____________________________________________________ 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 1, 1991 ____________________________________________________ Sailing Beyond the "Pillars of Hercules" by Tom Edwards Sometimes in sermons concerning the story of Jonah, mention is made of how he voyaged toward the ``Pillars of Hercules.'' This expression has been commonly used in time's past to refer to the most remote western area of the known world. It was here that Tarshish was located, toward which Jonah had sailed. The ``Pillars of Hercules'' were made up of the Rock of Gibraltar, a promontory at the southern extremity of Spain, and the Jebel Musa, an African mountain in northwest Morocco (opposite Gibraltar). These two ``Pillars of Hercules'' were seen on old Spanish coins with the surrounding motto, ``Ne Plus Ultra,'' which means ``No More Beyond.'' Fortunately, some people had the courage, hope, and determination to look beyond what man had labeled as a finality. Christopher Columbus' great passion for discovery took him beyond the Pillars of Hercules and across the deep, uncharted ocean. Though to some, Columbus took the chance of sailing off the edge, still he persevered through each day and across each wave until the golden shores of that faraway land were reached. Columbus' voyage, as well as the voyages of other early mariners, helped to change the thinking of many of his contemporaries. Though Spain continued to use the symbols of the Pillars of Hercules on its coins, the motto was changed to ``Plus Ultra,'' which means ``More Beyond.'' The light of a new world was made to beam into those whose hearts had formerly been darkened to its actuality, and man's concept of the planet on which he lived could now be viewed from a different perspective--a more rounded one you might say. Down through time, God has revealed Himself to man through various means in order to show that there is ``more beyond''; and through His word, man can learn to expand his outlook and see with the help of God what his purpose on this planet is to be and where a godly life can eventually lead. Unfortunately, far too many people today live without this knowledge from God that could cheerfully illumine their inmost being and help them to see with the eyes of faith a superior realm that is well-worth the striving. Consequently, their blindness to these spiritual truths causes them to be without a hope that can look beyond the grave. To them, death is a finality--a total annihilation of everything that makes up an individual--which we can liken to one sailing across a sea of life and falling off the edge, you might say, into a death of nothingness where there is ``No More Beyond.'' But as the findings of Columbus restructured the thinking of man in the late 15th century, even so God's word helps to re-shape our perspectives toward the realism of an endless voyage that begins in time and continues in eternity--there is no ``falling off the edge'' into nothingness. Though there are most likely many who belong to ``Optimistic Clubs'' today, it has been said that the reason for there not being any ``Pessimistic Clubs'' is because those of this nature did not think it would work. The problem for this often being that these do not know how to look beyond the Pillars of Hercules. This type of hopelessness has also been expressed by the one who said, ``Don't be too optimistic; the light at the end of the tunnel might be another train.'' And isn't it good that those who lived just prior to the Victorian era did not all hold to the same outlook as William Wilburforce who said in 1801, ``I dare not marry--the future is so uncertain.'' People today need vision--and especially the one which God can give. As Solomon admonished almost 3,000 years ago, ``Where there is no vision, the people perish....'' (Prov. 29:18); and having the right vision can cheerfully brighten one's life even when the external circumstances are dark and dreary. According to Heb. 12:2, Jesus could endure the cross because He knew it would ultimately lead to a joy that was set before Him. The context shows that after His suffering, Christ was exalted at the right hand of the throne of God. In addition, the Lord's sacrifice helped make a way that every sinner who would believe and obey could be redeemed. Having vision such as this, the Lord was willing to be crucified in order to accomplish these goals. Because of this vision, Christ could look beyond the cross and beyond all His sufferings. Similarly, Job--the man of many misfortunes--was able to say after having lost virtually all he had, including his own health, that ``Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes shall see and not another.... (Job 19:26,27). This is vision. This is being able to look beyond the Pillars of Hercules. The apostle Paul was also able to say, ``in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing'' (2 Tim. 4:8). Undoubtedly, this helps to answer how one man as the apostle Paul was able to endure so much for the cause of his Lord. Paul had often been unjustly imprisoned; cruelly beaten ``times without number''; frequently in dangers of death; severely scourged five times with a total of 194 agonizing lashes; painfully clubbed; sorely pelted with stones, shipwrecked three times, a night and a day spent in the deep; and sometimes lacking in the necessities of food, clothing, and shelter (2 Cor. 11:23-28). Yes, it was vision that helped Paul to see beyond these trying times and to view these trials as a type of refinery that could purify and strengthen his faith. The world would have us to believe that there is nothing after this life, but that is not what God's Son tells us--There is a heaven and a hell. It is only the Christian, therefore, who can see death as a gain. If anyone else does, it is only because this one would like to escape from what might seem as insurmountable difficulties, utter despair, or overwhelming sorrow. Paul, however, did not view his life as something of deep despair, disappointment, or tragedy. He could enjoy being alive, regardless of his circumstances--''to live is Christ,'' he said. Paul's life was characterized with much thanksgiving and rejoicing in the Spirit, plus he could still say ``To die is gain'' (Phil. 1:21), for he knew that to be ``absent from the body'' was to be ``at home with the Lord'' (2 Cor. 5:8). Unfortunately, not everyone has this same hope as the apostle Paul, for some people are just not looking high enough. As a poet tersely expressed, ``Two men looked out from prison bars. One saw mud, and one saw stars.'' God has given His word to help man look beyond a shattered realm of doom and gloom to a glorious eternal realm of blessing and joyfulness. Though the world is filled with many Pillars of Hercules, let us cast off our anchors of doubt and sail on our ship of faith over the endless sea of Truth with its waves of many possibilities. For off in the distance is the horizon of God's eternal glory that glows with the sunset of His love and warms our longing hearts as we marvel at its beauty. ___________________________________________ QUESTION & ANSWER: If there is no Bible verse to condemn a thing, doesn't that mean it must be acceptable to God? by Bob Buchanon This is one of the basic ideas of denominationalism. With this unscriptural idea men sweep aside anything God may say in His Word and introduce anything they want to do or teach. With this heretical attitude every invention of man has been introduced into Protestantism, Catholicism, and Judaism, as well as all the other ``isms.'' It is causing about as many souls to go to hell as most other human doctrines put together. When questions are raised about infant baptism, sprinkling, instrumental music or burning incense in worship, priesthood, partaking of communion activities as a function of the church or many other such matters, the answer is usually given, ``God's Word doesn't say not to!'' But it should be pressed, ``But does God authorize it?'' When God's Word does not authorize a thing, it is not of God but is human, it is of men and condemned (Matt. 15:9,14; II John 9). Where is the passage that condemns substituting hamburgers and Coca-Cola for the Lord's Supper? Surely we know better than to attempt to argue, ``The Bible doesn't condemn it, so it must be okay.'' ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________