Author: Roberts, Tom

Being “thankful” to God is often spoken of as a “duty,” and “obligation.” While no objection can rightfully be registered to thanksgiving as such, we surely must not limit our understanding of it to this realm. One might as well think of watermelon as being composed only of rind, or of roses only of thorns if we fail to see the purely voluntary and “from-the-heart” side of thanksgiving. While duty and obligation define the obedient nature of the children of God, there is much more to our relationship to God than response to commands.

One aspect of Calvinistic doctrine is the three-fold error whereby it is taught that (1) Adam’s sin was transferred to mankind; (2) man’s sin was transferred to Christ; and (30) Christ’s personal righteousness was transferred to believers. None of these statements are true nor do they reflect accurately the Bible doctrine of “imputation.” In this article we will note the second of these errors and study the claim that the sins of mankind have been transferred to Christ.

Is it possible to have unity in doctrinal matters? It is increasingly proclaimed that we cannot all believe the same things and practice the same things in doctrine. Thus, the need for “unity in diversity.” What used to be a voice from ultra-liberalism has now become a common theme among more conservative brethren. “We cannot have unity in doctrine; the only unity we can have is unity in Christ.”

A “red flag” of warning should arise every time we hear some call for “unity in diversity.” Some have even said that the “only kind of unity is unity in diversity.” We need to be very sure we understand what this catch-phrase really means and how it is used.

It is not unusual these days to see a bumper sticker with some message indicating that the owner is an alumnus of some college, or member of a fraternal order or church group. Recently I saw one indicating that the driver of the car was an “ex-Ranger,” probably a past member of the Rangers baseball club. This triggered a thought about the possibility of forming an association, complete with bumper sticker, of those people who used to be members of the Lord’s church and calling it the “Ex-Christian Association.” Surely there are enough people around who qualify.

A basic fallacy in the current “unity movement” is a denial of what 2 John 9 teaches in limiting our tolerance of error. When one seeks to limit this passage to a single application (re: the nature of Jesus), it is but a short step into the “new unity movement.” And not a few seem to be taking that step!

Each preacher has a commitment to God to preach so as to please God whether it pleases the brethren or not (cf: the life of the prophets) and this is not negotiable. However, it is possible to abuse this prerogative and take advantage of brethren who agree in principle with this commitment but disagree with the application of it by an unwise preacher. The life of many a faithful preacher has been made hard by foolish ones who abuse the patience of good brethren by not using discretion toward responsibilities. Preachers should show good judgment in their work.

False teachers lead many astray and play upon friendship and the martyr-complex to win sympathy for their cause. Our answer is to insist upon scripture. Personal attacks and petulant outbursts are not sufficient — we demand nothing short of a “thus saith the Lord.”

To be sure, let us work at whatever business appeals to us to support our families, but let us also be busy for the Lord.

My brother, my sister, do you have hope for the future? If not, you need to read your Bibles. God put these stories in the Bible so that a “cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) will impart hope to us. They had their own time that tried their souls but they overcame by faith in God. Let us take cheer that we may also be able to overcome and join that elect band.

We need people who will make the world a better place in which to live. People who will make the church better. People who will make the family and nation better. We see by the fruit of good and evil which is the best course to follow. But there are so many wicked people around us that it is easier to give in and join them than rise to a nobler plane. Which will it be for you? “Be not overcome with evil but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

When we do something and do it right, God is glorified, we are edified and the lost are justified. It is of very little importance if some digressive brethren invent an unscriptural project and then label us as “do-nothing” because we don’t participate. We have enough to do with what the Lord gave us and have no time to come down to the “plains of Ono” to complicate matters.

My brother, you cannot maintain membership in the lodge and be in a right standing with your Lord. You can just as well be a member of a full-fledged denomination as you can the Masonic Lodge. One would be ridiculous indeed to attempt to hold membership in the Baptist, Methodist or Catholic church and at the same time claim membership in the church of Christ. Yet, with all seriousness, members of the church are known to attempt to hold membership in the lodge while claiming to be a Christian. It is not possible.

The work of evangelism can be a lonely task. Just as prophets of old had to stand alone and aloof from every obstacle to his work, so evangelists must be ready to “be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5). Yes, one must “study (give diligence) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary says of “conviction”: “The state or condition of being convinced or fully awakened to awareness” and “a doctrine or proposition which one firmly believes” and “a fixed belief.” This word stands in opposition to and different from the attitude of unbelief or compromise. I fear that the church of our Lord today is suffering from a lack of conviction.

Faithful Christians may publish a paper or engage in other activities because they “choose” to associate with others who have made the same choice, individually. Collectively, disciples may choose a congregation because of common beliefs. The choosing itself is not heretical because of the common faith that they share. All people make choices. But only those who choose to follow Jesus in the true sense can rightly escape the rightful condemnation of promoting a work of the flesh.

The next time you are called on to teach, think about this article and the truth it expresses. Think of the eternal good you will be doing. Train your children up in the way they should go. Take advantage of every opportunity to teach a class. Be willing to study and learn to teach. The things you put into young minds may very well be the exact things they remember when they grow older and, faced with a temptation, have to make a decision on which will hand their souls. There is a crying need for teachers.

Yes, there is a parking lot near a place remarkably like the place described in the Bible as “the place of the skull.” Busses and taxis come and go regularly as though unconcerned by the momentous events that brought eternal life to man. But it really doesn’t matter. Jerusalem isn’t holy any more, and parking lots cannot diminish from the holy events that took place nearby. Besides, Jesus isn’t buried in that tomb, even if it was the actual tomb occupied by our Lord. He is risen!

The Sea of Galilee is not holy anymore, but holy things happened on it and around it. It is still fascinating to visit for it has never moved, sitting in the same place where it was when Jesus walked on it and taught the multitudes around it. If you can visit Israel, be sure to include the Sea of Galilee. You will never read your Bible with more complete understanding than when you touch the waters of Galilee.

Let us never apologize for our dependence upon the Bible for our contact with God. Let us never back away from acknowledging that the Holy Spirit is active in our lives today. Yes, we are led by the Spirit of God and we rejoice that we have the living word of God, the sword of the Spirit, in our lives every day.