____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ September 29, 1996 ____________________________________________________ "Meemah" by Tom Edwards No, I don't think you'll find this word in the dictionary--at least I couldn't in a couple of mine. It's pronounced ``mE' mah'' (with a long E sound and accent on the first syllable). This is a word that my little eight-year-old nephew coined several years ago; and I'm not really sure how he would spell it, but I believe he is still using it to refer to my mother, who lives across the street and down a short distance from him and my sister. Since little Tommy has lived in Nevada all his life--and my sister, mother, father, and I are all from Pennsylvania (and moved to Florida around `59, when I was about six)--I was puzzled where my nephew ever heard such a word as ``Meemah''; for it sounds similar to the ``mamaw'' that many people use here in Kentucky for ``grandmother.'' I eventually learned from my sister that this term came about one day when she had taken little Tommy over to my mother's house to drop him off for that morning. At the door, my sister Helen knocked and said, ``It's me, Ma.'' ...and there you have it. Though this above account is amusing, let's now think on a more serious note: How often do we find people using terms or phrases today that were originally meant for something entirely different, but now are being used to express a new and dissimilar meaning. Though the evolution of some words is not wrong--and many have changed over the years to keep up with the current usages of them--we must be cautious that we are not led astray by ``new meanings'' that are now being substituted for those originally meant in the Scriptures. Yes, many terms have been greatly distorted over the years: they have been given ``new looks'' to better suit today's wants. Some of them are now actually used to mean something as drastically different from their original intent as the contrast between the darkest night from the brightest day. Let us consider some Bible terms that have been terribly tampered with: 1) Baptism. Transliterated from the Greek word ``baptisma,'' this word originally meant ``immersion''--and denoted this during the beginning of the New Testament Age, as we can also see expressed in its likeness to a ``burial'' (cf. Rom. 6:3,4 and Col. 2:12). Furthermore, baptism is to be ``for the remissions of sins'' (Acts 2:38); and so one can be put into Christ, where there is no condemnation (Gal. 3:26,27; Rom. 8:1); and, thus, be saved and enabled to walk in newness of life (Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21; Rom. 6:3,4); but today this Bible command has been changed by millions of people. Now we are told that it ``has nothing at all to do with one's salvation.'' However, is that what these previously cited verses show? 2) Faith/Works. Multitudes of people express today that the faith that saves is merely a mental assent toward the deity of Christ--and apart from anything else that we could do. Actually, if we tried to do anything at all, as they tell us, then we can't be saved by faith and grace--for we would then be trying to save ourselves by ``works.'' Is this what Paul meant by ``faith''? or do we find people today repeating this word while not fully understanding its implication? As James teaches, ``faith without works is dead'' (Jms. 2:26). There are things that one must DO in order to be saved: hearing the gospel is a must! (Rom. 10:17); for we acquire faith by it, and Jesus calls even that a work (Jn. 6:29). He also taught elsewhere, ``Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,'' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven'' (Matt. 7:21). Yes, there is a sense in which one is not saved by works: 1) one is not saved by the ``works of the law'' of Moses (Gal. 2:16); 2) nor is one saved by works meritoriously--for after we've done everything God has commanded us to do, we are still ``unworthy slaves'' who have only done what we ought to have done (Luke 17:10). There is no way possible that the sinner could ever earn salvation by works!!! One's obedience to the gospel, however, is a necessary response in order to meet the Lord's conditions to be cleansed by the blood of Jesus. For the Lord suffered and died for every transgressor (Heb. 2:14; 1 Jn. 2:2), but only those who believe and obey will benefit from what Christ accomplished at Calvary (Heb. 5:9). 3) Grace. Though often defined as ``unmerited favor,'' grace is not ``unconditional favor'' as numerous individuals would have us believe today; rather, it demands that we change our lives by yielding our allegiance to the gospel of Jesus Christ (Titus 2:11,12). As the passage shows: grace's mandate to us is that we ''...deny ungodliness and worldly desires...'' and ''...live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.'' Yes, God's grace can be rejected--not only by the non-Christian, but by the child of God as well. If we, therefore, turn our backs on what that grace demands, we have turned our backs on God's way of salvation, on His mercy, and on His saving grace. ``Once in grace always in grace,'' therefore, is a false doctrine--though adhered to by millions of sincere souls and vastly proclaimed--for grace can be corrupted and nullified. It can be made ``vain,'' according to Paul (2 Cor. 6:1)--just as one's faith also can (1 Cor. 15:2). Jude spoke of those who turn ``the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord'' (Jude 4; NIV). When one today believes he can continue to live in sin, while at the same time having God's grace to cover him, he has also turned the grace of God into a license for ungodliness. As we learn in 1 John 1:6,7, if the Christian wants Jesus' blood to continue to be a cleansing agent in the Christian's life, then he must continue to ``walk in the light'' by keeping the commandments of the Lord; for only then can he have true fellowship with God and with fellow Christians--and have the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse him from every sin. Being saved by God's grace, therefore, is conditional. Certainly, there is no wrong in my little nephew inventing his own innocent name for his grandmother; and no matter what innocuous name he gives her, she will always be his grandmother. This, by far, is much better than what we've considered today that many have done with the word of God: they are using the same terms--but not attaching the same meanings to them. So though a grandmother by any other name is still a grandmother, ``baptism'' by the same name is not always ``baptism''--nor is ``faith,'' nor is ``grace.'' Who shall define these terms of the Bible for us? Webster? Funk and Wagnall? today's majority? How about letting the Bible itself give us the understanding we need? It has much to say about baptism, about faith, about works, and about grace--as well as various other Bible terms. Yes, coming up with cute names can be all right for some things; but when it comes to the word of God, let us use Bible terms in Bible ways! ___________________________________________ Too many folks use their religion as they do a bus-- they ride it only when it's going their way. -- selected ___________________________________________ Mantras of the 90's (#5) by Warren E. Berkley One of the hot topics on talk shows, among movie stars and in magazines is THE CURRENT EFFECTS OF PAST ABUSE. As claims are made about dysfunctional families, codependency and all kinds of new psychological disorders, we often hear folks say: ``My Problem Is My Past!'' A number of people in our society are convinced that their present attitudes, behavior problems and habits have their origin in their past. Often there is the implication that one is a victim of some past relationship, or that they have been programmed a certain way by their parents or family. In responding to this, we cannot simply dismiss the influence of the past. The Bible teaches us, our past does have impact in our present and future. There are real cases in the Bible where children were hurt by poor parenting, or people suffered because of their own past actions. Without any doubt, things can happen to us (either at the hands of others, or our own foolishness), and these things have consequences. Let us not ignore, there may be things in our past that can really help us! Past success can give us confidence and courage for the days ahead. Past education and the Bible knowledge we have gained can be positive forces in us today. As we remember what we've done in the past, repentance can result (Rev. 2:5), and our past can help keep us humble (Deut. 9:7). The Bible admits the influence of the past, but there are positive things as well as negative. What is needed is, an evaluation of the past accompanied by the desire to profit from the good, deal with the bad, and repent of any sin we've committed! I need to realize, regardless of what has happened to me in the past, I can be forgiven by Christ and I can be what I ought to be through Him (Phil. 4:13). I can study and pray and use God's Word to overcome past disadvantages. I can repent of my own sin, and be more watchful and careful in the future. By the grace of God I can rejoice that I am not locked into doom because of my past! We can turn adversity into advantage; we can deal with real problems in the past; we can cope and be responsible today, through the power of the gospel of Christ. ``Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus'' (Philip 3:13,14, NKJV). ``Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin'' (Heb. 12:1-4, NKJV). ___________________________________________ Mini-Sermons * Discontent is the penalty we must pay for being ungrateful for what we have. * One of the weaknesses of our age is our apparent inability to distinguish need from greed. * People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges. * When you flee temptation do not leave a forwarding address. * He who ceases to learn cannot adequately teach. * Christ never told His disciples to stay at home and wait for sinners to come to them. * Many complain of their memory, but few of their judgment. * Religion is no different from other things...the less you invest in it, the poorer the quality. * When children get on the wrong track, it's time to use the switch. -- Selected ___________________________________________ "And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, 'Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?' But He turned and rebuked them, and said, 'You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them'..." (Luke 9:54-56). ___________________________________________ NEWS & NOTES We rejoice with the angels in heaven over Misty Maggard's baptism last Sunday afternoon!!! She is Melissa's 16-year-old daughter and a niece to Susie Lykins. We are also happy to have Misty attending with us! So far, we have had 19 different visitors this month--and the month is not yet over. For those of you who were our guests, thanks for taking the time to be with us. We appreciate you. We also welcome those of you who are visiting with us today. Please come again. If you would like to take either the John Hurt Eight-Lesson Bible Course or the Acts of the Apostles 6-Lesson Course, write today to make your request known. We will mail this promptly to you. Let us not forget those whom we have mentioned with chronic or long-term ailments: Ernest Hamm, June Music, and Juanita Ratcliffe If you live in our area and would like to... * attend our services, but need transportation * have a Bible-study with a couple of us in your home * see Bible film slides in your home or elsewhere ...feel free to contact us. We would be happy to accommodate you. ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 713 13th Street, 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@wwd.net ________________________________________