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THE GOSPEL OBSERVER
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching
them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you
always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20).
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August 6, 2000
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Where Do Your Bolts Break?
(Conclusion)
by Norman Pence
Corrosion
Corrosion usually begins very slowly and subtly
and goes to the very center of our being. The vicious
environment of the world and the hostile forces of
Satan launch their attack quite unexpectedly. They
usually begin on the inside (inside the joint) to eat
away at the way we think and act. They go to the very
heart of our soul and begin to slowly alter our
attitudes toward life, our family, the church, our
spouse and eventually God Himself. Our heart becomes
consumed by anger, bitterness, strife, and
dissatfaction. Suddenly everything is wrong with our
life. Unhappiness, unthankfulness, and discontent are
the order of the day. Finally we are eaten up with self
pity, isolate ourselves and begin the final phase of
complete failure -- departure from God. Such is a very
horrible picture but it happens all too frequently. We
often fail because we allow ``the cares and riches and
pleasures of this life'' (Lk. 8:14) to gnaw away our
spiritual life and place our emphasis on things that
``rust doeth corrupt'' (Matt. 6:19-20). It's
interesting that the word ``rust'' means ``the act of
eating'' and in a wider sense, ``corrosion.''
Corrosion, according to Webster, comes from the Latin
word ``corrodere'' meaning ``to gnaw to pieces.'' It
means ''1. to eat into or wear away gradually, as by
rusting or by the action of chemicals. 2. to work upon
insidiously and cause to deteriorate [a heart corroded
by bitterness].''
This can occur in metals when they are placed in
an environment or exposed to chemicals and other agents
that gradually eat away at the material and eventually
cause failure. As Christians we must be careful about
the environment in which we live as well as the
conditions and circumstances we subject ourselves to.
It's easy to be influenced by evil forces. The effect
that they have on our lives can be more dangerous than
seems evident. Paul speaks in 2 Tim. 2:14-17 of some
whose ``wrangling about words'' would ``lead to the
ruin of the hearers'' and whose ``worldly and empty
chatter'' would ``lead to further ungodliness and their
talk will spread like gangrene.'' We can readily see
the effect of their influence when we look at the word
``gangrene.'' It comes from ``gangraina''
(gang'-grahee-nah) and means to ``gnaw.'' It is
described as a disease by which any part of the body
suffering from it becomes so corrupted that, unless a
remedy be soon applied, the evil continually spreads,
attacks other parts, and at last eats away the bones.
So it is with useless, godless teaching and sinful
conduct. They are sure to spread and increase. They
should be attacked and destroyed as soon as they are
discovered. We must not allow them to corrode our minds
and destroy the life we have in Christ Jesus.
Sometimes we place ourselves in the wrong environment
by associating with those of the world. We may say,
``Well it don't bother me, just because they curse and
drink and lead immoral lives doesn't mean I have to!''
Paul warns us, ``Therefore let him who thinks he stands
take heed lest he fall'' (1 Cor. 10:12). James says,
''...do you not know that friendship with the world is
hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a
friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God''
(Jas. 4:4). And Paul warns us to ``not be deceived: Bad
company corrupts good morals'' (1 Cor. 15:33). The word
translated ``company'' is ``homilia'' (hom-il-ee'-ah) in
the Greek and means ``association, intercourse, company.''
Taking this verse in context, Paul is telling the
Corinthians to cease association with those who denied
the resurrection. It would tend to corrupt the
simplicity of their faith, pervert their view of the
truth, and thus corrupt their lives. It is always true
that such an association has a damaging effect on our
heart and mind. At first, it seems harmless. ``I don't
have to believe it just because I associate with them,''
we are heard to say. But the silent influence of their
words, conversation, and example begin to have their
effect. We become less watchful and cautious, we look
with less alarm at the error they are teaching and the
life-style they are living, we become more familiar with
it, and eventually we ask, ``Why can't I engage in all
this fleshly pleasure the same as they?'' We lose our
spirituality, love of prayer, the desire for a holy life
and devotion to God. And the Devil looks around and says
-- gotcha! Christ sought a people that would seek His
friendship and the friendship of each other, and withdraw
themselves from the world. ``'Come out from their midst
and be separate,' says the Lord. 'And do not touch what
is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a
father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to
Me,' says the Lord Almighty" (2 Cor. 6:14). Sin is
destructive, Satan is cunning and deceitful. He
desires, as he did Peter, to ``sift us like wheat''
(Lk. 22:32). He will use every means at his disposal.
He will use sin to gradually gnaw away our attitudes,
our faith in God, and ultimately cause us to fail Him
who made it possible for us to be ``more than
conquerors'' (Rom 8:37). We don't have to be taken
advantage of by Satan nor be ignorant of his schemes (2
Cor 2:11). We must ``rust proof'' and guard our hearts
and minds against the deteriorating influence of the
world and prevent sins corrosive effect by keeping
ourselves separate from worldly influences and
immersing ourselves in Christ Jesus.
Embrittlement
Embrittlement occurs when certain conditions and
attitudes exist that makes us easily offended or
overthrown. Failure occurs when the bolt becomes
brittle, due to the stress of the load, the chemicals
within the bolt and the processes it has been subjected
to. The bolt (Christian) becomes fragile (sensitive)
and is easily cracked, broken, snapped, shattered.
Webster defines ``brittle'' as: ``easily disrupted,
overthrown, or damaged: FRAIL...easily hurt or
offended: SENSITIVE.'' My wife tells of a time when
their neighbor was coming down the lane to get her
father to give him a haircut, as he had done for many
years. As the neighbor approached the house, suddenly
the lights went out (they had gone to bed). They
wondered why their neighbor had become cold and even
would not speak to them -- and never came back for
another haircut. It was not until many years later they
found out he had told others, ``they saw me comin' and
turned the lights out!'' Many relationships have been
destroyed because of sensitive, suspicious feelings.
Our feelings become fragile, we are easily upset and
offended. We become unable to take things in stride. We
take things too personal and begin to think that
everything is directed toward us. As those who have
been ``chosen of God'' we are to be patient with one
another, ``bearing with one another, and forgiving each
other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as
the Lord forgave you, so also should you'' (Col.
3:12-13). Paul admonishes us to be forbearing to one
another in love (Eph 4:2). He spends most of the books
of 1 & 2 Corinthians teaching brethren how to stay
together and worship together. He instructs them to
work out their differences with mutual respect, to be
spiritually minded, to be fellow-workers, to be mature
and put away childish things. Instead of being
``carnal men'' he wanted them to be ``spiritual men''
who were being transformed into the image of Christ
Jesus. Hurt feelings, an offense, or wrong suffered can
be very difficult to overcome. None of us like to admit
we are immature enough so as to have our feelings hurt.
We can avoid this failure by being content with the
load and function the Lord has placed upon each of us
and develop a loving, confident relationship and an
attitude of openness and trust with one another.
Prevention
A proper load is critical to the prevention of
failure. An ``underload'' can cause failure the same as
an ``overload.'' Each ``joint'' in the kingdom has a
function and responsibility to perform. Each of us has
a load to bear -- just the right amount as the Lord has
given. He did not intend for us to be free from work,
trials, temptations, and responsibility (Gal. 6:5; Lk.
9:23). Thank God for an adequate amount of pressure,
for stress, for our work load, because they not only
keep us working properly here, they also are
''...producing for us an eternal weight of glory far
beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen...'' (2 Cor. 4:17-18). In Ephesians 6:10-20 Paul
describes the ``armor of God'' that the Christian must
wear in the war with Satan. Central to that armor is
the ``girdle of truth.'' To ``gird oneself'' was to
prepare for action or service. The Lord ``girded
Himself'' when He washed the disciples feet (John
13:4,5). It indicated the soldier was ready for action,
loosened it implied ``off duty.'' The ``girdle of
truth'' is essential to the prevention of failure. It
strengthens, protects us, holds everything in place,
keeps us from lax views of morals and duty. It makes
the soul sincere, firm, constant, and always guarded
against the schemes of Satan. Just as a good engineer
would attempt to properly diagnose the cause of bolt
failure, we each must examine ourselves. Paul said,
``Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith;
examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about
yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you -- unless
indeed you fail the test'' (2 Cor. 13:5)? Failure can
be prevented. Rom. 10:17 says that ''...faith comes by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God.'' John said
that ``these have been written that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that
believing you may have life in His name.'' Without
faith in Jesus as the Christ and Son of God we are
doomed to failure (Heb. 11:6). We must believe that God
is and that He rewards those who seek Him. That faith
can only come through a knowledge of and obedience to
His Word. It is He who gives us strength to keep going
in face of discouragement, a bad relationship,
temptation, or any other stress or load we are called
upon to bear. God has many blessings in store for His
disciples. He wants us to have them for our good and
happiness. Failure robs us of all these and separates
us from Him and ultimately keeps us from heaven. The
Hebrew writer said, ``Now the God of peace, who brought
up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep
through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus
our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will,
working in us that which is pleasing in His sight,
through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and
ever. Amen'' (Heb. 13:21). ``'And I shall strengthen
them in the Lord, and in His name they will walk,'
declares the Lord" (Zech. 10:12). The following is a
song I have on a tape at home. I don't know the name of
it or who wrote it. Memorize it and repeat it to
yourself when you become weak and discouraged.
Sometimes I feel discouraged;
I think my life is vain.
I then begin to murmur
And of my God complain.
But when I think of Jesus
And all He's done for me,
Then I cry, ``O, Rock of Ages, hide thou me!''
O, Rock of Ages, hide thou me.
No other refuge abides but thee.
When life's dark veil I wander--far, far from thee--
Then I cry, ``O, Rock of Ages, hide thou me!"
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NEWS & NOTES
Let us continue to pray for Glenda Combs who has
been in the hospital recently to undergo various
testings.
Bernard Young, a father of a former member in
Ashland, Kentucky, will be soon undergoing surgery for
his prostate and bladder August 16. Let us pray that
all will go well.
I also solicit prayer for Les and Nancy Atkinson,
also former members in Ashland. Les was in a car wreck
a couple weeks ago and is now undergoing therapy for his
neck and back. His wife Nancy has not been well and
will have to undgergo surgery.
Due to computer problems (which are not totally
resolved), this week's bulletin is late getting out. I
apologize for the inconvenience.
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Avondale
CHURCH OF CHRIST
P.O. Box 421
1606 Glen Willow Rd., Avondale, PA 19311
(610) 268-2088
Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class
11:00 A.M. Worship
6:00 P.M. Worship
Wednesday: 7:00 P.M. Bible study
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (610) 925-3567
e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com
web site: http://www.mypage.onemain.com/tedwards/avondale
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