____________________________________________________ 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 25, 2005 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) The Proper Attitude Toward Self (Guideline) (Bill Cameron) 2) Twisting the Picture Won't Help the Scene (Bobbie K. Thompson) 3) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- The Proper Attitude Toward Self (Guideline) by Bill Cameron "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Romans 12:3). Some of the brethren addressed by Paul in his letter to the church of Rome must have had a false pride over spiritual gifts that they had received. Although these miraculous gifts have long since ceased, the attitude which moved the apostle to write these words is too often seen in the church today. Thinking too highly of self seems to be a universal weakness of man. It was so two thousand years ago; it is so now. Also, Romans 12:3 may be better understood when viewed against the background of the spiritual gifts which were necessary in directing the church in her work and worship in those early days. Now, of course, the New Testament has been completed as the perfect rule of faith and practice. With the completion of divine revelation these miraculous gifts ceased to exist, having fulfilled the purpose for which they were given. In Paul's time, although every gift bestowed by the Holy Spirit upon certain members of the church was of equal importance, some of the unusual powers were looked upon by men as having more significance and greater prestige than others. This misunderstanding led to false pride on the part of some who were endowed with gifts which men considered to be more essential than others. Thus they came to "think of themselves more highly than they ought to think," and the apostle was moved to warn them of the danger of such an attitude. He reminded them that each person was just one in a body of many members; every office and every gift which God had placed in the church was essential; and each was to exercise his peculiar gift without esteeming one above the other. Moses, the Great Servant of God, was not allowed to enter the promised land "because ye sanctified me not in midst of the children of Israel" (Deut. 32:51; Num. 20:10,11). Moses took upon himself the glory that belonged to God only; he thought of himself more highly than he should have thought. Paul, the great apostle to the Gentiles, was given a "thorn in the flesh" lest he be exalted above measure (2 Cor. 12:7-9). The Pharisees of Jesus' day were condemned by our Lord for the high opinion which they had of themselves, which opinion caused them to look down on others (Luke 18:9-14). The parable of the Pharisee and the publican is a contrast between the man who thinks too highly of himself and the one who thinks humbly of himself as God would have us all to think. These examples should impress upon our minds the importance of developing within ourselves a humble spirit. The proper Christian attitude is expressed in Philippians 2:3 where the apostles admonished the Philippian brethren to "let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." However, there are two sides to the coin. This text does not indicate that a Christian is not to think highly of himself. Because of a Christian's relation to God and Christ he should have a high regard for himself. If one is to be respected and regarded highly by others, he must maintain self-respect. That we are to love ourselves is implied when Christ tells us that we are to "love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matt. 22:39). If we do not think highly of self, we are not likely to think highly of our neighbor. If we have respect for self, we are better prepared to have respect for our neighbor. There are many reasons why a Christian should have self-respect. A Christian should take pride in being separated from the world (John 17:16; 2 Cor. 6:17). Therefore, there are things he will not do, places he will not go, and activities in which he will not participate. A faithful Christian should think highly of himself and his influence as a child of God, too highly to participate in immoral and worldly practices (2 Cor. 6:14-18; 1 Pet. 4:3-5). James said a friend of the world is an enemy of God (James 4:4). The Christian who seeks to hold himself in high regard and maintain his self-respect in order to be acceptable to God will be found doing the following: (1) He will understand that our talents are God-given (1 Pet. 4:11). (2) He will use his abilities instead of losing them (Luke 8:18). (3) He will store up treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:20). (4) He realizes that his abilities and opportunities are God-given. Failure to use them is sinful (James 4:17). (5) He will seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matt. 6:33). As our love grows toward God and we mature in Christian graces, we will truly learn to love our neighbor as ourself. With this maturity in faith will come self-esteem and avoidance of thinking of self more highly than we ought. -- Via Truth Magazine XXIII: 4, p. 73, January 25, 1979 ____________________________________________________ -2- Twisting the Picture Won't Help the Scene by Bobbie K. Thompson We once read of a New York enthusiast who had an outstanding collection of etchings; one of them being the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which hung over his writing desk. For a long time he noticed that it persisted in hanging crooked despite the fact that he straightened it every morning. At last he spoke to the maid, asking her if she were responsible for its lopsided position each morning. "Why, yes," she said, "I have to hang it crooked to make the tower hang straight." Perhaps you wonder why reference is made to such an account as this. Simply this: That is exactly how a lot of people, not recognizing the real position and beauty of the Scriptures, deal with the Bible. They twist the word of God in order to justify their own actions and doctrines hoping to make them all appear right. Peter stated that Paul wrote some things hard to be understood, "which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, (twist NKJV) as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction" (II Peter 3:16). The denominational doctrine of salvation prior to and without baptism is such a twisting of the Scriptures. Its position is that "he that believeth and is saved may be baptized." But such is plainly the wrong view of the thing, because Jesus said that instead of salvation being before baptism, it was exactly the other way around: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). Whoever has the impression that salvation is before or without baptism has a perverted view of it. The Galatians were reminded: "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3: 26-27). Salvation is only to be found in Christ and only those baptized into Christ are in Christ where this salvation is to be obtained. It takes a great deal of twisting to keep from seeing that baptism is essential to salvation! Prayer is one of the most glorious privileges God ever granted to mankind. But here again a beautiful privilege is twisted to justify the actions and doctrines of men. The Scriptures teach that prayer is granted to those who obeyed the Lord. Contrary to this, alien sinners are told repeatedly to "Pray for the Lord to save you, pray for the Holy Spirit, pray for remissions of sins." All this, an alien sinner is advised to do by people who possess more zeal than knowledge. To instruct a sinner to pray is to lead him into a thing the God of heaven has not even suggested that anyone but a child of His do. We note what Peter said about prayer: "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil" (I Peter 3:12). The wise man wrote: "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination" (Proverbs 28:9). The individual who instructs an alien sinner to pray for remission of sins is twisting the word of God. The Scripture says with reference to the sinner's obtaining the remission of his sins: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Act 2:38). It is a serious thing to tamper with the Word of God (Galatians 1:6-9). But that is just what so many people continue to do. They twist the truth in order to justify their own actions and doctrines. Jesus stated: "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48). One of the impossible things is trying to deceive God. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7). It is a foolish thing to twist any portion of the Scripture to fit our deeds, for in the judgment we will surely meet the word of God in all of its purity. And friend, twisting the picture won't help the scene. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (II Corinthians 5:10). -- Via The Susquehanna Sentinel, February 27, 2005 ____________________________________________________ -3- News & Notes Bernard Young (Susie Lykins' father) has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer. He is now undergoing testing to determine the procedure that will next be taken. Let us pray that all will go well for him. ____________________________________________________ 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 ____________________________________________________