____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ August 27, 2006 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) "Like All the Nations" (Dusty Owens) 2) Many Went Back and Walked With Him No More (Clarence R. Johnson) 3) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- "Like All the Nations" by Dusty Owens The people of God have a tendency to become dissatisfied with God's ways and to desire the ways of men. The Old Testament supplies us with example after example where this is true. At the time of Samuel, when Jehovah was still considered king of Israel, the people clamored to the prophet, "Make us a king to judge us like all the nations" (1 Sam. 8:5). This displeased Samuel, but God consoled him, "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me" (v. 7). This desire to be "like all the nations" indicated (1) a lack of faith in God, (2) a greater faith in man's ways, and (3) a certain feeling of shame and inferiority compared to their neighbors. There are times when I see God's people manifest this same attitude. When we desire to be "like all the denominations" around us, and to compromise or change what is revealed in God's word, we are making the same mistake Israel did in clamoring for a king! Let us look carefully at some of these things. An Expensive, Extravagant Church Building Many think that this is the answer to converting masses of people to Christ. They see their religious neighbors building huge and expensive edifices and attracting large crowds, so they want to do the same. These same masses of people are converted to the beautiful pile, and not to Christ! When around them, all I hear them talking about is "the beautiful church we have." Not a word about Christ! We need to be reminded that God "dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things" (Acts 17:24). We need to be content with the modest buildings we meet in, and continue to persuade men to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Watered-Down Preaching In some churches of Christ today the preaching is so diluted that you can not tell it apart from the preaching of the denominations. In other places, brethren are afraid to bring their friends and relatives to the assembly for fear the preacher will mention a denomination by name and embarrass them. Others are of the persuasion that if the preacher would just preach on "love" and "going to heaven," we would increase our members like "other churches." Paul failed not to declare the "whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27), and shrank not from declaring...anything that was profitable" (v. 20). He encouraged Timothy and Titus to preach and teach the "sound doctrine" (1 Tim. 1:10; Tit. 2:1). He warned, "The time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away from the truth, and turn aside unto fables" (2 Tim. 4:3-4). The Social Gospel Included in this desire to "be like all the nations" is the heavy emphasis on socializing. The thought here is that if the church will provide more activities for its people, then those people will be converted and be more faithful. The preaching that takes place is ladened with "social reform" and "self development through a Positive Mental Attitude." There is nothing wrong with these ideas in their place. What I object to is the de-emphasizing of the blood-bought redemption of Christ, and the one church through which salvation comes, (because this kind of preaching "offends folks and you can't build a church that way"), replacing them with sermonettes full of cute little stories that "everyone loves to hear." Friends, the only thing that will save people's souls from hell is the plain, unadulterated teaching of Jesus Christ! Jesus said, "For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mk. 8:38). Paul professed, "I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Rom. 1:16). Pray that the preacher will preach the word of God boldly! The "We're Number One" Mania Some denominational churches are determined to be the "largest church in town." You can see this attitude displayed in everything they do. Churches are resorting to gymnasiums, banquet halls, swimming pools, bowling alleys, and fellowship halls to attract enough people so they can qualify as "number one." Why, they even "bribe" the kids with candy, gum and other prizes to get them to come and be part of the great number. This is something we may expect from the denominational world; after all, if men establish their own churches, they ought to be able to run them any way they want to. But, when brethren get caught up in these sinful measures, it is truly a shame! It is nothing but pride in the worst meaning that motivates them. The Bible teaches, "By pride cometh only contention; But with the well-advised is wisdom" (Prov. 13:10). Contention has come among God's people because there are many who are steeped with pride, and who desire to be "like all the nations." They insist, above the cries of conscientious brethren, on having their evil ways. Being "number one" is more important than "being one" with the brethren. God has chosen the true believers in Christ to be "a holy nation, a people for God's own possession" (1 Pet. 2:9). This means that God has separated us from the rest of the "nations" (churches), and He expects us to follow His prescribed way in everything we do (2 Jn. 9-11). His ways are not man's ways, and we are not free to deviate (Gal. 1:8-9). Would anyone dare to suggest that we should "be like all the nations"? -- Via Guardian of Truth XXIX: 3, pp. 81-82, February 7, 1985 ____________________________________________________ -2- Many Went Back and Walked With Him No More by Clarence R. Johnson In John 6, Jesus had referred to Himself as the bread which came down from heaven. He had indicated that those who had been taught by God would be drawn to Him. He had insisted that in order to have spiritual life, people must partake of Him. Then He revealed that He was aware of who did and who did not really believe Him. John tells us that "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, 'Do you also want to go away?' But Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus answered them, 'Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?' He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve" (John 6:66-71). Many had followed Jesus for a time. They had eaten the bread and the fish that He had miraculously multiplied. But when it became clear that something was to be demanded of them, they lost interest. Then Jesus pointedly asked His twelve apostles if they, too, were going to abandon Him. Peter's response was to ask the question and make the comment, "To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." We sometimes sing a song based on this passage, "Where Could I Go But To The Lord?" Then Peter made basically the same confession He had made in Matt. 16:16, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." In verses 70-71, Jesus made known for the first time that one of the twelve would betray Him. Of course, at that time, John and the other apostles did not know who the betrayer would be, but Jesus knew. It is interesting to note that every time Judas Iscariot is mentioned in the Scriptures, he is identified as the one who betrayed Jesus. A number of years after the death of the last inspired apostle, false teachers known as Gnostics wrote a book which they called the "Gospel of Judas," in which Judas Iscariot is portrayed as a hero. A study of the legitimate Scriptures will quickly dispel any such notion. One more thing of note: because John had written in verse 64 that Jesus knew "from the beginning" who would betray Him, and then in verse 70 the Lord said, "One of you IS a devil [adversary]," it has been commonly misstated that Judas was a devil from the beginning. That is NOT what Jesus said. It is not absolutely clear what "beginning" John had in mind in verse 64. Was it the beginning of the world? Or the beginning of Christ's ministry? Or perhaps the beginning of the betrayal itself? Whatever may be the case, Jesus KNEW from the beginning but He did not say Judas had been an adversary from the beginning. In Matthew 10:4-9, Jesus had empowered Judas to heal the sick, cast out demons, etc. Later Jesus reasoned with the Jews that Satan would not cast out demons, Matt. 12:25-27. As Luke has stated, Judas "became a traitor" (Luke 6:16). -- Via The Susquehanna Sentinel, August 27, 2006 ____________________________________________________ -3- News & Notes I solicit the prayers of the saints for my mother, Marion Edwards, who will be going into the hospital Monday (8/28) for a few days of testing. Let us also be praying for Luther Shuff who hasn't been feeling too well lately. ____________________________________________________ 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 ____________________________________________________