Devouring Yourselves

By Joe Chesser
 
    Have you ever done something pretty dumb and thought to yourself that you are glad no one had a camera to record your stupidity?  Well, I remember some time ago Brenda Dufour, a good friend who lives in Louisiana, sent me several pictures of some very ridiculous things caught by a camera.  Things like a man hosing his car in a downpour, a purse and a bag of groceries on top of a car going down the street, a plastic coffee thermos melted on top of a gas burner, a truck headfirst in the water on a boat ramp with the boat hooked behind it still on shore, and a lineman working on top of a telephone pole with a tornado in plain view right behind him.
    But the one that most caught my attention was a picture of a snake coiled around swallowing his own tail!  There must have been 4-5 inches already down his throat!  Devouring yourself alive is about as dumb as it gets.  Yet, that’s what people all around us are doing to each other all the time.  And worse yet is when we do it to each other!
    Paul warned us about this in Galatians 5.  In the context of urging the church to live differently from the rest of the world, to live by the Spirit and not by the desires of the flesh, he said: “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:15).  The picture of the snake is clear evidence of just how foolish it is to try to destroy each other by destructive words and actions.  It’s certainly not the way of the Spirit!
    Paul reminded the Galatians that God expects Christians to practice the law of love towards each other. To “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14) is the summation of the entire law in a single command.  This means to treat others as God would treat them, with kind words and deeds that build them up.  Anyone can curse and swear and criticize and complain.  Anyone can rip other people apart.  That comes naturally because we all are born with the sinful nature.  But for those who want to rise above that, for those who are born of the Spirit, practicing the law of love becomes their new nature.  Instead of living immorally and filled with hatred and selfish ambition, those born of the Spirit allow the Spirit to fill them with something far better – love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:19-24). There is no place in the fruit of the Spirit for words and actions that bite and devour each other.
    It may be natural for snakes to swallow themselves.  I really don’t know much about that.  But I do know it’s not natural for Christians to destroy each other.  I’ve seen far too much of that in my lifetime.  I’ve even participated in it, to my shame.  However, it’s time for us all to put that behind us and from now on to treat each other with love! 

- Joe Chesser preaches for the Fruitland Church of Christ, Fruitland, MO.  He may be contacted at joeandareva@yahoo.com

An Introduction to Galatians

By Jeff Arnette

    The book of Galatians is a challenging and powerful book. Written by the apostle Paul early in his ministry (around 49-50 AD), it reveals one of the first serious doctrinal struggles in the church. The main issue at stake was legalism vs. grace.
    This letter is surprisingly relevant to the church and its struggles today. Some of the greatest misunderstandings are connected to how and when a person is saved from their sins. Everyone seems to believe they can live and act however they want and still be saved. Paul makes it clear that salvation is only found in trusting in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:6-10). Trusting in anything else will not work and might make things worse.
    The problem in Galatia was false teachers who had infiltrated the church and begun to convince them that Paul was not really an apostle and the gospel he preached was not good enough. They insisted that all Gentile Christians had to come under the Law of Moses and submit to keeping the rules like circumcision. This push to return to a faith of keeping the rules called into question the very essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
    Paul had nothing but strong words for these false teachers and any Galatian Christian who would agree to return to legalism. He called it “desertion” (Gal. 1:6) and turning to a “different gospel”. In Galatians 2:4, he said that returning to a law system and agreeing to circumcision would be no different than agreeing to being enslaved. It would mean that you are “severed” from Christ (Gal. 5:4) and have “fallen away from grace.” Making the point even stronger, he pronounced a “curse” (Gr. anathema, Gal. 1:9) on anyone who would trust in or teach a gospel that was different.
    For this reason, Galatians is a foundational letter in the New Testament that has radically affect all who seriously study it with humility and a desire to learn. It was a favorite of Martin Luther who called it “his dear epistle… and his wife” and credited it with his own salvation.
    Throughout the letter, Paul draws our attention to the contrast between the two modes of salvation. It is important that you know about these contrasts because they help us understand his theology in Galatians.
    He contrasts flesh versus Spirit; works of the law versus faith and promise; the curse versus the inheritance; slavery versus freedom; Hagar versus Sarah (slave versus free); the old Jerusalem and Mt. Sinai versus the new Jerusalem from above; Ishmael versus Isaac; being under the law versus being led by the Spirit; and lastly, the works of the flesh versus the fruits of the Spirit.
    So, what can we learn from this great book?
    First, it is foolish to turn away from faith in Jesus to try to be good enough, to keep the rules, and depend upon our own effort before God.
    Second, faith is more important than rule-keeping! Abraham was counted righteous before the law, before the need to be good enough, and that is what we want and need. Circumcision, also representative of the law of Moses, was not even an issue for Abraham when God called him righteous (Rom. 4:3-4).
    Lastly, this book teaches us that faith in Jesus gives us new life, a new faith, and a new and better way to be saved before God.

 - Jeff Arnette preaches for the Central Haywood church of Christ, Clyde, NC.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://centralhaywoodcoc.com/

Can We Do More?

By Bill Brandstatter

    Often some Christians feel bad because they are not able to do more for the church. Certainly, there are times when, as individuals, we need to do more. That may include inviting others, encouraging others, attending Bible classes and worship, praying more for others. Sometimes phone calls, visits, or notes are great ways to help others to live better, be more faithful, and be encouraged. Others sometimes see the church in decline, or they notice more needs to be done. Sometimes we ask, “Can we do more?” The answer is YES; but to what extent is this possible?
    Everybody is not the same. Paul indicates in Romans 12:4 that every person in the body has a different function. God expects us to do what our function is to do. Paul told Timothy, “Do the work of an evangelist.” Timothy had work to do. I am not expected by God to do what others are more capable of doing. God expects me to do what I can with the ability I have (1 Pet. 4:11).
    Everybody can do something. In Mark chapter 14, a woman with an alabaster box did something. She was criticized for not doing more. Jesus said, “She has done what she could do.” (vs. 8) Notice Jesus did not expect her to do what the critics mentioned. Mark records, “They criticized her sharply.” (vs. 5) We don't know the reason that she couldn't do more; but, Jesus accepted what she did and praised her for it. Sometimes people don't do anything because of criticism. Like the woman in our text, others will look at the work that ought to be done and criticize. Perhaps some think that their work is to criticize others. Because of criticism or the possibility of it, some people won't do what they ought to be doing (John 12:42, 43). Let us not be criticizers, but encouragers and exhorters.
    Everybody has reasons they can't do more. Sometimes time constraints prevent a person from doing more. A mother with children is constrained by time. God expects a mother to take care of the home, her husband and her children. (If she can do more that is great.) Many women do, but not all are able to. When Paul stated that a woman would be saved in her childbearing, he simply meant that a mother has a place that is important to God. (1 Tim. 2:15)
    In our day, there may be times a person can't do more because of health, transportation, or situations. They can only do a certain amount. We should not be critical of those who can't do more, but rather encourage them in whatever area they are serving.
    Everybody has a responsibility to do something for the Lord. Perhaps all I can do is make a phone call. Others may be able to send a card. The Lord only expects me to do what I can. Certainly not everyone can preach or teach a Bible class. Some can't lead singing. Others can't teach a children's class. Everybody can do something, however. We need to find our niche in the local congregation and then do it to the best of our ability. We are not perfect. We will make mistakes. Christianity and service both involve growth, however. (2 Pet. 3:18)
    Everybody needs to try to do more. In Heb. 5:12, there is mentioned individuals that should have grown in their Christianity. They should have been teachers; but they had never gotten to that point. The writer indicates they needed to be taught again the first principles. The implication here is that they should have grown more than they did. We can try to do more. We can talk to more people about the salvation found only in Christ. We can send a card or make a phone call. We can say an encouraging word. We often put ourselves in a comfort zone and never leave. All of us need to look within and ask ourselves if we have grown. If we can do more, we should. If we are at the same place we were when we became a Christian, we need to grow. Everybody can do something.

- Bill Brandstatter preaches for the Marion Church of Christ in Marion, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://marionchurchofchrist.com/

I Can’t Hear You!

By Jim Faughn

    We’ve all seen it. Some of us have done it. It seems that some of us are still doing it.
    When a small child is doing it, those of us who are older seem to have two reactions. On the one hand, we “chalk it up” to immaturity. At the same time, we hope that, with proper discipline (including instruction, training, and appropriate punishment), the behavior will become a thing of the past.
    For some, the exact behavior may, indeed, become a thing of the past. Unfortunately, for others, the attitude that the behavior represents is never outgrown. Many seem to exhibit the same attitude throughout their entire lives.
    What is the “it” that I’m thinking about?
    “It” is that child with fingers firmly placed in each ear and yelling loudly. What he/she may be yelling may merely be noise –any noise –or it may actually be verbalized. Whether or not the message is verbalized, it is clear. That (ok, I’m going to say it) spoiled brat is sending the message loudly and clearly, “I can’t hear you!”
    The truth is a little different from that. In actuality, that child does not want to hear anything from anybody else. That is especially true if they know that what they are shutting out is anything with which they would disagree or (horrors of horrors) which would correct them.
    As I suggested earlier, it seems to me that some of us never totally outgrow this. While it would look a little ridiculous for an adult to walk around with fingers stuck in our ears and yelling, we may be guilty of doing things that have the same results.
    A somewhat modern term comes to mind. That term is “echo chamber.” An older term that means somewhat the same thing is “clique.”
    The idea is that people associate exclusively, or at least primarily, with people who meet their standards, have the same interests, and who are usually about the same age. There is one more criterion that is of utmost importance. All of these people absolutely must agree on everything.
    The people in the “echo chamber” rely on the same sources for news (and opinions about that news). They are members of the same groups. Those groups may be “in real life” or some sort of “virtual group” on social media. Their conversations are not really conversations during which an exchange of ideas takes place. Instead, they more closely resemble a piece of music in which the same message is “sung” in different “parts.” The ones who are responsible for the music may congratulate themselves on the beautiful harmony and may even express a desire that everybody could experience the joy and unity they feel as they “sing their way through life.”
    What if somebody tries? What if somebody outside the group actually wishes to join in? What if they are slightly off key? What if one of the members of the original group actually begins to sing his or her own tune by having an idea, a viewpoint, a technique, etc. that may differ slightly (or more than slightly) with the other people in the echo chamber? What if somebody “on the outside” actually has the nerve to suggest that the mutually held idea(s) within the echo chamber could be wrong?
    I’m guessing that, at that point, figurative fingers will go into figurative ears. It may even be that figurative eyes could be closed. After all, isn’t that also one of the techniques used by those kids who “don’t want to hear it?” Don’t they want to shut out everything that is unpleasant and hear their own voices?
    If I choose to only be around people who think just like me, I may be setting myself up for some real heartache. The number of voices in the echo chamber may start to diminish. It may be that, when I open my eyes, I will discover that I am all alone and that everybody I know has chosen not to hear me!

- Jim Faughn, a retired preacher, serves as an elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org  From A Legacy of Faith blog

The Mission

By David A. Sargent

    David Urey was desperate.  He, his wife, and their son were involved in an automobile accident in West Virginia.  Urey suffered only minor injuries but his son suffered a concussion and his wife had a broken back and a severe scalp injury.  Mrs. Urey was also in her fifth month of pregnancy.
     A surgeon at Grant Memorial Hospital in Petersburg, WV, told Urey he could perform basic surgery to keep his wife alive, but she needed to see a neurosurgeon as soon as possible.  The closest one was 150 miles away at Georgetown Hospital, and Urey’s wife would probably not survive if transported by ambulance, the doctor said.
     Searching for a helicopter to airlift his wife to D.C., in desperation Urey called the White House.  He was able to explain his situation to Gen. James Hughes, President Richard Nixon’s military aide.  Gen. Hughes called Lt. Col. Abe Wolson to see if the President’s helicopter could make the round trip to WV and back to Georgetown Hospital so Urey’s wife could have the life-saving neurosurgery.  Lt. Col. Wolson said that the flight was possible so the order was given.
     The rescue mission was successfully completed.  “The outcome was that Brian, their son, fully recovered from his head injury in a few weeks.  Mrs. Urey gave birth to a normal baby boy and she eventually recovered,” Wolson said proudly. *
     Because of our sins, we were in a fatal condition, unable to save ourselves, and desperately in need of rescue (Romans 6:23).
     Although our sins are an offense to Him, God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to rescue us.  This divine rescue mission would demand that Jesus give His life to pay the price for our redemption from sin (1 Peter 1:18-19).  Jesus willingly laid down His life for our salvation, so that we might live (John 10:17-18).
     God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn away from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).
     The Apostle Paul extolled the glory of this rescue mission as he opened a letter to Christians in Galatia: “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Galatians 1:3-5).
     Jesus came to rescue YOU.  He will save you, if you will only accept His offer on His terms.

- David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled "Living Water." To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org

* Information gleaned from “Abe Wolson recalls one mission worth 20 years of service” by Don Moore in www.donmooreswartales.com.

Too Deep

By Clifton Angel

    It is very frightening to be too deep. I may desire to go deep-sea fishing, but I do not desire to go deep-sea swimming. It is too deep. I may desire to go on a guided tour in a cave, but I do not desire to enter a cave alone and unguided. It is too deep. I love to observe the beauty of deep outer space (e.g., the stars), but I would never want to be in deep outer space. It is too deep. Depth or deepness causes fear for us in many situations in our lives, but I want us to see five things that are too deep, which actually bring assurance instead of anxiety; comfort instead of concern; fulfillment instead of fear.
    The first four come from Romans 11:33. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" From this passage, we are reminded of the vast depths of God’s wisdom (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:19–21; James 3:17; James 1:5–7), God’s knowledge (cf. Psalm 139:1–6), God’s judgments (Psalm 119:7, 13, 20, 30, 39, 43, 52, 62, 66, 75, 84, 102, 106, 108, 120–121, 137, 149, 156, 160, 164, 175), and God’s ways (Psalm 25:4; 119:3, 15; 128:1; 145:17). Truly these aspects of God are too deep for us to fully comprehend, yet these should bring comfort instead of fear. Furthermore, we seek to grow in them and closer to Him.
    The fifth item that is too deep for us to fully comprehend is God's Love. This fact comes from Ephesians 3:18–19. Paul prayed that the Ephesian Christians "May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." Paul prayed that they would be able to comprehend and know God's Love through Jesus, yet he says it is a love that surpasses all knowledge.
    Truly, God's Wisdom, Knowledge, Judgments, Ways, and Love are too deep for our complete understanding. Yet, these have been revealed by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). And, they are reachable through Christ (Ephesians 3:11–12). Some may say: "I'm afraid of betraying my family for Christ — I'm just in too deep;" or, "I'm afraid to leave the church I'm attending, even though I know what they are doing is contrary to the Bible — I'm just in too deep;" or, "I'm afraid God could never forgive me for all the sins I've committed — I'm in too deep." The good news is, if we will trust God and obey God, none of these are too deep for Him.
    Have you obeyed His plan for you?

- Clifton Angel preaches for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/

Introduction to 2 Corinthians

By Jeff Arnette

    As we pointed out in our introduction to 1 Corinthians, the Corinthian church would have been a challenging church. Of all the churches he started this one gave him the most grief and heartbreak.
    You see this culminating in Paul’s admonition in… 2 Cor. 13:5 - “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (ESV)
    No doubt, Paul is beginning to question their salvation and connection to Jesus.
    This is a church that continually struggled with moral and doctrinal issues. The influence of false teachers, misunderstanding about doctrine, culture, and pagan religions seemed to plague them at every turn. Like some Christians and churches today, despite their great advantage of having great teachers and leaders, they never get it together spiritually.
    So, in this last epistle to Corinth, you will see a side of Paul that was not evident in 1 Corinthians. On one hand, it is more personal (due to the strained relationship) but on the other hand, it is stricter and harsher (due to the false teachers and the church’s clear tolerance of them).
    In chapters 1-10, we find Paul trying to be encouraging and expressing his joy for their spiritual progress. Paul was always looking for the positive and good in the church. We should learn from him and always think the best of each other.
    In chapters 11-13, the tone of the letter changes. He expresses his dismay over the influence of the false teachers and will get as pointed as he has been in any letter.
    While we cannot be certain of the identity of the false teachers in Corinth, they have gotten a foothold in the church and as a result, are using that connection to discredit Paul and his mission in Corinth.
    Several facts about the false teachers stand out.
    First, they claimed a connection to Jesus Christ and an apostolic authority that was superior to Paul. This tends to show up in letters of recommendation to the church.
    Second, they were boasting of their Jewish heritage, eloquence, boldness, missionary accomplishments, ecstatic experiences, miracles, and special knowledge gleaned from visions.
    Third, they are criticizing Paul as being weak, having poor speaking skills, and subjection to suffering hardships. This was construed as God’s lack of approval and protection of Paul. On the other hand, they were claiming that since they had not suffered, God was with them and protecting them. Never mind the testimony of Jesus’ life that stood in stark opposition to this point. The Corinthians were agreeing with it.
    A powerful and important lesson for us all: for false teachers to get a foothold in the church, they must first separate you from the teachers and authority that the Lord has given you.
    As such, 2 Corinthians is a powerful and challenging read. Let me encourage you to read it afresh and let the truths of God’s word, influence how you interact with your leaders and how submissive you are to His words.

- Jeff Arnette preaches for the Central Haywood church of Christ, Clyde, NC.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://centralhaywoodcoc.com/