Like Josiah, while they are young they can begin to seek the Lord God and be forces for good

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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 Congregational Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. for Bible Classes

The Gospel Observer

April 2, 2023 / 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) PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Humility (Matthew Bassford)
2) Sword Tips #3 (Joe R. Price)
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PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Humility

Matthew Bassford

Synopsis: “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE” (Jas. 4:6). What an amazing blessing! The Creator of the universe extends His hand of fellowship to those who are lowly, undistinguished, and unpretentious.

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Introduction

Will man humble himself before God? This is one of the great spiritual questions of the Bible, and indeed, one of the great spiritual questions of our time. The pages of Scripture are filled with examples of both pride and humility, with the latter preserved for everlasting glory and the former condemned to everlasting contempt. Because worship is so intertwined with human existence, these two attitudes also reveal themselves in proud and humble worship. Study of the word reveals examples of each.

Pride in Worship

Sadly, we have no trouble locating biblical stories of those whose pride corrupted even the way they approached God, and these stories display several common characteristics. The first is that proud worship chooses the wrong object. Consider God’s condemnation of the rebellious Jews of Jeremiah 13:8-10. Despite His warnings, their pride led them to worship other gods and reject Him.

Though Baal worship is rather less popular today than it was 2700 years ago, we still live in an idolatrous society, and the worship that the worldlings around us lavish on their idols reveals their pride. How many people do we know who “sing the praises” of their fat bank account, their new car, or their favorite politician?

Indeed, modern idol-worshipers proclaim their confidence in their false gods, looking to them for blessing and deliverance instead of to the Lord of hosts. Even if they may show up for services some place on Sunday morning, their words make clear where their true hope lies. Finally, of course, their speech reveals their confidence in themselves, in accumulating so much money, or in championing the right candidate. As it always is with idolatry, the true idol of today is self.

Second, proud worship reveals itself in its refusal to obey the divine ordinance. This is clear in the tragic case of Uzziah, king of Judah, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 26:16-22. To this point, Uzziah had been a righteous king, but his pride provoked him to offer incense in the temple, even though he was not of Aaron’s lineage. Despite opposition from the priests, he persisted in his unlawful worship. Within the sanctuary itself, God struck him with leprosy.

Based on the arguments they make now, we can only conclude that there are many who would have defended Uzziah’s unconscionable actions all those centuries ago: “It’s not fair to reserve offering incense to only a few!” “Isn’t Uzziah just as good as the priests are?” “The law never specifically says that kings can’t offer incense!” And so forth. However, the desire to alter God’s revealed plan of worship never comes from humility—only from pride.

Finally, pride in worship leads to a refusal to acknowledge sin before God. God Himself describes this problem in His people in Zephaniah 3:11. They exult on the holy mountain of the temple, but their volume conceals their proud rebellion against God. Although they won’t deal with their sin, God will. Soon, they will be removed forever.

As all of us know too well, hypocrisy remains a problem among the Lord’s people. There are plenty of Christians who will never respond to the invitation but ought to be responding on a weekly basis! Regardless of how faithfully they attend or how loudly they sing, their sins have made a separation between them and God. For as long as their shamelessness and their pride continue, that state of alienation persists as well. If they die without having confessed their sin, they will be separated from Him eternally.

Humility in Worship

Manifesting humility in worship, of course, is the opposite of these things. Rather than straying after idols, humility seeks the Lord. We see both halves of this illustrated in the life of the long-lived king Manasseh. Manasseh was among the most wicked of all the kings of Judah, debasing himself with every kind of idolatry, going so far as to offer his own sons as sacrifices to Molech.

The vengeance of God was swift. An Assyrian army descended upon Judah and bore Manasseh off to Babylon. While there, however, Manasseh humbled himself before God. The Lord heard his prayer and restored him to kingship in Judah.

Manasseh’s story should be deeply encouraging to us. It reminds us that, no matter how badly we have sinned against God with our own favorite idols, His compassion is so great that it is always possible for us to repent and return. When we seek Him with a whole heart, we will find Him! The songs and prayers that we offer to Him with humility will always be heard.

It also is true that humble worship is obedient worship. The desire of the humble to join in true worship appears in 2 Chronicles 30:6-11. After the Assyrians had carried the majority of Israel into captivity, Hezekiah sent a letter to the remainder, inviting them to come and celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. Most rejected his offer, but a few humbled themselves and came, thus becoming the first people in hundreds of years to celebrate the Passover according to the law.

So too for us. The expressions of worship that the law of Christ requires of us are simple. Read the Scriptures together. Sing. Pray. Celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Give of our means. It ordains also that our assemblies are to be led by men.

If we are humble, we will obey. We will do these things and only these things. We will not listen to the voices of the world around us. We will not be swayed by our culture. We will not imagine that we know better than God does. We will do what He has asked because He has asked us to do it.

Finally, humble worship is repentant worship. The beautiful language of Isaiah 66:1-2. God is unimpressed with our pride. He is not concerned with the majesty of the works that we might do in His name. He cares only that we are humble and contrite, and that we tremble at His word.

Our humility and contrition should appear in what we say. The prayers we offer in our assemblies should be prayers of repentance. In our singing, we should acknowledge our sin and confess our dependence on His grace.

More than that, though, our humility and our sorrow for sin should be evident in our hearts. The one who wishes to come into the presence of the Lord must do so with clean hands and a pure heart, and if ours are not, we must cleanse and purify them.

If this is truly our desire, we will no longer be like the sow that, once washed, quickly returns to the mire. Grace is a gift, not a permission slip. It places us under obligation to be holy. If we want to be holy worshipers, we must humbly seek holiness every day of our lives.

Conclusion

Pride is deadly to godly worship, but humility is the fertile soil from which it springs. How could it be otherwise? The very act of worship is an acknowledgment that another is greater than we are, and if we say such things while cherishing a sense of our own greatness, our hearts give the lie to what we claim.

Instead, let us seek the mind that first was in Christ Jesus. Though He had far greater reason than we do to insist on His prerogatives, He surrendered them all far more graciously and completely. In the praise that we offer God, may each of us be guided by His example, so that, as we have humbled ourselves, we may be exalted by Him!

— Via Truth Magazine, Volume 65, No. 4, 2021

https://truthmagazine.com/kindle/2021/2021-04-apr/05_Praise.htm
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Sword Tips #3

Joe R. Price

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

There has always been and always will be a conflict between loving the world and loving God. When we give our affections to the world we are drawn away from God. Instead of loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, we become deceived by a counterfeit love affair with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

Where are you putting your affections? What will you choose to be attracted to today? If you find yourself being attracted to the world, change your mind and your behavior immediately; repent and return to your first love (Rev. 2:4-5). “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2). Love God first, and always. When the love of the Father is in you, love for the world loses its grip.

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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 Congregational Song Service at 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.

Wednesday: 7 p.m. for Bible Classes

The Gospel Observer

March 26, 2023 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: The Need for Humility (Matthew Bassford)
2) Sword Tips #2 (Joe R. Price)
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PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE:

The Need for Humility

Matthew Bassford

Pride is one of Satan’s most effective poisons; humility is its antidote. Let us manifest a spirit of lowliness in our walk and our worship.

Introduction

Humility is the spiritual equivalent of a healthy diet and regular exercise. Everybody acknowledges that it’s essential, but most of us find it difficult in practice. There’s a little voice of self-will inside each of our heads; as a result, we struggle to submit.

Humility is often absent in the pages of our history books. During the Civil War, both sides lost battles because subordinates chose not to follow their commanders’ orders. Most of us wouldn’t have to think very hard to come up with examples of pride in our own lives, whether in others or (if we are painfully honest) ourselves.

However, our battle to be humble is most important in our relationship with God. Here, the need for humility is more obvious than anywhere else. God is God; we are not. Nonetheless, human arrogance has impeded our walk with Him since the beginning. “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?” Pharaoh proudly asks in Exodus 5:2.

He found out. Indeed, all of us will find out sooner or later. However, humble submission is a far better way to come to know the Lord than the path of proud defiance!

Among its many other purposes, our worship of God helps us to develop this humility. It is both a vital product of our praise and a vital part of the process of praising. As we learn to humble ourselves before God, we find ever greater favor with Him.

Humility in Receiving Truth

The humility that must be part of our praise takes several different forms. The first involves humility in receiving truth. James highlights this essential link in James 1:21. If we want the implanted word to save our souls, we must receive it humbly.

This certainly applies to our sermons and Bible studies, but it applies equally to our song worship. Too much of the time, brethren think of singing as a primarily emotional experience. As long as our hearts are filled with love and joy while we sing, we must be doing it right!

Though accurate as far as it goes, this picture is incomplete. Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 reveal that singing has a teaching function that is as important as the emotional fulfillment it provides. If we don’t both teach and learn as we sing, we aren’t honoring the whole counsel of God.

James’s wise counsel about humility, then, ought to inform our approach to song worship. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul notes that the Thessalonians received his preaching not as a human message but as the word of God. In the same way, once we have assessed the truth of the songs we sing, we ought to receive those truths as coming (though indirectly) from God. If we do, the truth will change us as it changed the Thessalonians.

This is true not merely of the hymns we recognize as didactic (“Take Time to Be Holy,” for instance) but also of those we think of more as emotional outpourings. Consider, for example, “Be with Me, Lord.” The opening line of the hymn reads, “Be with me, Lord; I cannot live without Thee.” This is a statement that all of us ought to assess as Biblically accurate. Once we decide that it is true, James calls us to receive it with humility and ask what that truth reveals about God and us.

Humility in Self-Assessment

When we perform this crucial assessment of ourselves and our relationship with our Creator, humility should not only inform the process but the result as well. Hymns like “Be with Me, Lord” should bring a host of passages to our minds and awaken in us a proper appreciation of our status.

One such passage is Jeremiah 10:23. It teaches, “Be with Me, Lord,” reaffirming that we are not capable of making our way through life on our own. Of all the hard truths of Scripture, this is one of the least palatable. We all want to believe that we are capable and competent, that we “don’t need nothin’ from nobody!” Even Christians who have walked with the Lord for decades still battle the temptation to trust in themselves.

In this spiritual strife, we need all the help we can get, and humility-focused hymns are a powerful source of aid. Simply because of how human minds are wired, we are inclined to become what we say we are. When we sing and are taught by others that we constantly depend on God, the process embeds the truth in our minds so that it becomes part of how we look at the world.

Indeed, it becomes part of the way that we worship. It’s easy for an atheist to mouth, “I cannot live without Thee.” There are no big words in the sentence. However, when we express those words from our hearts, we demonstrate an understanding of what God means to us, which pleases Him.

Similarly, there are hundreds of hymns that remind us of the truth that originates in Ecclesiastes 5:1-2. God is in heaven, and we are on the earth. It is His glory that is “exalted far above the earth and sky.” Indeed, any halfway decent song of praise will remind us that God is our superior.

This, too, is an essential part of our spiritual makeup. We submit to God because we acknowledge His greatness. He deserves all the glory that we can give Him, but He also deserves our humble obedience. When we praise Him as we should, it helps us to honor Him daily as we should.

Finally, humility in praise calls us to repentance. As James observes in James 4:7-9, the penitent heart also must be a humble one. If we maintain our pride, we also will maintain our sin.

It’s difficult to spend very much time in song worship without encountering hymns that play on this theme. We often sing about our sins, which forces us to admit that it’s not just all those other sinners out there who need God’s grace. We do too!

Perhaps most powerful in this area, though, are the hymns that call us to discipleship. Look at the words of the third verse of “Oh, to Be Like Thee!”

Oh, to be like Thee! Lowly in spirit, Holy and harmless, patient and brave, Meekly enduring cruel reproaches, Willing to suffer others to save.

Ouch! This is a beautiful description of the Lord’s character, but it doesn’t describe my character. Few Christians would be willing to claim that it describes theirs. When we sing it with an open heart, then, it reminds us of what we want to be and highlights how far we are from being there. We can’t sing these words honestly without lamenting past failures and resolving to do better.

Conclusion

Humility is both an essential ingredient and a vital product of our praise. The proud are not interested in worshiping God in the first place, nor are they interested in accepting His truth and examining themselves by its light. However, all these things must be among the spiritual disciplines of the Christian.

None of us enjoys being humbled, even if we are the ones doing the humbling. When we do, we chasten our egos, and as Hebrews 12:11 observes, no chastening is pleasant at the time. However, it does bear the fruit of righteousness, and the chastening of humility is no exception. It bears the fruit of openness to the truth, acknowledging our inadequacy, admission of God’s superiority, and genuine repentance. May all of us be ever humble in our worship!

— Via Truth Magazine, Volume 65, No. 3, March 2021

https://truthmagazine.com/kindle/2021/2021-03-mar/05_Praise.htm

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Sword Tips #2

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son (1 John 5:11).

God has borne witness to the world of His truth, His love and His grace. Here, the apostle John teaches us that God, the giver of all good gifts, has given the world the gift of eternal life (Eph. 2:8). This gift is available to the world in His Son, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:11; 3:5-7).

Today, remember to thank God for His great love, mercy and grace that you as a Christian have in Christ. Live by faith, trusting and obeying His word to lead you to heaven. God be praised for His wonderful gift of eternal life in His Son!

— Joe R. Price

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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. Bible Classes

The Gospel Observer

March 19, 2023 / Tom Edwards

Contents:

1) PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Reverence (Matthew Bassford)
2) Sword Tips #1 (Joe R. Price)
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PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE:

Examples of Reverence

Matthew Bassford

Synopsis: Reverence is reflected in our obedience (Heb. 11:7), worship (Heb. 12:28), and in sharing the gospel with others (1 Pet. 3:15). Matthew surveys Sacred Scripture for examples of those who exemplified reverence and those who did not.

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In creating their pantheons, the ancient pagans imagined gods who were much like themselves. The Greek and Roman gods frequently engaged in family spats, committed adultery, and were given to jealousy and pettiness. The God of the Bible is very different. We are created in His image, not vice versa, and we no more capture the fullness of His nature than a statue captures the fullness of the nature of a man. God has done many extraordinary things, but one of the most mind-boggling of all is that, through Him, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. I accept that in Jesus, the fullness of deity was contained in bodily form, but I cannot comprehend it!

God is very different from us, unimaginably greater, so it is right for the creature to worship and revere the Creator. Presumably, every reader of this article regularly worships God, but our very familiarity with worship can blind us to the depth of the reverence that we ought to be exhibiting. Apart from the blood of Jesus, none of us has any business anywhere near the throne of the Holy One.

If we have any doubt about this, we should consider the behavior of those who were permitted to see a vision of God. No man can see God and live, so even the men who experienced the great theophanies of Scripture did not encounter His reality. In Ezekiel 1:28, the prophet reports that he saw “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.” Ezekiel and the rest beheld only the shadow of a shadow of a shadow of the majesty and dread of God.

Nonetheless, to a man, the shadow of a shadow of a shadow of the divine overwhelmed them. In the same verse, Ezekiel recalls that he fell on his face and stood up only when God told him to get up. The same thing happens to John when he encounters Jesus in Revelation 1:17. During the dedication of Solomon’s temple in 2 Chronicles 7:1-3, the people bow low and worship when they see the glory of the Lord fill His house.

In Isaiah 6:5, Isaiah describes what it feels like to meet God. He cries out, “Woe to me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

Isaiah was a righteous man. From the beginning to the end of his career, he served God faithfully. However, every imperfection in his life was harshly exposed in the light of God’s perfect purity and holiness. The man who proclaimed the word of the Lord exclaimed over the uncleanness of his lips! Once more, only a display of mercy from God allows him to continue.

None of us should believe that we are any more righteous than our fathers. If God were to reveal the merest fragment of Himself to us, we, too, would be reduced to abject terror. The experience of modern warfare is shattering, and veterans commonly have post-traumatic stress disorder. How much more shattering must it be to be exposed to more power than any human ever will unleash!

Of course, it is appointed to man once to die, and after that comes the judgment. All of us will experience God not just in metaphor but in His true fullness, and before Him, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess. We do well to prepare for the day when we will see God by showing Him proper reverence now, even though we cannot see Him.

Indeed, this behavior is evident in the most devoted worshipers among God’s people, even when He has not revealed Himself. Look, for instance, at the worship of the people of Judah after Ezra’s sermon at the Water Gate, in Nehemiah 9:1-3. Here there is no theophany, but all the other parts of the theophany pattern are present. The people acknowledge their unworthiness. They confess their sins. They worship. In fact, in Nehemiah 8:9-12, we even see the Levites having to prompt them to rejoice, much like the angel had to prompt Isaiah (cf. ch. 6).

Consider, too, the behavior of Daniel before the great prayer of Daniel 9. In the second verse of the chapter, he prepares himself with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. Even a man like this, one of the few major Bible characters about whom nothing negative is said, comes before the Lord with deep reverence and a profound sense of his unworthiness. Great character does not produce great confidence in the flesh. Instead, it produces the opposite.

If we want to find those who approach worship with self-confidence, a casual attitude, and a lack of concern about coming before the Creator, we cannot look to the righteous. Instead, we find such people in places like Leviticus 10:1-3. Nadab and Abihu could not be bothered to treat God as holy by worshiping Him according to the commandment. God’s judgment on their insolence was as final as it was unmistakable.

In Malachi 1:6-14, the worshipers under discussion regard God’s worship as tiresome, a matter for disdain. Rather than bringing their best, they offer the blind and the sick and the lame, as though they were the masters and God was the suppliant, as though He ought to be content with whatever they felt like sacrificing. In answer, God describes their sacrifices as useless, unacceptable, and profane. He places them under a curse and expresses the wish that someone would shut the temple doors rather than allowing the continued defilement of His altar.

Worship is serious business. It is true that, like Ezekiel, we have been invited to stand before God. Like Isaiah’s lips, our lips have been purified. However, we must not confuse boldness through Christ with contempt for the Lord of heaven and earth.

We do not “have to” worship God every week because it is one of the five checklist acts of worship. We are allowed to worship, permitted to worship, and privileged to worship. When we appear in His presence, it is only because the most precious sacrifice ever offered put us there. We must be conscious that we are treading on holy ground.

When we are there, no prostrating of ourselves or exalting of Him ever can be excessive. This, of course, does not refer to outward form. When we worship God in spirit and truth, physical posture is neither here nor there. One is reminded of the hypocritical worshiper of Isaiah 58:4-5, who bowed his head as easily as a reed bending before the wind but with as little lasting impact.

Instead, we are called to true reverence, to the prostration of the heart. We must be awed that such a One as He would deign even to hear our praises. To draw near to Him without this spirit is very dangerous. The profane worshiper of today may not be judged as immediately as Nadab and Abihu were, but in the end, his fate will be no different. In all our days, may each of us heed the wise words of the Hebrews writer, who said, “Let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:28-29).

— Via Truth Magazine, February 2021, No. 2, Volume 65

https://truthmagazine.com/kindle/2021/2021-02-feb/05_Praise.htm

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“And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17).

Sword Tips #1

Joe R. Price

And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him (Luke 15:20).

The parable of the prodigal (wasteful) son magnifies God’s mercy toward sinners by contrasting it with the unloving and unforgiving treatment of sinners by the Pharisees and scribes (Lk. 15:1-2). God is moved by compassion to forgive us when we repent and return to him; He is rich in mercy (Eph. 2:4)! When we repent from the wastefulness of sin we can return to God and he forgives us. Therefore, let us remember to forgive others as God has forgiven us (Eph. 4:32). If we refuse to do so, we will not be forgiven by God (Matt. 6:14-15).

Has someone sinned against you? If so, be rich in mercy and compassion. Forgive them as God has forgiven you.

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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

“Not Dead, But Sleeping”

Sword Tips #13

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Devotion

Introduction

The Devotion of David

The Devotion of the Apostles

The Devotion of Job

Conclusion

Sword Tips #12

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Resisting the Victim Mentality

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Mindfulness

Introduction

Mode of Worship

Approach to Worship

Content of Worship

Conclusion

Sword Tips #9

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

Redeeming the Time

Sword Tips #6

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Dependence in Worship

Introduction

Solomon’s Appeal for Wisdom

Daniel’s Prayer for Insight

Jehoshaphat’s Request for Deliverance

Conclusion

Sword Tips #5

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Dependence in Worship

Introduction

Learning Dependence

Dependence in the Psalms

Conclusion

Sword Tips #4

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE: Examples of Humility

Introduction

Pride in Worship

Humility in Worship

Conclusion

Sword Tips #3

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE:

The Need for Humility

Introduction

Humility in Receiving Truth

Humility in Self-Assessment

Conclusion

Sword Tips #2

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

PRINCIPLES OF PRAISE:

Examples of Reverence

Sword Tips #1

The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

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