____________________________________________________ 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 5, 1999 ____________________________________________________ That Far-Away Island by Robert F. Turner I wonder how many souls have rejected Christ because of that ``Far-Away Island''? The reasoning goes like this. ``On some far away island there are people who have never heard of Jesus Christ or of His commandments. They can't believe if they have not heard; they can't obey if they do not know the commands, so surely a just God will save them.'' (It's amazing how many people who will not consider what God says, can figure out exactly what God will do -- on the basis of their concept of right and justice.) Then, an otherwise intelligent man, with Bibles all around him and concerned friends pleading for him to hear and obey Christ, assumes that he can ignore Christ and be saved ``like those far-away savages.'' The analogy is far-fetched and illogical, even if people on that faraway island are saved ``because they never heard the gospel'' -- and that is ``far-away'' from being proven. Men are not lost (in the primary sense) because ``they didn't hear the gospel.'' Men are lost because of their sins, no matter where they are or what they have or have not heard. Sin is the disease that brings spiritual death, while the gospel is the remedy. We do not die because of the remedy, but because of the disease. The Bible says ``All have sinned'' (ROM. 3:23), and ``death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned'' (ROM. 5:12). Accountable people on that far-away island are lost because of their sins. But since sin is transgression of law, how could men sin who have no access to God's word? Paul shows that God is manifested in material creation, so that men are ``without excuse'' (ROM. 1:18-25). The very existence of an orderly, purposeful world presupposes some prior power: some ``eternal power.'' That power is obviously superior to the things created, occupying a different classification: ``Deity'' as opposed to humanity, or ``Creator'' above creature. In recognizing God's existence certain obligations are accepted -- to look up to, or ``glorify''; and to be ``thankful'' or depend upon. Vain men, failing in these things, sinned. Thus Paul defends the Justice of God in condemning men -- even the ``far-away.'' Paul also uses another argument -- one that comes closer home. He indicates a moral consciousness ``written in the hearts'' of men who had not a codified law as did the Jews (2:12-f). There are subjective standards of conduct, things we ``feel'' to be right-things we ``ought'' or ``ought not'' to do (read again, ROM. 2:12-16); and God justly holds men accountable to do the best he knows to do, in the absence of more complete information (cf. ROM. 14:23 in context). It should be noted that subjective standards can never supersede available revelation from God, to be approached objectively (ROM. 10:17; JOH. 12:48). That ``Far Away Island'' needs Jesus Christ just the same as the rest of this sinful world. Their condemnation is just (for their own sins) whether we take them the gospel or not; but if we are unconcerned and neglectful about taking them the gospel remedy, our condemnation is twice justified. How utterly lost is the man who uses that "Far Away Island" to justify (?) self. -- Via Plain Talk, January 1975 ___________________________________________ Which Translation is Best? Several preachers were discussing various translations. One liked the KJV because of its beautiful English. Another liked the ASV because it is very literal and comes nearer to the original Hebrew and Greek texts. Another liked his mother's translation. Surprised, the other preachers said they didn't know his mother had a translation of the Scriptures. ``Yes, she did,'' he replied. ``She has translated them into action, and it is the best translation I have ever seen.'' We need to get our Bibles off our shelves; we must read them and study them, and we must translate what we read into action. -- Selected (Via The Old Path II, September 12, 1999) ___________________________________________ Seven Techniques for Breaking Sinful Habits by Matt Hennecke Are there sinful habits you'd like to break? Are you thinking that January 1, 2000 is an appropriate time for such change? Though I don't recommend delay, here are seven Bible-based techniques for breaking sinful habits: Technique #1: Pray Don't overlook the power of prayer. James tells us that the ``effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much'' (Jas. 5:16). The word ``effectual'' comes from the word ``energeo'' from which we get the word ``energy.'' James is telling us to pray actively and with energy. The first and perhaps most potent technique for overcoming sinful habits is to ask God for help. Technique #2: Overcome Evil with Good Paul says in Romans 12:21 to ``overcome evil with good." When you feel the urge to give in to an evil habit, do something good instead. Write a letter of hope to a friend, call and encourage a brother, or visit someone who is sick. In other words, replace your sinful habit with a good work. Technique #3: Surround Yourself with Good People We're told ``bad company corrupts good morals'' (1 Cor. 15:33). The opposite is also true: ``good company corrects bad morals." If you have a sinful habit you're trying to break, then seek out the company of good people. Let their ``goodness'' rub off on you. Technique #4: Confess Your Faults James 5:15 says ``confess your sins to one another.'' Admittedly, confessing your faults and sinful habits will be difficult. You may be embarrassed by the prospect of others ``finding out'' about your weakness. But when you confess your failings to others, then they can help look out for you. They can counsel and comfort you as you work to overcome your bad habit. Technique #5: Make Habits Impossible You may fall back into your sinful habit simply because sin is so accessible! Overcome sinful habits by eliminating or reducing your access to sin. Matthew 18:9 says, ``And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee....'' If you've got a bad habit, make it harder to feed the habit! Look for ways to make sinning inconvenient rather than easy. Technique #6: Think Good Thoughts The urge to feed a bad habit starts in the mind. Fill your mind with righteous thoughts and you'll reduce the chance that evil thoughts will blossom into sin. Follow Paul's advice: ``whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things'' (Phil. 4:8). Technique #7: Take One Day at a Time It takes only two weeks to develop a habit, but it takes months to break one. Don't despair! Rather than thinking how long it will take and how hard it will be to break the habit, learn to take one day at a time. Don't worry about tomorrow. Work to stop your bad habit today for ``each day has enough trouble of its own'' (Matt. 6:34). -- Via Think on These Things, July-August-September, 1999 ___________________________________________ Voices from the Past Trouble-Makers or Truth-Tellers by Larry Ray Hafley ``And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord....'' (I Kings 18:17,18). Ahab was infamously wicked (I Kings 16:30), and Elijah refused to let him forget it. Thus, when Ahab saw Elijah he condemned him as a troublemaker, though the genuine cause of strife and confusion then, as now, was a forsaking of God's commands. Christ rebuked the hypocritical traditions of the Jews and urged a return to his Father's will. Those undeniably shown to be of their father, the devil, accused the harmless Lamb of God of offending them (Matt. 15:12). Their rejection of God's law for the teaching of men left them void of acceptance by the Spirit of God, and when this was manifest they labeled the world's Truth-teller a troublemaker. Human nature has not changed. Preachers today who speak ``the truth in love'' with reproof, rebuke, and exhortation are often slurred for fulfilling their charge. Those who have no hope and are without God resent being told their eternal destination is with all the pernicious people of all ages (Rev. 21:8). Denominationalists consider talk about one body or church of Christ (Col. 1:18,24) as being narrow and divisive. They scorn the doctrine of Christ and his supreme authority by adding instruments of music which cannot teach, speak, or admonish as we are commanded to do when we sing (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). However, those outside Christ, lost in human plans, are not the only ones who resent proclaimers of the truth. Some brethren are like the Jews were. They are angry at a man ``that hath told you the truth'' (John 8:40). Shout baptism for the remission of sins and they applaud, but just whisper something against dancing as being lascivious and a work of the flesh for which souls will be lost, and they will thrust darts. Yes, preacher, condemn immorality and immodesty in general, but don't tell the congregation, specifically, that they cannot act, dress, and talk like their neighbors! You tell everyone, preacher, why we lay by in store only on the first day of the week, but don't let the brethren think you believe we must give as purposed and prospered, or you will soon become one who preaches ``for the money!'' Certainly, they say, ``watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry'' (II Tim. 4:5), but don't ``speak ... the gospel of God with much contention'' (I Thess. 2:2) the way Paul did. ``We ought to obey God rather than men'' (Acts 5:29) but advise the weak, avoid ``touchy'' subjects; don't speak ``all the words of this life'' (Acts 5:20), or ``all the counsel of God.'' Be resolute in your spurning of true trouble-makers, but ``Am I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?'' (Gal. 4:16). -- The Gospel Guardian, Vol. 19, No. 38, February 1, 1968 ___________________________________________ Be Sure Your Sins Will Find You Out by Dennis Tucker Recently I was sitting in the living room on a Saturday morning. Those readers with children know what that means. The children had some cartoon on that caught my interest. This one character was playing marbles with his friend and was losing. He decided to bring out the ``blue marble.'' Obviously the ``blue marble'' was supposed to be some kind of secret weapon. However, he then remembered he had loaned it to his sister. So he ran to retrieve the ``blue marble.'' His sister was playing in her room, and much to his grief, she could not find the ``blue marble'' due to the mess in her room. So they decided to clean up her room. They took all the toys in her room to the kitchen. Her room looked good, but now the kitchen was a mess. The mother was not pleased at all. She demanded they now clean up the kitchen. They did so by carrying the mess to the yard. Now dad was upset because he had to mow the yard. At that point, I had to leave the room and never got back to the cartoon. But it got me to thinking on different levels. My children have the same problem. They sometimes think cleaning up is simply taking the dirty clothes and putting them under the bed. Eventually, it catches up with them and then their mother is not happy. Just moving around the junk does not do any good. In order to do any good, junk needs to be thrown away, dirty clothes taken to the laundry room, and other things actually put in their proper place. There is also a spiritual application. Some people try to just shift around sin and never really deal with it. Some will try to move from one congregation to another without ever repenting or acknowledging their wrongs. Some will try to place the blame on everybody around them. Some will just try to hide the sin from public view, something like putting the dirty clothes under the bed. What needs to be done is personal correction. We cannot really hide our sins from God, ``be sure your sin will find you out'' (Numbers 32:23b). Either we will learn to handle sin or sin will handle us. It will make us unworthy to serve God; it will bring us into spiritual bondage (Romans 6:12); it will make us cowards in the presence of God. It is never right to sin but the real shame is staying in sin and just moving it around. ________________________________________ 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 ________________________________________