The Christian Ethic

By Thomas B. Warren
 
1. The Christian ethic is a revealed — not a speculative ethic.
2. The Christian ethic is a unified —not a self-contradictory one.
3. The Christian ethic is a metaphysical one.
4. The Christian ethic is an absolute ethic.
5. The Christian ethic is an ethic which recognizes the roles of (1) intrinsic and instrumental good (2) intrinsic and instrumental evil.
6. The Christian ethic is a religious ethic.
7. The Christian ethic is one which involves the thoughts of the mind (“heart”) as well as the deeds of the body.
8. The Christian ethic is one which involves the conscience of each individual person.
9. The Christian ethic is one of self-denial and self-sacrifice.
10. The Christian ethic is one vitally connected with the free will of man and with the responsibility which accompanies such freedom.
11. The Christian ethic is an ethic of social consciousness.
12. The Christian ethic is one of striving for perfection.
13. The Christian ethic is one of grace.
14. The Christian ethic is one of helpfulness (in the living of the Christian life) on the part of God.
15. The Christian ethic is one which involves love in both directions (from God to man and from man to God).
16. The Christian ethic is one of continued growth throughout life.
17. The Christian ethic is one of showing mercy and kindness to one’s fellowman.

- Thomas B. Warren (Deceased); Adapted & Abbreviated; via the Belvedere Beacon, the weekly bulletin of the Belvedere church of Christ, Belvedere, SC.  Ken Chumbley preaches for this congregation, and he may be contacted at their website: http://www.belvederechurchofchrist.org

 

Whose Preacher Are You?

    Last week we were blessed to visit with many dear family members and friends. One of the friends was Garrett, age 7. We have known Garrett since he was a baby. Ever since he started talking, Garrett has been known for his forthright way with words.
    Garrett goes to school with a friend named Zach. Zach has been to Bible class and worship with Garrett, but he generally finds other things on Sunday mornings a lot more fun. One Monday morning Garrett and Zach were riding to school together. Zach had gone hunting with his dad Sunday morning while Garrett and his family gathered with the church. Garrett informed Zach: “We’re supposed to want to go to heaven, and we learn about going to heaven in Bible class. I’m supposed to tell you about it. So there—I told you!”
    Why was it so important for Garrett to tell Zach and for you and me to tell others? “I’m Zach’s preacher,” Garrett told his parents one day. “What do you mean?” they asked. “Zach doesn’t go to church and have a preacher, so I’m his preacher.” Whose preacher are you?

    Risen from the dead, Jesus charged disciples: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (mark 16:15-16).
    Be someone’s preacher!

- via The Encourager, the weekly bulletin for the Calvert City church of Christ, Calvert City, KY.  Lance Cordle preaches for the congregation.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com (adapted)

Can We Interpret the Bible Differently?

By Tyler Boyd
     The existence of so many denominations and sects of those who claim to be “Christian” has led to a belief that the Bible can be interpreted differently. Is this a true statement? Can the Bible be interpreted differently?
     First we must understand that it is a truth that the Bible must be interpreted. But what does it mean to interpret the meaning? Does “interpret” mean to assign the meaning, or to learn the meaning? God has given us His word, and His word has a meaning. There is only one meaning to God’s word. There is “one faith” (Ephesians 4:5). Man does not have the authority to assign his own meaning to what God has said.
     It is impossible to interpret the Bible differently. It is possible for someone to interpret the Bible, and for someone else to “misinterpret” the Bible. But because God’s word has one true meaning, if two people disagree on the meaning, both cannot be correct. For example, it is a fact that the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl in 2007. If you were to say “the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl in 2007,” but I said, “the Chicago Bears won the Super Bowl in 2007” we could not both be correct. I would not be interpreting the game differently, but rather I would be misinterpreting the game.
     John 8:32 reads “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” From this verse we learn two facts. The word “truth” is singular; therefore there is only one truth. We also learn that the truth is something we can know. From the preceding verse we learn we can know the truth by abiding in His word. When we encounter difficult passages, we cannot simply assign our own meaning, but rather we study to understand the true meaning. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God…rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

- Tyler Boyd; via the weekly bulletin of the Harrisburg church of Christ in Harrisburg, IL.  You may visit their website at http://www.harrisburgchurchofchrist.org

The Value of Work

By Jerrie Barber
    Working is a part of God’s plan for man’s fulfillment and happiness.  After creating the world and making man of the dust, “the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (Gen. 2:15).  Paradise was not then nor is now a place of constant leisure and no responsibilities.
    Whether we are thinking of work by which we provide a living for our family or a task we do in the Lord’s service, there are some biblical principles that will help us.
1. Find a work suited for you.  Because of background, natural ability, education, experience, and interest, we do some things better than others.  “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Rom. 12:4-5).
2. Do your best.  Whether we are doing “church work” or whether we are on the job, we are working for the Lord.  “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23-24).
3. Schedule times of rest.  God set the example by resting on the seventh day after creating the world in six.  When the apostles had completed some work and reported to Jesus the results, Jesus said, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31).
4. Be training others to do your work.  It is no compliment to anyone’s effectiveness and leadership for any work to show a decline after he or she moves, is promoted, or retires.  Paul gave the principle to Timothy when he wrote, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:2).
5. Prepare for work in the future that will call for growth.  The challenging task of an elder is being addressed when Paul wrote to Timothy, “If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work” (1 Tim. 3:1).
    Work is designed by the Lord to be a blessing - not a curse.  How do you plan to be blessed in your work?
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10).

- Jerrie Barber; via the weekly bulletin of the Harrisburg church of Christ in Harrisburg, IL.  You may visit their website at http://www.harrisburgchurchofchrist.org

How to Convince the World that We are the People of God

By Franklin Camp

    Since the dawn of the Restoration, we have been trying to get the world to recognize us as the people of God. We have reminded them that “We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent.” This is a good slogan and is true to the scriptures.
    But what does the Bible say about convincing people that we are the disciples of Christ? Let Christ answer; “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35). Could this not be the main reason that we have not been able to convince the world that we are the people of God?
    Look at the situation in John 13. Christ is standing in the shadow of the cross. The disciples have been full of resentment toward one another. At times they had fought and quarreled about who would be the greatest, and were still doing so (see Luke 22:24). Such action might be expected from people of the world, but surely not from the Lord’s disciples. Christ knew that the difference in temperament and the jealousies which He had witnessed would alienate them from one another unless some powerful cohesive force was found to hold these in check. This mutual love would be a badge of discipleship and a foundation for unity. The disciples were ready to fight for a throne but not for a towel.
    The point here is clear and is of great value for us today, also. A lack of love for one another has caused too many in the church to fight for positions of recognition rather than places of service.
    Another thing to note in John 13 is that purity of faith by itself will not bring unity. The men to whom Christ gave this example and command would be infallible in their instructions, as they would be guided by the Holy Spirit and would not be subject to error in their teaching (cf. John 14:26; 16:13). Christ realized that infallible men in teaching, if lacking in love, would not be able to save or to convince the world that they were His disciples.
    So, another point for us to glean today is the reminder that if such as the disciples who were with Christ needed love for one another to insure unity, how much more do we today need it? Let us always endeavor to teach the truth, but also to practice brotherly love, for only this will convince the world that we truly are people of a loving God. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1).

- Franklin Camp (adapted by Edd Sterchi); via the weekly bulletin of the Harrisburg church of Christ in Harrisburg, IL.  You may visit their website at http://www.harrisburgchurchofchrist.org

God Answers Prayer

Someone once said that God answers our prayers one of four ways:
- If the request is wrong, God says, “No.”
- If the timing is wrong, God says, “Slow.”
- If your maturity is at the wrong level, God says, “Grow.”
- But if the request is right, the timing is right, and you are right, God says, “Go!”

- via the weekly bulletin of the Harrisburg church of Christ in Harrisburg, IL.  You may visit their website at http://www.harrisburgchurchofchrist.org

Standing for Our Faith

By Ancil Jenkins


     During World War II, as allied armies marched into Germany on their way to Berlin, retreating German soldiers often switched road signs and destroyed landmarks in an effort to confuse their enemy. And, to an extent, it worked, for many a GI followed a false marker only to end up in the wrong place. Also, today, those giving spiritual wrong directions are abundant. There is a need for godly people to challenge and oppose those giving incorrect directions.
     The book of Jude is one of the more obscure epistles to many. Though only one chapter, it contains powerful truths. Jude is a letter, written in response to teachers, who came along within the church and set up false markers, leading people astray by distorting the Christian faith. The result was that many were influenced to accept false doctrines and were led away from God.
     Jesus spoke of blind guides leading others into spiritual destruction (Mt. 23:14; 23:24). Sometimes it is ignorant teachers who lead others in the wrong way. Far more tragic are false teachers who know better and still lead some along the broad way.
     How are we to react to those who give wrong spiritual directions? Jude calls for us to “contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints”.
     To earnestly contend means to strive for, to struggle for the faith. Albert Barnes wrote, “The reference here, of course is only to contention by argument, by reasoning, by holding fast the principles of religion, and maintaining them against all opposers.” The tense of this participle in the Greek indicates we are to take a stand and to continue firmly against all opposition.
     All members of the Lord’s church should be able and willing to defend the truth of God. Situations often present themselves as opportunities to take a position consistent with God’s truth. We must defend the teaching of the Bible, not only on doctrine but also morality.
 - Ancil Jenkins; via The Encourager, the weekly bulletin for the Calvert City church of Christ, Calvert City, KY.  Lance Cordle preaches for the congregation.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

Emotional Residue

By Norman Bales

     The human mind is a strange thing. Recently, a thought popped into my mind while I was in the car. I have no idea what stimulated the thought, but I vividly recalled a childhood incident, one in which I was ashamed of my actions. The incident occurred more than fifty years ago, but I replayed the scene in my memory as vividly as if it took place yesterday. Some time later I ran across the phrase "emotional residue" in my reading. I thought that was a pretty good label to place on my not so pleasant trip down memory lane.
    Are your thoughts ever interrupted by emotional residue from the past? Most of us don't talk about it much, but it seems to be a common problem. Emotional residue is like a stain on your carpet. It's hard to get out. In my case, I learned that it still lurks somewhere in the recesses of my brain after a half century. It's not in the forefront of my consciousness everyday, but I'm amazed at how vivid a negative mental picture can be after the passage of a long period of time. Emotional residue is a potential happiness robber, a prospective relationship destroyer, and a latent family killer. While emotional residue may lie dormant for many years, if you stir it up, it can create havoc. When you start digging up the past, you bring a lot of baggage along with the event - feelings of guilt, inadequacy, failure, blame, projection and who knows what else.
    So what can you do about it?
    Deal with it. Stop trying to cover it up and pretend its not there. It's not going to leave if you ignore it. It's like the distant unemployed relative who shows up on your doorstep and eats your groceries while never contributing a dime to the food budget and then refuses to leave. You need to recognize the fact that those unwanted memories are messing up your mind and could damage. If it involves sin, you need to admit it and repent of it if you haven't already done so. The statute of limitations doesn't run out on sin. Time doesn't erase our sins, but God does. The Bible says, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8).
    Accept God's Forgiveness. Unfortunately, emotional residue crops up in the lives of people who have indeed repented and whose sins are covered by the blood of Christ. The problem lies in our unwillingness or inability to feel God's forgiveness. If he has forgiven you, why do you keep beating yourself over the head with it? Again John proclaims, "He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins" (1 John 1:9). And here's a word of encouragement to those who have never been able to totally feel forgiven. It is not necessary to feel forgiven in order to be forgiven. In 1 John 3:19-20, the apostle wrote, "This is how we know we belong to the truth, and how our hearts are set at rest in his presence, whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts and he knows everything." That was a tremendous encouragement to me when I was suddenly attacked by emotional residue.
    Get on with your life. Work on building healthy relationships. Work on developing wholesome character traits. Work on deepening your relationship with God. You are still a valued and worthwhile member of your family. Your family needs you. It's not a time to evade family responsibility. That emotional residue is probably a message from Satan designed to interfere with your family relationships. The event that produced the emotional residue must not be allowed to hinder your growth. It must not be allowed to drive a wedge between you and your spouse or between you and your children. You have worth in God's sight. Let him make something better out of you. None of us are sinless, but we are making progress toward a better time. Again John helps us out, "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2). 

- Norman Bales; via The Family Friend, a monthly newsletter published by the Calvert City church of Christ, Calvert City, KY.  It is an excellent resource for articles relating to the family.  To learn more consult the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

Five Ways To get Rid of Your Preacher!

By Chris Gallager

What does your congregations need to know about ways to get rid of their minister? Perhaps this list will help, help us to know how to really appreciate one another.

1.     Sit up front and smile. Say “Amen” every time he says something good. He will preach himself to death.
2.     Encourage him and tell him what a great job he is doing. He will work himself to death.
3.     Increase your attendance, giving, and participation. He will suffer from shock.
4.     Tell him that you want some names of people to go visit and help win souls to Christ. He will die of a heart attack.
5.     Have the whole congregation vow to pray for him. He will become so effective that a larger congregation
will take him off your hands.

- Larry Miles lives in Louisville, KY and publishes "Larry's Lines" several times a week. Copyright 2009. Visit his website: http://larryslines.com/ (adapted) 

Accepting Christ is Accepting the Word of Christ

By G. K. Wallace

     Only those who accepted the teachings of Christ while he was here in person accepted Christ. Likewise, all who come to Christ today must do so by the teachings and instructions by Him given. Christ draws all men through teaching (Jn. 6:44-45). When the apostles went out to preach the great commission they were thereby preaching Christ. This was the burden of all their discourses. The prophet said, “They shall all be taught of God” (Isa. 54:13). Therefore all who have been properly taught through the living oracles concerning Jesus of Nazareth, and have obeyed those words have come to Him.
    Christianity has never changed. Its laws and ordinances are still the same as they were in the first century. It is ridiculous, absurd and sectarian to talk to people about coming to Christ, and leave the impression that they can do so without doing what Jesus taught. To deny that baptism is a part of the grace of God is to deny the Bible. If baptism does not belong to the grace of God, it belongs to the grace of the devil. If you have been baptized, your baptism is either of the grace of God or the grace of the devil.
    Suppose you are sick and nigh unto death. Your beloved doctor diagnoses your case and tells you that he is positive he can be of assistance and affect a cure. You rejoice at hearing his words and then he picks up his pen and begins to write. You turn to him and ask, “What is that you're doing doctor?” The physician replies, “I am writing a prescription suited to your case which you should carefully take according to my instructions.”
    Then suppose you say, “Doctor, I can have nothing to do with your pills and powders. I believe in you! I want you personally, but your pills and powders can have no place in my life and cannot be a part nor a means of healing. My confidence is in you.”
    The physician would likely reply, “He that rejects my remedy, rejects me, and he that has no confidence in what I prescribe as a means of healing, has no confidence in me.” (cf. Jn. 12:48). The book of Acts was written to illustrate the laws of the kingdom of God and particularly those that relate to primary obedience. Such examples as the conversion of Saul and of the eunuch (Acts 22:16; 8:35-39) make the way of obedience so plain that no one but the most prejudiced can fail to understand what to do to be saved.
    It should be our custom today to preach with the same vigour and force that was characteristic of pioneer preachers of previous generations. Human nature has not changed and it will ever remain the same. The needs of man are the same and the answer to those needs were revealed in the word of God 2,000 years ago.
     As it did for the eunuch and Paul, the blood of Christ still cleanses men today who believe in Christ, (Jn. 8:24), repent of their sins, (Lk. 13:3), confess that faith, (Matt. 10:32; Rom. 10:10), and are baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38).

- G. K. Wallace (deceased); via the Belvedere Beacon, the weekly bulletin of the Belvedere church of Christ, Belvedere, SC.  Ken Chumbley preaches for this congregation, and he may be contacted at their website: http://www.belvederechurchofchrist.org

An Assured Heart

By Hugo McCord

Some commentators think the apostle John was extremely aged, about 85, when he wrote the five chapters of first John. But his heart was young and his confidence strong: “We know we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him.” (1 John 3:19.) This writer, at 73, has visited with brother John (in his epistle) and has learned of at least five reasons why John’s heart was assured.

I. Death Into Life
“We know that we have passed out of death into life.” (1 John 3:14.) A thrilling thought is the fact that, though we at one time were dead spiritually through “trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), when we obeyed the gospel God “made us alive” in Christ Jesus. Since that happy day each Christian rejoices to say, “Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

II. We are in Him.
“We know that we are in him” (1 John 2:5.) Since being without Christ is to have no promise, “having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12), what a glorious assurance it is to know we are “in Christ” in whom “every spiritual blessing” is placed. (Ephesians 1:3.) We rejoice also that the information is plain about the transition from without to within Christ, namely: “Baptized into Christ.” (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27.)

The Christian feels comfortable and assured in being so close to the Lord: “For in the day of trouble he will keep me secretly in his pavilion: In the covert of his tabernacle will he hide me…” (Psalm 27:5.)

Confidence is enhanced when one reads that a Christian’s life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3, and that a blessing is pronounced on those who “die in the Lord.” (Revelation 14:13.)

III. He Abideth in Us.
“We know that he abideth in us.” (1 John 3:24.) Here is a thrilling turnabout! Great is the mystery of godliness! John not only affirmed that we are in the Lord, but now he has asserted that God is in us! This exalted thought no human is able to comprehend. At one and the same time God is in us and we are in him. How honored we are, and what a feeling of protection is ours!

It gives a Christian an assured heart to be able to say, “Jehovah is on my side; I will not fear: What can man do unto me?” (Psalm 118:6)

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31.) Imperfect and sinful though all of us are, how a pure and holy God could descend to dwell in us we do not know, but that he does lifts our courage and spirit.

IV. He Heareth Us.
“We know that he heareth us.” (1 John 5:15.) Not only are we unworthy to be in the Lord, and unworthy that he should live in us, but now we discover he is willing to listen! Moreover, he does not want us to approach him in fear: “this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.” (I John 5:14.) No Matter if millions talk to him at the same time, there is a private line for each one. Nobody ever gets the busy signal. Furthermore, he is on a 24-hour shift: “he that keepeth thee will not slumber.” (Psalm 121:3.)

V. Eternal Life.
“These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13.) All normal people have “eternity in their heart by divine implantation (Ecclesiastes 3:11.) Normal people do not want to become extinct, for life is sweet. They yearn for immortality. Divine assurance of an unending life in a better world than this gives us “strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us: which we have as an anchor for the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast.” (Hebrews 6:18, 19.) “This is the promise which he promised us, even eternal life,” and we rejoice that “the Lord is not slack concerning his promise.” (1 John 2:25; 2 Peter 3:9.)

Conclusion.
The strong assurances lifting the heart of the aged John were, wrote John, conditional. They can only be enjoyed “if we keep his commandments.” (1 John 2:3.) “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:4.) However, he who does what a loving God asks (his commandments are not grievous,” 1 John 5:3) has nothing but a happy hope for the future life. John’s assurances make him bold and fearless, readying him for the “day of judgment.” (1 John 4:18.) “Fear hath punishment.” (1 John 4:18.) He who is scared is not keeping God’s commandments.

- Hugo McCord (Reprinted from Gospel Advocate, January 3, 1985); via The Encourager, the weekly bulletin for the Calvert City church of Christ, Calvert City, KY. Lance Cordle preaches for the congregation. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

Two Facets of An Elder’s Work

By Jim Bill McInteer

“The elders are the undershepherds to watch over and feed the flock. In accepting the work the elders bring themselves under the most solemn and sacred obligations possible to men to guard and maintain the honor of God, to keep his teaching and his service pure from all innovations of men.

As shepherds and teachers of the flock, they assume the most sacred and solemn obligations to the flock to feed the flock with the pure milk of the word of God, that by this they may grow; to guard against all teachings and practices that rest on human authority as vitiating the service of God and defiling the spiritual nature of the taught, and cutting them off from the blessings of God, which come to men only through the appointments of God unmixed with human inventions and traditions. A sadder perversion of a sacred trust is never seen than when elders and teachers forget the sanctity of their obligations both to God and his church, and, as his trusted servants and chosen teachers, encourage the introduction into his service of practices not authorized of God, so destroying his authority as lawgiver, and, as a consequence, hurtful and poisonous to the spiritual nature of men.” (David Lipscomb, Commentary on 1 Timothy, p. 309, and cited by William Woodson)

******

Across this land I pray with my brethren in public assembly. One petition I notice repetitiously—and it’s not “choose our changes,” “guide, guard, and direct us,” “if we have been found faithful, save us without the loss of one,” “help us to partake of this loaf/cup in a manner well-pleasing in thy sight,” “give him a ready recollection,” nor is it “bless all those for whom it is our duty to pray.” It is this: “Lord, bless our elders and help them make wise decisions!”

What does that say to you? Are the elders a formulating board? Is their duty almost exclusively as an assembled body?

Somehow it leaves me cold… “Help them make decisions.” “Let them say yes to the right letter.” “Let them decide best about the size of the directory.” Is that their job? I want an elder, not a board. I want a godly, praying, thoughtful, sensitive man. I want one to come to me when I’m weak, sick, strong, successful, bewildered. I want a leader in the church who will share his strength with me.

“Help them make the right decisions.” Really? I want a brother who helps make me right in the holy sight of God. That’s my prayer!

- Jim Bill McInteer; via The Encourager, the weekly bulletin for the Calvert City church of Christ, Calvert City, KY. Lance Cordle preaches for the congregation. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

Soft-Pedal Journalism

By Foy E. Wallace, Jr.

Personalities in journalism, which means naming teachers of error along with systems of error, are not any violation of “courageous, dignified religious journalism.” Naming the men who teach error and practice deception in religion, even in the church, “can be done in a courteous and Christian manner,” but it should be done.

To talk and write of courageous, dignified, courteous methods of religious journalism is to deal only in broad generalities. For some of our old landmarks as gospel papers to recede from former drastic policies and retreat behind the verbiage of carefully worked resolutions of editorial committees to restrain the power of pens, is a keen disappointment to many of us who have looked to these papers to take the lead in a major fight, without generalities, relentless offensives against false movements and the men who promote them.

Whether some “temptation or scheme of intimidation” has “seduced” and “provoked” the editors and publishers to modify policies we cannot say, but it is obvious that something has caused them to seek retrenchment. Our only point here is that it is no time to be saying pretty platitudes and dealing in generalities. We are in a fight for the truth and the cannon fire cannot cease until the enemies of the church stack arms.

Calling names of false teachers and their aides and sympathizer is neither undignified nor discourteous, because Paul did it, and he was courteous, dignified and educated. He said. Demas forsook me having loved this: present world.” It was hard on Demas for Paul to say that publicly. He should have taken that up with, Demas privately' Again he said that Hymenaeus and Philetus had shipwrecked their faith and were overthrowing the faith of -others by their theory of the resurrection and he wrote it down in the New Testament (a rather dignified book) that he had turned those brethren of his over to Satan. He clashed with Barnabas upon one occasion and withstood Peter to his face and rebuked him publicly. Neither incident mined the church, nor marred the dignity of the New Testament. He further said that Alexander the coppersmith did him much evil and declared that the Lord would reward him for what he did. Paul did not seem to covet the kind of reward he intimated Alexander would get. He told a perverter of the truth one time that he was full of guile and villainy, called him a son of the devil, and asked him if he ever intended to quit perverting the way of the Lord. When a paper develops better manners than the New Testament and a preacher becomes more dignified than the apostles, neither is worth anything to the defense of the truth nor to the cause of Christ.

- Foy E. Wallace, Jr. (deceased); via the Belvedere Beacon, the weekly bulletin of the Belvedere church of Christ, Belvedere, SC. Ken Chumbley preaches for this congregation, and he may be contacted at their website: http://www.belvederechurchofchrist.org