____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ November 24, 2002 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Evidences of Faith: The Universe and the History of Man (Part 2 of 2) (Maurice Barnett) 2) The Proper "Tone" in Preaching: The Motor is Running, But Brethren are in Neutral (Dennis Reed) ____________________________________________________ Evidences of Faith The Universe and the History of Man (Part 2 of 2) by Maurice Barnett Editor's Note: In part one of brother Barnett's article, he pointed out that God (who has always existed) merely needed to speak the word, and the universe was created "suddenly" -- and not over a period of billions of years. Not only was it created swiftly, but it was also created "orderly" over the six days of Genesis 1. So, it was not created a "chaos," but "rather for the purpose of being inhabited by man" (the "highest living form in this universe, made in the image of God"). The "universe, our solar system, this earth and all that is in it were all made for mankind." Brother Barnett further points out that "God did not intend for mankind to remain in the garden of Eden...'Replenish' [from Gen. 2:26] meant to fill up the earth. Man was to spread out and accomplish what God had set for him to do." In addition, "When you start with Genesis one, you find the beginning of this universe and humanity within the same time-slot, the beginning, the foundation of the earth, or the creation of heaven and earth and all that is in them...There was no old gap, new gap nor billions of years of slow development in any sense...Mark 10:6 says, 'But from the beginning of creation, Male and female made he them.'" The entirety of part one can be accessed through the following link: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards2/go/go021117.txt Let us now continue with part 2 of brother Barnett's fine article: ---------------------------- 2. Mark 13:19 "For those days shall be tribulation, such as there hath not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never shall be." Matthew 24:21 says, "Tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now." "[F]rom the beginning of the creation" means the same as "from the beginning of the world"; anything within the creation week was designated as the beginning of the creation or the beginning. This passage can only have any sense if we understand that humanity existed from the beginning who could have experienced any tribulation that might have happened. 3. Romans 1:20 "For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity." Notice that "the creation of the world" and "the things that are made," including the rest of the universe, are speaking of the same thing. The invisible things, God's power and divinity, are manifest in what God has made, the universe, this world and all that's in it. This has been evident ever since the creation. But, the understanding of this passage is based on the necessary existence of someone to see God's creation! Man has existed from the beginning of the creation, since the creation, to "see" God's power and divinity in what is made. The evidence today is the same as at the creation of the world; what they saw at the creation of the world is what we see today that manifests God's power and divinity! 4. Hebrews 9:25-26 "... nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not his own; else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Any yearly sacrifice for sin that might have been necessary would have no meaning without the human race. Sin has no meaning without an intelligent, fully functioning, accountable human being who commits the sin and would need the sacrifice! This passage goes back to the foundation of the world and means that the human race is coexistent with the world. The foundation of the world is also the foundation of the human race. 5. Revelation 13:8 "And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain." Names that would or would not be written in the book of life would have meaning only with men. Thus, man has existed from the foundation of the world and there was no universe before that. 6. Hebrews 4:3 "For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world." This speaks of creation week when God rested from his work. But, it says that His works were finished from the foundation of the world. That specifically refers us to when His work concluded on the sixth day. Some have tried to prove that the Sabbath rest of God is still in existence because of the verses that follow this one in Hebrews. Thus, it is said that this proves each day of creation, like the seventh day, is thousands if not millions of years long. No, the word Sabbath is used here as a description of our rest from labors in heaven that is yet to come. Notice verse 10, "For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his." Note the past tense. Revelation 14:13 says, "And I heard the voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them." At that time, we will enter our rest "as God did from his." God's works were finished with the foundation of the world, works which included the creation of Adam and Eve. 7. Hebrews 1:10 "Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thy hands." Notice that it was "in the beginning" when He laid the foundation of the earth along with the heavens. When you get back to the beginning of Genesis 1:1ff and John 1:1-3, you are at the foundation of the earth, the foundation of the world, the beginning of the world, the beginning of creation of the universe and other like phrases. God states the purpose of his creation of the heavens and especially the earth -- "he formed it to be inhabited." The history of humanity is parallel with the history of the universe. Both go back to the same time, The Beginning, and will wind up together at The End. When God brings the human race to an end, He will bring the universe itself to an end at the same time, II Peter 3:7, I Corinthians 15:24. There was no such thing as time before the creation of this universe and all that's in it. "Time" is tied to the physical world, the measurement of the passage of events. Take note: between when time began and when time will be no more lies the history of man and the universe together. -- Via The Watchman, October 2000 ___________________________________________ The Proper "Tone" in Preaching The Motor is Running, But Brethren are in Neutral by Dennis Reed Just about my first memories of the term "neutral" was that it had to do with placing the gear shift on the Model "A" Ford in a position where you could release the clutch when the motor was running (we called them motors -- not engines, as in "Ford Motor Company"). When you were in "neutral," there was no movement of the car --it was just a "do nothing" position. You also had to remember, when parking your car on an incline, that it would surely roll backward or forward if you left the gear shift in "neutral." Neutral simply meant that you were not in gear -- you had no influence whatever on the motion of the car! I am seriously afraid that a lot of our brethren today are determined to operate in "neutral"! They don't want to make any distinction between a false teacher and a sound teacher. They don't want to take a position on fellowship which would make a distinction between darkness and light, between truth and error, or between sinfulness and righteousness -- they simply want to smile and stay "neutral." For years we have been trying to tell them that neutral (no position) is an open stand for the Devil -- but they simply smile and go about their merry way being perfectly satisfied with staying in "neutral" -- not really standing for anything and not really standing against anything! These brethren are about as useless to the cause of Christ as a Model "A" crank is to a new Ford automobile! These brethren want to be identified with the "it just doesn't really matter" philosophy which is being openly advocated by so many brethren today! With the neutral position, they never have to open their Bibles to give an answer to anyone (1 Peter 3:15), and with their "accept and respect the diverse beliefs" of all brethren (Isaiah 30: 8-14), they never have to get any deeper than "y'all be good now" in spiritual matters. They sometimes venture to say that they just want to be "middle of the road" brethren! But most of us were able to figure out a long time ago that there is nothing in the middle of the road except a yellow stripe and dead armadillos! And if you lie down on that yellow stripe in the middle of the road, it may just come off on your back! Where I was reared, out in West Texas, it was said that a fellow who wouldn't stand up for anything was nothing more than a coward who had a yellow stripe down his back! You ask these brethren to openly discuss scriptural matters, my friend you just as well save your breath to cool your coffee! You ask them to openly debate these issues, surely you have heard the sound of "silence" before! Possibly we just don't seem to get the picture -- "neutral" means that you don't have a position, you don't have any real convictions, you don't really have any serious conscience development -- you just don't stand for anything and you ultimately fall for just about everything! Your motor is running but you are not in gear. The lights are on, but nobody is at home! What a sad picture this is for God fearing, Bible respecting, and righteous living brethren, who have the courage to stand up and be counted -- and who have the courage to be seen as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. But the "neutral" folks seem to be the ones that so many of our brethren are considering as being the leaders of the church in the future! Wow! Here are folks in "neutral," just sitting there with their motor running, who won't really take a stand for or against anything -- and they are going to be the future of the Lord's church! Talk about a frightening thought! But as difficult as that is to comprehend, this is undoubtedly the direction in which the majority of our brethren are being blindly led. Great numbers of brethren are sitting like baby birds in a nest -- their eyes closed and their mouths wide open -- just waiting for the next "neutral" thought that someone is going to feed them. We now have a Bible publishing company advertising a "gender neutral" Bible (?), we are living in the age of so-called "gender neutral" marriages (?), we are more and more expected by the world to be "neutral" when it comes to morality, and now we are even faced with brethren among us who want to proclaim a "neutral gospel"! They want to talk about Christ -- not doctrine. They want to be positive in their preaching -- not negative. They want to use less scripture in their preaching -- more emotional tales and humorous stories. They don't want to point out error and false teaching -- and, according to them, only a dishonest person can be a false teacher anyway. They expect you to declare that you absolutely believe exactly what the scriptures say -- but you must also be willing to fellowship all the brethren who could care less about what the Lord has said. On and on and on they go, the motor is running, but they are happy and content to just be in "neutral"! Do you see the point that I am trying to make? Do you truly realize the seriousness of this apathy and indifference toward truth and error, and this absolute unconcern about whether things are right or wrong? Do you understand the danger we face with this lack of respect and lack of concern for the authority of the scriptures? We have people "among us" whom we cannot even recognize as being "of us"? Their conversation and teaching has become so sectarian and denominational that they don't even sound like Christians! They are among us, but they don't have a clue as to what the Word of God demands of us! They tolerate false doctrines, they fellowship iniquity, they ridicule those who would oppose them, and they are being more and more successful in leading the multitudes of brethren down the destructive path of sin and digression. Brethren, we had better get in gear! We must preach the Word --reprove, rebuke, and exhort (2 Timothy 4:1-4). We must have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:6-17). We must do everything that is possible to rescue brethren who are overtaken with sin and error (Galatians 6:1-2). And we must determine to not receive or give encouragement to anyone who doesn't bring the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9-11). And having done all to stand, we must stand therefore (Ephesians 6:10-18). We must have the determination that we will not be a part of this so-called "neutral" generation (Matthew 12:30)! The night is far spent and the day is at hand -- it is now time to wake up, stand up, and speak up for Truth (Romans 13:11-14) (1 Thessalonians 5:4-11)! You and I are the Lord's messengers and servants -- is He able to count on us? -- Via the Watchman Magazine, October 2002 ___________________________________________ News & Notes Though we seldom kept in touch over the years, I always had good memories of my Aunt Estelle (Edwards) and her son (John Michael "Mickey"). She had been living in Austin, Texas, for many years; and he resided in New York. His father had passed away in the early 80's. Let us be praying for all the relatives and friends -- especially for my cousin (Susan Howard of Illinois) who is Estelle's daughter. ________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ________________________________________