____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ December 5, 2004 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Things Written Aforetime (Joe Neil Clayton) 2) Resolving Our Differences (Rick Liggin) ____________________________________________________ -1- Things Written Aforetime by Joe Neil Clayton "Noah found grace..." The corruption of the "sons of God" through careless mating with the "daughters of men" brought the wrath of God upon the ancient world. He determined to destroy everyone, except Noah and his family. The fact that He had determined finally upon such an extreme course shows two things very clearly. First, "Jehovah, saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of His heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). Secondly, God's patience had been taxed to the limit. Whenever men set their hearts to ignore the will of God, He bears with them as long as he can. Nehemiah's recital of the patience of God with Israel is a prime example (See Nehemiah 9:26-31). Yet, there were times when the patience of God ran out, as in the case when the children of Israel stubbornly refused to cease idolatry in Jeremiah 44:15-23. Even after God had determined to destroy all men by a flood, Noah "found grace" in His eyes and He gave him instructions on the preparing of a great Ark to save his family. "...The longsuffering of God waited (even further) in the days of Noah, while the Ark was being prepared..." (I Peter 3:20), and the suggestion is found in Genesis 6:3 that this period of "waiting" was 120 years! Such patience becomes a merciful God, but is astounding, in view of the sinfulness of man. Peter, the apostle, tells us by the Spirit that we should "...account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation" (2 Peter 3:15), or an opportunity to be saved before His patience is strained to the breaking point by the sinfulness of men. It is significant, in the case of Noah, that the grace of God was expressed in the commands that enabled Noah to save his house. Men in some churches speak of the grace of God as some sort of mysterious invisible working of God to save men, usually expressed in that which they call "the direct operation of the Holy Spirit." The unique thing about grace, however, is that the Bible shows it to be expressed through God's word. Grace "instructs," says Paul in Titus 2:11-12. The same inspired teacher speaks of the close connection of the grace of God with the "gospel" and the "word" in Acts 20:24,32. Similarly, Noah "found" the grace of God in the commands to build the Ark. But, Grace must be complemented by Faith. Paul tells those of us who live in this final age that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Hebrews 11:7 confirms that Noah answered the grace of God by faith. "By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." When Moses recorded the story of Noah, he did not record what he thought the story meant to him, or to the men of his day. We are told in the New Testament, however, that the prophets of old served the men of this age by recording these stories. The story of Noah is one concerning a certain salvation. But, God was preparing a greater salvation than that of Noah, "concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them. To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things..." (1 Peter 1:10-12). To us is also given the warning, "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest we happen to drift away from them. For if the word spoken (in the past ages) through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?" (Hebrews 2:1-3a). Noah's salvation is a mold for our own, in principle, and the record of his salvation is admonitory for us. After Noah responded to the expressed grace of God by faith, we are told that he "moved" and "prepared" the means commanded by God's grace. His carefulness in obeying every one of God's commands is a fitting example to us. "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he" (Genesis 6:22). Had Noah failed to obey some command of God, he would have been classed with the rest of the disobedient who were destined to be drowned. The care of Noah in obedience reflected the dire consequence of failure. Noah wanted to live! Do you? The consequence of rebellion to God in this age is far more serious than mere drowning. It means an eternal death (Matthew 25:41-46). Careless souls today quibble about the conditions to be met for their salvation, often refusing to be baptized. But, Peter wrote that Noah and his family were "saved through water; which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism..." (I Peter 3:20-21). To be saved, Noah had to obey every command. For salvation from sin today, men must obey every command, one of which is baptism (Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16). Any one of us who refuses to obey a command cannot be saved by grace, for grace is revealed in commands. He cannot be saved by faith, for faith "moves" and "prepares." Do not add your sins to the burden that is straining the patience of God! Honor His grace, respond in faith, and be saved! -- Via Truth Magazine, XVI: 6, pp. 3-4 December 9, 1971 ____________________________________________________ -2- Resolving Our Differences by Rick Liggin It may be a bit embarrassing, but it's still undeniable: good brethren sometimes disagree. At times, these disagreements are over matters of judgment -- matters of opinion. But sometimes the disagreements are about what the Bible actually says. There are times when one brother reaches an honest conclusion that a certain activity is not authorized, while another brother's study leads him to conclude that the same action is authorized. These honest differences over what the Bible teaches occur for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, it's because we are at different levels of spiritual maturity: one has more knowledge than the other, or more Bible study experience. Sometimes, it is because we have different abilities: one may have more Bible study skills than the other, or one may have a better ability to grasp certain Biblical concepts. Sometimes, it is because we have different backgrounds: we may have been influenced by different circumstances or different people. Sometimes, it's just that one is more careful -- or careless -- than the other. But because of these differences in maturity or skills or backgrounds, we, at times, honestly reach differing conclusions about what the Bible actually teaches. Let me say that these differences are not matters of opinion, but matters of conviction or faith! And when someone expresses (or preaches) his genuine conviction, he is not expressing (or preaching) his opinion! He may be wrong in what he believes, but it is his conviction -- it's not just his opinion. And all one can do if he is a man of honest conviction is express that conviction and stand for it. As the apostle Paul once said, "I believed, therefore I spoke" (2 Cor. 4:13). What do we do when we reach different conclusions about what the Bible teaches? Well, I tell you what we don't do: we don't automatically divide and go our separate ways. As brothers in Christ, we are charged with "being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:1). Division may ultimately occur; sometimes it is even necessary (1 Cor. 11:19). But division must always be the final option, only after every other effort has been exhausted. But also: we don't force our convictions on one another; in other words, we don't force a brother to do something that violates his conscience. If one brother genuinely believes that an activity is unauthorized, and another brother believes it is allowed, but not required, then this second brother must give up his "right" in respect for the other brother's conscience (study carefully -- Rom. 14:1-23). What we must do, brethren, is try to see what the Bible says on that topic in the same way -- we must try to agree! (1 Cor. 1:10). And that will never happen if we refuse to study the issue together in an open and honest way. One who seeks to press his view on others while being unwilling to study the issue is carnal -- and may be trying to control others. I know this approach is sometimes taken to keep from confusing innocent or less mature Christians, but it is not the Bible way. Careful and prayerful Bible study together in a sincere search for truth is the only way to reach the same mind on any given subject. If we have a vision for the future, we must learn to study together about our differences in an effort to resolve them. -- Via Think on These Things, July-August-September 2004 ____________________________________________________ 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 ____________________________________________________