____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ May 31, 1992 ____________________________________________________ Hope Is To Be Found In Christ by Bill Hall ``I wish I could think that I have come just a short distance toward being as prepared as he was,'' a woman said to me recently concerning a man who had died. Her statement was intended to be an expression of confidence in the deceased, and I shared her confidence, but the truth is: if that lady is living a faithful life in Christ, she is fully as prepared as any other person in Christ. Entrance into heaven will not be based upon a long list of credentials built up accumulatively through the years (so many new converts, so many passages memorized, so many lives influenced, so many years in the service of the Lord, so many sermons preached, etc.), the person's chances of going to heaven being enhanced with each new credential. Entrance into heaven will be based on the merit of Christ's blood. One prepares for heaven by entering into Christ through faith, repentance, and baptism (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3); living a faithful life in Christ; and dying in Christ. ``Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord" (Rev. 14:13). This is the true basis for one's hope, whether he has been a faithful Christian for fifty years or is just rising from baptism in newness of life. Now if the lady had said, ``I wish I could think that I have come just a short distance toward being as Godlike as I believe he was,'' that would have been different. Here is the prevailing purpose of every Christian, to become more like God every day. ``And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 3:3). Regular worship, liberal giving, unceasing prayer, concerned benevolence, unfeigned love of the brethren, self-control, etc.--all of which are commanded of God--are a means to the end of becoming like Him, or as stated by Jesus, ``That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:45). One who ignores these commands shows his contempt for God, becomes unfaithful, ceases to be like God, and loses his hope of heaven. On the other hand, one who does conscientiously obey the commands of God becomes more Godlike, and the person who has done so for fifty years will obviously have attained a greater degree of Godlikeness than one who has just begun the Christian life. But while we recognize different levels in attainment toward becoming like God, all who are faithful, and are thus purifying themselves as He is pure, share equally the hope of heaven. None has earned his way to heaven. All are dependent on God's grace, and His grace is extended to all the faithful. Let not the young in the faith, then, be intimidated by the attainments of the more mature in the faith. Let not the mature become proud and over-confident. All must be faithful. All must be growing. All must become more and more like God. And all must die in the Lord. And to all who do so, the Lord will say, `"Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." ___________________________________________ HE MISSED THE TARGET AND RICOCHETED ALL OVER THE ASSEMBLY by Guthrie Dean The preacher took his text on James 3:6. ``And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.'' ``Therewith bless we God and therewith curse we men.'' He poured it on the whisperers, the backbiters, the inventors of evil things, the sowers of discord, the murmurers, the gossips, and the talebearers. After the service was over a cloud of smoke hung from the ceiling of the church auditorium. (There was a longtongued loudmouth in the church that he had tried to convert but to no avail; thus the preacher had decided to give him a public exposure in hopes that he would repent.) One sister came out trembling and said to the preacher, ``I didn't think you would get so personal with me about what I have been saying.'' And an elderly gentleman then came to the preacher and was heard to say, ``I'll not be back!'' Another came and shook the preacher's hand and replied: ``I didn't know you heard what I said at the job last Friday. You must have been eavesdropping.'' Then a red faced member came out and said with a sharp voice: ``I have never been so humiliated in my life. I came here to worship God. But you have made me feel like a heel.'' Then the real culprit came out. He let out a big laugh and grabbed the preacher with one hand and slapped his back with the other and commented: ``Preacher, you deserve a raise. They really need that one.'' On his way home the preacher shook his head and was heard to mutter: ``I missed the target and ricocheted all over the assembly.'' ___________________________________________ ``THEY SAT DOWN TO REST, AND RESTING DIED!'' On a wall at a large university is written: ``On the plains of hesitation lie the blackened bones of countless millions, who at the dawn of victory, sat down to rest and resting, died.'' So often this is true with reference to children of God--They have accepted the Lord as Savior, have been washed from all sins in His precious blood, have their names enrolled in heaven, are added by Christ to His church; and for a while endure, but eventually stop by the way-side and take a seat and rest. If you are one of those who is ``resting'' from faithful service, arise and be restored and take on the armor of God and go forth to battle. After all, only those who endure to the end will be saved. Matt. 10:22; Rev. 2:10. -- Selected ___________________________________________ PETER THE POUTER by A. A. McInroe Pete the Pouter is a fellow that cannot be kept happy, no matter how sacrificial, sincere or diligent the effort may be. Peter has been pitied, petted, patted, pushed and praised; nothing seems to help, he's still puffed. He is so disgruntled he is a constant source of worry to all the members. Nobody feels at ease in his presence, lest they unbalance the chip on his shoulder. Conversation is difficult for fear of offending him. He complains constantly and finds fault with everything and everybody. He delights in revealing his hard luck, aches and pains as he goes in search of sympathy. He thinks the Lord was wrong when he said, ``It is more blessed to give than to receive.'' He wants his way about everything, and causes trouble when he doesn't get it. He is never at fault; it's always the other fellow who is wrong. Any church that has one or more of these fellows will have trouble keeping things peaceful. Pete's disease is highly contagious and often fatal. Look in God's mirror to see if you have any of the symptoms. ___________________________________________ "Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and turmoil with it" (Proverbs 15:16). ___________________________________________ The Steps That Lead Toward Heaven 1). Hear the word of God (Rom. 10:17; Rom. 1:16). 2). Believe in the Deity of Christ and accept the Gospel (Jn. 8:24; Heb. 11:6). 3). Repent of your sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). 4). Confess your faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:37). 5). Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1 Pet. 3:21). 6) Live faithfully unto God throughout your life (Heb. 10:35-39; Rev. 2:10). ________________________________________ 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 ________________________________________