____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ September 10, 2000 ____________________________________________________ Can You Be Trusted? by Steve Klein Trust. It is a vital part of every positive human relationship. Think of the problems that come when nations cannot trust each another, for instance. Or, when suspicion and doubt clouds the relationship between parents and children, husbands and wives, citizens and governments, or bosses and employees. How many wars, separations, divorces, revolutions and strikes could be attributed primarily to a lack of trust? Surely we could fill the world's oceans with the tears of bitterness and pain that have streamed from the eyes of people who could not trust each other. ``Well, yes,'' you say, ``Lack of trust ruins a lot of good relationships, but the solution is simple; we should all just decide to trust each other!'' Really? You think the United Nations should just go ahead and trust Saddam Hussein and the government of Iraq with all the nuclear weapons they want? Should citizens whose government has been oppressive and murderously violent continually trust their government to do the right thing? Should the boss give the combination of the safe to the employee who has been caught stealing? I think you see the problem. Trust is not something that can or should be extended to people who have shown themselves to be unworthy of it. Most of the time there is a reason for a lack of trust. The Bible shows clearly that those who break trust are responsible for causing the pain and problems that a lack of trust brings. Such individuals often want to place the blame on others and seek pity for themselves. But frankly, it is hard to feel sorry for the teenager who complains ``My parents don't trust me'' after his parents have found drugs in his room, or an unpaid speeding ticket in the mail, or a beer can in the floorboard. Those who have been untrustworthy need to bear their own reproach, face the consequences of their own actions and (if they wish to be accepted by God and trusted again by their fellowmen) repent and take appropriate steps toward rebuilding trust. Here are some things that those who have broken trust must face up to: 1. They've caused pain for others. It hurts to count on someone who can't be counted on! ``Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint" (Proverbs 25:19). 2. They have created their own problems. ``The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust'' (Proverbs 11:6). ``Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard'' (Proverbs 13:15). ``He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known'' (Proverbs 10:9). 3. Their lack of faithfulness and fidelity is disgusting to righteous people. ``I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey your word``(Psalm 119:158, NIV). 4. People have a reason not to trust them in other areas. Unfaithfulness in one area indicates a tendency to be unfaithful in other areas. In Luke 16:10 Jesus said, ``He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much'' (see also Jeremiah 9:1-5). 5. They must commit themselves to rebuilding trust by making full confession of their unfaithfulness, seeking forgiveness and changing their behavior. Rebuilding trust takes a lot of effort on the part of the one who has been unfaithful. When one who has behaved in an untrustworthy way attempts to hide part or all of what he has done, or minimizes it in any way, it becomes very difficult to renew trust. Look at what God instructed Israel to do to rebuild their relationship with Him after they had been unfaithful. ```But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me...if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt; {42} then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land'' (Leviticus 26:40-42). Israel's being restored to a good relationship with God depended on her willingness to humbly acknowledge her guilt. Trust is such a precious thing. If you have it in the vital relationships of your life, do everything you can to maintain it. Be faithful. Be true. Be honest. If you've been unfaithful, untrue, or dishonest, do all within your power to restore the trust. You'll be glad you did. -- Via The Exhorter, August 6, 2000 ___________________________________________ The Death Penalty by Robert L. Schales Many Opinions On what basis can we decide whether capital punishment is good or bad? Our best legal minds differ. In the present discussion each person becomes his own standard. But there is a higher authority in matters of right and wrong. That authority is God and He has revealed His standards in the Bible. Life Required for Life Long ago God expressed His will in this manner: "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man" (Gen. 9:6). Respect for life requires that life be required for life. We live in a society that does NOT respect life. It is possible to commit murder and remain in prison for only a few years. Armed robbery usually carries an equal, or greater, sentence. Consequently, the criminal will frequently murder any witnesses in order to increase his chances of escape. This is a terrible miscarriage of justice as well as the ultimate disrespect for life. Yet we see endless pleas made in behalf of the murderer based on the misguided notion that the death penalty shows disregard for life and represents cruel and unusual punishment. The Law of Moses God gave a law through Moses to the Israelites. It was a strict, but balanced system, which held life in great reverence. So esteemed are its concepts that much of our legal system has been influenced by it. But in recent years our courts have been influenced by those who consider themselves more enlightened. Although God did not intend that we live under the law of Moses, it does reveal to us the mind of God in the matter of the death penalty. Justice Under the Law The law given through Moses to the Israelites contained the command, "You shall not kill" (Ex. 20:13). The word translated "kill" means "murder." "You shall not murder." The law of Moses prohibited murder and authorized the civil authorities to take the life of the murderer, Lev. 24:17. It shall be noted that the law of Moses contained several safeguards against the miscarriage of justice. Perjury was not taken lightly. One of the ten commandments forbade the bearing of false witness, Ex. 20:16. Also, the accused must have been observed in the act by two or more witnesses, Deut. 17:2-7. The death penalty was not invoked in instances of circumstantial evidence. These principles preserved justice with respect for life for fifteen hundred years among those who kept the law of Moses. Law Misunderstood Some think of the law of Moses as a vengeful law because of a misunderstanding of some of its precepts. For example, the statement, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" is thought by some to be a statement of vengeance. It did not justify vengeance. It prohibited vengeance. It protected the accused from receiving punishment worse than his crime. If a neighbor knocked out your tooth, the law prohibited you from burning his house. Followers of Christ The followers of Christ realize that murder is wrong and look to civil government to punish the murderer. See Rom. 13:1-4. God has authorized the governments of the world to maintain order. The state should require the life of the murderer. This results in an orderly society by putting fear into the heart of the one who has no respect for life. The apostle Paul knew the mind of Christ. He said, while making his own defense, "If then I am a wrongdoer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die..." (Acts 25:11). This apostle of Jesus did not protest the death penalty. He accepted it as just in instances where the crime justified death. Jesus warned that civil government would take the life of the murderer when He said, "Put your sword back unto its place; for all who take up the sword shall perish by the sword" (Matt. 26:52). Deterrent The death penalty is a deterrent because a murderer put to death will never murder again. Some convicted murderers repeat their heinous crime again and again while in prison serving life sentences. Others escape from prison and murder again before they are apprehended. Conclusion A society cannot long endure without respect for life. If crime is allowed to increase unchecked, it will unravel the very fabric of our society. Even a brief look at history will demonstrate this. Will we fail to learn the lessons of history? If so, we are doomed to repeat them. -- Via Susquehanna Sentinel, August 27, 2000 ___________________________________________ Brief Exhortations #434 [on death] by David J. Riggs ``Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin'' (Psalm 51:1-2). A few years ago, I was at the point of death when I had cancer. At that time, I was convinced that I would die and, thus, I wrote a farewell letter to my wife and children. Here is a paragraph from that letter: ``I want you to know that I have repented of all my sins, weakness, and shortcomings, and so far as I know am ready to go on to meet God. I am a sinner, and am relying on God's mercy and goodness, not my own worthiness, to save me. Even now, as I write this letter, I am begging God to remember me for good as I anticipate departing from this life. As everyone knows, it is now completely in God's hands as to whether I will live any longer. I have often taught, and you have heard me say, `This world is not our home.' There is a world beyond that is far better than this one. May the Great Eternal God reward all of us with it.'' ___________________________________________ What If YOU Were The Last Remaining Christian? by Greg Gwin A tired and discouraged Elijah proclaimed to God, ``I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life to take it away'' (1 Kings 19:10). He was wrong, of course. The Lord explained that He had 7,000 who remained faithful (vs. 18). But, what if Elijah had been right? What if he really was the last remaining faithful servant of God in all the earth? Two things seem clear: 1) He could not have used this as an excuse to give up, to surrender, to stop doing the will of God; and 2) The urgency of his work would have been even greater. The need for his proclamation of God's word would have been even more pressing. There's a lesson here for us. Have you ever felt like you were alone in your stand for the truth? Has it seemed like no one else was committed to doing what was right? If so, you should take heart in knowing that there are many others who share your convictions and dedication. You are NOT alone. As in Elijah's day, God knows and has an accurate count of all those who are faithfully living for Him. But, even if you were the last faithful Christian in all the world, you would still need to work hard to teach and practice the will of God. This would not be an excuse for you to give up or surrender in your service for Him. In fact, your work would be more important than ever. If all men were to let us down, and we truly stood alone, we would still have this promise from God: ``I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'' And our reaction to this truth should be to ``boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me'' (Heb. 13:5,6). Christian, you are not alone. You have a host of faithful brethren who stand with you. And, you have the Almighty God of heaven who supports you. Stand fast! ___________________________________________ NEWS & NOTES Last month, we had 18 different visitors--put that with July's, and we had 49 different guests for the two months! If you were one who made up that number, please come again. We enjoyed having you! Several of our own have been absent lately due to sickness, but some have already been back. Let us continue praying for the others as well. ________________________________________ 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 ________________________________________