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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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April 7, 2002
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The Simple Gospel
Thanksgiving
by Tom Roberts
Being "thankful" to God is often spoken of as a
"duty," and "obligation." While no objection can rightfully
be registered to thanksgiving as such, we surely must not
limit our understanding of it to this realm. One might as
well think of watermelon as being composed only of rind, or
of roses only of thorns if we fail to see the purely
voluntary and "from-the-heart" side of thanksgiving. While
duty and obligation define the obedient nature of the
children of God, there is much more to our relationship to
God than response to commands.
That being "thankful" is a command is evident from
the scriptures. Both the Old Testament and the New remind
us not to be forgetful of God's bountiful blessings. Psalm
100:4 teaches, "...be thankful unto him and bless his
name...." Colossians 3:15, after reminding us that the peace
of Christ should rule our hearts, says, "...and be ye
thankful." Without a doubt, we need such reminders. Like
little children must be taught not to take favors from others
for granted but to say "thank you," so also must we be
reminded not to take God for granted. But here is the
difference we must strive to see. A little child may be polite
and, from the result of training in the home, say "thank
you" when given something, observing etiquette alone,
without feeling grateful in his heart. This is quite different
from actually being thankful for the favor bestowed.
As Christians study the Bible, we are taught to be
thankful. This may express itself even by a perfunctory
"giving of thanks" at the table. But we should progress
beyond the point of merely being "polite" to God and really
understand what this means. If we truly understand it, our
service to the Lord will take on a fuller meaning than that
of dumb service like an ox in a yoke. We will not hear
brethren ask, "Do I have to attend every service?" or be in
a constant state of turmoil and indecision about how much
time, talent and money to allow the Lord. A proper view of
"thanksgiving" will put such passages as Matthew 6:33
("Seek ye first the kingdom of God...") into the right
perspective for us all.
Apostolic Example
Paul said of himself that he was "chief of sinners"
when he persecuted the church. Looking back on that dark
part of his life and comparing it with the work of an
apostle, he said, "I thank him that enabled me, even Christ
Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing
me to his service; though I was before a blasphemer, and a
persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because
I did it ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord
abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ
Jesus" (1 Timothy 1:12-14).
Brethren, Paul wasn't saying "thank you" to God
perfunctorily, or because he had been taught to do so as a
good Jew. He wasn't just being polite. Paul knew that he
had been lost and in rebellion to God's will (however
ignorantly he may have done it). But by God's grace and
mercy, this "chief of sinners" (vs. 15) was forgiven and
made whole. In the full realization of this bountiful gift,
Paul spoke from the heart about his thankfulness. And, to
make the lesson complete, Paul reminds us that "for this
cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus
Christ show forth all his longsuffering, for an ensample of
them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life"
(vs. 15, 16). The next verse (17) is somewhat reminiscent of
Miriam's song of deliverance on the banks of the Red Sea
after being delivered from the enemy: "Now unto the King
eternal, immortal, invisible the only God, be honor and glory
for ever and ever. Amen." Has any language ever been
invented that says it any better? The reader can see Paul's
heartfelt thanks in every letter as he considers the
wonderful gift of God's grace.
Here is our example, not just of polite words spoken
in moments soon forgotten, but from hearts that are lifted
up and made free from sin by the unspeakable gift of God's
love. We are free! We are children of God! Our names are
inscribed in God's Book of Life in Heaven! With this in view,
can we dare speak of thanksgiving only as a duty and
obligation? Surely we can comprehend a deeper meaning
than this. Surely we can. And when we do, there will be an
added dimension to our relationship to God, to our service
to God, that will transcend any understanding limited only
to duty and obligation.
Let no one understand this to be a deprecation of
duty, however. It is the base upon which obedience is built.
What I am saying is that anyone who considers duty and
obligation to be a full and complete understanding of our
relationship with God has missed the mark. Such a one has
far to go in learning of God. None can go to heaven without
"doing the will" of our Father (Matthew 7:21, etc.) and
obedience must be "from the heart" (Romans 6:17) which
speaks of more than some allow.
Let us learn to be truly thankful for all of our
blessings and for the full fellowship with God. Nothing less
can satisfy the will of Him from which all blessings flow nor
satisfy the nature of man that is made in His image. "Be ye
thankful...."
-- Via The Watchman, February 2002
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A Lesson of Olympic Proportions
by Steve Klein
The 2002 Winter Olympiad in Utah has been quite a
spectacle. For the many Americans who enjoy such, the
success of our fellow countrymen at these Olympics has
been a special delight.
A lot can be learned from athletic competition.
Through the inspiration of God, the Scriptures draw on
athletics to help us learn several important spiritual lessons.
The fact that "the race is not to the swift" (Ecclesiastes
9:11) illustrates that "time and chance" happen to us all.
The admonition to "lay aside every weight, and the sin
which so easily ensnares us," and "run with endurance the
race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1) teaches us the
need to put forth steady continual effort in order to gain
heaven in the end. And the fact that "we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood" (Ephesians 6:12) helps us perceive
the true might of our spiritual enemy and our need to rely
upon God's strength.
Among the greatest lessons athletics can teach us is
the need to abide by the rules. The inspired apostle Paul
observed that, "If anyone competes in athletics, he is not
crowned unless he competes according to the rules" (2
Timothy 2:5). In the Salt Lake Olympics, more than one
competitor has been disqualified because they did not
compete according to the rules.
The disqualified athlete may have trained as hard or
harder than other athletes. He may possess more ability,
more skill, and even more luck than the others. But it all
counts for nothing if he does not follow the rules.
What a tremendous lesson this is for those who would
run the race for the "crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will give" (cf. 2 Timothy 4:8). A
person may be "good" and even confess his love and
devotion for Jesus Christ, but if he has not or will not
"repent" and "be baptized for the remission of sins," he is
not running according to the rules (Acts 2:38). He may
worship God enthusiastically in song, and yet if he adds a
mechanical instrument of music, he's not abiding by the
rules (Ephesians 5:19). He may give much to the Lord's
cause, but because he does not give cheerfully or as he has
been prospered, he is disqualified.
The Lord has given us a number of rules for our
race. Let us ever strive to compete "according to the
rules."
-- Via The Bulletin of the Church of Christ at New
Georgia, February 24, 2002
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Questions Our Neighbors Ask
Can A Christian Fall Away And Be Lost?
by Charles Spence
"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an
evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God"
(Hebrews 3:12).
The book of Hebrews is a magnificent book. Found on
almost every page is an encouraging word addressed to
Christians in general and Jewish Christians in particular.
Hebrews is a book of exhortations put forth in poetic
eloquence. The melting heart of concern of the Holy Spirit
bursts forth through the language of the writer of Hebrews.
The general theme is "Go on unto perfection" (Hebrews 6:1).
The book exhorts the child of God to grow unto spiritual
maturity. There is a danger, however, in failing to heed the
exhortation of the Holy Spirit -- apostasy.
The threat of apostasy was real. In the book of
Hebrews, the Holy Spirit went to great lengths to warn
Christians of the seriousness of falling away. Observe,
"Therefore we should give the more earnest heed to the
things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word
spoken through angels proved steadfast and every
transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how
shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation" (Hebrews
2:1-3)? The Hebrew writer was telling his audience that they
could be neglectful of the great salvation that is in Christ.
For this very reason, Paul exhorts the brethren in Philippi
to "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling"
(Philippians 2:12). Paul, in other words, was telling those
brethren to see their salvation through to completion. He
goes on to say, "For it is God who works in you both to
will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).
When a child of God no longer works out his salvation,
God's work is hindered. This puts the Christian in jeopardy
of falling. This is negligence of the worse kind because it
makes it hard for the child of God to escape condemnation
(Hebrews 2:3).
In the context of Hebrews chapter 3, there is a
contrast made between Moses and Christ. Concerning the
house of Christ (v. 6), the writer says, "Whose house we are
IF we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing steadfast until
the end." As long as the child of God "holds fast," he will
be a part of the household of Christ. The writer exemplifies
the danger of letting go of the confidence and the rejoicing
by referring to Israel in the day of temptation in the
wilderness (Hebrews 3:8). God said, "Therefore I was angry
with that generation, and said, `They always go astray in
their heart, and they have not known my ways. So I swore
in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest"' (Hebrews 3:12).
The exhortation in the book of Hebrews is to Christians. The
exhortation is real because the danger is real.
Some people believe that once a person is saved, that
person can never be lost. Why would a biblical writer,
inspired by the Holy Spirit, write with such eloquence,
passion, and conviction, with no uncertain terms and
ambiguity, that apostasy was a real possibility? The fact is
that apostasy was a real possibility and concern. For this
very reason, the Holy Spirit further warns, "For it is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have
tasted of the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of
the Holy Spirit, and have tasted of the good word of God
and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away to
renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again
for themselves the Son of God and put Him to an open
shame" (Hebrews 6:4-6). For the faithful child of God, there
is great expectation and hope (Hebrews 6:9). Once saved,
there are things that the child of God must do to keep and
maintain his salvation. As had previously been mentioned,
one thing he must do is heed the things that he has heard
or he will drift away.
Let us all be concerned enough about the real threat
of apostasy that we exercise diligence in keeping our
spiritual heads about us.
-- via Christianity Magazine, August, 1999
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News & Notes
Let us be praying for a complete and speedy recovery
for Steve Wolfgang of Danville, Kentucky. He had recently
been in ICU to receive 4 units of blood. It appears that a
small hiatal hernia, over a period of several months, had
caused this loss, which resulted in a serious anemic state.
His hemoglobin -- which had dropped so extremely low that
the doctors were amazed he had even been able to walk --
is now improving. So Steve is feeling much better -- and in
his own words, "...feeling very much like I dodged a
bullet." He will be rechecked in a couple weeks to see how
his therapy for increasing iron in his blood has been
coming along.
This Friday (7:30 PM) begins the Gospel Meeting at
the Exton church of Christ (Exton, PA) with Edward A.
Smith (from Flint, Michigan) preaching. April 12-14.
There will also be a gospel meeting at the
Susquehanna church of Christ in Marietta, Pennsylvania,
April 21-26. Gary Eubanks (from Piscataway, New Jersey)
will be the speaker.
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evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (610) 925-3567
e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com
web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go
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