Giving Meaning to Six Seven

A member here has been begging me to give a sermon on the popular phrase “six seven” heard among many youngsters. I’m always up for a challenge, but since my sermon times here have ended, I decided to write a bulletin article on it.

Just in case you are not familiar with the popular trend, “6 7” (pronounced “six-seven”) is a viral, nonsensical slang term and internet meme popular with Gen Alpha. It has no fixed or literal meaning, often used just to confuse adults, answer random questions, or act as a playful inside joke. It is often paired with moving palms up and down in an alternating “so-so” or “maybe” motion.

When it first became popular, our youth would speak and act it out in front of me just to watch my befuddled reaction. They took joy in my frustration that it has no meaning whatsoever. Well, I’m here to change that. Let’s use the Bible and give “six seven” some sense instead of senselessness. The next time someone mischievously or lightheartedly uses the phrase in front of you, why not respond, “Well, the book of Galatians gives some real meaning to six seven.” Then quote or show them Galatians 6:7 which states, “for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

The emphasis of this verse is that every action has results and consequences. In fact, the very next verse in Galatians 6 notes, “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (v.8). “Six seven” to the Christian can be a reminder that our life has meaning and purpose and that we need to do things with eternity in mind. It can also be an admonishment that we need to be sowing seeds that will reap the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23).

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6)

- Edd Sterchi

God’s Divine Institution

In the first 4 chapters of Ephesians, the Lord’s apostle (Paul) gives some brief attention to a divine institution called the church, the church that belongs to Jesus. There are some today who speak of the importance of the church, but not in the same way the New Testament does. They speak of the importance of attendance but only in respect to “attend the church of your choice.” 

The importance of the church in the New Testament is great. In Ephesians 4:11-16, we receive guidance from the Holy Spirit concerning a significant function of the local church. The Lord gave gifts unto those He chose for the purpose of building up the body of Christ, the church (1:22-23). Those who received gifts of the Holy Spirit are men in positions of leadership and responsibility. They had significant roles in the church to teach (4:11), with the immediate goal of edification (4:12), teaching the brethren to pattern themselves after the Lord Jesus (4:13-15). The corresponding result of that teaching would be (and is) glory to God (4:16). 

The elders (also known as bishops / pastors / presbyters) of the Lord’s local church of Christ needs to give attention to those within, not to those outside. This is an important point to emphasize. There are many “policemen” in the brotherhood who seek to point out the failings of others (individuals and churches). Their benefit to the Lord and the brethren is minimal, if any exist at all. Probably, it is more accurate to say they cause more harm than good. Those who are part of this “policemen posse” refuse to see themselves as the problem but instead see themselves as “sound brethren” (or “faithful brethren”) faithful to the Lord in all respects seeking to thin out the chaff (as they determine it).

Many in the secular community don’t fail to see this arrogant and holier-than-thou approach. Some even respond with something like this: “There they go! Fighting again! I’m glad I am not a member of that church!” (note the exclamation marks)

Within the local church, let us give attention to the Lord, His Word, and how each of us within that body can better serve the Lord and each other, as we remember the two great commandments of the Lord (Matthew 22:34-40). Remember, furthermore, there are some in the world and brotherhood who seek the local church’s impairment. Give them no attention, but serve the Lord faithfully in action, worship, understanding His will (cf. 1 Cor. 15:58).

“Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17, ASV). RT

The Flood Sand Dunes

Words of Wisdom and each ended with: John T. Polk ll www.johntpolkll.com 

“For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water” (2 Peter 3:5 NKJV). People treat the world-wide flood in Noah’s day (Genesis 6-9) as a local flood. About one-fourth of the western part of the State of Nebraska has grass-held sand dunes, some over 300 feet high, known as the Sand Hills. It can only be explained as sediment from a great flood. Since there is no ocean nearby to explain this huge beach in the middle of dry land, a person must “willfully forget” about the flood in Noah’s day. It is explained by fantasy “billion-year Evolution,” faith in God. Facts are with faith!

Vanity of Vanities

“‘Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher, ‘Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.’ What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun? A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever” (Eccl. 1:2-4).

What is this life? That is the fundamental question asked in the Book of Ecclesiastes, which leads the reader through a series of inquiries dealing with the absolute emptiness of this existence. A season comes and a season goes. A man dies, a child is born. The rain falls down, flows to the sea, and once more returns to the clouds. What is the point behind all of it? Naturally, that question would mean nothing for an atheist that does not believe in God. “The mysteries of the world which meet man as a moral being remain, under this view of the world (atheism or pantheism), altogether without solution. For the moral order of the world presupposes an absolutely good being, from whom it has proceeded, and who sustains it” (Keil and Delitzsch. Commentary On The Old Testament. Vol. 6, 179).

The atheist is confronted with a problem that is not solvable: what is the point behind it all? If we are to believe that there is no God, no afterlife, and no spiritual existence, then we are all just animals on this insignificant planet flying through space.

The difference between believing in God and not is that when we have something meaningful to believe in, it gives us purpose. If God does not exist, then why be nice to anybody? Why not simply steal, obey our animal instincts, and do whatever we can to survive? Atheism makes all of our meaningful pursuits meaningless. Whether or not God exists, monuments are torn down, headstones crumble, and our names will disappear. If there is a God, then we have something more to look forward to than decaying in the ground.

“Vanity of vanities” is a phrase used to signify something with absolutely no point behind it: it serves no greater purpose. Vine describes it as “emptiness as to results,” like the way a man works in Ecclesiastes. “What advantage does man have in all his work which he does under the sun?” (1:3). When we think about how much we have to work in this world, and how little we end up receiving from it, all we can say is “Vanity!”

Indeed, since the sin of Adam mankind has had to toil for his food (Gen. 3:17-19). For an entire season, a person may work in the field, and it may take months for a plant to mature and yield fruit. But all it takes is a few moments to eat that fruit and a pestilence or swarm of locusts can destroy a year’s supply of food in a day. So much work for nothing!

When confronted with such vanities, it is tempting to lose heart and consider ourselves hopeless. Yet we are given hope, even in the midst of such downright sadness. We need to realize the point being made by Solomon. He was a man with so much wealth and wisdom that he thought he could answer the age old question: how can I be fulfilled in this world? Only after so many years of exploration and experimentation did he finally realize that the only answer is that there is no fulfillment in this world. He could not be happy with wealth, knowledge, sex, alcohol, monuments, or power. We can only be happy seeking our true purpose.

“The conclusion, when all has been heard is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person” (Eccl. 12:13).

Paolo Di Luca (Bridge Street Church of Christ; New Martinsville WV)

Eat the Scroll

Ezekiel 3:10–11

Most of us have had a moment when we knew exactly what God wanted us to do, and we still hesitated. Not because we didn’t believe him. Because we didn’t feel ready.

That’s where Ezekiel found himself. God gave him a vision of a scroll, and on it were written words of lamentation and mourning and woe. Then God told him to eat it. Not read it. Eat it. “Feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it” (Ezekiel 3:3, ESV). Ezekiel obeyed, and the scroll was sweet as honey in his mouth. But the message inside it was bitter. It was a warning of judgment for a people who had turned away from God, and Ezekiel had to carry it in his own body before he ever spoke a word of it.

Here’s what makes this different from a simple call to obedience. God wasn’t just handing Ezekiel information. He was asking him to know this message in his heart and feel the weight of it in his gut, and only then to speak it faithfully, whether anyone wanted to hear it or not. “Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears… and speak to them… whether they hear or refuse to hear” (Ezekiel 3:10–11, ESV). The people Ezekiel was sent to were stubborn and rebellious. This was never going to be an easy assignment.

If we’re being honest, most of us have felt the weight of that same tension. We know someone who needs to hear something true, and we know it might not be received well. So we stay quiet. We tell ourselves we’re not the right person, that we don’t have the words, that someone else is better equipped for this kind of thing.

But notice what Ezekiel didn’t have going into this. He didn’t have a strategy. He didn’t have confidence in his own strength. What he had was the word of God inside him and the power of God’s Spirit lifting him up to stand and speak. That’s still how it works. God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.

You don’t need a specific skill to serve him. You don’t need a title or a platform. Paul put it simply: we’re called to present ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship (Romans 12:1). That’s it. He’s the one doing the work through you.

This doesn’t have to be a planned event or a difficult conversation you’ve been dreading. It can be as simple as answering honestly the next time a coworker asks why you go to church, or telling a neighbor going through something hard how Jesus has actually shown up in your life this year.

Jesus said to go and make disciples, teaching them everything he commanded (Matthew 28:19–20). He didn’t say to wait until it felt comfortable. The scroll is still sitting in front of us. The only question is whether we’re willing to eat it.

Jeff Arnette

The Church is Not Swayed By Society

“You need to get with the times.” Such words are often meant as a rebuke: you are old-fashioned, out of step, or unwilling to accept society’s changing standards. That pressure does not stop at the church door. Culture regularly urges Christians to revise their beliefs, soften difficult teachings, and treat popular opinion as the final authority. Yet Scripture calls the church to a different path. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind.” God’s Word, not society, must shape the church. 

The Bible repeatedly shows the danger of wanting to be like everyone else. In 1 Samuel 8, Israel demanded a king “like all the nations.” Though warned that a king would take their sons, daughters, land, and wealth, they refused to listen. Their desire to imitate surrounding nations became a rejection of God’s rule. During Samson’s time, Israel had become so comfortable under Philistine domination that its people tried to restrain the man God raised up to begin their deliverance (Judges 13:5; 15:7–12). Later, idolatry brought devastating consequences because God’s people adopted the practices of their neighbors.

Christians are likewise called to remain distinct. Second Corinthians 6 contrasts righteousness with lawlessness, light with darkness, and the temple of God with idols. Separation from worldly values does not mean withdrawing from people or behaving with hostility. It means refusing to let sin become normal simply because society approves it. 

We cannot love the world’s rebellious ways and love the Father at the same time (1 John 2:15). The church must do more than resist culture; it must influence culture for good. Jesus calls His disciples the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13–16). Salt changes what it touches, and light is visibly different from darkness. Our distinctiveness is not intended to draw attention to ourselves, but to lead others to glorify God. 

That influence is expressed in everyday conduct. Paul urges believers to live quietly, mind their own affairs, work faithfully, and behave properly toward outsiders (1 Thessalonians 4:9–12). Our speech should be gracious and wise, and our lives should be honorable even among those who disagree with us (Colossians 4:5–6; 1 Peter 2:11–12). 

Customs differ across places and generations, but culture never outranks Scripture. God calls His people out of the world so they can become a holy influence within it. The church is right not to be swayed by society. Instead, it must be shaped by Christ, governed by His Word, and faithful as salt and light. The question for each of us is simple: Are we being conformed to the world, or transformed into the likeness of Jesus? — Dale J. Babinsky

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC—NOT IN THE EARLY CHURCH

Early in my ministry a new couple visited our congregation, and as soon as they were seated, I saw her pointing to the front, and they immediately left.  There was nothing up front that was odd, but it was obviously the absence of what she thought ought to have been there—a piano or organ 

 While the Jews in the Old Testament  used instruments in the worship, they are absent from Christian worship in the New Testament, though “sing” and “singing” are found seven times.  The playing on an instrument in worship, however, is not found.  Bear in mind that Jesus commissioned His apostles to teach the baptized to “observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).  Old Testament rites were then obsolete, and the words of Christ and His apostles took their place—so, no more animal sacrifice, burning of incense, and instrumental music.  By Christ’s authority, the apostle Paul instructed Christians, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).  The melody God desires is in our hearts, not in our instruments.  The words that we sing vocally must be accompanied by the instrument of our hearts.  It is as Jesus defined the ’true worshipper’  as the one that shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such hto worship him,  God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24).  “In spirit” goes beyond what comes from our lips to what comes from our hearts, and “in truth” denotes worship in harmony with the truth of His word, as Jesus defined it in His prayer in for His followers the garden of Gethsemane: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth> (John 17:17).  As Paul defined such truth to the young evangelist Timothy, he pointed him to the word of God, saying, “All scripture is inspired of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteous ness, that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). 

The New Testament scriptures , while giving examples of singing, it is silent on any instruments used in worship.  Early Christian writers stood unanimously anti-instrument,  With a computer, one can “Search” for “Instrumental music not in Christian worship” and read quotes from such writers of those days in defense of singing while opposing instruments.  Historically, churches sang acapella, meaning {“as in the chapel or church’.  It was several hundred years before churches introduced an instrument.  Even in The Reformation Movement, denominational ministers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin spoke out for acapella singing alone.  As denominations have liberalized, fhey drifted from the scriptures to make their services more entertaining with instruments. 

The issue is apparent.  Should churches decide what they like to please themselves, or to please God by following the Bible?  When Jesus prayed to the Father, saying “Thy word is truth.” He was reminding us that truth is determined by God, not to determine it by our preferences.   

–Ron Bartanen