PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD
Edited and Published by Jack Critchfield
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Volume 8 Issue 1 |
January/February, 2004 |
“And David said. Solomon. my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent. of fame and glory throughout all countries: I will make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death” (1 Chron. 22:5).
We see in the text that the temple of the Lord was to be “exceedingly magnificent.” God did not plan to build some shack or throw up a few bricks and call it His house. David spent the last days of his life gathering the materials together for the magnificent temple the Lord wanted built. The finished product truly was “famous and glorious in all nations” (1 Kgs. 10:1-7), as the queen of Sheba observed. “the half has never yet been told.” The kingdom and the temple and everything about Solomon’s rule over the nations was exceedingly magnificent. However, we sadly know that ii did not last tong. Solomon became a compromiser and presumed he could allow idols in his house and ii have no effect on the nation. It was not long before exceeding magnificence gave way to magnificence. then on down to good until it became a nation that was called by Jeremiah a “degenerate vine.” When Israel and the leaders of God’s people stopped expecting “exceedingly magnificent” service to God and even started to take away from the glory of the temple to pay off the nations round about (1 Kgs. 14:25-28:15:18.19: 2 Kgs. 16:8-17: 18:14-16: 21: 3-7: 25:13-16: 2 Chron. 24:7). Instead of a hallowed perfect place Full of exceeding magnificence and glory as the house of the Lord, it became a trading tool and was desecrated by God’s own people. long before Nebuchadnezzar pretty well finished the job in 586 B.C. (2 Kgs. 25:1 3-16).
Under Zerubbabel. the people returned and rebuilt the temple but it was never again as it had been (2 Chron. 3o:23: Ezra 1:1-4: and chapters 5. 6). How did such a beautiful place lose its exceeding magnificence? The people of God began to compromise with the nations round about and to settle for mediocre service to God. They became satisfied with polluted service (Mal. 1).
Does God Expect Our Best? Can The Same Thing Happen To The Lord’s Church (Temple) Today?
The Lord’s church is likened to the temple today in I Cor. 3:16. God still expects His temple (spiritual Israel), to be exceedingly magnificent. One cannot help but be impressed with the emphasis God has always placed on service to Him and that which man offers to Him as worship and honor. God will not take even magnificent service, HE WANTS EXCEEDINGLY MAGNIFICENT SERVICE (Col. 3:23). He wants the very best we have and will not tolerate anything less. Paul told the Corinthians in I Cor. 15:58 - “be ye steadfast. unmovable, always ABOUNDING in the work of the Lord...” God does not expect more than we arc able to do. but He does expect us to do everything we can do and to give our best to Him.
Paul talks of our physical bodies as being the temple of the Holy Spirit in I Cor. 6:19. God has given specific instructions on how we arc to keep ourselves pure and holy. He expects us to do no less than obey His precepts exactly as He has given them (Eph. 5:1!: Gal. 5:19-26).
Considering these two examples. let us ask ourselves if think that God will accept us selling out and compromising with the world in any way? If He wanted His physical temple kept “exceedingly magnificent” then would He accept less of us today in the church?
In the Old Testament we have seen what lack of respect was shown by God’s own people when they sought to be like the nations round about. When they started compromising and trusting in other nations for their protection, instead of in God, they began to offer to the heathen the treasures of the temple (that which God intended for service to Him).
We have an “exceedingly magnificent” plan of salvation. Lets not try to downplay it or give folks the idea they can please God without obedience to this “magnificent” plan.
We have an “exceedingly magnificent” Savior. He is to be honored and glorified. Let us not accept any doctrine that would bring Him to the level of a mere man. He alone is worthy to be our Savior.
We have an “exceedingly magnificent” church. Mail. 16: 18 tells us that the Lord would build His church. It belongs to I-Him. He has only one (Eph. 4:4; 1:22, 23). It has a duty and a charge (evangelize, edify, and practice limited benevolence). No one dare sell it out in its work or function. No one calling themselves a Christian can afford to do anything less than serve Him in His church grow according to Heb. 5.
How could Israel, sink so low that they would offer polluted sacrifice on the altar of God? How could Ahaz even imagine, much less follow through, on removing the brazen altar and setting up an altar to an idol in the temple itself?
Folks, it did not happen overnight! It was gradual, just as departure from the Lord is in our personal lives, and in the church. The church at Laodicea in Rev. 3 was confident they serve the Lord properly, but they did not! They were not “exceedingly magnificent” in service to Him. They were blind to their own error, just as many at Corinth and Galatia were. They had grown to accept any old service to God as good, and lost their zest for excellence in service to God.
When a Christian only comes occasionally to worship IS THIS EXCEEDINGLY MAGNIFICENT service? When one sings half-heartedly, let’s his mind wander during prayer and the Lord’s Supper, gives with little or no thought or purpose, and listens or sleeps through the lesson with no intention of it changing his life, can we call this “exceedingly magnificent.” What is the difference in that type of service and worship to God and what was done in Malachi 1?
When Christians, (whose bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, I Cor. 6:19), social drink, dress immodestly, hardly pray or study, refuse to be hospitable, murmur, backbite, complain, curse, gamble and use tobacco or other drugs, can we call this “exceedingly magnificent?” To ask the question is to answer it.
We as Christians must realize that God is a jealous God and will accept and indeed demands, of those who use His name that they do things exactly as He says. There are no other options.
We do not have the right to tamper with the law and change it to fit our needs or passions. We cannot change the Word to accommodate some one who will not submit to His will.
We live in a world where people grow satisfied with the “status quo.” Average is good enough for some. We know that a business satisfied with average, will soon go out of business! We know that sales people who arc satisfied with doing the minimum, will always be floaters and unstable. Employers are always on the search for people who have pride in what they do and give attention to detail. These types of folks are getting harder and harder to find. The Lord’s church should be full of them. but sadly, many Christians have become satisfied with lazy service to God. Rest assured, God notices how we serve and will not accept anything from us but that which is “exceedingly magnificent.”
via, Sound Words, Vol. 7, No. 3, Nov. 2003.
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Too often we look for a perfect world, one where there is no sill, sickness and sorrow. But that’s just not going to be here on this earth. Those things are reserved for that blessed state in eternity. Only in heaven will those things be far removed from us. As long as we are in this world, we have a much better place to look forward to. If our lives on earth were as pleasant as heaven. we would have nothing to look forward to. It is because the bad things exist that we strive for a better place. We strive to rid tile world of poverty. Jesus said, “You always have the poor with you...” (John 12:8, NRSV). We struggle to rid our world of wars. But as long as man lives for the flesh, there will be those who desire to rule over others. As long as there arc those who do not accept the Lordship of Jesus, they will place themselves above others. The perfect place is yet to come, but not in this life or on this earth. Heaven awaits the faithful of God.
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The Mark Of Cain
Kent F. Heaton. Sr.
The Bible is filled with many curious things that man has puzzled over for centuries. Many ideas have arisen to answer intriguing stories and some have been told for so long they are accepted as fact. One such story abounds with speculation and supposition of its true meaning: the mark of Cain.
Time first two children named in Scripture are Cain and Abel. What a wonder it must have been for Adam and Eve to see life brought into the world and the beauty of creation. The little boys grew and in the process of time were grown enough to offer sacrifices to tile Lord.
As man left the garden and began to multiply. laws of worship were also established. Cain and Abel were fulfilling the law given to them from God to offer sacrifices. We find from the text that “Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And tile LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry. and his countenance fell.” (Genesis 4.3-5)
Cain was very angry because God did not regard his sacrifice as worthy. Hebrews 11:4 explains, “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts.” Cain burned with hot anger and God warned him to be careful of his anger but to no avail. “Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass. when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.” (Genesis 4:8)
The first recorded death is by the hand of a murderer. God’s punishment is sure and swift as he curses Cain and makes him to be a fugitive and wanderer in the earth. Cain is overwhelmed by his punishment and the mercy of God intercedes. Cain believes that someone will kill him for what he has done and God assures him that anyone who does, “vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” (4:15) And then to guarantee his safety, “And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.” (4:15)
Cain went out and the only record of his existence is six generations. No doubt there were many more descendants than listed but only Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, Methushael, Lamech and his four children Jubal, Jabal, Tubal-cain and Naamah is shown. A third son is shown in record of Adam and Lye as Seth is born. In Genesis 5, the book of the generations of Adam is listed and eight generations bring us to Noah. Genesis 6-9 describes the flood that destroyed every living creature, both man, and cattle, and creeping things and birds of the heavens; and Noah only was left, and they that were with him in the ark. The total remaining population of the earth was eight people.
It is important to note that the whole generation of Cain was destroyed in the flood. Some have supposed the mark of Cain still exists today on various people. This is based upon a lack of understanding of scripture. The lineage of Seth was the only people saved and only eight at that. The world came from Adam the first time and then came from Noah the second time. Noah was not in the lineage of Cain. Whatever the mark of Cain was, it perished (at the latest) during tile flood. It is also important to recognize the mark of Cain was only given to Cain as a protective measure against anyone killing him. No place in record suggests this mark became a hereditary mark passed down from generation to generation. If the mark of Cain did not, cease to exist at. the death of Cain it ceased to exist at the flood.
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As they continue working on the parking structure in Old Town, they are preparing the area for the placing of the pilings that will serve as tile foundation for the entire structure. It is important that they properly install these support columns so that the structure will be solid and strong. Considering that a building is only as strong as its foundation, just think what would happen if they did not have the proper foundation under tile structure and it filled up with automobiles!
What is true for buildings and their foundations, is also true for our lives. In order for us to be able to withstand the storms of life, each of us needs a strong foundation.
Pay careful attention to the words of Jesus: “Therefore whoever HEARS these sayings of Mine, AND DOES them, I will liken him to a WISE MAN who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house: and ii did not fall, for it was founded on tile rock. But everyone who HEARS these sayings of Mine. AND DOES NOT do them, will be like a FOOLISH MAN who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and tile winds blew and beat on that house: and it fell. And GREAT was its fall” (Matthew 7:24-27).
Jesus assures us that no mailer what storms may arise OBEDIENCE to HIM is the ONLY sure foundation on which to build our lives - lives that will withstand the test of time AND the Judgment to follow!
We BEGIN building upon tile Rock - the TRUE foundation - by placing our trust in God (Hebrews 11:6), repenting of our sins (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus (Romans .10:9-10), and being baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38).
We CONTINUE to build our lives oil the Rock - by continuing to HEAR and to OBEY the words of Jesus and His inspired apostles.
Is YOUR life built upon THE right foundation?
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"What Does God Expect...?"
Mike Cornwell
I do not want to sound like an alarmist, but this a is serious matter, and caution should be taken. If we put ourselves in a position that we are living in sin, we are putting our souls in danger. When we consider the possibility that we are entering or are in a sinful relationship. we arc admitting our ignorance of some of Satan’s devices (1 Cor 5:11). Surely we must recognize that Satan walks amongst those who are seeking to be married, even those of us who are (1 Pet 5:8).
If we enter into a relationship that is called sin by God (fornication), we will stand condemned in the end, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor adulterers...shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Marriage has been given by God for a man and woman to enjoy one another for a lifetime (Gen 2:21-24).
Marriage is of divine origin (Gen 1:26-28; 2:18-25) (Mat 19:3-6). The home was instituted by God to cradle, shape, and maintain civilization. Civilization and society came out of marriage and the home, not the other way around. Those who know and fear God will honor marriage and Him who gave it to us. “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Heb 13:4). God and His will are honored in marriage, “Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth,...yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant” (Mal. 2:14).
There is unity in a godly marriage, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Those who are willing to accept their respective rolls in marriage are blessed of God. Those who choose to live together without the institute of marriage are in danger of losing their souls to a devil’s hell.
The divine institute of marriage begins with a man and woman being joined together as husband and wife. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen 2:24). Without the divine institute of marriage, “one flesh” cannot be achieved.
(Rom 6:23), “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
(Input by Joe Price and Steven Harper)
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The Nature Of The Apostles’ Inspiration
When Jesus sent the apostles out on what is sometimes called the limited commission to preach to the lost sheep of Israel. He told them, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. And you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not wormy about how or what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you” (Matt. 10:16-20).
Perhaps there are many lessons that might be gleaned from these verses, but we want to center our attention on the nature of the inspiration the apostles received from the Spirit of God. Notice that when they spoke by Divine inspiration, it was not necessary for them to plan ahead what they would say, or how to say it. The Holy Spirit was to reveal to them, not only some vague thoughts, but the precise words they were to speak.
This corresponds with the teachings of the apostle Paul concerning inspiration in 1 Corinthians, chapter two. In verses 8-9 of that chapter, Paul indicates that those who crucified Christ did not and could not know the details of the marvelous gospel because God had not yet made those details known. However, Paul then indicates that since the crucifixion, “God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.” That is, Paul and the other inspired men had been selected to receive these revelations from God, and those same men were in the process of preaching and writing those truths for the benefit of mankind in general. Paul writes in verses 12 and 13 of that chapter, “We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” The American Standard translation renders that last phrase, “combining spiritual things with spiritual words.” God did not just reveal to them some vague thought and leave them to grope with how to put that thought across. God gave them the exact words they were to preach and write.
Further, in Eph. 3:3-4, Paul indicates that when we read what he wrote, we can know what he knew about Christ and His gospel. We commend that gospel to you. Read it, believe it, obey it, and be blessed by it.
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