| JOHN WADDEY, EDITOR
Published by the Church of Christ, 12213 West Bell Road, Surprise, AZ 85374 Volume 1, Number 7
March 1, 2002 |
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Table of Contents: 1. A NAME OF WHICH WE SHOULD NEVER BE ASHAMED To the Christians in Rome Paul wrote, "All the churches of Christ salute you"
(Rom. 16:16). Other names are also ascribed to the Lord's church. In I
Corinthians it is called "the church of God" (1:2). Paul also called it "the church of the Lord" (Acts 20:28). Sometimes it was simply called the church.
This shows us that Christ did not appoint a single, exclusive name for his church. Since in heaven's plan there only one church, there was no need for a specific name to distinguish it from other religious bodies.
In a world of more than 2,000 denominations, all claiming to be Christ's church, we identify ourselves as Churches of Christ. We do so because it is clearly a biblical name that God approves of. It tells the world to whom we belong. It gives the glory to our founder and Savior. While not the only name that a body of Christians can scripturally use, it is highly appropriate for many reasons. - Christ established the church (Matt. 16:18).
- He called it "my church" (Matt. 16:18).
- He gave himself for the church, dying for her (Eph. 5:25).
- In his death on Calvary, he purchased the church with his shed blood (Acts 20:28).
- The church is his spiritual body, of which he is head (Eph. 1:22-23).
- He is the chief cornerstone of the church (Eph. 2:20).
- It is his house (Heb. 3:6).
- The church is his bride (II Cor. 11:2).
- He is the savior of the church (Eph. 5:23).
- He adds to his church all who are saved (Acts 2:47).
- The church is his family (Eph. 3:15).
Given all of these facts, it seems entirely reasonable that we call the church "the church of Christ." This holy name gives our Lord recognition for his role in giving us the church, preserving and protecting her. It acknowledges our dependance upon him. It expresses our love for him who saved us. It glorifies him as head of the church.
Paul declared that he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16), nor should we ever be ashamed of, embarrassed by, or apologetic for this holy name we wear. JHW  |
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2. SUICIDE: CAN IT BE RIGHT?
Suicide means "self-murder." God plainly says "Thou shalt not kill" (Ex. 20:13). John says, "ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." (I John 3:15). In taking ones own life, the very last deed one does is to murder self. True, God will forgive any sin we commit, but only if we repent and ask his forgiveness (I John 1:9)
In most cases of successful suicide there would likely be no time for repentance or confession. This deed is a terrible sin that will rob one of eternal life. I must hasten to add that not all who commit suicide are rational and responsible for their actions. Obviously many who end their lives are mentally ill, hence not accountable for what they have done. However not all are in that state of mind. In many societies suicide is considered an honorable and even a preferable way to die. JHW |
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3. HINDRANCES TO RESTORATION OF NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY
In every undertaking of value, there are attitudes and actions that promote and those that hinder the effort. In the grand endeavor to restore the faith and practice of the first Christians, there are things that can only hinder our efforts. Among them are: - A pride filled spirit - The Scripture condemns this spirit of false-pride (I John 2:15). It is a spirit of pride that make some who are highly educated look down with scorn on those with less formal training. Conversely it makes some with lesser academic credentials resentful of those with more. In either case faction and schism will result. The cause is hindered.
- An arrogant spirit towards those outside the faith - This spirit treats with disdain those who have not yet arrived at their level of understanding of Scripture. It assumes there is no honesty or sincerity to be found outside of his or her circle. Such a spirit is disgusting and revolting to those at whom it is directed and to those who observe it. It shuts the door against folks who might otherwise be receptive to the gospel plea.
- A sectarian or divisive spirit - This spirit has little appreciation for the unity of God's people. Working diligently to maintain the unity of the Spirit (Eph. 4:3) is neglected because they are too busy drawing lines, breaking fellowship and branding fellow-Christians. Their divisive work is pursued without shame or guilt. This discredits our plea for the unity of all who believe in the Lord Jesus (John 17:20-21).
- A spirit of foolishness - I have in mind those preachers who come before audiences as a representative of Christ but behave as court jesters. Rather than devote their precious time to preaching Christ and his sacred principles, they try to be cute - to be comedians or entertainers. Such foolishness does not promote or enhance our back to the Bible plea.
- A spirit of laziness - Some men wish to have the position of preacher and draw the salary but are unwilling to spend the time and make the effort to learn God's Word. They haven't time to examine the issues that come before us and prepare themselves to address them. Intelligent people who come to hear their lessons go away in boredom and seek for truth elsewhere. Churches wither and die from lack of meaningful Bible teaching (Hos. 4:6).
- A spirit of pretended scholarship - Genuine scholarship is admirable. It reflects years of discipline and hard work. One may be a scholar in one field but a novice in another. Advanced educational credentials in secular fields mean nothing, if a man is not well read in God's Word. I have known men who had neither the training nor the experience to be considered a scholar in the field of biblical studies, yet they pretended they were. They knew a few Greek or Hebrew terms to toss about, but the living Word they did not know. Those who do know will soon spot such pretenders. Trying to attract attention to themselves they do a disservice to the Cause.
- A spirit that cares not for our past history - Many contemporary preachers exhibit disdain for those who went before them, building the highway on which they now travel with ease. They serve churches established and built up by great men of God whom they do not recognize or appreciate. They know nothing of the past struggles to arrive at a Biblical faith. Because they care nothing for our history, they are likely to repeat the mistakes of the past and be vulnerable to the siren voices of error.
- A spirit of satisfaction with the status quo - So long as the earth doth stand there will be lost souls to whom Christ expects us to take his gospel (Mk. 16:15). As long as there is a village without a church of Christ, we must be busy planting churches. So long as there is good waiting to be done, we have an obligation to be busy doing so to the glory of Christ (I Cor. 15:58). Sadly too many men take positions in churches and are content just to maintain the status quo at home. They ignore distant fields and Macedonian calls don't stir them. The needs of the fatherless and widow’s fall on deaf ears and the cause suffers.
- A compromising spirit - Christianity is likened to an army sent forth on world conquest (I Tim. 6:12). Our mission is to rescue souls from Satan's kingdom of darkness (Col. 1:13). Our enemy never rests. He constantly roams the earth seeking whom he may devour (I Pet. 5:8). Sadly, we see in Christ's army soldiers who do not want to fight. They prefer to rest peacefully in the safety of the fort. Without a spirit of militancy we will never win the world to Christ nor restore the faith and practice of the first disciples.
May all who have the privilege to represent Christ before his church shun these attitudes that hinder the success of the gospel and devote themselves to humble service in the Master's kingdom. JHW |
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4. YOUR INHERITANCE
You have an inheritance. In fact you have two inheritances. From Adam, you have your first inheritance. It is the morbid gift of death. Paul writes, "through one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men..." (Rom. 5:12). From Adam we also have a human race so tainted and infected with sin that all eventually sin and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). From that ancient ancestor we also have inherited an earth that is under the curse of sin (Gen. 3:17; Rom. 8:20-22).
Your second and most precious inheritance is from the Lord Jesus Christ. As your Creator, he gave you all the gifts, talents and blessings that you have enjoyed in life (Col. 1:16). He gave you "the free gift of God (which) is eternal life in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:23). He laid down his life for all who would be his friends (John 15:13). He gave us the church, purchasing it with his own life's blood upon Calvary (Acts 20:28). He gave us his will, recorded in an inspired, indestructible book. That Word is precious, worth
more than silver and gold (Ps. 119:72). It is the key to success, the secret of happiness and the road map to heaven. He gave us a certain, solid promise of eternal life with his Father in heaven (John 14:2-6).
In this life, to receive an inheritance, we must meet the conditions set forth by the benefactor in his will. In the spiritual realm the same is true.
We must believe on Christ, if we would be saved (Acts 16:30-31). We must be willing to obey his will (Heb. 5:8-9). To receive forgiveness and a place in his kingdom, we must repent and be baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:26-27). JHW |
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5. A CHURCH FOR ALL PEOPLE
Sad to say, some churches have limited the folks they would serve. By their very names some declare that they exist to serve certain ethnic, social or national groups. Conversely, the church which Christ built is unique because, by design, it is a church for all people. - There are no social distinctions. Paul reminded the Christians in Galatia that there are neither bond nor free persons in Christ. All are one (Gal. 3:28).
- There are no racial distinctions. In the same place Paul said there can be neither Jew nor Greek in the Lord's church (Gal. 3:28).
- There are no economic distinctions. James rebuked Christians who discriminated against the poor and fawned upon the rich. Such behavior was totally unacceptable in Christ (Jas. 2:9).
- There are no age distinctions. Christ made it clear that children were welcomed in his kingdom (Matt. 19:13-14). The prophet Joel predicted that young and old alike would have a place in Messiah's kingdom (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17).
- There are no political affiliations or agendas in the church of Christ. His kingdom was and is, "not of this world" (John 18:32). Christ's church is not Republican nor Democrat. Its loyalty is to Him alone (Phil. 3:13).
When these and other negative and undesirable aspects are eliminated, we are left with pure, unadulterated Christianity. This is what we strive to be. With the Bible as our only guide and Christ as our only head, we can be the church he wants us to be. We need only trust and obey.
Share the good news. Tell your friends and neighbors about the pearl of great price you have found and invite them to come and see. JHW 6. HOW IS GOD A TRINITY? This question is both reasonable and stimulating. God has revealed himself to humanity through the book we call the Bible. In it, the word "God" is applied alike to three divine persons, the Father, The Son, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. At the same time it tells us that there is one God (Deut. 6:4).
Across the centuries, as godly men have struggled to grasp and understand the nature of God, they have used different analogies to express what they perceive. There is one seat of divine government in the world, just as there is one central government over the USA. There are three branches of our government, executive, legislative and judicial. So there are three divine persons that constitute this one godhead or government: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All share the nature of godhood. They are all Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, etc. Together they administer the affairs of creation and salvation. While all have a part in our salvation, care and protection, each member had a specific role. The Father loved us and sent His Son. Jesus came down and lived and died among us. The Holy Spirit came to guide the apostles into all the truth (John 15:13). He is given to all who obey Christ in salvation (Acts 5:32). He is the earnest of our salvation (Eph. 1:13-14). Jesus taught us to pray to "Our Father who art in heaven" (Matt.6:9). Christ himself is the "one mediator between God and man" (I Tim. 2:5). The Holy Spirit helps us in our prayers and makes intercession on our behalf (Rom. 8:26-28). We will never go wrong
when we hold to this divinely given truth. The concept of the Divine Trinity is not unreasonable, but it is beyond our ability to fully comprehend. JHW |
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7. CONFESSION
Confession is a vital part of the Christian faith. It is essential to our salvation. There are four aspects of confession revealed in Scripture. - To become a Christian, we must confess with our mouths Christ as Lord (Rom. 10:9). Paul called this the "good confession" (I Tim. 6:13).
- Each day of our lives we must be willing to confess our faith and allegiance to Christ before the wicked world in which we live. Jesus said, "Everyone therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven... But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32-33).
- When we sin, we must be willing to confess those transgressions. James teaches us, "Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another..." (Jas. 5:16). Private sins, unknown to others, we confess to God in private. Sins that are public should be publicly confessed (I John 1:9).
- In the great day of judgement, all, Christians and unbelievers alike, will bow their knees and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord..." (Phil. 2:11).
Is there a confession you need to make? JHW |
