Although Heaven is a place where they count not time by years, and “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Pet. 3:8), we have marked the passing of another year. 2012 is gone, never to be seen again, and 2013 is upon us. The old year with all its failures and accomplishments, as well as times of joy and grief, has emptied itself into the sea of eternity. Indeed, it’s time to look to the new year with faith and confidence in God.

It’s true, of course, that we don’t know what 2013 has in store for us because each year always brings a certain amount of uncertainty with it. Will 2013 bring prosperity, health, and happiness or will it bring sickness, pain, and sorrow? Only time will tell. However, in spite of all that may be uncertain about the future, it is certain that God is sitting upon His throne and caring for His people! Let us not forget that God is still in control of this old world, ruling in the affairs of men and seeing to it that His will and purposes are fulfilled (Dan. 4:17). Yes, Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings, even in the 21^st century, and it is certain that we need to renew our commitment to serve Him.

For the most part, wasn’t 2012 what we made it to be? While a year always brings circumstances and events which are beyond our control, even then we have a choice as to how we react to those things. So it will be in 2013! The new year will bring to us in large measure what we choose to bring to it. Hence we need to learn how “to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalms 90:12). If we want to have a prosperous new year, we must not trivialize the meaning and purpose of life, but we must look to Christ as our helper and guide. Let’s notice some things that will accompany the new year.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GOOD

Paul exhorts us in Eph. 5:16 to “redeem the time.” That means to make the most of every opportunity and to use our time on this earth wisely. Each year brings with it opportunities to do good or evil, to grow stronger in the Lord or weaker in faith, to add to our Bible knowledge or continue in ignorance, and to lead souls to Christ or act indifferently toward evangelism. As you look back on the old year, how would you rate yourself in those areas of your life? Are you a stronger Christian today than you were a year ago? Do you know more about God’s word? Did you lead someone to Christ last year or at least tried to be a wise soul winner (Prov. 11:30)? If you can answer those questions in the affirmative, 2012 was a prosperous year for you. However, if you had to answer in the negative, you need to resolve to do better! As Heb. 6:9 puts it, “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation . . .”

IMPORTANT DECISIONS

Joel 3:14 speaks of “multitudes in the valley of decision.” As with last year, decisions will be made which will have far-reaching consequences for both time and eternity. In fact, all of us will make decisions this year which will help to determine where we will spend eternity! People must decide: Will I obey the gospel or refuse salvation? Will I continue in sin or repent and change the direction of my life? Will I remain faithful to the Lord or quit walking in the light of God’s truth? Will I come out of denominationalism and simply be a Christian or will I continue to live by the creeds and dogmas of men? Will I continue in digression and false worship or will I promote unity in the church by standing upon a “thus saith the Lord?” If you made the wrong decision in regard to any of those matters, hopefully in 2013 you will have opportunities to make things right.

WHAT ABOUT THE LORD’S RETURN?

This could be the year when Jesus comes again to “judge the world in righteousness” (Acts 17:31). Do you doubt that could be the case? Jesus warned in Matt. 24:44, “Therefore be ye ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” If our Lord were to return before the end of 2013, would you be found ready? Certainly how we decide the crucial decisions of our lives determines if we are ready for death and the judgment. Let us remember that when one chooses to travel a certain road, he also chooses to accept the destination to which it leads. “Whither have ye made a road today?” (1 Sam. 27:10) is a great question to consider as we enter the new year!

Which road of life did you choose to travel last year and did it take you in the direction you wanted to go? While we might like to think otherwise, the only two roads available are the broad way which leads us away from God and the narrow way which leads us to God (Matt. 7:13-14). Therefore, if you continue on the path you are now on, just where are you headed? Where are you going to end up? The Bible says in Isa. 55:6, “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.” If that doesn’t sum up the aim and purpose of your life, you are surely headed in the wrong direction and need to make a turnabout!

Where are we headed? I can tell you where. Like it or not, we are all marching toward eternity. As Paul wrote in Rom. 13:11, “it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” Yes, this is where we are headed– toward the judgment seat of Christ (2Cor. 5:10)! In view of that, it is certain that men need to obey the gospel in 2013. The gospel is still God’s means of saving the sinner (Rom. 1:16). Men need to believe in Jesus (John 3:18). Men need to repent of their sins (Acts 17:30). Men need to confess their faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10). Men need to be baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). It is still true in 2013 that when Jesus comes again, He will take vengeance on those who have not obeyed the gospel (2 Thess. 1:8). Do it today while you have the time and the opportunity.

“The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. To lose one’s wealth is sad indeed. To lose one’s health is more. But to lose one’s soul is such a loss that no man can restore.”

Article by: Billy Dickinson

The Bible informs us that we must have faith in order to please God. Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Because of examples we have been given, we do not have to wonder what is involved in a saving faith.

One of the examples of faith we are given is Noah. Those who believe in “faith only” have a lot of explaining to do when it comes to Noah. Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Faith involves works of obedience and the example of Noah makes that very clear.

When a person has faith in God he will obey without hesitation, even if the task involved seems demanding. When we look at the example of Noah we see that he had a demanding assignment given to him by God. He was told to build an ark 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high. This task would take him 120 years and then, he still had the task of gathering up all the animals that were to be put on the ark. Noah could have questioned God about all he had to do and how enormous the job was. Instead, Noah did all that God commanded him. Genesis 6:22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. We see that Noah was “warned by God” and this indicates that Noah received the word of God and by faith acted upon it. Faith involves works of obedience and, without a doubt, the building of an ark was a great work of faith.

Noah was saved by faith, but not by faith alone. James explains it this way; James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Faith involves more than just accepting the Lord as your personal Savior. Obedience puts on faith into action. These works are not works of merit by which one earns salvation, but are works of obedience from the standpoint of an unprofitable servant. Salvation comes by the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8 through Ephesians 2:9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. A man cannot earn salvation by his works. Salvation by grace is obtained through faith and the example of Noah shows that faith involves works of obedience.

If the idea of “faith only” was true the demons would be saved. James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. Jesus teaches that it takes more than faith alone to be pleasing unto Him. Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord and do not the things I say? There was no way that Noah could just believe there was a God and accept Him as the One who could save him, he had to act upon what God commanded by faith. Who would believe Noah would have been saved without building the ark?

Peter uses Noah’s obedient faith for an illustration; 1 Peter 3:20-21 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Noah was commanded to build an ark and we are commanded to repent and be baptized. Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. We act upon our faith when we obey God’s commandments.

Did the work of building the ark saved Noah? No, God’s grace did that. However, the scriptures show plainly that Noah would not have been saved by the grace of God had he not put his faith in action by obeying the commands of God. Noah had to build that ark and get on it to be saved. When we submit to God’s commands to repent and be baptized, we are not doing works of merit by which God owes us salvation. These are works of faithful obedience. Like Noah we have to obey. For those teaching “faith only”, I would ask, can you please explain Noah?

Article by: Rick Martin

Long ago when Solomon symbolically looked forward to our day, the day of the church, he pictured the church as looking “forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.” He did this, I believe, because the church was to be in possession of the truth. The church still stands today because we have the truth, and this being the case, the edification of God’s church, and the importance of that edification cannot be overlooked.

God has always intended that His people have proper teaching of His way, of His word. In the Old Testament economy, God made special plans for the instruction of His people in that day and in that time. And even as the centuries of that Old Testament arrangement were wearing on, the prophets were speaking of the new dispensation which was to come, of our time, and were telling of God’s plans for teaching the people in this day. In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses said that God would raise up a prophet that would be “like me,” or like Moses, and “you shall hear Him.” In Isaiah 54, the prophet said, “all the children shall be taught the ways of the Lord.” In Isaiah 2, when the mountain of the Lord’s house was pictured as being established, people talked to each other and said, “Let’s go up to that house, and let’s be taught of the ways of the Lord.”

When the times had passed, the hands of God’s clock had rolled over the slow centuries of the teaching of the prophets, and the fullness of the time had arrived, John the Baptist appeared to begin the leveling of the mountains, the filling in of the valleys, the making the pathways straight. All of these were symbolic pictures of the preparation of the hearts of men by the teaching to them of truth, so that when the Lord came, He would be received. Then the Lord did appear, and in His ministry, He set forth the principles that were to govern the citizens of this new kingdom.

He was attested to at the beginning of His ministry by no less than God the Father, who said: “Hear Him.” The Lord left the apostles equipped to teach. He gave them powers through the Holy Spirit. He said in John 14:16, “The Spirit will bring to your mind the things that I’ve taught you.” In John the 16th chapter, He said that not only will the Holy Spirit bring to your minds the things that you’ve heard me speak, but He will add to that store of information. He will give you things that you’re not able to bear now. After that gospel had been received by the apostles, and had been preached, we find that the apostle Paul wrote to a church that had received that information and he said: “You’ve received that truth, you stand in that truth, you’re saved by that truth, if you keep it in memory.” He wrote to Timothy in II Timothy 2:2, and he said, “The things that you’ve heard of me, commit to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” And so it is evident that men must be taught the ways of God. And we cannot emphasize that too much.

It’s necessary for the church to be taught. Romans 14:19 says, “Let us therefore follow after things that make for peace and things wherewith one may edify another.” I Corinthians 14:16 states, “Let all things be done unto edification.” In the original language, the word “edify” means “to build up a house.” It is used metaphorically in the sense of promoting the spiritual growth and development of the believers by teaching or by example. To edify is to build up, or enlighten, or educate, or improve the members of the body of Christ.

Today I’m going to mention two things in a general way that I believe that edification entails. First of all, systematic instruction. There can be no building up of the body of Christ without systematic instruction. The Truth is food for the spirit, and there can be no spiritual health and well-being in the body of Christ without God’s word being fed to the church. Paul, in exhortation to the elders at Ephesus, spoke of that which “is able to build you up.” The primitive church “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine.”

The responsibility of teachers of the word of God is also emphasized. James 3:1 says, “My brethren, be not many masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” The Amplified Bible says, “Not many of you should become teachers, for you know that we will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity. Thus we assume the greater accountability and more condemnation.” The gist of the teaching here is, I believe, that a teacher should be careful of what he teaches from the pulpit, and also of how he lives, for his teaching and his influence has power over the destiny of others. We have often heard of the preacher who does not live what he teaches. Someone told him, “What you do speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.” And then someone said of another preacher who could occupy the pulpit very well, speak fluently, hold the attention of the people while he was there, but his life didn’t measure up to what he had to say: “When he is in the pulpit, I think that he should never get out, and when he is out, I think that he should never get in.”

In Romans 2:21-22, Paul speaks of the Jews who boasted of the Law and didn’t keep it. They felt, he said, that they were guides to the blind, and light to them that were in darkness. But this is how he criticized them: “You therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonorest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Teaching others, then, is absolutely necessary if the church is to stand, and teaching others is a heavy responsibility that should not be entered into lightly by those who care to assume that position.

The second requirement of edification is a diligent attention to the ordinances and duties of God’s priesthood. There is a great secret of success in training and edifying the church, and that secret of success consists in having everyone of the members actively engaged in doing the duties that God has given us. It’s a mistake to think that only a few people can edify the church. Now it may be true that when it comes to public teaching the number of those who can occupy the pulpit are greatly reduced. But edification does not consist of public teaching alone. Paul expressed it like this in Ephesians 4:16, and this is from the Living New Testament, “Under His direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly, and each part in its own special way helps the other parts, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” In Romans 12:4-8 from the same translation, “Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of it, and it takes everyone of us to make it complete for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other and each needs all the others. God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well, so if God has given you the ability to prophesy, then prophesy whenever you can. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If you are a preacher see to it that your sermons are strong and helpful. If God has given you money, be generous in helping others with it. If God has given you administrative ability, and put you in charge of the work of others, take the responsibility seriously.”

And so all Christians should edify. All Christians should contribute to the building up of the body of Christ. And any act that is well performed in obedience to God’s will is, to some extent, an act of edification. If we need anything today, we need people who will examine their lives to see if what they do is edifying and building up the church. We shouldn’t be like the crooked man that all of us have read about. “There was a crooked man, who had a crooked smile, who made a crooked fortune in a very crooked style; He lived a crooked life, as crooked people do, and when he died it turned out, his sons were crooked too.” Today in the church we’re having problems on the moral scene, and people wonder why, and the wonderment need not exist because we’re failing to edify by the things that we do.

In 1 Corinthians 8, the word for “edification” is used, but is translated “embolden,” and one commentator comments on this passage and says Paul is using the word with pathetic irony of the action of a brother in teaching another brother who had a weak conscience, causing him to compromise his scruples. Encouraging a brother to violate his conscience was wrong, and he was failing to edify. He was failing to build up, and Paul uses the word in this place to emphasize this fact.

But we turn to the public teaching. We know that the teaching of God’s word is meant for men to do. In I Corinthians 14:34, Paul said, “Let your women be silent in the churches for it hath not been permitted unto them to speak.” Macknight, I believe, sums up our position, when he says that they’re not even to ask questions, even on a pretense of learning something, lest it be used as a handle for entering into disputation with men. And so men are to teach publicly. But men that teach must be faithful men, or trustworthy men, according to 2 Timothy 2:2. Elders were to be “apt to teach,” or skilled in teaching, and that requires a knowledge of God’s word, and God’s word becomes familiar to us only by diligent study.

Along with the development of teachers in any community of saints, there should also in that community, grow a love for the knowledge of truth. The teachers are better able to teach, and occupy the pulpit with more vigor and enthusiasm when there grows in that community the ability to quote, to interpret, to divide correctly the word of God. Our Lord was familiar with the word. At twelve years of age, the Bible says that He advanced in wisdom. He quoted it often. When He met the devil, He quoted God’s word. When He appeared to His fellow townsmen, the Bible says: “He opened the Book and found the place.” If we can’t quote, we could, like the Lord, be able to open the Book to the place that we’re looking for. His sermons often refer to Old Testament Scriptures, and on the cross He quoted part of a Psalm of David. And we too, are told to be diligent in our investigation of God’s word that we might be workmen that “needeth not to be ashamed.”

We have, in 1 Corinthians 14, the great example of the apostolic church carrying on its worship. Here, very plainly, we are told how the public teaching is to be done. There are those today who would say that this part of God’s word applies only to the first century church and to the time when men were inspired directly by the Holy Spirit. But all gifts necessary for the building up of the church proceed from God, whether these gifts be natural gifts or whether they be supernatural gifts, and the regulation of these gifts that God has given is the same, whether they are natural or supernatural. And that point is important. The regulation of the gifts that God has given to men is the same whether the gifts are natural or supernatural!

And so, 1 Corinthians 14 is the great plan for the conduct of the worship of the church today. If this chapter does not apply today, we do not know how to proceed when the church comes together to worship God. But it does apply. And since it does apply, it tells us how the edification of the church should be carried on.

In verse 16, “How is it then brethren, when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation.” Notice Paul said, “Everyone of you hath something to do.” In verse 31, “For ye may all prophesy one by one that all may learn and that all may be comforted.” If any part of God’s word applies today, this certainly does. And if it applies today, if this God-given system is applicable in our day, then it should be used. It was used in the beginning. It was used to build up the church then, and I believe that there is no system superior to this God-given system.

Well, what’s the purpose of it all? in Psalms 129:1, the sweet singer of Israel said: “For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people.” And in Ephesians 5:27, Paul said: ‘That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.” With the truth and the proper application of that truth, the church stills stands.

Article by: Tommy Shaw

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.”  I Corinthians 15:33-34. When we talk about the relationships we choose and God’s view of who (and who we shouldn’t) befriend, marry, or associate with, people usually turn to this passage. The ASV renders verse 33 of I Cor. 15 as “corrupts good morals” instead of the term manners. And the message is quite simple – be careful about who you associate with. Why? Because they typically have a direct effect on your morals, your beliefs, and even your way of thinking. People may scoff at the idea (perhaps even mock it), but history has proven this pattern is true. Bad influences do in fact corrupt good morals or manners.

Our close relationships eventually do one of two things in our lives. One, they can build us up and bring us closer to living by the truth or two, bring us down and further away from a righteous life. And that’s a question we’re all faced with answering when we make the choice of who we spend our time with. The fact of the matter is, we’re either affected, or we’re the ones affecting someone else.

Heb. 10:23-24, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:”

There are three critical relationships in our lives that we should always be mindful of in striving to follow the pattern and teachings of the New Testament.

In our earthly or worldly friendships.

It has long been implied that Christians are “in the world and not of the world”. And while this exact phrase cannot be found in New Testament scripture, we understand the concept and implication from reading passages like John 15:18-19. Perhaps the greatest trick Satan plays on our minds is that since we are all people (we are all human), we should act alike, talk alike, and BE alike. And for the most part, people try to live their lives by this philosophy. But that just isn’t what God commanded.  II Cor. 6:17 again says to come out from among THEM! Yet a lot of us would never consider our school or work friends as “them”. It’s hard to imagine your relatives or even family members as “them”, people we care deeply about. But if they’re non-believers, that’s exactly who they are. This verse also applies to those who have left the truth (as Paul wrote about earlier in I Cor. 15). In reality, you could define “them” as anyone failing to live a righteous life of obedience to the gospel and God’s commands.

Proverbs 24:1 says, “Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.” Rarely is it the murderer or thief we try to befriend – they are easy to separate ourselves from. I doubt any true believer considers these types of people as “friends” or even acquaintances. Instead, it’s “good people” (by the world’s standards) we sometimes befriend who fail to obey God’s commands and live any way they choose. And sadly, yes, it’s sometimes even our own family members or former Christians who turned their back on God that gradually lead us away from the truth.

We all have to sit back and evaluate our relationships with friends and ask, “what affect are we having on the lives around us?” And we should be honest enough with ourselves to realize if we are rubbing off on them, or are they rubbing off on us?

In the relationships we have with brothers and sisters in Christ.

Again, I Cor. 15 says it best when Paul warns us to be careful (even in the Lord’s Church) of those we choose to have a close relationship with. Jesus warned that men would come around to deceive and lead Christians away in Matthew 24:11. In Matt. 7:15 he described them as wolves in sheep’s clothing. Paul’s writings were consistent with this thought, so much so that the same language was used in Acts 20:29 when he warned that after his departure, grievous wolves would enter, not sparing the flock.

Of your OWN selves he says, men will rise up and speak perverse things; that’s things against the pattern we follow, against what we can find written in God’s word. We don’t have to be around too long to see that still occur today; the Word is exactly right. Peter also wrote about false teachers, ”coming also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you” (II Peter 2:1-2).

Just look at all the places in the NT where we’re warned about our own brethren turning away from the true gospel to spread their own thoughts; their own thoughts or doctrine. We shouldn’t be foolish enough to believe every congregation in those times calling themselves a Church of Christ was acceptable to God, just as all those who wear the name today are worshipping as God would have them to.

Entire congregations have been led into error when members choose a false-teacher as a close friend and trusted adviser. But in turn, many non-believers and sometimes nominal Christians are led closer to the truth by attaching themselves closely with dedicated members of the Lord’s church, seeking to follow the gospel truth as it was delivered. Because the human emotion can be swayed so easily, it’s critical we make our choice wisely.

In the marriage relationship we choose.

Genesis 2:18, “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Verse 24, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

Despite cultural traditions or changes in society (from the beginning of time), God’s plan for marriage included one man and one woman. They become one flesh for the remainder of their lives together. The term “help meet” in Gen. 2:18 means exactly what it sounds like…one who helps. And while a wife is to be submissive, helping her husband, Ephesians chapter 5 commands that husbands love, cherish, and honor their wife, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it (Eph. 5:23-28).

Marriage trumps any other earthly relationships we could have with someone. Besides our commitment to obey and follow God, it’s the greatest decision we’ll ever make. Our text in II Cor. 6:17 again commands that we come out from among them and be a separate people. But you’ll remember just a few verses back; Paul delivers this message in verse 14; “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”

Despite what anyone may say otherwise, Paul is talking about the earthly relationships we commit ourselves to – our friendships, business partners, and certainly who we marry! In the 14^th-16^th chapters of Judges we find the account of Samson, a man holding a special position in God’s sight. His decision to marry Delilah teaches a valuable lesson for us all. A poor decision in who we marry may not bring initial heartache, but we’ll likely suffer troubles we could have otherwise avoided had we married someone faithful and devoted to the Lord.

In many ways, our relationships can make or break us in our Christian lives. We all make the decision in who we are going to allow access to our emotions, concerns, our dreams and goals. Not everyone deserves a ticket to our life, and we should be picky in who we allow to influence us.

The mother of a teenage girl became increasingly concerned about the friends she started seeing her daughter hang around with. More importantly than that, she and her husband were worried that instead of once influencing her friends for the better, she was being influenced by others for the worse. She didn’t immediately know how to bring up such a subject and knew her young and impressionable daughter wouldn’t like hearing anything she had to say about the changes evident to her and her father. So after sitting back week after week without saying a word, she finally decided on a strategy that would resonate with her daughter.

In the kitchen one afternoon the girl’s mother began filling three pots with water, and placed each on a high fire in front of her daughter. Soon the pots came to boil, and the mother threw a handful of carrots into the first pot, a few eggs into the second, and ground coffee beans into the last. She let them sit and boil, all without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners and first fished out the carrots, placing them in a bowl. Then she pulled the eggs out, placing them in a separate bowl, and finally ladled some of the coffee into a third.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, ‘”Tell me what you see.” With a puzzled look, but sure of what she saw, the girl answered, “Carrots, eggs, and coffee.” Her mother then asked her daughter to feel the carrots. So she did, and noted that they were soft. Then the mother asked her daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled inside. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted the strong aroma and asked her mom, “What exactly does this all mean?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. But each item reacted in a different way. The carrot went in strong, firm, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique though. After they were in the same boiling water, they remained true to form, but in the process…had actually changed the water. Then the mother simply asked her daughter a question; “Which one are you”?

What affect do you have on the friends around you? Are you the one being changed and affected by who you associate with, or are you allowing others to dictate your life? Our relationships here on earth directly affect our life of service to God. We should choose our relationships wisely, always evaluating their influence on our lives and the people they lead us to become.

Article by: Ryan Cantrell

Joshua’s farewell address constitutes a faithful old soldier’s final words to the nation of Israel before his death. It has been called, “Joshua’s last will and testament.” It was important for God’s people to pay attention to those final words of their spiritual leader because the exhortations therein contained what is most essential to life. It will also be helpful for us to notice the challenge he gave them on that occasion. Notice how Josh. 23:1 sets the stage for what was to follow: “And it came to pass a long time after the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.”

Since he was now more than 100 years of age, Joshua realized that it was time for him to go “the way of all the earth” (Josh. 23:14). Let it be remembered that death is a great equalizer because it is inevitable, certain, and common to the human race (Heb. 9:27). Like it would be with any great leader, however, Joshua’s main concern was with the people of God and what was going to happen to them in the future. In order to address his concerns, evidently two meetings were called– the first one was more for the elders and leaders of the nation (Josh. 23:2-16), while the second one involved “all the people” (Josh. 24:1-28). In these two meetings, Joshua expressed his concerns, he issued a challenge, and he reminded them of what God had done for Israel in the past.

As his generation was slowly dying off, Joshua understood that a new generation was arising that hadn’t personally witnessed all the miracles and wonders that God had done in their midst. That’s why he wanted to remind them of the God they served and make sure that they had an appreciation for their glorious heritage! Why is this a significant circumstance for us to understand and appreciate? Well, in a lot of ways the Lord’s church is heading into new territory and a “changing of the guard” is slowing taking place. Some of our older, veteran preachers are slowing down or “retiring” (due to old age or death), and this necessitates that a new generation rise up and take their place. That is how it must be and always has been, but certainly, it is not a responsibility to be taken lightly!

Yes, there is a need for exhortation, and even some warning, along these lines today. Let’s take a look at Joshua’s farewell address in order to see some of the principles that he emphasized:

COMPLACENCY

Joshua did not want Israel to start taking the law of God for granted, so he gave them this exhortation in Josh. 23:6, “Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left.” I am convinced that complacency is one of the most common and damaging sins there is among the people of God. Surely it begins with a disrespectful attitude toward the word of God! After all, when the commands of God no longer have a sense of urgency to us, faithfulness is not going to be a priority in our lives. Furthermore, when the warnings of Scripture concerning the judgment day and “everlasting punishment” (Matt. 25:46) no longer move and motivate us to live right, we obviously have a problem with complacency and indifference.

It is explained in Josh. 17:13-14 that Israel did not completely drive out the Canaanites, and guess what? They were pretty much content with that arrangement because they made slaves of the remaining Canaanites and had them under their control. Unfortunately, the day came when the Canaanites grew in strength again and the Israelites became their slaves instead of the other way around. Brethren, there is a great lesson here for the church– “partial conquest” of the world simply does not work! We may think that we can bring a little bit of denominationalism into the church and keep things under control, but the spirit of the world and true Christianity cannot coexist peaceably. That leads to the next point . . .

COMPROMISE

Having considered Josh. 23:6, let’s now look at verse 7: “That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them.” A spirit of compromise is the very opposite of what is stated here, and yet, there came a day when Israel was guilty of this very thing! It is explained in Judges 3:5-7, “And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves.”

Certainly we need to take this to heart as the church and see the danger of compromise! We may think that a “little compromise” with the truth isn’t going to have a lasting impact upon the church, but one compromise always leads to another . . . and to another . . . and to another . . . until the floodgates of error are completely opened. It has been said that “compromise is simply changing the question to fit the answer,” but we need to keep our eye on the real issue and remind ourselves of what is at stake. If we care about the truth, the church, and purity of doctrine and worship, we must not allow Satan to confuse the issue by talking us into going “beyond the things which are written” (1 Cor. 4:6- ASV).

COMMITMENT

The next verse says (Josh. 23:8): “But cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day.” Such a simple exhortation, and yet, one that is so vital and necessary! The word “cleave” means to adhere, to cling to, or stick fast– this is the idea of faithfulness that is the result of real commitment and devotion to the Lord. Joshua knew that without this commitment Israel would not remain faithful, so he challenged them with these rousing words in Josh. 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

If we in the church today are not fully committed to serving Christ, as we do our best to maintain purity of doctrine and life (1 Tim. 4:16), we are destined to falter along the way. After Joshua’s death, that’s exactly what happened to Israel: “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10). It is also stated in Judges 21:25, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” It is sad when old soldiers of the cross pass from the scenes of this earthly life, but it would be sadder still if those who are left behind failed to pick up the “mantle.”

When H.C. Harper died in 1936, Homer Gay wrote a beautiful tribute that contained the following, “Brother Harper: In this world it is December 2, and I just received the word this morning that yesterday you left this world to go on to your long sought reward. I am thinking of when I met you for the first time– about 20 years ago, and of how you helped and encouraged me, and recommended me to the brethren for meetings . . . Though one by one our ranks have been thinned, still our cause (the cause of the Lord which you loved dearer than you did your own life) is growing. And for every brave soldier who has fallen in the battle a score of young, stalwart, brave men have risen up to grab the flagpole before it fell, and the bloodstained banner still floats in the air. And now, our eyes filled with unbidden tears, as we say good-bye, but I am glad that after all of your troubles and sorrows here, at last, you have reached HOME.”

Brethren, let’s be committed in our generation to holding up the banner of the cross and make sure that it is ever floating in the air!

Article by: Billy D. Dickinson

At the opening of the final round of the 2011 U.S. Open Golf championship, NBC, trying to capture the patriotism of the moment, aired a clip of children reciting the pledge of allegiance.  It was obvious to all watching the event that something was amiss—they had left out the phrase “under God.”  Whether this was intentional or an unfortunate oversight, I know not, however, it shows there has been a paradigm shift in American culture concerning God. According to a Gallup poll conducted in May of 2010, three out of ten people now say, “Religion is out of date.”  What a sad turn of events in the mindset of this country. Without God there are many sad tragedies. Let us consider a few.

Without God We Have No Standard of Morality

Despite the spin produced by the liberal talking heads, without God in our lives there is no standard of morality.  Man never has been, nor will he ever be, capable of determining what is right for society.  Many years ago a record was put on paper to remind us of a dark and desperate time.  Judges 21:15 states, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”  What a gloomy picture of a time where each did what was right in his own eyes instead of following the truth established upon God’s will.  Such situations have spawned the evils of moral relativism or situation ethics.  These practices and theological principles have been developed within the mind of man; from a humanistic worldview that excludes God.  The guidelines produced from such trends know no boundaries.  The advocates of this worldview teach it is impossible to determine what is right or wrong—each individual must decide for themselves in each situation what is acceptable.

Jesus, however, clearly identifies the standard of absolute truth that applies to all humanity: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (Jn. 17:17).  Jesus knew the reality of preaching to a sinful world.   Many would not heed what was right, thus He prays for His disciples to be sanctified through truth.  The psalmist wrote, “Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth” (Psa. 119:151).

Jesus uttered one of the most controversial statements of history, yet one on which all absolute truth rests, when He said: “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (Jn. 14:6). Thayer defines “truth” as, “the truth, as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of His purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man.” He goes on to remark, “Opposed alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and to the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians.” Jesus does not merely point to the truth, or a truth, HE IS the truth!  Thus truth is universal and absolute. The Hebrew author remarks, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (13:8). We understand by this that truth is not the invention of man, nor is it ever-changing. Truth is rooted in the nature and being of God. Without God truth does not exist.

Without God We Have No Savior

We are unable to save ourselves.  With the rise of modern evolutionary theory the minds of many are deceived, but the fact remains that we cannot save ourselves.  We need a Redeemer!  Jeremiah wrote, “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (10:23).  Isaiah eloquently portrays man’s condition without God:  “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isa 64:6).

It is God’s desire for all to seek and find salvation.  Paul wrote emphatically of this truth about God in 1 Timothy 2:4: “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” God, in His infinite wisdom, developed a great scheme of redemption. He sent His Son to live a perfect life, as a Lamb without spot, guilty of no sin. The very mission of Jesus was to save and redeem humanity, Matthew records, “…thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins” (1:21).  John the Baptizer declared, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29).  Though an esteemed apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul wrote, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Tim. 1:5).

Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God would proclaim His means of salvation (Rom. 1:16).  Paul wrote the Corinthians to remind them of “…the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved…” (1 Cor. 15:1-2).  The glorious gospel of Jesus Christ is the means by which salvation can be realized in the act of baptism.  Paul explained obedience to the gospel in the Roman epistle, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (6:3-6).

Baptism, the act of obeying the gospel depicting a likeness of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, is the manner in which one comes in contact with His cleansing blood.   This is why Jesus proclaimed, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk. 16:16).  Peter proclaimed, “…Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” (Act 2:38).  Without God salvation is unattainable.

Without God We Have No Joy

God gives joy!  No true joy and satisfaction will be found without God.  Solomon, a man well educated through personal experience and divine guidance teaches, “For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit” (Eccl. 2:26).  Two categories of people are found within this timeless teaching: the righteous and the unrighteous.  The righteous who live in accordance with God’s will find joy, but the unrighteous only encounter only travail.  As Solomon composed a majority of the Proverbs a number of passages give lengthy description to the same principle: serve God and find knowledge, wisdom and joy; but the mocker only encounters misery.

Great joy is found in the realization of salvation.  As previously discussed, without God we have no salvation.  Habakkuk said, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (3:18).  Paul discusses the same principle in the New Covenant, “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement” (Rom. 5:11).  In this life there is no greater joy than finding the forgiveness of sins and having the hope of eternal life.

The greatest joy of all is yet to come—to be found faithful at the Lord’s return.  In their woeful misunderstanding concerning the Second Coming, Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” (1 Thess. 2:19).  They will stand as evidence for Paul’s joy at the time Christ comes back.  Their faithfulness would prove his life was not wasted but something everlasting was accomplished.  No greater joy will be found in our lives than to meet the Lord when He gathers His own.

Article by: Brad Shockley

A pile of rocks is an unimpressive sight unless there is a significance attached to it that is not immediately apparent. It could, for example, indicate a burial site or a boundary line of some kind. Indeed, when Joshua set up twelve stones at Gilgal in the long ago (Josh. 4:19-24), it was a memorial to a great event that was erected. However, let us remember that memorials are not meant for one era alone, but they are meant to preserve the record of something that should not be forgotten.

Josh. 4:21-22 records, “And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.” Ah, here we can see the beauty and simplicity of memorials! The stones, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel, were used to commemorate the long-awaited event when they finally crossed over into the land of Canaan. As they were standing on the threshold of fulfilling their destiny by possessing the Promised Land, this was something that they should never forget, and more important, it was something that God did not want them to forget!

There are some valuable lessons that we should learn from this incident. This memorial had a message to declare unto God’s people, as indicated by the question anticipated in Josh. 4:21– “What mean these stones?” In other words, if they would only seek the meaning of those stones, it would teach them some great truths about their past and God’s gracious dealings with them. Likewise, those stones are still speaking to us today:

FUTURE GENERATIONS

Those stones tell us that every succeeding generation must be taught about God. “Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until we were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God forever” (Josh. 4:22-24). Again, memorials are not meant for one era alone because the generation that actually experienced something is not the generation, for the most part, that is in danger of forgetting. On the other hand, younger generations need to appreciate how lessons can be learned from the past.

The story is told of a family who possessed an old antique vase, a real treasure that was handed down to them through several generations, and it was a special object of enjoyment. When the parents returned home one day, they were greeted at the door by their teenage daughter, who said the following, “Mom and dad, you know that antique vase that you told us has been passed down from generation to generation? Well, mom and dad, our generation just dropped it.” What a sad concept that must be avoided in the Lord’s church! Brethren, we need to make sure that future generations understand and appreciate those foundational truths that are vital to the identity and doctrinal purity of the body of Christ. If we fail to instruct our children and grandchildren as we should, apostasy will be the result and many will be “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14).

Since most children are just naturally curious, we are going to be afforded with opportunities to teach them about Christ and His gospel if we’ll only seize the moment. The Lord’s supper, a memorial service in and of itself (1 Cor. 11:24), is something that arouses our children’s curiosity. Sometimes they will inquire, even when quite young, “What is this about? What are you eating? What are you drinking? Why can’t I have some?” What a great opportunity to tell them of Christ’s death, of His redeeming blood, and the importance of the new covenant! Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 11:26, “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord’s death till he come” (ASV).

Also, when our children witness someone being immersed in water, an occurrence that certainly gets their attention, we can use this to teach them about how one responds to the gospel. Explain to them the significance of baptism– it is “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38), to enter “into Christ” (Rom. 6:3), and to be added to the Lord’s church (1 Cor. 12:13).

REMEMBERING THE PAST

Those stones at Gilgal remind us that we must not forget our past. When the children of Israel forgot who they were and what God had done for them, that’s when they forsook God and turned to idols. [Read Psalms 106 for an abridged history of Israel’s iniquities because they were a forgetful people] Likewise, we must continually remind ourselves of the importance of Christ’s death and how we have been saved from our past sins. 2 Pet. 1:9 talks about those who have forgotten that they were purged from their “old sins.” What a shameful condition for a child of God to find himself in!

When we consider the spiritual blessings in Christ, as compared to what we have been delivered from, that’s when we realize how great God’s grace really is. Luke 14:21 talks about “the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind” being invited to the “great supper.” All of these terms aptly describe the sinner outside of Christ. The poor would be those who could never pay back the kindness shown to them. The maimed are the deformed, the twisted, and those around whom the world feels uncomfortable. The halt are the crippled who are unable to get around on their own. The blind are people who are trapped in their own little world of darkness and in need of guidance. No wonder Heb. 2:3 calls our deliverance from sin a “great salvation!”

Let us never forget that we were purged from our old sins. While we can never repay the Lord for His unmerited favor, we must seek to bring glory to His name by obeying Him and putting Him first in our lives (Tit. 2:11-12).

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Those stones tell us that God’s people also have a future. If that isn’t true, there would have been no need for a memorial because that would have been the end of the story. We must believe that this life is not the end, but as Paul put it so eloquently in 1 Cor. 15:19, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are all men most miserable.” Although Christ’s kingdom has a glorious future to look forward to, we must not be content to rest upon the laurels of the past. The church came through a wonderful period of restoration, when men sought to go back to the Bible and restore the work and worship of the church according to the divine pattern. Faithful congregations exist today because of the labors of brethren who sacrificed to see that the gospel was kept pure.

While we give thanks for the faithful efforts of the past, it is up to us to ever go onward under the banner of truth. Let us remember that if time goes on, there are future generations that will seek to build upon what we are doing now. With that in mind, this should be our desire for the church, now and always: “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:32).

Article by: Billy Dickinson

Tophet is one of the most horrifying words in the Bible. The word means “place of burning.” It reminds us of one of the most detestable practices of the human race—child sacrifice. The ancient Canaanites were well-known for this abomination. Israel was commanded to abhor this abomination, and whosoever practiced it was to be put to death (Lev. 18:21; Deut. 18:9-10). Israel was commanded to utterly destroy the Canaanites for their abominations, to make no covenant with them, and to not imitate the Canaanites in any of their abominations (Deut. 7:2; 12:29-31).  Sadly, Israel did not follow God’s directions, and the Canaanites and their gods became a snare to Israel (Jdg. 2:1-3).

Eventually, the kings of Israel and Judah adopted the wicked worship of Molech, which involved child sacrifice. King Solomon first brought the wicked practice to Jerusalem (1 Kgs. 11:7). King Manasseh developed it into a virtual state religion (2 Chr. 33:6). The tophet in Jerusalem was in the valley of the sons of Hinnom, known in New Testament times as Gehenna (2Kgs. 23:10). The prophets of God cried out against the practice, particularly Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jer. 7:31-32; 32:35; Ezek. 16:21; 20:26; 20:31; 23:37). On account of the innocent blood shed in the tophet of Jerusalem, God promised to pour out His wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem (2 Kgs. 23:36; Jer. 19:6,11).

Wherever the Canaanites settled in ancient times, archaeologists have discovered the evidence of this abominable practice. Carthage, a city in North Africa built by Canaanite colonists, once rivaled Rome for domination of the world. Fortunately for the human race, where the Israelites failed to destroy the Canaanites, the Romans did not fail. Carthage was exterminated and lies in ruins to this day.  Archaeologists have uncovered the cemetery at Carthage where the victims of child sacrifice were buried. Covering acres, the ground contains urns filled with the bones of children from newborn to toddlers.

MODERN CHILD SACRIFICE

The ancient practice of child sacrifice is still going on in our world. The forms and procedures are different, but the sin is the same, and the nations of the earth are once again making themselves an abomination in the eyes of God. Their sin is the abortion of millions of unborn children, and it will not go unpunished. The religious ritual has been replaced by a medical procedure, but many of the same motives are evident. Sexual promiscuity, populations control to maintain a “high standard of living”—it is just the old fornication, materialism, and covetousness of the Canaanites brought up to date.

Abortion on demand was first legalized in modern times by the Soviet Union in the 1920s. Other communist countries adopted the practice, which was eventually embraced by die democracies of the West, and has gone all over the world in recent years. Beginning in 1967, legislation was passed in various states providing for abortion on demand. The landmark Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade made abortion legal nationwide in 1973. Since that time, it is estimated that over 25 million innocent, unborn babies have been killed in America alone. The carcasses of these victims of the modern American devotion to sex and money are routinely disposed of by incineration. The American tophet has far surpassed its ancient counterparts in Canaan.

IS ABORTION MURDER?

So much has been written pro and con on abortion that it is difficult for the uninformed to cut through all the verbiage and see the real issue involved. The issue at the heart of the whole debate is simply this: Is abortion the taking of an innocent human life? If so, it is murder. There are three key terms to focus on: “innocent,” “human,” and “life.”

Is the embryo or fetus in the womb a human life? When does life begin? This question may be accurately answered scientifically and biblically and the answers are the same.

From the viewpoint of the scientist, human life begins at conception. Although consisting of only one cell, that cell is biologically a human being, with the complete set of 46 human chromosomes necessary to human life. Within seconds after conception, the process of cell division and cell specialization commences which results in a newborn baby. In testimony delivered before Congress, “Physicians, biologists, and other scientists agree that conception marks the beginning of the life of a human being—a being that is alive and is a member of the human species.  There is overwhelming agreement on this point in countless medical, biological, and scientific writings” (Report of the Subcommittee on Separation of Powers to the Senate Judiciary Committee S-158,97th Congress, 1st session 1981, p. 7; quoted in Abortion: Questions and Answers, Dr. and Mrs. J. C. Willke, Cincinnati: Hayes Publishing, 1988. rev, ed., p. 40).

Considered biblically, the unborn child, from its conception is considered fully human. (For a full treatment of this the reader is referred to Abortion: Toward an Evangelical Consensus, Paul B. Fowler, Portland: Multnomah Press, 1986. pp. 135-158). This fact is clearly seen in how the Scriptures speak of the unborn. In the New Testament, the word brephos is used both of infants and unborn children. The definition of brephos is “a child; whether unborn, or embryo, fetus, Lu. 1:41,44; or just born, an infant, Lu. 2:12,16; Ac. 7:19; or partly grown, Lu. 18:15; 2Ti.3:15.. “(The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised, ed. by Harold Moulton, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1977, p. 73; cf. also Thayer, p. 105). The word brephos is used in Luke 1:41,44, in speaking of John the Baptist leaping in the womb of his mother Elizabeth. Huios means “son” and is used in Luke 1:36 of John being conceived in Elizabeth’s womb: “And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age” (Lk. 1:36). The Spirit chooses words that convey to our minds the humanity of John even while in his mother’s womb.

While Bible writers never explicitly say, “Life begins at conception,” they consistently refer to conception as the starting point of human life.  Some forty scriptures refer to conception as the start of new life in the womb of the mother. In the Genesis narratives alone, the phrase “conceived and bore” is found eleven times. The close pairing of the two words clearly emphasizes conception, not birth, as the starting point of life (Gen. 4:1,17; 21:2; 29:32-35; 30:5,19,23: 38:3,4) (Fowler, p. 136).

The Bible teaches that the very words of Scripture are inspired (1 Cor. 2:10-13).  Jesus demonstrated the validity of using single words to make an argument from Scripture in His dispute with the Sadducees (Mt. 22:23-32). On that occasion, He used the present tense of the verb to prove that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still lived. Therefore, how the Bible speaks of the unborn, and the choice of language used in referring to them, reveals significant truth about them from God.

ABORTION IS MURDER

Murder is condemned by God’s Word (Ex. 20:13; 1 Jn. 3:15). Man is made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27; Jas. 3:9). The Scriptures teach us to respect human life (Gen. 2:7; Num. 35:33). The only time that taking human life is justified is when the Judge of all the earth has specifically authorized it. In the Law of Moses the death penalty was prescribed for certain crimes. The Scriptures authorize the death of those who are guilty of taking human life (Gen. 9:6). This is the only instance in which human life may justly be taken—if that life is guilty of taking human life. God has given the civil government (not the kingdom of God) the responsibility of administering this justice (Rom. 13:1-4). Giving the civil authority the power of life and death over murderers does not grant that authority the power to decide, in general, who lives and who dies. Quite obviously, the innocent unborn do not fall within the parameters laid out in God’s Word for putting someone to death. The only crime of the abortion victim is that they are unwelcome intruders upon the “freedom” of those who abort them. Human government can attempt to legislate abortion into the realm of acceptability, but it is still murder in God’s eyes. (It is a matter of interest to this writer that many of those who support abortion are opposed to the death penalty. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil” [Isa. 5:201.)

While pro-life political activism is not an appropriate response for New Testament Christians, we can and must use the resources available to us to make a difference in the world. In our teaching, whether public or private, we need to take a stand for the truth on this issue. In evangelizing the world, we may be shocked to discover that most people look upon abortion as a non-moral issue. We need to clearly teach the immorality of abortion. We need to teach our children respect for human life and the wickedness of shedding the blood of the innocent. Perhaps most needful is fervent prayer. We must pray that our leaders would see the wickedness of abortion, or that they might be replaced by leaders who do see it as wickedness.  It should be our fervent prayer to see the day when the American tophets are no more.

Article by: Smith Bibens

Many Christians would be shocked. They would be shocked to learn that some of their brothers and sisters – maybe even on the pew in front or behind them – actually wonder on Sunday morning if they are really in the right place. Those strong in the faith, convinced of the truth of the old-time gospel, assume that all but perhaps the newborn babes have the same confidence in the church. Then, seemingly out of the blue, that friendly face you have become so accustomed to is gone. The spot on the pew that might as well have had their name on it is now conspicuously vacant. What happened? Eventually you learn that they have left and are worshiping elsewhere. The leaders, elders or preacher have tried to initiate studies, but to no avail.

Sometimes there is really no solution. The soil was just not conducive to the gospel. They were offended by the word, or maybe their heart was elsewhere. Perhaps they were just choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life.

WHAT WENT WRONG?

But when they are gone, concerned Christians cannot help but wonder, “Was there anything I could have said or done to make a difference?” or “Is there anything they could have done to insulate themselves from apostasy?” Sometimes, I believe the answer is yes! There are certain doctrinal subjects that when thoroughly studied and understood leave no occasion for stumbling. The distinction between the covenants, the marriage of faith and works, the role of baptism in salvation and the observance of the Lord’s Supper are notable examples. One of these, thoroughly studied—even independently of the others— repels the honest heart from almost all religious counterfeits. If we—our family and those Christians closest to us— were only “able to comprehend the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of one of these subjects we may have the needed insurance against a departure from the church of Christ. If we could pass this knowledge on to our family and those who occupy the pew across from us, it might make an eternal difference.

WHICH IS RIGHT?

Another issue that carries the same weight is music in the church. Two Mid-Western college students, Ned and Fred, in their independent quests for the true church, happened to stumble upon different congregations that teach salvation exactly as it was found in the Bible. They were both immersed within a few months of each other and were zealous for their respective causes. They met up in class and started discussing the newfound faith they had in common. They were members of the same church and obedient to the same gospel. They agreed to visit each other’s services on alternate Sundays. After that first service, Ned told Fred that he enjoyed the sermon and that the services were uplifting. But he was puzzled. He asked Fred, “Why don’t you have a piano or organ?” Fred responded, “Ya know, I never even thought about it.” They were both aware of the Revelation warning (22:18,19) about adding to and taking away from the word of God. Ned said, “Fred, you know that the Bible warns against “taking away.” If the Bible teaches the accompaniment of instrumental music to singing in worship and your church omits it, they are in the wrong and they are probably not in the right church.” “Okay Ned, you’re right! Our churches do worship differently, so they can’t possibly both be right. But remember, that scripture cuts both ways. If the Bible does not teach instrumental accompaniment, you guys are adding to God’s word and would be in the same dangerous position you say we would be in. Let’s see what the Bible says!” (Ned and Fred located Instrumental Music by M.C. Kurfees to guide them in their quest.)

FACTS FROM HISTORY

Both men were surprised to learn that the objections of the conservative congregation were neither new nor unique to the church of Christ. Historically, they learned that many of the denominational big-hitters and early reformers were vehemently opposed to instrumental music in worship. When asked his opinion, John Wesley said, “I have no objection to instruments of music in our chapels, provided they are neither heard nor seen.” Among these were (Martin Luther himself), Methodists, John Wesley and Adam Clarke, stalwarts John Calvin and Theodore Beza of the Presbyterian and Congregationalist parties, and prominent Baptists Charles Spurgeon and Andrew Fuller. The annals of history concur with L.B. Wilkes, who said that in New Testament worship the “organ was not introduced by Lord God Almighty, but by Lord God the Pope.” Both the Chambers and New International Encyclopedias credit Pope Vitalian with this daring departure in AD 666. Even with the pope’s stamp of approval, it was not wholly accepted by Catholicism. Various popes argued against and prohibited its use after Vitalian’s bold move. There was in fact, such a long bitter controversy over instrumental music in the Catholic church that the celebrated Roman Catholic scholar, Thomas Aquinas, declares six centuries after its initial introduction. “Our church does not use musical instruments to praise God withal, that she may not seem to Judaize.”

DIGRESSIVE JEWS

Meanwhile, Judaism is embroiled in the same controversy. Orthodox Jews are not content to carry the (burning/biting/embarrassing) guilt of this religious “hot potato.” Instead, they accuse their digressive Jewish brethren of “imitating the Christians” by introducing instrumental accompaniment into synagogue worship. It is noteworthy that even the most liberal branch of Judaism (Reformed) never permitted instruments in their synagogue until 1818 in Berlin. Still, only non-Jews could play. When we see the parallel controversies over worship within the Jewish Synagogue and the Christian Assembly, it is striking that the word “assembly” used in Jas 2:2 comes from the Greek word “sunagoge.” The chronicles of Jewish worship up to the 19th century certainly offer no excuses for the innovation of instrumental music in the assembly of the Lord’s church!

ALL OR NOTHING

There is still the tendency among some to run back to David of old to justify this worship novelty. They say, “Well, if it was all right for David then it must be okay for me.” Oh, some Christians are content to live like Jews under the old law until it means no bacon on their breakfast biscuits and no shrimp in their seafood salad. Yeah, they make devout Jews until it turns their Saturday at the lake to an all-day living room lock-in. The church pianist happily assists in her rights through David’s example until her husband uses David as an excuse to come home one day saying, “Pack your bags. We’re moving to Utah. By the way, meet my second wife.” Listen! What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. James said, “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Further proof that we should not follow David or anyone else to do evil is found in Amos 5:21-6:5. Adam Clarke reasoned from this passage this way, “If there was a woe to them who invented instruments of music, as did David under the law, is there no woe, no curse to them who invent them, and introduce them into the worship of God in the Christian Church?” Sound advice for Christians to consider. In conjunction with this admonition, we should heed Paul’s somber warning to the churches of Galatia, “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace.”

AUTHORIZED OR UNAUTHORIZED?

In their attempted worship in Lev 10:1-2, the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, learned the hard way that God will not accept unauthorized worship or that “which he commandeth not.” This principle is carried over into the New Testament. Jesus commands the apostles to teach the baptized believers “…to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” In Col 3:17, Paul echoes these sentiments. He says, “…Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” There is a definitive demand here for Christ’s authority in every act of worship. Jesus assured the apostles that the spirit of truth would give them the complete revelation of his will (Jn 16:13). Later, Paul says that through the Scriptures the church is “thoroughly finished unto all good works.” Peter continues in 2 Pet 1:3, “…his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness…” Plainly, the New Testament fully equips us with all the ingredients of authorized worship. Yet, can anyone find instruments or the instructions to play them within the Scriptures? If not, they are simply unauthorized additions!

THE NEW TESTAMENT ON MUSIC

By examining the twenty-seven New Testament books on church music, several compelling facts demand attention. Weigh the body of evidence for yourself: “And when they had sung a hymn Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God.” “I will…sing unto thy name.” “I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” “Speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” “Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” “In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.” “Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God…the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” “Is any merry? Let him sing psalms.” The silence of the scriptures regarding instruments is overwhelming. With twenty-seven books worth of opportunities, neither Christ nor His apostles ever commanded or even suggested the playing of instruments in worship. At the same time, they repeatedly relayed the importance of singing praises to God with the fruit of our lips. This point is so easy to understand that it would take a preacher to make it confusing. Simply put, the Scriptures do not furnish instrumental music in worship, therefore it cannot be a good work.

GENERIC AND SPECIFIC AUTHORITY

Let’s illustrate further how to distinguish what is authorized from what is unauthorized. Noah is told to make an ark out of gopher wood (Gen 6:14). Was Noah free to build the ark out of oak, maple or cherry? No, because God had specified what kind of wood was to be used. Only gopher wood was authorized. If the Lord had said instead, “Build an ark out of wood,” then Noah would have had generic authority to use his favorite wood, the most convenient wood available or the kind of wood he felt was best for the job.

Similarly, the Lord commanded that a lamb be offered as a burnt offering (Lev 23:12). This logically excluded the sacrifice of a dog or a hog. Again, if God had requested simply an animal sacrifice, then the Israelites would have been free to offer any animal of their choosing. The Jews did not insist that God list every animal that was prohibited. Noah did not have to be told all the trees that could not be used to build the ark. The Lord’s commands were not to be trifled with and they recognized that. They respected the silence of His word. They gave Him just what he asked for—nothing more, nothing less.

Article by: Brett Hickey

One translation of Psalms 1:1 -3 reads, “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.” From this beautiful picture of the righteous man we clearly see the following.

CONSIDER HIS CHARACTER

This is a person who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly. His conduct is not guided by the instruction of wicked men. He does not listen to the advice of men who are morally wrong or are actively bad. His counsel and advice comes not from ungodly men. God “brings to nothing the counsel and plans of men.” (See Psalms 33:10-12). Those who trust in the Lord for guidance will reap the Lord’s inheritance.

Paul wrote, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints.” Paul insists, “Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving.” This leaves no room for such things among the children of God no matter what the occasion or situation. It doesn’t matter if it is a party, shower or tea. It doesn’t matter if it is a hunting trip with only the “boys” or a party with just the “girls,” vulgar acts and suggestive talk is still a sin.

The apostle tells them that those who are “lost” will try to tell you that there is nothing wrong with these things. He says, “Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be associated with them. For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light” (Eph. 2:1-8).

CONSIDER HIS PATH

The man of God is happy because he has chosen a different path than the one sinners tread (Psa. 1:1). “Standing with sinners” means to be in association with or to take part with sinners. This is the kind of teaching that the Lord always gave His people. Fellowship with “sinners” means to indulge with those who are living in and devoted to the practice of sin. They will encourage the child of God to be like them and participate in the things they do. The Scriptures warn: “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evildoers” (Proverbs 4:14).

To Christians Peter writes, “Since . . . Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention (for whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin), so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God. You have already spent enough time in doing what the… [world likes to do], living in licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry….” Don’t go back to the things left behind.

Wicked people will be… “surprised that you no longer join them in the same excesses of dissipation, and so they blaspheme [you and God]. But they will have to give an accounting to him who stands ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:1-5).

Paul says to the Corinthians, “Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship is there between light and darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be your Father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty’” (2 Cor. 6:14-18). Be careful about relationships with those who live in wickedness!

CONSIDER HIS SEAT

The Christian does not sit in the seat of the scornful. To “sit in the seat” simply means to align with or be in league with or hold the same position as the openly scornful. Scornful are those who scoff, hold in contempt, and ridicule. Here it means to hold in contempt and to ridicule the things of God. Some who do openly ridicule are even in the Church. Since we obviously live “in the last days,” we are all exposed to the ridicule of evil men who undermine the truth of God.

Peter warned, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions. They will even deny the Master who bought them–bringing swift destruction on themselves. Even so, many will follow their licentious ways, and because of these teachers the way of truth will be maligned. And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their condemnation, pronounced against them long ago, has not been idle, and their destruction is not asleep” (2 Peter 2:1-3).

You may know someone who will malign the teaching set forth here. Do not align yourself with them; do not keep quiet, but chastise them with God’s word.

CONSIDER HIS FOOD

The man of God has an insatiable appetite for the Lord and His word. He delights in the law of the Lord. Why does he delight in it? To him it is a valuable thing, a thing to be desired. The psalmist said it beautifully, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalms 42:1, 2).

Peter tells Christians, first, “Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation” (1 Peter 2:1-2). Again, James teaches, “Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:21,22).

The child of God delights in, that is, he loves the word of God. As Psalms 119:97 says, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” Why? It keeps him from going astray and being lost. David wrote, “Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer” (Psalms 17:4). The Christian is warned, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” or “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

To meditate or ponder on the Truth of God day and night leads the honest child of God to practice the Lord’s will.

CONSIDER HIS FRUIT

The blessed or happy man of God is pictured in Psalms 1 like a domestic fruit tree; he is planted by the grace of God in a most favorable location. To the people of God Isaiah wrote, “To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor . . . to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor” (Isa. 61:2,3).

In the New Testament Jesus is pictured as a river of water. John writes, “Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him’” (John 7:37,38). Planted in Christ the child of God is in a position to and expected to “yield his fruit in his season.”

In John 15:5 Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit . . .” Paul wrote, “So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith” (Galatians 6:9; please read Luke 12:6-9).

“His leaf shall not wither” and “whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Jesus gives the happy believer this assurance–“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life . . .” “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one” (John 6:47; 10:27-30). We can sing, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!”

Article by: Richard Nichols