The Proclaimer

PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD

Edited and Published by Jack Critchfield

Expectations Of The Lord
Jack Critchfield

I am concerned about the direction that our country is headed and about the way our families are being ripped apart by society. But most of all, I am concerned that we are losing our desire for the truth. More and more it appears that most of the people are not concerned with truth (in any arena), but are more concerned with what makes them happy.

In religion there has always been those who were soft on what God expects of man, but lately it seems that we have allowed ourselves to drift from that type of commitment and enthusiasm into an almost complacent and indifferent disposition. Thus, we see such problems as worldliness, materialism, and unnecessary strife. It is however, my firm conviction, that the Lord has certain expectations of those who would call themselves Christian. We want to look at some of those in this article.

The Lord Expects Growth

Just as we would expect a human child to grow and would be concerned if that growth did not take place, the Lord expects growth both spiritually and numerically among His people. Yet one of the most prevalent questions on the part of members of the church today seems to be, "How do we grow?" We hear of all sorts of nifty new ideas that have hatched up in recent years. We are told this is the magical answer to church growth. All kinds of programs that are intended to help folks be religious without them knowing it have been attempted. But is this what the Lord really wants?

The scriptures tell us very clearly how to grow. "Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word" (Acts 8:4). I don't see anything hard about that statement. The disciples went wherever their journeys took them telling anyone who would listen about the gospel. The answer is not to compromise the truth, or to appeal to folks through carnal means, but it is to simply teach the word of God. If we want the church to grow, we must be ever where telling people about the Lord.

However, the Lord is more concerned about spiritual growth, than about numbers. And we cannot sacrifice spiritual growth just for the sake of a large group of people with which to meet on the Lord's Day. There is a difference between growth and swelling; swelling indicates disease and there are congregations all over this nation that are swelling. They have compromised the truth, and have mistaken numbers for growth, when in reality such is swelling and indicates spiritual illness.

Let us "continue steadfastly in the apostles doctrine" (Acts 2:42; 2 Tim. 3:14; Gal. 1:11) and the Lord will bless us with spiritual growth.

The Lord Expects Lives Of Purity

It is a sad thing when Christians have become so immoral that one cannot distinguish the world from the church. The Lord does not expect for us to live a life of isolation. In John 17:15-16 Jesus prayed that the disciples should be kept from the evil one, not removed from the world. "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world" (John 17:15-16). But he does expect us to offer Him the best life that we can. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Rom.12:1-2).

As Christians, we are a special people; we are the children of God. Peter wrote, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" (1 Pet.2:9).

The Lord Expects Denouncement of False Teaching

All too often today we find those who, while not outwardly condoning or espousing false teaching, will not condemn false teaching either. I know several brethren here on the West Coast who deal with the question of marriage, divorce and remarriage by simply not dealing with it at all. One brother back in the Midwest once make this statement, "The way I deal with instrumental music is like this; I don't condone it, but I don't condemn it either." Brethren, the Lord expects us in standing for the truth, to also expose that which is error. Paul told the Ephesian brethren, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them" (Eph 5:11). We can do that and still be dignified and loving, but it must be done nonetheless.

There is a way to expose error and a way not to. Paul tells us to "speak the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15). When we preach the truth with the wrong attitude ("Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one" [Col 4:6]), we are just as sinful as the one who is teaching false doctrine.

There are souls all around us, yearning and crying for the truth, but are hindered by denominational doctrines and dogmas. They may be steeped in religious error, but Jesus declared along time ago, "The truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Therefore Jude tells us to "earnestly contend for the faith" (Jude 3) and Paul exhorts us to "confirm and defend the gospel"

The Lord Expects His People to Rejuvenate Their Spiritual Life

As those that belong to Christ we must retrieve the spirituality that the first century Christians had. Do you remember how you felt when you came forth from that watery grave of baptism? You had a joy and contentment within your soul that could not be quenched. You were happy to sing, to pray and attend services. What happened to that? Such youthful enthusiasm does not have to grow old, as do our bodies.

Although I must admit that I have seen older Christians that seemed to have the spirit of the newest convert. How do they maintain that spirit? The answer to that one is easy; it was their love for the truth and their Creator. If it is possible to lose our first love (Rev. 2:4), it has to be possible to maintain it throughout our life (Rev 2:10).

Paul said, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Cor 4:16-18).

Are we fulfilling the expectations of our Lord? Whatever might come our way in this life, it should not be allowed a position that is great enough to keep us from the reward that has been promised to those that have started down the "difficult way" (Matt. 7:14) that leads to heaven.
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"Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me."

Psa 51:10 NKJV

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Going Through The Motions
L.A. Stauffer

One of the difficult things that all Christians, especially worshippers, face is "going through the motions." It is amazing how often you hear that complaint from brethren. What they mean is that they just can't get their hearts into being a Christian. They find no joy in it; in fact they see it as a drudgery. But what they really want to know is -- how
can I get past this and "feel" what I'm doing?

Try answering that to a brother or sister. It is tough. The difficulty lies in the fact that God is not going to overwhelm them with "feelings" and passion for worship and service. Christians can wait from now until the judgment and it will never swoop down on them from above. That feeling and joy must come from within the soul of God's servants.

Now this is not to say that nothing comes into the heart from outside. Indeed, something must invade the spirit and fill the vast reservoir of the soul that God designed in his own image. This is the essence of Christianity -- that the word of God must enter man's mind and transform him into the beautiful image of God's Son. But this is where it gets tough.

The word can only enter the heart that opens up to truth and responds to God's message. It's, as Jesus said, like sowing seed in soil; when the soil is good the seed takes root, grows, and produces fruit. So it is with the gospel. Men must study the word, must receive its truth, and then activate it into growth. The result is that it produces an appreciation for God and Christ, for grace, for love, for forgiveness, and for hope. Out of
that the fruit of faith, love, joy, peace are generated -- qualities that excite us about worship, prayer, service, and faithfulness.

When these things fill our hearts we look forward to the first day of the week, to singing praises to God, to praying for our needs, to meditating on the death of the one who has brought salvation. It, thus, is no longer a going through the motions of worship; it is heartfelt devotion to right and goodness and steadfastness in the Lord.

Those who never feel these things simply have an empty heart -- one that has never genuinely received these spiritual qualities. Slothful or dull minds remain at the first principle level, are babes in Christ, and never experience the fullness of growth in the Lord (see Heb. 5:11-14). Because they receive not the word with readiness of mind they never experience the excitement that true worshippers feel. The disciples at Jerusalem felt this because the message of the gospel cut them to the heart and won their allegiance. They thus continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine (see Acts 2:37-42).

While this explains to those who go through the motions how to receive this experience, it cannot do it for them. Only they themselves can energize their souls by an open, genuine reception of the living and active word of God that can save the soul (see Heb. 4:12; Jas. 1:21).

via, Son Rays

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Use the New Year like it was your last, because it just possibly could be.

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Blaming Others For Our Sins
Mike Johnson

It is very common for people to try to blame their mistakes on others. People have a tendency to want to shift responsibility, to pass guilt on to someone else. There is also a tendency to blame SIN on other people. Such people as Adam, Eve, Aaron, and King Saul did this in biblical times. Regrettably, the blaming of sin on others also takes place a lot today.

Commonly blamed for people's sins today are:

1. Satan - The idea "the Devil made me do it" is very common. At least people who say this realize that Satan is involved in sin. However, they may not understand that responsibility for sin cannot be shifted to Satan.

Eve, in the beginning, tried to blame Satan when she sinned. She partook of the forbidden fruit and said in Genesis 3:13, "...The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." It is true that Satan tempts people; he does influence people to sin (I Cor. 7:5). However, Satan can be resisted (James 4:7), and the fact that Satan tempts us does not mean that we are not responsible for our sins. It does no good to try and shift the blame to Satan.

2. God - Some people actually try to blame God for their sins. Perhaps this is what Aaron was trying to do in Exodus 32 when he tried to explain the golden calf that he made for the people to worship. He pointed out in verse 24 that the people gave him the gold, and he went on to say, "...then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf." Was he trying to say that it was some kind of miracle from God?

It is important to understand that God is not responsible for our sins. James 1:13 says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man...." Thus, we cannot blame God.

3. Wives - Some husbands try to blame their wives for a lot of things; some
even try to blame them for their sins. Consider one Old Testament example. Earlier we noted that Eve tried to blame Satan for her sin. Adam did not try to blame Satan; instead, he tried to blame his wife, Eve, for his part in the eating of the forbidden fruit. Eve actually did give her husband the fruit to eat. She obviously had an influence on his deed. Nevertheless, that did not make him less guilty.

When a man feels an inclination to shift responsibility for his sins to his wife to justify himself, he should consider the Old Testament example of Job and his wife. Job suffered much affliction, and his wife told him that he ought to just curse God and die. Job rebuked her and said in Job 2:10, "...shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." Job resisted his wife's bad advice.

4. Husbands - At times, a woman who is a faithful Christian will have a husband who is not a Christian. Sometimes she may be neglectful in her service to God, and when confronted about her neglect, she may blame her spiritual problems on her husband. Again, the husband may have caused her to become discouraged. Generally, it is more difficult for a person to be faithful to God if his/her spouse is unfaithful. Yet, the wife is still responsible for her sins. Many other women have remained faithful to God even though their husbands have discouraged them spiritually by their words and deeds.

Peter gave some good advice to women, whose husbands were not believers, in I Peter 3:1 when he said, "Likewise, ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands; that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives." The woman is to win her husband to Christ by her "conversation" i.e. manner of life.

5. Preachers - Sometimes people get offended by something that a preacher says in his sermon and refuse to attend any more services. They sometimes blame their unfaithfulness on the preacher when they are asked about their neglect. It may have been that the preacher said something that was correct and needful in his sermon. II Timothy 4:2 says that he is to "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." It is also true that a preacher can make a mistake in judgment, as preachers are not perfect. Regardless of mistakes that others might make, we must remain faithful to God. We can blame the preacher for our neglect, but we are still responsible and must answer to God.

6. Other Christians - Sometimes a Christian is mistreated by another Christian. He then may try and excuse his neglect in serving God by the fact that he was mistreated. Some might say that they will not attend services because there are "so many hypocrites there." These are trying to blame their spiritual neglect on others, but they are still responsible for their sins.

Many people take the easiest course with regard to their sins. Instead of repenting, they simply blame others. It does no good for us to shift responsibility.

A person who is not a Christians must believe (Heb. 11:6), repent (Acts 17:30-31), confess Christ (Rom. 10:10, and be baptized (Acts 2:38). A Christian who sins must repent, pray and confess his sins (Acts 8:22, James 5:16, I Jn. 1:8-10). God will not excuse any of us because of what someone else did or did not do.
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"See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thess 5:15-18 NKJV

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Are We Confused?
Johnny Ramsey

Millions seem to fail to understand the reason for their existence. Their direction in life is muddled and their purpose and destiny eludes them. Such folk know not WHERE they came from, nor do they discern WHY they are on earth. What follows death seems to be obscure, uncertain and unknown. Recently I read the following humorous words from a clever pundit: "I'm lost!! I've gone to look for myself. If I should return before I get back, Please ask me to wait!"

When men reject the Bible's account of creation and shun God's plan for their lives, they constantly struggle for commitment, dedication and depth in their earthly sojourn. The inspired writer was right on the mark when he wrote: "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man" (Psa. 118:8). The absolute joy of awakening each day to glorify God and to serve others gives genuine substance to life. The unbeliever has
no positive motivation or real contribution to make toward improving the world. Christianity has within its framework a nobility and grandeur that brings light to a darkened society.

For with thee is the fountain of life:
In thy light shall we see light" (Psa. 36:9).

The abundant blessings the gospel pours out upon us cause us to praise God for such benevolent kindness. Our lives radiate the beauty of truth to those about us who are overwhelmed with gloom and doom. "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in power of the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 15:13). How sad it would be to never have found Jesus! To go through life without loyalty to a sovereign God is just too horrible to contemplate. A brilliant poet helps us to express it in these enthralling words:

To think of the years spent without Him,

How wasted they were I now see;

For the world is a snare,

And the power of prayer

Is the only way we can be free.

If only I'd found Jesus sooner,

If the past I could only recall;

But how thankful I am

For the blood of the Lamb,

And the fact that I found Him at all.

When people go through a lifetime without ever finding real incentive for life or a goal to tie on to, they must be miserable, confused and without peace. Evangelistic soldiers of the cross of Christ should be alert to introduce them to the Savior. "For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world" (Jno. 6:33). We are on earth to lead men to Christ and the powerful blessings of the kingdom of God. As Jesus "came to seek and to save the lost" (Lk. 19:10), so should we. When those about us see our devotion and appreciation for divine things, they will say with Paul: "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift" (2 Cor. 9:15). May the earth be filled with God's glory because we point mankind to higher and nobler convictions (Num. 14:21).

If we would begin each day acknowledging the tribute the psalmist paid in Psa. 121, we would have a head start on our eternal destiny: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." We need never to be confused as to our purpose in life, when Christ is the focus and reason for our existence!

via, Gospel Minutes, Vol. 49, No. 51, Dec. 22, 2000

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Many of those on the mailing list know my wife Evelyn, and the medical problems she has undergone over the past year. For those who have not already heard, the Chemotherapy was successful. The doctors tell us the tumors are completely gone. The Chemotherapy has, however, left her with very few red or white blood cells. It is hoped that they will rebuild themselves quickly. It also appears that the Chemo has affected her heart, but only time will tell if it is a lasting effect.

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Jack Critchfield, Editor & Publisher
403 Coit Way, Salinas, Ca. 93907
critch1@juno.com or jcritch@jps.net