____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ February 6, 1994 ____________________________________________________ I Resolve by Bobby Witherington With the advent of a new year, it is customary with many to make their ``new year's resolutions.'' Even though they are made and often soon forgotten, I suppose it is still good to make them. At least it's a STEP in the right direction. It reflects a realization on the part of the maker thereof that self improvement can and should be made. And sometimes resolutions are actually kept! Assuming that you mean business about wanting to be a better person, as well as desiring to have a ``happy new year,'' (cf. I Peter 3:10-12, Billy J. Raymer), I submit the following resolutions as a STARTER. I RESOLVE to take the necessary steps to be forgiven of my past offenses against God (Acts 2:36-38; 8:22; 1 John 1:9). I RESOLVE to correct my past offenses against my fellow man, either at home, in the church, or elsewhere (cf. Matthew 5:23,24). I RESOLVE to spend some time in prayer each day (Matt. 6:6; I Thess. 5:17; Dan. 6:10). I RESOLVE to read from and study the Bible daily (II Tim. 2:15; Psalm 1:2; II Pet. 3:18). I RESOLVE ``to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep myself unspotted from the world'' (James 1:27). I RESOLVE not to forsake any assembly of the saints (Heb. 10:25; Acts 2:42). I RESOLVE not to sin when I become angry and not to let the sun go down on my wrath (Eph. 4:26). I RESOLVE to do today's work today and to live one day at a time (James 4:13-15; Phil. 3:13,14). I RESOLVE not to worry nor to dwell upon the things that make me and others miserable (Phil. 4:6-8). I RESOLVE to treat others in the way I would want them to treat me if I were in their shoes (Matt. 7:12). __________________________ My signature Dear reader, if you signed your name to the above line, and if you LIVE UP TO WHAT YOU SIGNED, (1994, tte), or as much of it as you are permitted to live, will be for your a better year! --in West Murray Appeal ___________________________________________ IS GOD THE AUTHOR OF THEM ALL? by Leslie G. Thomas Let us suppose that an evangelist comes to our community to conduct a religious meeting and proceeds as follows: At the first service he preaches that salvation is by faith only, but at the next one he contends that it is by faith exercised in obedience to the gospel rather than by faith alone. At the third service he declares that either sprinkling, pouring, or immersion is baptism, but at the fourth service he plainly shows that immersion is baptism. At the fifth service he tells people that they ought to baptize their babies, but at the sixth service he says that penitent believers are the only scriptural subjects for baptism. At the seventh service he preaches once in grace, always in grace; but at the eighth he tells people that it is possible for them to fall from grace, that some have fallen, and that the Bible tells how to keep from falling. At the ninth service he teaches that it is all right to have human creeds, but at the tenth he declares that we should take the Bible as our only guide in religion. No thoughtful person would continue to listen to ONE preacher like that, but the majority of people are perfectly willing for TEN preachers to preach these conflicting ideas. They say that if one man should preach that way he would contradict himself and be inconsistent, but what kind of a God do they suppose we have if He endorses all these conflicting doctrines and has sent out these preachers to present them? -- from Highland Street Messenger ___________________________________________ ...Reflecting On The Previous Article by Tom Edwards I've often thought of this myself. Not only would the world view one as being terribly inconsistent for believing and teaching all these conflicting doctrines, but they would most likely view the individual who does so to also have something definitely wrong with him mentally. For one to espouse such discrepancies as if they were all true would be an indication that that person is without sound reasoning capabilities in a most extreme way. I once studied with a person who believed that ``you are saved before you're baptized, but you have to be baptized to wash away your sins.'' Needless to say, I was flabbergasted by this blatant incongruity and felt that the person needed a little more than sound doctrine to help get him started--he needed a little soundness of mind, better reasoning faculties, and some plain common sense. Perhaps the acceptance so many give toward denominationalism today is a perversion due to their misunderstanding of what real Bible love is all about. But what it is really indicating is that our religious world is getting pretty ``crazy'' as it strives to endorse these diverse groups which each stand in opposition to one another doctrinally. Isn't it time we all get back to the sound doctrine of Jesus Christ, put away man-made creeds that produce divisions and conflict, and strive to be a united people on the basis of God's word? This is the Lord's desire for all; and, therefore, should be everyone's desire toward God--that we each attain to this unity that is formed by our belief in the ONE BODY, the ONE SPIRIT, the ONE HOPE, the ONE LORD, the ONE FAITH, the ONE BAPTISM, and the ONE GOD AND FATHER of all (Eph. 4:4-6). Unity in this way is not merely an ideal; it is a command. ___________________________________________ Special Feature: Church Origins Christian Science by Bill Crews Mary Baker Glover Patterson Eddy (thrice-married: Glover died, divorced from Patterson; lived from 1821-1910) has been referred to, both by herself and by her followers, as the ``Discoverer'' of ``Christian Science.'' It would be more appropriate to refer to her as the ``founder'' of what is misleadingly called ``Christian Science''--it is neither Christian nor science. ``The Church of Christ Scientist'' today occupies a place of intellectual dignity in the minds of both its members and others who are not acquainted with its origin. The Mary Baker Eddy of books written by ``Christian Scientists'' is more legend than fact. The Mrs. Eddy of history was emotionally unstable, very limited in education, selfish, greedy for material gain and guilty of woeful plagiarism, misrepresentation and false testimony. Mrs. Eddy claimed to have discovered Christian Science in 1866. In 1875 she published the first edition of ``Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures'' (The Bible of Christian Science). Actually her book was largely taken from a manuscript entitled ``Science of Man'' and written by Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802-1866). ``Dr.'' Quimby was a prominent New England ``mental healer'' of whom Mrs. Eddy had become an ardent disciple. It was after Quimby's death that her system and her book was advanced. Due to Mrs. Eddy's limited education, the first four editions of her book were in her own crude style. In 1885 she received the services of James Henry Wiggins, a retired Unitarian clergyman, whom she prevailed upon to polish and even rewrite her own manuscript. It was he who gave Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures some degree of literary respectability. Through the years Mrs. Eddy continued to revise in ways small or large her book, but without the service of Mr. Wiggins, her ``Bible'' (and she called it that) would hardly have been taken seriously as it subsequently was. The first Christian Science Church was established in Boston in 1879; it was reorganized in 1892. It is called ``The First Church of Christ Scientist'' and referred to as the ``Mother Church.'' ``Christian Science'' enabled Mrs. Eddy to become and die a millionaire. The church Mrs. Eddy established is not the church Jesus built, and the book she is responsible for producing is not a revelation from God. ``Christian Science'' denies the existence and reality of matter, disease, sickness, infirmity, the devil, sin, hell and death, but Mrs. Eddy, its founder, died December 3, 1910. -- via Sound Words ___________________________________________ IS IT NARROW MINDED? I don't know about you, but I get a little weary of hearing the word ``narrow'' used as a slur against preachers who adhere to the Bible in their preaching. Sure they are ``narrow,'' but so are factory workers, surgeons, druggists, and teachers. The factory worker is so ``narrow'' that he uses micro meters and measures to the thousandth of an inch the bores and pistons of engines, electronic components and balancing wheels in mechanical time pieces. The surgeon is so ``narrow'' that he insists on ultra-technical laboratory analysis and meticulously sterilized instruments of special design. Why, he is so ``picky-narrow'' that he makes his assistant wear facial masks during surgical procedures! The druggist is so ``narrow'' that he just has to have a prescription before he will let you have certain drugs. He says he has to be ``narrow'' because of standards and government regulations are narrow, and even thinks it is for the common good! As you think about it, it's a blessing that somebody is ``narrow-minded.'' And however much we need to be narrow about vital material matters, we must be infinitely more careful and exact about spiritual laws. God will not be mocked! -- via The Prevailing Word ________________________________________ 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 ________________________________________