Category: Reflections Articles
Articles printed in the weekly bulletin of the West Side church of Christ
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.”
God Speaks to Me!
It is common for religious people to claim that they have received instructions or confirmation directly from God. They place great trust in the “directions” they have received, and use any coincidence as corroboration that God has spoken to them. When asked what God’s voice sounds like, they are seldom bold enough to describe an actual voice, but remain steadfast in their contention that they have been directed in some nebulous way by Him.
There is no doubt that at times God has spoken directly to man. The Old Testament gives examples of conversations between God and Adam, Abraham and Moses. The apostle Peter stated, “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21).
Unity Among Brethren
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).
Unity is indeed pleasant and good. It is, unfortunately unattainable with those of the world. They stand opposed to truth and righteousness. Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household’” (Matthew 10:34-36). It is a common, but unfortunate mistake to think that we can be one with the worldly. This can only happen if we compromise. Instead, John wrote, “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).
“Judge not that you be not judged”
It seems that the most widely quoted passage of scripture in our time is Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Often, it is shortened as a part of the statement, “Jesus said, ‘Judge not’!” The statement is true, Jesus did say, “Judge not.” To understand His statement, however, takes some explanation. It is not as cut and dried as many would have you believe.
First, consider the full statement of Jesus in the text, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (1-2). The context shows that this is not a blanket condemnation of judging. It is, rather, a warning. No man can judge another without being judged himself—and, with the same standard of judgment.
Bound by Time
Man is a creature bound by time. His entire existence is measured by date and duration. Nine months in the womb. The first birthday. Becoming a teenager. Sweet sixteen. High School, then college graduation. Marriage, children, anniversaries, retirement, death. We celebrate the various milestones in our lives. Figures such as 1, 16, 18, 21, 40, 50, 65, 80, 90, 100 all bring immediate and sometimes visceral memories and emotions.
The Condition of the Erring
It can be rather unpleasant to correct an erring brother in Christ. If the brother is unrepentant, he may resent any admonition, and even become contentious. Too, others who do not recognize the importance of such correction may object. Such responses may cause hesitation, or even dereliction of duty on the part of the spiritual despite the instruction of the Holy Spirit, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2).
As one who is striving to serve God and your fellow man, the next time you feel such a hesitation to fulfill your duty, perhaps it would be good to see the erring one as God sees him. Consider the following:
“Be Strong and of Good Courage”
When Moses was 120 years old he called Israel together, and told them that their sojourn in the wilderness was coming to an end. Because of his sin at Kadesh (cf. Numbers 20), Moses would not be allowed to lead the people into the promised land. After promising the people that God was with them, he anointed Joshua as the new leader of the fledgling nation. He told Joshua in the presence of the people, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8).
Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner
God hates sin. There is no doubt concerning this, as the scriptures use that very term to describe God’s attitude toward various sins. For example, the sin of idolatry. Deuteronomy 16:21-22 records, among other admonitions in that context, “You shall not plant for yourself any tree, as a wooden image, near the altar which you build for yourself to the Lord your God. You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the Lord your God hates.” Likewise, in Malachi 2:16, it is written, “‘For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,’ Says the Lord of hosts. ‘Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.’”
Drops of Dew
Deuteronomy 32 records the song that Moses spoke to assembled Israel just before his death. Joshua took over as leader of the people, as they crossed over the Jordan and at long last entered the promised land of Canaan. There is a beautiful sentiment expressed in the opening words of the song:
“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak;
And hear, o earth, the words of my mouth.
Let my teaching drop as the rain,
My speech distill as the dew,
As raindrops on the tender herb,
And as showers on the grass.
For I proclaim the name of the Lord:
Ascribe greatness to our God.
He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice;
Righteous and upright is He.”
(Deuteronomy 32:1-4)
Notice that Moses characterized his speech, where he proclaimed “the name of the Lord,” as words of freshness and revival, likening them to rain and dew.
Dew, (tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces during the night, as water vapor condenses) has always been portrayed as beautiful and rejuvenating. In the very beginning, God used such to water the ground, “but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground” (Genesis 2:6).
“Sinful Nature” VS “Flesh”
There is a song that we occasionally sing, Amazing Grace, that was written by a man who believed the Calvinistic concept of inherited depravity. When he wrote the words, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me…”, he meant something other than what the scriptures teach concerning sin, grace and redemption. However, because he used scriptural language in the text of the song, we may sing it with a good conscience and an honest heart because we take the words to mean what is taught in scripture rather than what was intended by the author of the song. If the language he had used had clearly indicated his incorrect views, we would not be able to use the song.
Lessons Learned from Backsliding Israel
In Jeremiah 3, Jehovah God spoke to the prophet, in the days of Josiah the king, describing the northern kingdom of Israel as “backsliding Israel” because of her idolatry (vs. 6). God called Israel back, but “she did not return” (vs. 7). It is because of this rebelliousness that the ten northern tribes were taken into captivity, and lost their identity.
Now, Judah was in danger of the same end. Consider first that Judah had learned from the idolatry of Israel, “And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.” Ungodly activity of any type can have a corrupting influence upon those who witness it. As Paul told the Corinthians, “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6-7). This is an important principle to remember as we do our deeds before men, “Whoever causes on of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).
FAQ Sheet: Church of Christ
FAQ’s. The acronym is well known with the advent of the internet. Frequently asked questions. Here are some simple answers to frequently asked questions about the church of Christ. Feel free to share with others:
Progressive VS Conservative
Webster’s Dictionary defines progressive as, (a) of, relating to, or characterized by progress; (b) making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities. In relation to politics and societal trends, a progressive is interested in change. He wants to try new ideas, take advantage of new technologies, and is always trying to make the world a better place by replacing old ideas and ways with new ones.
One antonym of progressive, as supplied by Webster, is the word conservative. Again, speaking politically and societally, the conservative is wary of change. He embraces the way things have been done in the past, declaring them tried and true. He does not believe that change is for the better, and rejects new ideas and technologies as merely novel, fearing unknown consequences should they be adopted.
“Your sin will find you out”
Numbers 32 records the petition the children of Reuben and Gad made to Moses and the leaders of the congregation of Israel. They desired to settle on the east side of the Jordan River rather than with the rest of the Israelites in Canaan. Moses agreed to allow this, so long as the two tribes guaranteed they would fight with the rest of Israel until “until every one of the children of Israel has received his inheritance” (vs. 18). Having given his approval, Moses warned the people should they go back on their word:
“But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out” (vs. 23).
There are many different examples, in both the Old and New Testaments, of people trying to hide their sin. While it is possible for the sinner to hide his sin from men, it is not possible to hide his sin from the Almighty.
