____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ August 31, 1997 ____________________________________________________ Problems Between Brethren by David A. Padfield Problems between brethren are nothing new. Paul and Barnabas disagreed over whether or not to take John Mark with them on their second journey. Luke said, ``the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another'' (Acts 15:39). Paul would later write that John Mark was ``useful to me for ministry'' (2 Timothy 4:11). What should you do when a brother in Christ sins against you? Jesus said to ``go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector'' (Matt. 18:15-17). A few observations about this much abused passage: 1) Jesus goes from the private, to the semi-private, to the public. If the one in error listens to his brother in private that should be the end of the matter; no one else should ever know of the ``sin.'' 2) This passage does not deal with ``church discipline.'' The church is not commanded to do anything in this passage. The Bible has much to say about church discipline, but not in this passage. 3) Problems between brethren need to be dealt with quickly. ``Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath'' (Ephesians 4:26). If not taken care of promptly, problems between brethren will grow like a cancer. 4) Matthew 18 does not deal with public sin, but private disagreements between brethren. Some mistakenly believe all rebuke of sin must be done in private first. Such an attitude is not in harmony with apostolic examples. When Peter stopped associating with the Gentiles, Paul publicly rebuked him in the presence of many brethren. Paul said he ``rebuked him to the face, because he was to be blamed'' (Gal. 2:11). Peter's public hypocrisy was a blight on the name of the church and cried out for a public rebuke. The fornicator at Corinth was publicly rebuked by Paul without the benefit of a private meeting first (1 Corinthians 5:1-13). Everyone at the church in Corinth already knew of his sin, and instead of mourning, they were ``puffed up.'' Paul, ``absent in body but present in spirit,'' commanded the church to ``deliver such a one to Satan.'' According to some, Paul should have gone to this man privately before writing the letter. John warned ``beloved'' Gaius about Diotrephes in 3 John 1:9. Diotrephes ``loved to have the pre-eminence'' among brethren. John said, ``if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church'' (3 John 1:10). It is obvious that John had not talked with Diotrephes before he wrote to Gaius. Public sin needs to be dealt with in public. The children of God are not immune from sin. If our sins become public knowledge, let us have the courage to make public correction. ___________________________________________ The Curiosity of Unbelief by Jason Moore It is an oft-repeated phenomenon in the Bible that men have persisted in their unbelief despite miraculous encounters with God. Consider that generation of Israelites who witnessed God's plagues on Egypt, who crossed the Red Sea on dry ground then watched as the waters closed on Pharaoh's chariots. They saw miraculous displays of God's providence: water spring from a flint rock and bread rain from heaven. They witnessed displays of His wrath: fire emerge from the sanctuary to consume Nadab and Abihu; the earth open to swallow the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; the plague of fiery serpents. They were impressed with His holiness: the voice of God spoke from the fire on Mount Horeb and the people feared they would die. Yet despite these frequent and undeniable interventions of God in their lives, the nation continually rebelled against God's rule. Only two of that generation, Joshua and Caleb, were judged faithful to enter the land of Canaan. This sort of unbelief in the face of overwhelming displays of God's power is not limited to the Israelites of the Exodus. Look at any period in which God has intervened in a miraculous way and the response of the majority is typical. You would think that witnessing the demise of the wicked in the great flood would place an indelible fear of God and His judgment in the heart of any man -- not so: Ham. You would expect to see great faith among a meager people who by God's hand conquered nations more powerful than themselves -- not so: the Israelites who possessed Canaan. You would imagine that if you were to see Jesus, and hear His teachings, and witness the mighty wonders He performed -- even one -- that you could from that moment withstand any temptation and persist in any trial. Men saw. Men heard. Men marveled. Those same men crucified the Savior. Miracles arrested the attention of men. They even produced a belief of sorts. But such faith generally lasted only slightly longer than the miracle. It seems that while men are impressed with God's intervention, they are not always willing to see the moral implications of the miracle. Instead, men place on the miracle whatever interpretation suits their moral disposition. If they don't want to change, they will find some way to justify their disobedience, explain the evidence away, demand a greater sign, make some shallow or temporary commitment to God, or figure that their mere wonder and amazement is all that God really expects from them. A miracle, it seems, is only effective in the life of a man willing to be morally affected. What if God were to descend in a cloud with thunderings and lightnings and fire on Time's Square during New Year's Eve with thousands of witnesses standing in the streets and hundreds of thousands of television viewers? What if He were to speak from the cloud and to command men to read their Bibles and to believe and follow Jesus? Suppose the whole affair were captured on camera for all time. What effect would such a sight have on our country? If history offers any precedent, the answer is quite plain. Some would be unchanged. They would concoct a scientific explanation for the occurrence or claim that it was a man-made phenomenon. Someone I'm sure would claim that aliens were communicating with us. Those who had not witnessed the occurrence with their own eyes would disbelieve or remain agnostics. Some men would want another bigger and better sign. Other men would sense a business opportunity and write articles or books and host talk shows investigating the matter. There would of course be folks who would go to church for a while until their conscience was salved and then quit. Some would make resolutions to serve God and then when ill health or financial trouble or some other affliction arose they would wonder why God had left them. A number of new cults would spring up claiming the end was near. False prophets would arise and gain new followings. The camera footage would be used by all sides to lobby their own position. Among all the people of our nation, there would be a remnant who would do just what the voice had said. They would open their Bibles and search to know more about Jesus and His word. They would follow Him and work to convince others to do the same. But these same people would have believed anyway, even without the sign. There was a rich man who died and went to Hades. While suffering in torment he looked across the chasm into Paradise and saw Lazarus, a poor beggar he knew who had also died and was reclining in Abraham's bosom. He begged Abraham to send Lazarus back to the realm of the living and to warn his five brothers lest they also come to that place of torment. Abraham said, ``They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'' The rich man retorted, ``No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, then they will repent!'' But Abraham responded, ``If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead'' (Luke 16:31). Like the rich man, we are prone to believe that if God would just perform some undeniable miracle to prove His existence and power that the unbelieving would repent and follow Him. Why not send somebody back from the dead as His spokesman? Then men would surely believe. Actually, God has done precisely that. Not Lazarus, but God's own Son came back from the grave to reveal His will and appoint eye-witnesses to record His words for all time. Abraham's words have proven true. Some deny Him. Some ignore Him. Some believe Him but will not hear Him. Some say the evidence is not sufficient. A few hearing, believe and obey. And so the curious phenomenon of unbelief lives on. Those who will serve God, serve. Those who will not, do not. Do you? If not, what more would it take? -- Via Online Southside Reminder, March 15, 1995 ___________________________________________ The Lord Requires Us To ``Do Justice'' by Paul Smithson The word of the Lord came to the prophet Micah at a very critical time in the history of God's people. They had forsaken their God and the religion of their fathers. They had grown weary of the ordinances of worship. They had abandoned basic morals and values. They were facing many of the very same problems that we are facing in our day and time. Thus, the message of Micah is relevant for our society. Micah's central message is found in chapter six where two very basic questions are raised, ``What is good and what does the Lord require?'' Men of every generation need to know the answer to these questions. Micah gives a very basic, summary response, ``He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?'' (Micah 6:8). Micah said, ``He has told you...'' That is, God had already given the answers to these questions. Answers to such questions can only be rightly answered by God. The people of Judah could not have discovered God's requirements on their own apart from His revelation and neither can we. The only way that men can know the will of God is for God to reveal His will to them (see 2 Cor. 2:9-12). The first thing in Micah's answer was they were to ``do justice.'' That which is just is that which is good and right in the sight of God. Israel and Judah were condemned over and over again by God's prophets for the sin of injustice. They were people who considered themselves to be God's people, but they were not interested in what was just (see Micah 3:9-12). Oh, they were a people who claimed to be religious people, but they were not interested in serving and pleasing Jehovah. They were people who were only interested in serving themselves and gaining riches. In doing so they had twisted everything that was straight. The leaders were not doing justice. They were only out for themselves and they were going to get their gain by hook or crook. What they had built up in the city of Jerusalem had been at the expense of others, through bloodshed and violent injustice. Even many of the priests and prophets were not interested in instructing the people in God's way. They were not telling the people what they needed to hear, but only what they wanted to hear. They were not interested in justice, only in receiving money (see Micah 3:1-3). Just like cannibals they devoured their fellow man, cheating and defrauding. Greed was their motive and they did not know justice. How many today who claim to be religious have this same attitude? How many claim to be God's people, yet, do not do justice in their dealings with others? These are men and women who go through the motions of religion, but are really only interested in what they can gain in this world. It includes those who may go to church on Sunday, yet, during the week are busy building up what they can at the expense of others. They fail to deal fairly and justly with their employers or employees, with their customers or with the government. They do whatever it takes to gain what they want. This includes preachers today who are so worried about being fired and having their financial support cut off that they won't teach the truth, or teach what truth that needs to be preached. Are such men any less guilty of injustice than those in Micah's day who ``instructed for a price''? What is good, and what does God require? God requires our assembling and our worship, but He also requires us to ``do justice'' in all things. We must seek what is right and what is good, dealing fairly and justly with those around us. We must be willing to stand and teach what is right regardless of the cost. This is just and the Lord requires and will except no less. -- Via Examining the Scriptures ___________________________________________ NEWS & NOTES Both Steve and Erin Thomas have had to miss services recently, due to sickness. We are glad, though, that they are now doing better. Greg Frazier has also had to miss some services due to not feeling well. Barbara Withrow's mother, Christine Stambaugh, was back in the hospital last week for symptoms that mimicked that of a heart attack. Tests were made. After a week's stay, she was released and is now back home; but still has a ways to go before completely recovered. Let us be praying for her. This being the last Sunday of the month, tonight will be our ``Sing Night.'' If there are some songs you would like led, please let it be known to the song leader prior to the service. Greetings Visitors! We are glad to have you with us. Please come again. ________________________________________ 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@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________