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Justification by Faith -- How?
by Franklin T. Puckett
In the world today there are a multiplicity of doctrines being taught. It is essential that we be able to draw a line of distinction between the doctrine of God and the false doctrines of men. We must know the doctrine of God in order to be made free from sin and to inherit eternal bliss in the life to come. But we cannot recognize that doctrine of God, and distinguish between it and the doctrines of men, without a most diligent and careful study. That is why it is always appropriate and in order that truth should be contrasted with error, the teaching of God with the teachings of men.
The doctrine of salvation by faith only is one that came to prominence and wide acceptance through the influence of Martin Luther in the reformation of the 16th century. Luther inserted the word "alone" into his translation of Romans 3:28, making it read, "We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith ALONE apart from the works of the law." Realizing that the book of James squarely contradicts this idea, Luther rejected James entirely, declaring it not canonical, and describing it as "a book of straw." From the days of Luther to the present, prominent denominational bodies have included the doctrine of "salvation by faith only" in their creeds, church manuals, and confessions of faith. Their preachers contend that justification is secured the very split second one believes in Christ.
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Failing to See the Value
by Alex D. Ogden
Here is an interesting conversation between a Swedish peasant woman and her persistent visitor.
"Does your son in America never send you any money?" was asked of a poverty-stricken old Swedish women. "Never!" was the bitter answer. "He writes often and speaks of sending money, but never a bit have I seen from him. I am getting old and poor and soon I must die or go to the poorhouse. Yet he is rich and prosperous. Such is the ingratitude of children!"
"Is there never anything in the letters?" asked the persistent visitor. "Oh, yes, he always sends pictures; but I do not need pictures; I need money."
"Have you saved those pictures?"
"They are all pasted on the wall in my bedroom. Would you like to see them?"
"Certainly," answered the visitor. When she looked into the bare little room she saw pasted on the walls a small fortune in American paper money.
She had a room whose walls were covered with a small fortune in American money but she failed to see its value. She had a son who loved her and wanted to help her even though he was far away, but because she failed to see the value in the "pictures" which he kept sending, she became bitter toward him.
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Does Repentance Precede Faith?
by Hiram Hutto
A person does not need to have listened to very much preaching - whether on the radio, television, or other places - to know that there are preachers who are telling people, "All you have to do to be saved is 'believe in Jesus'; 'accept Him as your personal Savior’."
Some preachers have even been willing to affirm in public debate that a person is saved from his sins at the point of faith. Naturally this brings up quite a few complications, not the least of which is: If all a person has to do to be saved is to believe, he does not have to repent, or if he is saved at the point of faith he is saved before and without repentance. Not many are willing to say that God will save a sinner whether he repents or not, or God will save the impenitent. After all, it is "Repent or perish" according to 2 Pet. 3:9, and God does "command all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
Neither Reasonable nor Scriptural
In an effort to justify this obviously unscriptural position, (saved at the point of' faith)--preachers (have resorted to the argument that repentance precedes faith, So, after a sinner repents he believes, and then can he saved at the point of faith!
The idea that repentance precedes faith is not only contrary to scripture but it is also contrary to reason. After all, how could a sinner repent of having sinned against God, when he doesn’t even believe there is a God? Then, too, since sin is the transgression of God's law (1 Jn. 3:4), before a person would repent of having transgressed God's law, he would have to believe that there was a God and that He had a law. He certainly would not repent if he did not believe in God, much less that He had a law that he had violated.
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A People of Principle
by Tim Nichols
Christians, above all others, are to be a people governed by principles. The world may not yield to an obvious code of conduct, but God's children recognize that the distinct teachings of God's Word give us higher and better rules than our own to guide us through life. Just as Luke wrote of "those things which are most surely believed among us" (Luke 1:1), we can speak of our common commitment to settled principles that have been revealed from Heaven. Those precepts are the standards held high by the pillar and ground of the Truth (1 Tim. 3:15). They are honorable, virtuous, and noble (Phi. 4:8-9). Only to the degree that our scruples are shaped by untainted Truth can we live uprightly.
Divine precepts are to be kept diligently (Psa. 119:4). We are to long for, love, and meditate upon them (vv. 15, 40, 159). We can understand them and talk of them (v. 27). They give us comfort and hope when men hold us in derision (vv. 49-56).
Divine principles come as a package (Psa.119:128, 168). We either trust God and obey Him concerning all of our ways, or we do not trust Him at all. He Who inspired the living, powerful Scriptures that are able to discern the thoughts and intents of our hearts knows everything about us and everything about every situation that we will encounter (Heb. 4:12-13).
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Paul's Urgent Concern for Colossae; Three Specific Defenses
by Warren E. Berkley
"For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words." (Col. 2:1-4)
Paul wanted God's people in Colossae and Laodicea to know of his urgent concern for them. Why? What was up? As you read further into the chapter you discover the specific threats to their faith that provoked the apostle's sense of urgency.
He knew there were deceivers in their area using persuasive words to dissuade people away from their faith in the deity and sufficiency of Christ. He was well aware of the aggressive campaigners of a false religious system, who would "cheat" Christians "through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ," (v.8). The apostle had in mind the threat from religious defrauders (v.18) who would make their appeals through "an appearance of wisdom and self-imposed religion," yet would enforce a "neglect of the body," (v.23). These were the specific threats Paul was concerned about, for those in the Lycos River Valley. The same kind of dangers abounds in our time.
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The Rational of the Tolerant
by Warren E. Berkley
The idea of sinking all our differences into a sea of "love" and sweet tolerance and uniting in division seems to be rapidly reaching every part of the religious world. Denominational bodies who have formerly harbored revenge are now skillfully defending latitudinarianism and independence of belief. Even some who have been enslaved Roman Catholics are now joining forces with Protestants to do what is called "preaching Christ." This denominational philosophy has grown swiftly in recent years until now the distinction between unity and division is nil.
One very natural outgrowth of this indulgent attitude is the conclusion that those who do not avoid controversy and are firmly devoted to contending for their convictions are merely "picking quarrels about doctrinal differences," and possessed with a tragic lack of "love." It is supposed (not demonstrated by any valid appeal to the Scriptures), that we who are followers of Christ must never be so bold and "self-righteous" as to deny or even question a religious belief and/or practice held by an honest and sincere person. In cases where we question or deny a practice, we are charged with judging, and told that we do not have the right to judge. With reference to this tolerant attitude, a few observations are in order.
Logic?
Using human reasoning and logic as their foundation, proponents of tolerance make their case. After all, they say, we are all different; and since achieving religious unity would be a colossal, if not impossible task, why not just settle for "peaceful co-existence" and stop all this disputing? But human wisdom in the form of "logic" was never intended to originate spiritual truth (1 Cor. 1-2). Any attempt, then, to contend against contending on this basis is invalid. But is their plea logical?
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The Spiritual Simplicity of Our Singing
by Paul Earnhart
In the 1940's Elmer T. Clark observed that is "a peculiar type of mind which is convinced that God is interested in whether his worshipers sing with or without instrumental music" (Small Sects in America, p. 16). Clark's words carry a twentieth century bias. The truth is that the mind which he thought so peculiar was once dominant in "Christian" thought. The use of musical instruments in the worship of the churches is a relatively recent development. Most Protestant churches in America did not yield to the practice until the nineteenth century.
The unadorned simplicity of our spiritual singing is not a cultural statement but a matter of faith — a response to the teaching of the New Testament.
The worship of the Old Testament church with its complex rituals was not simple. During the intricate rites of the temple sacrifices a Levitical chorus was commanded to sing and a Levitical orchestra to play (II Chron. 29:25-28). But the New Testament refers to the appointments of temple worship as "carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation" (Heb. 9:10). This reformation is dramatically illustrated by the total absence of any reference in the New Testament to Christians worshipping God with sacrificial animals, incense, lamps, choirs, or orchestras. There is only the admonition for the disciples to speak to each other and to the Lord in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).
Christian worship in song is not a choral contest. Spiritual singing has spiritual ends. Since God's ways differ radically from our own (Isa. 55:8-9) it is of no consequence that in the mind of some the absence of musical instruments (or of devotional lamps and incense) diminishes the appeal of the singing. What is important is that we have sufficient trust in God to follow His instructions with the confidence that His methods achieve His purposes.
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The Pain of Denial and the Joy of
Forgiveness
by Jim Deason
I have been there and you have, too. Better judgment would have said that you needed to be somewhere else but better judgment doesn't always prevail. So, you were where you didn't need to be. You put yourself in a position to fail and, sure enough, you did. You said the wrong thing and the consequences were immediate and severe. Sound familiar?
"I can relate with Peter." You've heard it many times and perhaps you have said it. Perhaps you feel as if the two of you are distant cousins. The truth is, there is a little of Peter in a lot of us.
He was impetuous. Occasionally, he seemed to act without thinking. When Jesus finished feeding the five thousand, He sent the crowds away and the disciples out onto the Sea of Galilee.
After spending the night in prayer, He found the Twelve on the storm-tossed sea and came to them, walking on the water. When they saw Him, they were afraid. Yet Peter asked, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water?" (Matt. 14:28). Why would a man want to walk on water? What was he thinking? Further, this wasn't the only occasion he acted rashly. What about the time he rebuked the Lord (Matt. 16:21-23); or cut off the ear of Malchus (John 18:7-11), or outran John to the tomb (John 20:1-8)?
Some people feel compelled to always be in the middle of things. They are the first to act and the first to speak. Why? I don't know. Some folks are just made that way and that is not a bad thing. You need people like Peter to motivate others to action. Sometimes, however, impetuousness can get you into trouble.
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The Fickleness of Man
by James P. Needham
Webster defines fickleness as "erratic changeableness, especially in affection." This seems to be a common proclivity of the human race. It manifests itself with a vengeance in the church, and has from the very beginning. Paul said to the Galatians, (Gal 1:6) "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel." I think the emphasis is on the word "soon." What surprised Paul was the "soonness" of their removal from the grace of Christ. They were fickle. This caused Paul to say, (Gal 4:11) "I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain," and "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" (Gal. 4:16). Paul was forsaken by a previous companion, Demas. (2 Tim. 2:10;Col. 4:14, Phil 1:24). Paul was forsaken by everyone while on trial in Rome (2 Tim 4:16). Jesus was betrayed into the hands of His enemies by one of his own apostles, Judas. David spoke of this in prophecy. (Psa 41:9) "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."
It is absolutely amazing how soon and how quickly people can change. All preachers have experienced alienation from brethren with whom they have had the warmest and closest relationship in the past. It is appalling how insignificant incidents can make bitter enemies of former close friends. It does not matter how much good one has done in the kingdom, a simple hiccup can make it seem as nothing. Brethren who have spoken great swelling words about one's accomplishments, can cut you off at the knees on a moment's notice. They will nit pick every little incident as a basis of severe criticism. Often if they can't find something to nit pick, they will make up something.
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Rom 4:8, Windshield Wipers, Etc..
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr.
"Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin" (Rom. 4.8).
I am amazed at how freely Calvinists and some brethren, who say they are not Calvinists, use this passage. To the Calvinist it proves his brand of the security of the saints. To such brethren it proves their brand of continuous cleansing of the saints. In either case it is used to prove that a Christian's sins, at least some of them, are not held against him by the Lord.
The main difference, the best I can determine from their writings, between Calvinists and the "continuous cleansing" brethren is that Calvinists believe that no sins are charged to the Christian's account while the brethren believe that only some sins are charged to his account - mainly those high-handedly committed.
If the Lord does not impute sin, in the sense of never charging it to our accounts, then there is no need to talk about "continuous cleansing." One does not cleanse that which is not soiled. If sin is not imputed, in the sense of not being charged to him, he is not soiled by the sin. He needs no cleansing - continuous or otherwise.
The popular illustration of the windshield wiper effect does apply here - even though this is one of the proof texts usually used in connection with it. The most recent usage that I have seen is in a sermon by Guy N. Woods being distributed in tract form by Britnell Publications of Little Rock, Arkansas. For the reader who may not be familiar with the windshield wiper illustration, it goes something like this: When one becomes a Christian his "windshield wiper" is turned on. Rain drops (sins) will continue to fall on his windshield (soul) but they are immediately wiped off by the wiper (blood of Christ). So, they say, a Christian's sins are taken care of without his having to reach and turn the wiper on each time a drop hits his windshield - it is automatically wiped off. They may deny (as they do) that they are teaching "automatic continuous cleansing" rather than mere "continuous cleansing" - the windshield wiper illustrates automatic cleansing or it is a pointless illustration. The difference between hard core Calvinists and the brethren that use the illustration, as I see it, is that once the Calvinist's wiper is turned on there is no way he can turn it off; while brethren leave us with the option of turning it off through high handed or willful sin.
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Is the Faithful Saint Continually Cleansed by the Blood of Christ?
by Hiram Hutto
First of all, it should be pointed out that the question is self-contradictory. How? It speaks about the blood continually cleansing. 1 John 1:7 tells us that his blood cleanseth us from sin. So, if the blood is continually cleansing, it is continually cleansing from sin, which means that there is sin present that needs cleansing. That being true, the person who is being continually cleansed must be continually sinning. Now, how can a person be called a faithful saint (both terms) while at the same time he is continually sinning? Clearly, the question contradicts itself.
Further, to imply that a Christian is one who continually sins is to contradict the Bible. It says that a Christian does not practice sin (1 John 3:9, NASB; the same tense and idea is in 3:6 and 5:18). If a person who is continually sinning isn't practicing sin, what on earth would he have to do to practice it? Again, when Paul asks, "Shall we continue in sin?", he answers "God forbid" (Rom. 6:1). According to the position we are examining, he should have said, "Not only may we continue in sin, but we will be faithful saints while so doing"! The fact is, this passage and others show that sin is not the norm for the Christian, it is the exception.
What is frequently meant by such questions as heads this article is: Is the faithful saint automatically cleansed of sins of ignorance and/or weakness. 1 John 1:7 is cited to prove that he is. Not only does I John 1:7 not teach that doctrine, the passage says absolutely nothing per se about sins of weakness or ignorance. It says the blood of Jesus cleanses us "from all sin." Whatever the passage says about sins of ignorance and weakness, it says the same thing about sins of rebellion and disobedience. It says "all sin." But someone might respond (and the idea is current), the person under consideration in 1 John I is said to "walk in the light" and a person who is walking in the light will not be guilty of sins of rebellion and disobedience, only sins of weakness and/or ignorance. Who said so? Did God? If so, where? Obviously, a person who is guilty of rebellion and disobedience is not "in the light" at the point at which he is guilty of rebellion or disobedience, but no sin is "in the light." After all, "God is light and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5), and if sin is not darkness, what is? There is no sin (rebellion, disobedience, or whatever) in the light.
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There is One Body, or Church
by J. D. Tant
Ephesians 4:4 says, "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling." In Ephesians 1:22-23 we learn that the church is the body of Christ, and that Christ is the head. We now ask, "How many bodies or churches has the Son of God on earth? Paul plainly says, "there is one body" (Eph. 4:4). This one body, he tells us, is the church. We then, of necessity, conclude that there is one, and only one, church of divine origin.
As almost all organizations on earth have some head, either human or divine, it is a matter of serious thought that every intelligent person should ask himself, "Is the church of which I am a member of human or of divine origin?"
If it is of divine origin, let us thank God and take courage. If human, let us remember that Jesus said, "Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up" (Matt. 15:13). No intelligent man or woman can plead ignorance nor offer excuses why he is not a member of the church of Christ, rather than some human organization. Every church, whether human or divine, has its standard of measurement by which all members can measure themselves, and know to what church they belong. A few illustrations will make this clear.
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Who is My Judge?
by Robert Welch
People become overly concerned about how others pry into their lives, criticizing, condemning, maybe slandering. What difference does it make what others think of us? They are not really our judges; the Lord is our judge. What they say may slur our reputation, but it can do nothing against our character and standing with the Lord. Preachers even become too much concerned about what the people church members, the world, think of them and their preaching. Paul gave consideration to all these things as he wrote:
"But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self... but he that judgeth is the Lord." (I Corinthians 4:3‑4)
Notice that he does not say that he cares nothing about the judging or examining of others. He does emphasize, however, that it is “a very small thing”. In the same letter he says, "I am become all things to all men," (I Cor. 9:21) but that is not merely to please them. He says it is "that I may by all means save some." The context, furthermore, shows that he would not go so far in this as to displease Christ. Instead he disciplined himself lest he be rejected of Christ. (I Cor. 9:27)
He had this small concern about what others thought of him. On the other hand, however, he puts the matter in its proper place: "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ." (Gal. 1:10)
If my friends, companions and "everybody" do a thing and think that I am an odd‑ball because I do not go along with it, am I concerned? Their actions and estimations are not the standard of conduct for me as a Christian, and it is not by their standards that I am to be judged. "He that looketh into the perfect law, the law, of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing." (James 1:25) Not only is it the doing of the perfect law which will bring me blessings, but it is by this perfect law that I shall be judged; "so speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law, of liberty." (James 2:12)
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Why Doesn't the Church Contribute to Businesses that Help People?
by Buddy Payne
The church we read about in the Bible belongs to God and was planned by Him before the creation of the world (Eph.3:8-11). It was to make known the wisdom of God (3:10). It was built by Jesus Christ, our Lord, (Matt.16:18), who is its foundation (1 Cor.3:11), and was purchased by His precious blood (Acts 20:28).
When God raised Christ from the dead, He gave Him all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt.28:18) and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is described as His body (Eph.1:20-23).
Jesus Christ commissioned His apostles to take His message to the whole world (Matt.28:18-20). He gave them the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth (John 16:13) and reveal to them the things He wanted us to know (Eph.3:1-6). His apostles and prophets spoke and wrote what God revealed to them for our benefit (2 Pet.3:1-2), including how we should conduct ourselves in His church (1 Tim.3:15). Inspired letters were written to local congregations (Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Colossae, Thessalonica, etc.) and to individuals (Timothy, Titus, and Philemon) instructing us in what He would have us to do individually and congregationally.
All of these points show the importance and value God places on His church and the emphasis He places on carrying out His will and purposes in His church. Thus, whatever we do in His church we should do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, or by His authority (Col.3:17).
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"Righteous Lot"
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr.
(2 Peter 2:7-8) "…and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) -- (NKJV)
Lot, the nephew of Abraham, is scripturally judged to have been a "righteous man". That does not mean that he was a perfect man. He was subject to weakness and made mistakes. This is clear from observing both his pre-Sodom and post-Sodom days.
Lot's Unwise Move
Lot made a grave mistake in judgment in choosing the well-watered plain of Jordan as a place to raise his family (Gen. 13:10). The plain was as wicked as it was prosperous. There was nothing inherently wrong in his choice. After all, Abraham had freely given him the choice. However, as time passed, it proved to have been a poor choice. His children grew up and married in that environment. Later, when he attempted to save them from destruction, his sons-in-law thought he was joking (Gen. 19:15). We are not told how many children Lot had in all, but only two daughters escaped destruction. Even after their escape the wicked influence of Sodom still surfaced in the two daughters (Gen. 19:30-38).
One needs all the help he can get in raising his children in righteousness. In the best of communities there are adverse influences. To escape all evil influences one would have to go out of the world. Yet, there are clearly communities where moral standards are much worse than others. There are communities where there are some opportunities to form friendships with morally upright people. There are others where there are little or no opportunities to associate with good people. One needs to understand that, wherever he lives, his children are going to seek companionships, of their age group, from among those available to them. The harder it is for them to find someone of high moral character the more likely it is they will associate with those of low character. So, anyone with children to raise should seriously consider the general moral character of a community before moving there.
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He Became Like You
by Phil Roberts
One of the most fundamental facts of the gospel is that Jesus suffered and died for our sins, not as a god, but as a man. He was indeed the Son of God, but he surrendered the glories and privileges that belonged to that position that he might become like us. He "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:7-8).
His becoming like us was not just a matter of taking on the physical appearance of a man. As the writer of Hebrews says, "In all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people" (Heb. 2:17). Consider the following ways in which Jesus became like you:
1. Jesus became like you in his liability to human infirmities. He became hungry (Matt. 21:18); thirsty (Jn. 4:7); and weary after a hard day’s work (Lk. 8:23). The importance of these things is underscored by the fact that Jesus refused to use his power as the Son of God to escape any of them. He would not even turn the stones to bread after forty days and nights without food (Matt. 4:2-4). To do so would have amounted to a forsaking of his mission—to suffer and die on the same terms we do.
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Grace and Permissiveness
by Dale Smelser
There is cause for concern in some current ideas premised upon the grace of God. What persons with such ideas are saying of grace per se is often fine, but their projected applications are unjustified, especially when they suppose that the fellowship of false teachers and errant brethren is necessitated because such by grace still possess righteousness in Christ. As we examine the subject of grace relative to these problems, we are not alluding to any one person's conclusions, to our knowledge, but considering numerous ideas drifting about in various quarters that do appear to our understanding to be ultimately of one fabric.
The fact of God's favor extended out of love and for his own glory to undeserving sinners is exceedingly precious, and one can only thrill at its exposition in Paul's treatise on justification by faith, the epistle to Rome. The Jew gloried in the law, circumcision, and his Abrahamic parentage. To show that none of these established righteousness, Paul argued that to sinners, which all are, the law is an instrument of condemnation rather than justification. He argued that God's real concern is the cutting away of sin from the heart rather then flesh from the body, and that instead of lineal descendants he wanted spiritual sons of Abraham who imitate his faith.
Instead of futilely glorying in a legalism that could never save because of man's inability to perfectly keep law, Paul declares that we are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1). A synonym for faith in this sense is trust. We place our trust in God and rely upon his scheme in Christ. It is a scheme relying not merely on conduct, but having the provision of perfect atonement for imperfect conduct, if we qualify.
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The Beatitudes: A Surprising Conclusion
by Paul Earnhart
With this article we bring to a conclusion our study of the beatitudes. They end as they began, in a startling way.
"Blessed are the merciful" (Matthew 5:7). Mercy is a quality not wholly unknown even in a world of basically self‑seeking men. But it is a selective, capricious mercy that does not move from principle and is not a settled disposition of the heart and character. The same man who is capable of occasional compassion still finds the sorrows of others too burdensome and revenge too sweet.
The mercy which Jesus praises is borne of the penetrating awareness of one's own desperate need of mercy, not simply from men, but specially from God. It is a mercy that shows compassion to the helpless (Lk 10:37) and extends forgiveness even to the one who gives repeated offence (Mt 18:21-22). This compassion is not prompted by the appealing qualities of the offender (How would we treat the "ugly" sinner?) but rises from our own sense of gratitude for that mercy which God has shown us. We also were not appealing when God sent His Son to the cross (Rom 5:8). Citizens of heaven's commonwealth have not forgotten which side of the tracks they came from (Tit 3:1-5). One of the greatest expressions of this kind of mercy is its selfless concern for a sinful and unattractive but lost world (Matthew 9:36-38). It is a driving force in gospel preaching.
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"A Stone of Witness"
by James W. Adams
After having lead the children of Israel triumphantly into the land of promise and not long before his death, Joshua called all of the tribes to Shechem and delivered a valedictory address. In his eloquent, emotionally charged oration, he traced the history of the nation of Israel from the planting of its first seed by God in His calling of Abraham in Ur of Chaldees, through the bondage of the children of Jacob in Egypt and their marvelous, Divine deliverance and wilderness wanderings under Moses, up to and including their entrance into and possession of the land of Canaan.
The climax of Joshua's address was reached when he issued the following stirring challenge to the newborn nation of God's people: "Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served which were on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served which were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:14, 15).
In response to this challenge, the children of Israel answered confidently and fervently, "God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods, ... we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:16, 21).
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Involvement and Relevancy
by Irven Himmel
Modern churches participate in numerous practices which are completely foreign to true New Testament doctrine. Promoters of such practices find consolation in the idea that they are getting involved, making religion more relevant and meaningful to modern man.
"Involvement" and "relevancy" are two magic words in today's language. They somehow put the stamp of approval on a wide variety of performances. Never mind about the apostolic church, we must relate to our own times. And do not waste time quoting scripture; just get in and participate. Wherever the crowd is swimming, the water is fine, so come on in, and remember that we need a contemporary church. If we do not get involved we cannot relate, and if we fail to relate we are doomed to wither and die!
Before we plunge into some new and daring adventure that may drown us in destruction and perdition, let us examine involvement and relevancy. Let us scrutinize, analyze, study, and ponder the implications of the terminology expressive of a common concept.
One is "involved" when he is drawn in as a participant. Christians are by the nature of their calling an involved people. Christ's followers are taught to be occupied with prayer, Bible study, teaching, exhortation, joint participation in divine service, good works, support of the gospel, worship, and righteous living. It is regrettable that some who wear the holy name of Jesus are not actively engaged in these important pursuits. Their lack of involvement is a detriment to their spiritual growth and to the advancement of the church of which they are members.
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Worthy of Worship
by Andy Diestelkamp
"You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Matt. 4:10; Lk. 4:8). Jesus responded to Satan's temptation in this manner, making it clear that only Jehovah is worthy of worship (Jehovah is the name of the God of the Hebrews -- See Ex. 3:1-18; Deut. 6:13).
Why Jehovah God alone is deserving of this level of respect and adoration is clearly announced in John's vision of the heavenly throne (Rev. 4). In that spectacular scene the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders gave glory, honor, and thanks to Almighty God (vs. 9) while they cast their crowns before Him "who lives forever and ever" in humble recognition of God's superiority and grace (vs. 10). These worshipers declared that God was worthy of this worship because He created all things and all things exist by His will (vs. 11).
Likewise it is clear that created beings are not worthy of the kind of worship that is to be directed toward God. There are some notable examples of this preserved for us. When Peter (by divine order) came to Cornelius, the centurion "fell down at [Peter's] feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up saying, 'Stand up; I myself am also a man'" (Ac. 10:25, 26).
None can forget Herod's failure to restrain the people "who kept shouting, 'The voice of a god and not of a man'" (Ac. 12:22). He was punished "because he did not give glory to God" (vs. 23).
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