____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ February 8, 2004 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Love "Rejoiceth Not in Iniquity" (Tom Edwards) 2) "Just a Member" (Don Truex) 3) His Spirit Was Stirred (Carl W. Alexander) 4) Testament Relation (Roy E. Cogdill) 5) The Best Way (Anonymous) ____________________________________________________ -1- Love "Rejoiceth Not in Iniquity" by Tom Edwards Another characteristic of the agape love is that it "Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth" (1 Cor. 13:6). Other translations render this as: Love "does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth" (NASB); "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth" (NIV); love "does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right" (RSV). "Rejoice" comes from a Greek word that means "to rejoice, be delighted or pleased, to be glad" (Bullinger). To rejoice in God, therefore, is to be pleased with the Lord; and we can certainly be delighted in His love and glad of His promises. If, however, we could place some type of spiritual meter on our hearts that would measure what we really take pleasure in or are glad about, what would it show? Many people are happy today, but it is not a happiness derived from the Lord. This was also true when Jesus walked this planet. For example, the chief priests "were glad" when Judas offered to betray the Lord to them; but, obviously, their lives were void of a true love toward God, a genuine concern toward righteousness, and a consistent action toward holiness. As we can see by their example, gladness per se does not always indicate an upright heart -- though an upright heart should be glad. Mike Willis points out that "...love would not have allowed Ahab to enjoy Naboth's vineyard which Jezebel secured for him through murder" (A Commentary on Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 457). The world often has the ways of the Lord backwards. How many people today actually do rejoice in iniquity -- instead of in the truth? Jesus shows that one of the reasons for why individuals have rejected the way of righteousness is because they "loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil" (Jn. 3:18-21). They, therefore, do not want to have these deeds exposed; so they do not come to the light. This reminds us, too, of Proverbs 17:15: "He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord." As well as Isaiah 5:20: "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" To the contrast of those who would revel in unrighteousness, however, we think of Moses who chose rather "to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt..." (Heb. 11:24-26). Moses could rejoice in what was right even when it included adversity. We need to remember that the only thing sin can bring -- no matter how pleasurable -- is that which is very temporary; but the punishment for it will be eternal. McGarvey points out the following about love: "It does not rejoice seeing sin committed nor in the downfall of those who are overcome by it." If we rejoice in the sins of others or take pleasure in them vicariously, aren't we then equally as guilty? In Romans 1:32, Paul speaks of those who "...although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." It would seem that this "hearty approval" toward the wrong would be just as bad as the actual committing of the sin. In Obadiah 1:10-13, the Edomites were admonished to "not rejoice over the sons of Judah in the day of their destruction" -- nor were they to gloat or boast in that. And even when the Edomites stood aloof, they (because of their wrongful attitude toward Judah) were as those foreigners who were entering Jerusalem in order to plunder it. Solomon writes, "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles" (Prov. 24:17). Notice Job's attitude toward this: "Have I rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy, or exalted when evil befell him? No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life in a curse" (Job 31:29,30). A love of sin will keep one in the darkness. "And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness" (2 Thes. 2:11,12). We might think that we are never guilty of these things, but what about certain jokes we find funny? Are they really the type we should take pleasure in? And what about the type of books we read or the shows we watch? Have we ever been guilty of taking pleasure in unrighteousness when it comes to these things? To not rejoice in sin, but to rejoice in the truth is the proper balance that our heart needs to have. As God taught through Amos, "Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gates!..." (Amos 5:15). But to those very ones who should have been especially concerned with establishing justice, the heads and rulers of the house of Israel, they had also become the ones "who hate good and love evil" (Micah 3:2). The apostle John was another who certainly rejoiced in the truth; and one of his greatest joys was simply knowing that his brethren were remaining true to the faith: "I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth" (3 Jn. 1:4). It's only in following the way of truth that we can really find the ultimate reason to rejoice; so we must, therefore, learn of this way of righteousness, which is revealed within God's word (Psa. 119:172) and put it into practice (1 Jn. 3:7). For then we will truly be rejoicing in harmony with the truth -- and not in sin. ____________________________________________________ -2- "Just a Member" by Don Truex Have you ever felt that you have nothing to offer because you are "just a member"? Let me assure you, there is no such thing as an "ordinary member of the church." That is like saying you have an ordinary eye, or hand, or foot. Every member is vital to the body, both physical and spiritual. What can you do? 1. You can warmly welcome the visitors to our services, making them feel "at home." The importance of this can hardly be measured. 2. You can act upon the announcements made during the assembly regarding the sick, area meetings, maintenance needs, etc. 3. You can see your neighborhood and work place as your "mission field." Provide the proper example and then invite and teach. ____________________________________________________ -3- His Spirit Was Stirred by Carl W. Alexander When Paul came to Athens and saw all the images and temples in which these were served, Luke records that "his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry." But Paul did not just get stirred up and then do nothing about that which had stirred him. The next verse says, "Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him." This tells us much about Paul: (1) HE WAS NOT PASSIVE TOWARD ERROR. He was deeply disturbed by its presence. One of our greatest dangers is that we will become nonchalant toward sin and error. When that attitude is taken, it is not a very long step to acceptance of sin. "Abhor that which is evil" (Rom. 12:9). "Ye that love the Lord, hate evil" (Psa. 97:10). "Hate the evil, and love the good" (Amos 5:15). Concerning Lot in wicked Sodom, Peter said, "For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds" (2 Pet. 2:8). How do YOU feel about the sin and error all about us? (2) PAUL THOUGHT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT HE COULD DO ABOUT IT. Could he stop all the idolatry in Athens? He was just one man. He had just one voice. He would probably not stay in this city very long. "Therefore disputed he" in both the synagogue and the marketplace and this he did "daily." He might not be able to save them all, but he could try. He did not stop to rationalize and figure up all the excuses as to why it would be a waste of his time. He did not seek to project results ahead of time. He simply attacked the error with the truth. Wonders would be wrought today if God's people in the midst of a crooked generation would decide that though they are only one, they are still one. They may have only one voice, but they do have one voice. If we would forget about results and remember that God holds us responsible for effort, we would be better off. God gives the increase. The bulk of those who heard him rejected what he said, but "certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them" (Acts 17:34). If Paul had not been stirred to make the effort he did, then these people would not have learned the truth. (3) PAUL DID NOT THINK RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY WRONG. There is a popular sentiment which says that religious controversy is foolish, out of order, calculated to do harm and not good and that men should never dispute about such things. This attitude assumes that religious differences do not really matter anyhow, that one belief is as good as another. Paul did not believe this. He did not believe that the worship of idols was as good as true worship. He even went so far as to tell these idolaters that God expected them to repent and that there was going to be a day of judgment (Acts 17:30-31). He told them they were wrong and he had the truth and that they ought to change. May God help us to be stirred to do something NOW to save those all about us who are lost. -- Via the Exhorter, December 31, 1989 ____________________________________________________ -4- Testament Relation by Roy E. Cogdill The New Testament, like the Old Testament, sets forth not only a system of doctrine and duty, but a historical record of facts, involving and demonstrating the will of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and of man's duty toward God, his fellowman and toward himself. The history of the New Testament is not independent of the Old Testament history, but is rather a sequel to the old. During the period of Old Testament history, God's plan for human redemption, which had been formulated "before the foundation of the world was laid," was kept hidden in the mind of God as a mystery (1 Pet. 1:18,20; Eph. 3:8-11; Rom. 16:25-26); and it was not revealed for men to know and understand the provisions that God had made for human redemption, or the plan by which it was to be accomplished, until these truths were revealed by the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Someone aptly has said that "the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed." The two constitute the whole Divine revelation and complement each other. We understand both only when we take into consideration their unity. It is important, however, to know that God's plan for human redemption existed in God's eternal purpose but remained a mystery in Old Testament days, and is now a revelation in the New Testament (1 Cor. 2:6-13; Eph. 3:1-7). ____________________________________________________ -5- The Best Way Not long ago a Hindu woman was converted chiefly by hearing the word of God read. She suffered very much persecution from her husband. One day an American preacher asked her, "When your husband is angry and persecutes you, what do you do?" She replied, "Well, sir, I cook his food better; when he complains, I sweep the floor cleaner; and when he speaks unkindly, I answer him mildly. I try, sir, to show him that when I became a Christian, I became a better wife and a better mother." The consequence of this was that, while the husband could withstand all the preaching he heard, he could not withstand the practical preaching of his wife, and became a Christian with her. -- Anonymous ____________________________________________________ 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 ____________________________________________________