____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ January 1, 1995 ____________________________________________________ Is Your Heart Big Enough-- To Restore Your Brother? by Steve Klein So much of what it means to live for Jesus is summed up in the word love. Among other things, love is an essential ingredient in the recipe for unity among believers. The body of Christ builds itself up ``in love'' (Ephesians 4:16). Love is ``the bond of perfection'' (Colossians 3:14). The love which binds us together is more than mere feeling or sentiment. It is a powerful force which inspires us to behave in specific ways (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8). Because love ``does not rejoice in iniquity,'' one thing it compels us to do is to correct the errors of those whom we love. Galatians 6:1-2 commands the following: ``Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.'' In Galatians, ``the law of Christ'' is revealed as a law rooted in love. Paul asserts that neither circumcision (the Law of Moses) nor uncircumcision avails anything ``but faith working through love'' (5:6). ``Through love'' we ``serve one another'' (5:13). ``All the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself'' (5:14). And, ``the fruit of the Spirit is love...'' (5:22). The point is that the law of Christ (which is a law of love) is fulfilled when we help one another overcome sin. Paul exemplified this spirit of love in his dealings with the Corinthians. In his first letter to them, he severely rebuked the Corinthians for their errors. In his second letter, he explained that ``out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you'' (2 Corinthians 2:4). He spoke so openly to them because his heart was ``enlarged'' (23 Corinthians 6:11). His heart was swelling with love for the Corinthians, and he could not bear to see them lose their souls. More than anything else, we need hearts enlarged and such love. ``And above all things have fervent love for one another, for `love will cover a multitude of sins''' (1 Peter 4:8). It should be noted that this passage does not say that love covers sins by ignoring them. Love ``covers a multitude of sins'' by encouraging the sinner to repent, and by readily forgiving him when he does so. ``Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins'' (James 5:20). Is your heart big enough to restore your fallen brother or sister? -- Via The Exhorter, December 4, 1994 ___________________________________________ ``WHAT IF EVERYONE WAS LIKE ME?'' by Steve Hardin Once there was a congregation in which every member was just like you. Each one cooperated and supported the church just the way you have been doing. Everyone worked as hard and attended the same services and Gospel Meetings just as you do. The elders, deacons and preaches were all interested in the church to the same degree that you are. They put the same emphasis on their recreation, business and other material affairs that you do. Each member contributed financially to the church as you do. If everyone were like you, how many would there be at Bible Study this Sunday morning? Would there be a Sunday evening or Wednesday evening service? Would the contribution go up or down? Remember, each member of the body of Christ has work to do, a place to fill and a responsibility to God. (Hebrews 10:24-25) ``And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.'' -- Via The Plain Path ___________________________________________ Write Today For Our FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE ___________________________________________ ``Toxic Anger'' by Dan McKibben I heard an interesting phrase the other day, ``Toxic Anger.'' In meditating about it, I thought about some teachings from the word of God. Let's develop a few thoughts on it. The word toxic means harmful, deadly, poisonous. Thus, when we speak of toxic anger, we are talking about anger that is harmful, anger that is poisonous, anger that is deadly. Not all anger is toxic. For instance, in Exo. 32:19 we read about Moses' anger waxing hot. Or in Mk. 3:5 Jesus looking on the people there with anger. Paul in Eph. 4:26 saying ``Be ye angry, and sin not.'' Now in none of these cases is this kind toxic. We would call this righteous indignation. But far too often we get involved in anger that is toxic to our souls, and can even harm our physical health. Toxic anger is a work of the flesh, Gal. 5:20. Paul said, Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from among you, with all malice.'' Too often what happens is that we get mad and sin. We want to settle the score or get back at or get even. We give in to rage, then say or do things that we ought not. But beloved, we are only poisoning our own souls and we might even be a stumbling block to someone else. Let's seek to control tempers. -- Via The Old Path II, December 4, 1994 _______________________________________________ `Only A Step' by Billy W. Moore When David was a young man, strong and mighty as a soldier in Israel, he visited his dear friend, Jonathan, and before leaving said: ``But truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death'' (I Samuel 20:3). Jonathan's father, Saul, king of Israel, was seeking David's life. David realized that ``there is but a step between me and death.'' Tragedy all too frequently befalls our community and we see people young and old die, sometimes while in the prime of life, other times before one reaches that age, and it is always sad. It should remind each of us that ``there is but a step between me and death.'' Death is an unpleasant thing because it severs all the relationships of this life, and yet it is part of life. None of us shall live on and on in this world, for ``it is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment'' (Heb. 9:27). There are so many illustrations of the brevity and uncertainty of life. The inspired writer said: ``For what is your life: it is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away'' (James 4:14). It is so easy for us to become so wrapped up in the affairs of this life that we neglect the most important matters of all--the saving of our souls. Most persons who believe in Christ plan to become Christians some day. They do not want to die without having obeyed the Lord. But it is so easy to say, ``next month,'' or ``next year,'' etc. My friend, whatever your age and station in life may be today, ``there is only a step between you and death.'' Begin living today so that you will be prepared for the ``step'' whenever it is taken. Remember, God loves you and wants you to love Him and do His will. Then you will be ready for that ``step'' into the world to come. -- Via The Old Path II, December 18, 1994 ____________________________________________________ THE SADDEST PATH The saddest road to hell is the one that looks so much like the right way as to appear safe, but yet is wrong. It leads one in a happy anticipation of a heavenly rest and joy, only to dash him down on the rocks of disappointment. It is sad because good people spend much time, energy, and work on the way, thinking of heaven and hoping to go there, only to be disappointed in the end. Our hearts ache when we see so many people like those about whom Paul wrote ``I bear witness that they have a zeal for God but not according to knowledge.'' It is pathetic that so many good citizens have never compared what they believe with the Bible. It is hard to see an individual go to eternity who has never made any effort to go to heaven. But what are we doing about it? Many of us are sitting around, griping, complaining, finding fault with others and thereby discouraging the whole program we should be helping. If only people would go to the Bible and find whether or not they are doing the right thing and follow the Bible, what a great change it would make. -- Via The 12 St. Bulletin, author not mentioned ________________________________________ 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 ________________________________________