Category: Reflections Articles
Articles printed in the weekly bulletin of the West Side church of Christ
Sins of the Tongue
In James 3:6 the text reads, “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.” The dangers present anytime we open our mouths should give us pause, and encourage us to take great care in our speech. “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19).
Following are some of the sins we may commit when we open our mouths to speak:
Exceeding the Righteousness of the Pharisees
The Pharisees were a sect of Jews during the time of Jesus known for a strict adherence to the Law of Moses. The name means “separatists”, and the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia notes that they were, “those who carefully kept themselves from any legal contamination, distinguishing themselves by their care in such matters from the common people, … who had fewer scruples.”
The scrupulosity of the Pharisee is acknowledged by the Lord in Matthew 23:23, when in speaking with them he said, “For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin…” Earlier in the chapter, He told his disciples “whatever they [the Pharisees] tell you to observe, that observe and do.”
Continue reading “Exceeding the Righteousness of the Pharisees”
Wage the Good Warfare
In the last 100 years, our nation has been involved in numerous wars. The first World War was believed by many to be the “war to end all wars.” Surely mankind learned its lesson from the atrocities and loss of life. Alas, no. The second World War erupted only a few decades after, followed by America’s involvement in the Korean conflict, the Vietnam War, two separate wars with Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, and our present undeclared war with Muslim Militants. Other, minor conflicts pepper our nation’s history over the last century.
It seems war is inevitable. Even though many have wearied of the loss of life and economic privation that accompanies warfare, evil men remain resolute in their desire to subdue, conquer, and press their ideologies upon others. This demonstrates a universal truth. Peace is not attained unilaterally. It takes a willingness on the part of all, to be established and maintained.
Don’t Worry … Be Happy!
Here’s a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don’t worry … be happy.
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don’t worry … be happy.
Bobby McFerrin
The song has a catchy tune, and with certain caveats, properly expresses the attitude that Christians should exhibit toward their lives here on earth. Notice the following passages:
The Damage Done by Adultery
I recently came across a fine article written by Rusty Miller, which appeared in the June 2003 issue of Abundant Life Magazine. The article was titled “Adultery’s Consequences”, and noted the damage that the sin of adultery wreaks upon society, the church, children, marriage and the soul. The article was a bit longer than the space allotted here, so I would like to take the main points, and concisely summarize them.
Teaching such as this is needed because of the frequency of the sin. It is certainly a societal problem, but how many times have we seen Christian families devastated by the sin of adultery? We wonder how a man or woman could behave in such a treacherous way. Lives and souls are destroyed by sexual infidelity. Consider the following:
A Child’s Rights
Children have far fewer “rights” than adults in most societies, including our own. They don’t have the right to vote, to buy alcohol, to live on their own, or to drive a car. While children are considered a precious commodity, it is understood by all that it will take time for them to reach a state where they can enjoy, appreciate and profit from independence. In the meantime it is the responsibility of parents to care for, protect and educate them in preparation for the time they will take their place as adults in society.
8 Questions about Music
I just watched a lengthy video featuring a number of Calvinists who were taking issue with what music in worship has become in American churches. They were concerned with too great an emphasis upon the musical style (with the most important thing being how it “makes me feel”); a willingness to put up with a church teaching error, as long as “the music is good”; and an unfortunate imbalance as music is overemphasized as a part of Christian worship.
The video was interesting, as I think it addressed problems we see in the Lord’s church as well. I personally have encountered Christians who prefer songs based upon musical style rather than the sentiment expressed; who are more interested in whether a congregation has “good singing” than whether it stands for truth; and who would travel 250 miles for an “annual” singing, but can’t be bothered to attend a neighboring congregation’s gospel meeting!
In the conclusion of the video, the narrator asked 8 questions that I think make valid points about what music should be:
The Beatitudes
In Matthew chapters 5 through 7 we have the most extensive example of our Lord’s teaching in His ministry. The sermon was preached early in His efforts, shortly after His temptation in the wilderness. It was preached in Galilee, on a mountainside near the north shore of Lake Tiberias. While there are many important truths found in Matthew’s record of that sermon, we will limit our comments to its beginning, known as the Beatitudes.
A Divine Identity
In his first epistle, the apostle Peter wrote the following words, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (2:9-10). The text affirms that Christians belong to God, and are special. Verse four states that Jesus Christ was rejected by men. Since that is so, it stands to reason that those who belong to Him will be rejected as well (cf. John 15:18-25).
The Purpose of Our Assemblies
Would it be considered controversial to state that the purpose of our worship assemblies is not to evangelize? Perhaps it would be less so if I explained what I mean by the statement.
First, I am not saying that evangelism can’t take place in the assembly. In fact, first principle preaching in the worship assembly is one way that the children of Christians reach the point of being convicted, and thus converted. Also, it is conceivable that the conversion of an occasional visitor may be the salutary consequence of such lessons. More probably, first principle lessons will serve to “stir up your pure minds by way of reminder” (cf. 2 Peter 3:1), equipping the saints to share with others what they have learned, and had reinforced by the preacher’s words.
“Crossing the Rubicon”
In 1967, Fanning Yater Tant wrote an editorial in The Gospel Guardian titled, On the Banks of the Rubicon. The title was taken from the common phrase “crossing the Rubicon,” referring to a small river crossed by Julius Caesar in defiance of the Roman senate. His treasonous action could have no result other than victory or death. The phrase is used to refer to an irrevocable action or an event from which there could be no turning back.
The editorial appeared in a special issue of the magazine dealing with institutional issues, specifically the sponsoring church arrangement. As Tant wrote, the issue was intended to exhort brethren to “turn their backs once and forever on the enticing, exciting, and deadly! country that lies across the Rubicon, the country of ‘denominational Christianity.’”
The Seed Principle
There is a simple, natural principle that has been used numerous times by the Holy Spirit to illustrate truth. We may call it the seed principle, and it was used (for example) by Paul when he wrote to the Galatians, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7-8). You reap what you sow — a sublime idea that has awesome implications regarding spiritual truths.
The idea holds with regard to amount, kind and the nature of the soil upon which the seed is sown. For example, Paul used the principle in exhorting the Corinthians to liberality in their giving. “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6). Jesus, in His parable of the sower, indicated the importance of planting the seed (the word) upon good soil (the honest heart), referring to the honest man as one “who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:23). The seed principle even can be used to show God’s glory in the redemption of man. Paul deflected any personal glory in his work in preaching, saying to the Corinthians, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1 Corinthians 6:7-8). All of these points can be illustrated equally by this simple, agronomic analogy.
Can We KNOW We Are Right?
We live in a postmodern age, one that has rejected the idea of absolute and verifiable truth. In the minds of many, the only intolerable contention is that we may know truth. Is this right? Is it possible to know (be certain) that we are right? The answer is most certainly yes!
To be clear, we are not maintaining that we have obtained perfect and complete knowledge of God’s word. The process of maturity is an ongoing one. However, an answer to this question will give us confidence as we seek to defend the truth against the various errors we confront. If we are given the charge to “contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), it logically follows that said faith is verifiable and knowable.
How Firm a Foundation
The hymn “How Firm a Foundation” was written sometime in the 1700’s. The author of the hymn is not known, but its first appearance was in a Baptist hymnal from 1787. According to Then Sings My Soul, a book about hymn origins written by Robert J. Morgan, the song was originally published under the title “Exceedingly Great and Precious Promises”, and had a total of seven stanzas.
Excessive Loyalty
Loyalty is a good thing. A very good thing. Consider the beautiful expression of Ruth’s loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi, “But Ruth said: ‘Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me’” (Ruth 1:16-17).
Loyalty to God must be absolute. Divided loyalties are unacceptable. There is no way to be excessively loyal to Him. As Jesus said, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37). Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”
