Mike Johnson

"Always let your conscience be your guide." "Just do what your conscience says." This is the attitude that many people have when trying to determine what is right or wrong religiously. They think that as long as the conscience is followed, on some doctrinal matter or even on a moral issue, they will be correct. Is conscience really a safe guide, or is there some other guide which must be considered?

What do we mean by the conscience? The conscience is known as the internal recognition of right and wrong regarding our actions and motives. It can be described as the part of the mind which either approves or disapproves of one's actions on the basis of the actions being either in or out of harmony with that standard that one has chosen.

It is important to recognize that a conscience not properly "programmed" with the right standard will lead a person astray. For example, a person might not think that it is wrong to lie. Thus, he could tell a lie, and his conscience would not condemn him. He would, of course, sin by telling the lie, but since he had not been taught properly about lying, he could lie with a good conscience.

Paul serves as a good example in this area. Prior to his conversion, he persecuted Christians, and he did this with a good conscience. He thought that he was doing the right thing. Before the Jewish council (much later) he said in Acts 23:1, " . . . Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." He always did what his standard told him to do, but before his conversion, his standard was not correct. In Acts 26:9 he said, "I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." Thus, Paul's actions prior to his becoming a Christian make it clear that a good conscience is not proof that one's actions are right.

Consider that if conscience is to be our guide, then there would be as many guides, or standards, as there are people. A person's conscience, for example may tell him that a certain practice is correct, or it may tell him that he is saved. Another person's conscience may tell him the exact opposite. With this approach, right and wrong is based only on what each individual perceives it to be.

What is to be our standard? It is to be the Bible---God's Word. Christ has all authority (Mt. 28:18). We must abide in the doctrine of Christ and not go beyond His Word (II Jn. 9, Rev. 22:18-19). It is important that we "program" our conscience with the teaching of God's Word.

Top

Glen Young

Thankfulness is one of those neglected Bible subjects. I don't mean that we are unaware of thankfulness being in the Bible. We just don't give it the kind of thought we should. Being thankful is important to the Christian life.

The Old Testament hero, king David, understood the importance of being thankful toward God. "Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; For he is good; For his lovingkindness (endureth) for ever." (Psalms 118:1) This statement is found several times in the Psalms, thus indicating the prominent place David gave to giving thanks to God for His lovingkindness.

Ingratitude is a plague upon society. When men leave off the gentle virtue of being thankful, they degenerate into selfish children who think that they should receive anything and everything they desire. Like a two year old, they see something and say, "I want it, right now!" If they do not get 'it,' they become sullen and bemoan their miserable life. However, if they do get 'it,' they revel in their new gift without ever being grateful to the giver.

As Christians, we must not be as those who are unthankful. "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful. ... And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, (do) all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:15 & 17.

Not only should we learn the lesson of being thankful, but we should learn the lesson of being thankful for the correct things. Again, like spoiled children, we become overwhelmed with disappointment simply because we fail to get what we want.

Too many religious people think of God as the genie in the bottle. They expect to be granted the fulfillment of their every wish. They should learn a lesson from Job. "Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? 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 2:9-10. Are we thankful when evil comes our way? James says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds," James 1:2 (NIV). To be filled with resentment, anger and remorse because life is not the way you think it ought to be, identifies you as a thankless person.

So what, if we do not have the fine house we want. Jesus didn't even have a house (Luke 9:58). So what, if we never stand before the multitudes and hear their adoring adulation. Jesus was despised and rejected of men (Isaiah 53:3) and then crucified like a common criminal though He was innocent (Luke 23:4).

When you pillow your head tonight, will you be thankful for the day which God has given you? Even if it was a day filled with many kinds of trials? Be thankful Pilgrim, be thankful for the proper things, for godliness with contentment is gain (1 Timothy 6:6).

The Road Creek church of Christ Bulletin, 11/29/98

Top

James B. Lusby

It never ceases to amaze this writer that people who are so meticulous concerning their physical well-being often times become so careless about their spiritual welfare.

When this I lived in New Mexico it was not uncommon for people to drive the twenty miles from Portales to Clovis just to save the city sales tax of one penny on the dollar which Portales collected and Clovis did not. Of course, it cost more to drive to Clovis and back than could possibly be amassed by the few pennies of tax saved, but that did not matter as long as it seemed that there was the slightest chance to save money. However, talk to someone about driving twenty miles to worship with a faithful church and the response would be, "It's too far to drive."

People in our area will drive for miles to a little town in order to eat in a restaurant which is considered by many to have the best food and most reasonable prices. If we can save a few cents on clothing by shopping in another town, whether ten, twenty or even one-hundred miles away, we scarcely give it a second thought. Why, we would not think of buying our groceries at the store next door if the supermarket down the street or in the next town has the same items at a cheaper price. But, when it comes to feasting on the word of the Lord with faithful brethren in a sound church a few miles away, the expression is heard, "It's so far to drive."

There must be something wrong with one's thinker who believes it all right to drive

a few miles in order to feed and clothe his body by too far to drive in order to feed and clothe his soul. Brethren, is your spiritual well-being any less important than your physical welfare? Is ten or twenty miles so far when your soul hangs in the balance?

When there is a faithful church only a few, short miles away where you can worship

God without stultifying your conscience, is it too far?

Your soul is too precious for you to worship in a church where there are unscriptural practices just because it happens to be a little closer to where you live. If you consider your soul more valuable; than money then worship with a faithful church.

Top

Jere E. Frost

A STORY I RECALL from my youth had to do with a good brother who had an expression that he used in prayer. He would ask the Lord to ``remove the cobwebs from our minds and clear our thoughts.'' But he used the expression often which indicates that the cobwebs always returned before he prayed again. A little girl heard it one time more than she could stand; she blurted out during the prayer itself, ``Don't do it, Lord! Don't do it! Kill the spider!''

Yes, if we can get rid of the cause, we will not have to spend so much time and energy on the effect or symptoms.

Every time there is a shooting, and especially a multiple shooting on school grounds, there is a hue and cry for gun control. But that is the symptom! -- that's just part of the web. You've gotta get the spider to really do any lasting good.

If someone goes around choking cats on butter, you can pass a law taking butter off the market. But you probably have not helped the cats much. Whoever was doing the choking with butter may start using shortening, or brickbats applied sharply to the side of the head. It's not the butter; it's the attitude toward cats that is the problem. Get rid of the attitude and nobody will choke a cat on butter.

Some folks commonly and casually take God's name in vain--I hope you do not, but if you do, it's not that you need a different vocabulary. The words you use probably can be used in an acceptable context. Those flippant (or raging) words are not really your problem. ``You've gotta kill the spider!'' Change your attitude! The problem is a combination of a lack of love and reverence for God, and a lack of love and patience for people. If you enthrone God and make Him the king of your heart, if you genuinely feel for and care for your fellow man, you will not have a big problem with profanity and vile speech.

We must purify our hearts.

The gospel process is designed to accomplish this. You commence with the word of God which produces faith (Rom. 10:17)--something to believe in, something to build on! (John 6:68-69; I Cor. 15:58). You make a strong and unequivocal decision--repentance--without which you will perish (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30). The penitent attitude in its very nature calls for self-denial and humble obedience (Matt. 16:24; John 14:15,23). Baptism is a declaration of faith and repentance; for one is baptized with and into Christ, and they rise to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-6). Therefore it changes the relationship for a lost man out of Christ to a saved man in Christ.

This is not a cosmetic change. It is not a limp decision to casually sweep away a few cobwebs and make some improvements in life. It kills the spider.

Unfortunately, even though you may kill the spider, sooner or later there will be another one. You'll have to kill it too. But that is far better than knocking down a like web by the same spider over and over and over. It also makes for a neater house and a cleaner mind.

-- Via The Bulletin of the North Courtenay church of Christ, May 23, 1999

Top

Kent E. 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.

The 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 the 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 the 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 Eve 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 the 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.

Top

Bobby Witherington

In one sense this is impossible, the church is the house or family of God, 1 Tim. 3;15. One becomes a part of God's family by being "born of the water and of the Spirit" Jno. 3:5, and thus becomes a child of God, Gal. 3:27-4:6. In the physical sense, one stands, one always remains related to his family by virtue of his physical birth, and this fact does not change even though he forsakes his family and his father disinherits him. By the same token, in the spiritual sense, one stands related to the family of God by virtue of his spiritual birth even though he forsakes the family of God, makes "shipwreck" his faith and falls "from grace". Jno. 3:3-5; 1 Tim. 1:20; Gal. 5:4.

But in a generic sense there are many who "quit the church" -- that is, they cease attending, they cease giving, they have little or nothing more to do with it, and if every member acted the same way, the church would disband and let themselves and the whole world go to hell.

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the day approaching." Heb. 10:25. The word "forsaking" here involves the use of the will. It means to abandon WILLFULLY. It was in this sense Paul said: "Demas hath forsaken me". Demas made up his mind to leave and LEFT! He abandoned PAUL when Paul needed him. Now, he may have done so reluctantly, but he did it nevertheless. I would think that the memory of Paul suffering imprisonment in Rome may have weighed heavily on his mind, but Demas, nevertheless, abandoned him. He did this WILLFULLY.

In the same way people deliberately forsake the assemblies. They reach the point where they abandon the church altogether. What is their condition! Read Heb. 10:26-29.

Brother, Sister in Christ, are you headed in this direction? Come back! Make correction! Now! We are concerned. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Heb. 10:31.

Top

A little girl with shining eyes, Her little face aglow, Said, "Daddy, it is almost time For Bible Class. Let's go!

They teach us there of Jesus' love Of how He died for all, Upon the cruel cross to save Those who on Him will call."

"Oh, no." said Daddy, "not today, I've worked hard all the week. And I must have one day of rest. I'm going to the creek,

For there I can relax and rest And fishing's fine they say, So run along. Don't bother me, We'll go to church, some day."

Months and years have passed away But Daddy hears the plea no more. "Let's go to Bible class"; Those childhood days are o're.

And now that Daddy's growing old, When life is almost through, He finds the time to go to church, But what does daughter do?

She says, "Oh, Daddy not today, I stayed up all last night, And I've just got to have some sleep Besides, I look a fright."

Then Daddy lifts a trembling hand To brush away the tears. As again he hears the pleading voice Distinctly through the years.

He sees a small girl's shining face Upturned with eyes aglow, As she says, "It's time for Bible class, Please Daddy, won't you go?"

-------------Author Unknown

Top