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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" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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November 9, 2014
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Contents:

1) The Place (Connie W. Adams)
2) Jesus as King (Bobby L. Graham)
3) News & Notes
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-1-

The Place
by Connie W. Adams

The book of Deuteronomy is a restatement of the law of Moses addressed to the children of those who were the original recipients of the law. Moses spoke to a generation which had endured the wilderness wanderings and which was about to enter the land of Canaan. When they entered the land they were to destroy the altars, groves and high places where idols were worshipped. Such places were not to be used for the worship of Jehovah. In Deuteronomy 12 several times, Moses stressed the importance of carrying out divine service "in the place" which God would choose:

"But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come" (verse 5). "Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you. . ." (verse 11). "Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: but in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of your tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee" (verses 13-14).  

There was to be no synthesizing of divine worship with idolatry. No "union meetings" were to be held to seek better "communication." There was to be none of this business of "You go to your altar and I'll go to mine." Israel was to understand that since God was the object of their worship, he alone had the right to prescribe the nature, order and even the place of it. When the temple was built by Solomon, God promised to put his name there. Until then his presence hovered over the mercy seat in the most holy place of the tabernacle. In the time of Jeroboam, when the kingdom divided, rival altars were set up at Dan and Bethel to cater to the convenience of the people and to alienate their affections from Jerusalem, the very place where the temple stood and where God put his name. Even in the time of Jesus, the Samaritan woman knew that the Jews said "that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship" (John 4:20). Jesus pointed her to the time of his kingdom, soon to be established, in which geographic place would not be bound, though a spiritual place (relationship) would be required so that God might be worshipped "in spirit and in truth."

The Church -- God's Place of Salvation

The church is a spiritual relationship into which those who obey the gospel enter. Prior to that change, they are in the world of darkness and servants of the Devil. Upon hearing, believing and obeying the gospel, they then are "translated into the kingdom of God's dear son" (Col. 1: 13). They are "baptized into Christ" (Gal. 3:27) where they are then "new creature[s]" (2 Cor. 5:17). They are then citizens in the kingdom of heaven, members of the body, children in the family of God, stones in a spiritual house, and workers in the Lord's vineyard. Before baptism into Christ, they are none of these. In this relationship, they are "the elect" -- the chosen of God (Eph. 1:3-11; 1 Peter 1:2). Outside that "place" they are rejected of God.  

There is a presumptuous spirit manifested by some who would unseat Jehovah from his throne of authority over all spiritual affairs, arrogantly perch themselves in the place of the Almighty and offer salvation on less terms than God ordained and in some other place. "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47). "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross. . ." (Eph. 2: 16). "And he is the saviour of the body" (Eph. 5:23). The Lord does not promise salvation outside the church. If God adds the saved to the church, then those outside that place are lost. If the reconciled are in the one body, then those outside of it have no peace with God. If Christ is the saviour of the body, the church, then those outside that relationship are not among the saved.

The nature of the relationship is clearly given in the New Testament. Universally, the church has no organic structure. Locally it does. There was an identifiable body at Philippi called "the church" with its bishops, deacons and saints. God gave order to the effect that souls occupying the divine sphere of the saved might band together in local assemblies to worship and pool their energies and resources to carry out divine service. The congregational unit was ordained by God with New Testament instruction for the direction of every local church. Individuals comprising the universal church are required to keep their garments clean and remain in a state of faithful subjection to the will of God. Likewise, congregations must recognize divinely given marks of identity and pattern themselves accordingly. Denominational organizations and human enterprises must never supplant the church. They are not as good as the place where God has put his name. Jesus said, "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up" (Mt. 15:13). Such teaching is unpopular with many. Some who profess to believe it are uncomfortable when this truth is spoken out loud. They are afraid some of their friends or relatives will actually understand what it really means. God's church, his chosen "place," exists by divine wisdom, fulfills the purpose of the ages, embodies the saved, is sufficient to do everything God gave it to do and has heaven as its ultimate destiny. No human arrangement is just as good. Some may protest, "That is too narrow." Truth is narrow. Was it truth or narrow-mindedness when God told Israel to break down the altars and high places in Canaan and worship him only in the place he instructed? Reader, if you are not in the place of salvation, we plead with you to obey the gospel at once. If you have entered the place of the saved, then show the same faithfulness continually which prompted you to begin, lest you fall away and lose your reward.  

-- Via Searching the Scriptures, February 1976, volume XVII, Number 2
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Jesus as King
by Bobby L. Graham

To speak of Jesus as King is, first of all, to convey the idea of His dominion, authority, or royal sovereignty. His position is His by divine right, because He is the One whom the Father intended to serve in that office, as indicated by the prophets and the New Testament writers like Matthew and Luke, who presented His royal pedigree in their genealogies.  

Jesus is a special kind of King -- a benevolent King, as taught again by the prophets and the apostles. He is a King like Melchizedek, in that He also serves simultaneously as both King and High Priest (Zech. 6:13). This is to say that His reign is a mediatorial reign -- one in which He has placed Himself in the gap as mediator between God and man to superintend and to serve the needs of man by representing God, as no one else can do. In this regard He became the sacrifice acceptable to God and offered Himself for us, ruling over us in love for our everlasting benefit.  

His reign is unlike that of earthly monarchs because it did not derive its source or basis from earthly beings or actions (Jn. 18:36). No advancing army with carnal weapons, no wealth or power founded on earthly considerations, and no political stratagems employing trickery or flattery had any role in establishing His kingdom, advancing it, or defending it. Instead of being of this kind, it is of the Father's doing because of His marvelous mercy planned to bring about eternal fellowship with Him for the saved. In both its origin and maintenance, His kingdom is "not of this world."

In Jesus' conversation with Governor Pilate in Jn. 18:33-38 the Lord made clear some very important principles concerning His kingdom:

1. He is the King (vv. 33-34).  

2. His kingdom is not of this world (v. 36).  

3. The truth that He and His emissaries (apostles) declared became the law of the kingdom ("To this end have I been born and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." V. 37).  

4. Anyone willing to submit to Him can be His subject, or a citizen in His kingdom ("Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." V. 38).  

In this final principle, we observe the voluntary nature of citizenship in the kingdom of Christ. Those willing, believing, repenting, and submitting in baptism enter into the kingdom. Likewise, those daily crucifying themselves remain His subjects.

Am I loyal to Christ the King above all other loyalties? Do I daily show my allegiance to Him? Our song "O Lord, Our Lord" (# 90) depicts His Kingly majesty, His mediatorial reign, and our beneficial submission. In this prayer-song we voice our plea to this wonderful, and exalted One seeking to mediate our cause, "...forgive me of my sinning, and help me daily to look to Thee above."

-- Via The Eastside Enlightener, Athens, Alabama
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-3-

News & Notes

On the morning of November 10, Virginia Fontenot passed away from this earth-life, after having battled cancer for at least a year and a half.  Her daughter (Linda Blevins), who had been an anesthesiologist for many years, took an early retirement in order to be able to help her mother during all those many months -- and had even moved in with her to be able to do that at anytime around the clock.

Back in 2010, Virginia, Linda, and Linda's husband Howard would often visit with the church in Denham Springs, where I was preaching. They then also started attending at the Park Forest church of Christ in Baton Rouge, when I was preaching there -- and even though it was about 70 miles or more (one-way) from their homes in Lafayette. We were always glad to have them with us.

We extend our sympathies to all of Virginia's loved ones. And let those of us who are Christians, be remembering all of her family and friends in prayer.

*****

Dolly Downs Moody is to be at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville for the next six weeks, where she is receiving chemo and radiation treatments for cancer and undergoing tests.  It has been difficult for her.  So I am soliciting the prayers of the saints on her behalf. 

Let us also continue in our prayers for the health of the following people: Myrna Jordan, Marie Turner, Jim Lively, Danielle Howard, Ronnie Davis, Rex and Frankie Hadley, Jewel Wilson, Mary Vandevander, Deborah  Medlock, Sue Wooten, Shirley Davis, Dexter Roberts, and Colleen Henson.

The expected arrival of Jonathan and Anita Abbott's grandson is now only 2 months and 4 days away!  Let us also be keeping him and his mother in prayer.
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation

1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21)     
6) Continue in the faith; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA  31501
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 5 PM (worship)
Wednesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 614-8593
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
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