____________________________________________________ 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 26, 1993 ____________________________________________________ Having Been Taught...Then What? by Rick Harlow Sometimes Christians seem to settle into a false notion that once they have been baptized and then taught from the Word of God to the point that they are able to rightly divide the truth that they have fulfilled their responsibilities to the Lord, their brethren and those who are lost. However, nothing could be further from the truth of the matter! I would like to suggest several responsibilities which are incumbent upon every Christian once they have been taught the truth. The Taught are to: (1) APPLY THE WORD: It is a well known fact that knowledge is of very little value if one fails to make application in their everyday lives. Christians are taught to learn truth in order that they may apply it to their lives. Stephen was very critical of the Jews because they had a knowledge of the Scriptures but failed to apply the Word properly. ``Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your father did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it'' (Acts 7;51-53). We must apply the Word in order for it to do its job. (2) DEFEND THE TEACHING: Some folks seem to have the notion that it is not necessary for them to defend the teachings contained in the New Testament. I believe this to be a terrible mistake in judgment. Those Christians who were members of the church of Christ in its infancy were more than willing to defend the teachings of the Gospel. Notice the readiness of the apostle Paul to defend the gospel. ''...knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel'' (Philippians 1:17). Jude writes that Christians are to ``contend'' for the faith. ``Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly CONTEND (emphasis mine REH) for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3). How willing are you to ``contend'' for the faith. The Bible teaches us that this is the right thing to do! (3) HAVE SOME CONVICTION: One of the saddest commentaries on our society today is the lack of conviction on the part of its citizens. Politicians today are rarely re-elected to office when they stand up for their convictions on such issues as gay rights, abortion, family values, the rights of decent God fearing parents to discipline their children and bring them up free from exposure to an immoral and decadent society. It has been stated that ``we must stand for something or we'll fall for anything.'' To this comment I am compelled to add a hearty ``Amen.'' Paul exhorted brethren to ``stand fast in the faith'' and ``be strong'' in 1 Corinthians 16:13. This same thought is repeated in Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10-18. Our society is decaying right before our very eyes and very few individuals, including Christians and preachers, have the courage or convictions to stand up and say ``enough is enough!'' (4) TEACH THE GOSPEL TO OTHERS: Most Christians today are of the attitude that the ``task'' of teaching others the gospel of Christ is the responsibility of somebody else. Poor ole ``somebody else'' is being worked to death! Christians have been mandated by Christ to teach others. ``And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world'' (Matthew 28:18-20). Notice Paul's command to Timothy: ``And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also'' (2 Timothy 2:2). (5) DEFY WEARINESS: I realize the tendency for folks who have been involved in a long struggle to become weary. Christians are under a constant barrage of temptation, persecution and suffering in the spiritual war which has been going on since the beginning of time. However, we must remain strong and vibrant in the work of the Lord. ``And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not'' (Galatians 6:9). The brethren in Thessalonica were encouraged to continue in well doing and not to become weary. ``But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing'' (2 Thess. 3:13). We must keep in mind that once we have been baptized into the Lord and been taught his will as contained in the New Testament that we have certain responsibilities which we must fulfill. THINK ABOUT IT!! ___________________________________________ Losing the Saved by Johnie Edwards We hear a lot of sermons about saving the lost but few about losing the saved. We have a real problem in the churches of Christ of not keeping the saved, saved! The Hebrew writer said, ``Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at anytime we should let them slip'' (Heb. 2:1). Why are we losing the saved? (1) THEIR DIET IS WEAK. We are told that people are what they eat. Jesus said, ``Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God'' (Mt. 4:4). Peter told early Christians, ``As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby'' (1 Pet. 2:2). We urge you to attend every service so you can grow in the `grace and knowledge of the Lord' (2 Peter 3:18). (2) LACK OF EXERCISE: A little baby must exercise in order to grow properly. So must the new Christian. We need to have our ``senses exercised to discern both good and evil'' (Heb. 5:14). Elders need to be busy looking for ways to involve new Christians, so they can exercise. After all, the elders are responsible as they ``watch for your souls'' (Heb. 13:17). Every member of the church needs something to do! (3) MEMBERS NOT MAKING THEM FEEL A PART: Join some kind of earthly club and they go out of their way to make you feel a part. Often in the church members hardly notice them. We need to be excited with all of the new people being baptized here and get with and involve these new people. If we don't we will lose them! It's that simple. The Bible teaches that ``the members should have the same care one for another'' (1 Cor. 12:25). (4) TEMPTATION IS TOO GREAT: The devil stands ready to tempt new people to go back into the world and serve him. In the parable of the sower, Satan was on hand to do his part by stealing the word away (Lk. 8:12-13). We need to know that Christ was ``tempted like as we are, yet without sin'' (Heb. 4:15). God has promised us, ``There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it'' (1 Cor. 10:13). (5) MEMBERS NOT SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE: New people are easily influenced by older members. If older members do not live right; do not attend the services faithfully and do thing unbecoming a Christian, then we lose the saved. We must be the ``salt of the earth'' and ``the light of the world'' (Matt. 5:13-16). If members who influenced the new people to have a Home Bible Study are not faithful in every way, what can we expect out of the new converts? This is the reason we urge every member to be at every service of the church. We are counting on you! ___________________________________________ Rest In The Lord Rest in the Lord, my soul; Commit to Him thy way. What to thy sight seems dark as night, To Him is bright as day. Rest in the Lord, my soul; He planned for thee thy life, Brings fruit from rain, brings good from pain, And peace and joy from strife. Rest in the Lord, my soul; This fretting weakens thee. Why not be still? Accept His will; Thou shalt His glory see. -- Selected (actual title not known) ___________________________________________ "A poor, yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction" (Ecclesiastes 4:13). "Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed" (Proverbs 27:5). "I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy word" (Psalm 119:101). "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:11,12). "And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives...." (Job 19:25). ________________________________________ 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 ________________________________________