Jack Critchfield

Ah, the first love of your life! What a love that was! It was exciting and wonderful! You thought you could not go on living without that "special" person. As time went on, our circumstances or interests changed and the love we felt for that "special" person somehow became diminished and eventually died completely.

There is a song with a phrase that goes, "O Lord, you are my first love at last I realize." The question that comes to mind is "Am I conscious of whom my REAL first love is?" My intellect tells me that Jesus should be my first love but is He really?

Do you remember when you first fell in love with Jesus? Can you recall when you became convinced of your own sin and His willingness to die for you? Do you remember how you felt when you took that step to wash away all those sins because you wanted to please Him? It was a time of unmeasurable joy and happiness in your life! You imagined that you could take on the whole world for Jesus. Why? You had such a love for Him!

Think how important love is in your life! Read 1 Corinthians 13 with that thought in mind and ask yourself, "Am I this kind of person? Do I have any mercy or compassion in my life? Could these phrases be said of me?"

Jesus told the Ephesian church, "I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance... Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love." (Rev. 2:2,4 NIV) That church was very busy serving the Lord, but they had allowed their hearts to get off track. They were doing what they did out of routine rather than out of conviction. Can I get to the point of doing what's right without my heart being convicted for the Master? Of course I can! God even threatened to remove His presence from them unless they repented and kindled anew their hearts toward Him. If God feels so strongly about it, love must be really important!

We need to keep the heart kindled afresh constantly toward God! Read 2 Timothy 1:6-7. It is the difference between a simple knowledge of God and a true relationship with Him.

Has this world distracted you with its glitter and sparkle? John said, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 Jn. 2:15-17). God wants to be in our lives, but He will not take second place. We need to head the consultation of God to the Ephesians in Rev. 2:5, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent."

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G.F. Raines

The following is the only passage in the Bible that mentions a thousand-year reign, so it is the "city of refuge" for those who allege that Christ is to reign for a millennium on earth: "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them: and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." (Rev. 20:4-6).

Premillennialists teach that the thousand years will begin after the second coming of Christ, and that the reign will be on the earth. They further conjecture that all righteous people will be involved in the reign in bodies such as we now have. The passage however mentions neither the earth nor the second coming of Christ. Instead of all righteous people participating, those mentioned in the passage had been BEHEADED. Instead of their bodies reigning, their SOULS reigned. Premillennialists add to the "prophecy of this book" and shall receive the condemnation described in Rev. 22:18, 19!

Premillennialists boast of "taking the passage as it reads." But it would be impossible for anyone to fail to take it as it reads more than they. All the verbs are in the past tense. Note: "And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Premillennialists teach it like this: "They WILL live and reign."

WHATever the thousand-year reign might have reference to, it will be completed BEFORE the second coming of the Lord. The reign is mentioned as coming before the judgment, (Rev. 20:4, 11-15), and the judgment will be at the time of the Lord's return. "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." (Matt. 16:27). "When the Son of man shall come in His glory: and all the holy angels with Him, then shall he sit upon the throne of His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats." (Matt. 25:31,32).

On "the day of the Lord" the world shall be destroyed with a great conflagration. "But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (2 Pet. 3:10). The "day of the Lord" in 2 Pet. 3:10 refers to the second coming of Christ. (See vs. 4). The second coming of Christ, therefore, marks the end of the world as it now exists: "But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming. Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power." (1 Cor. 15:23,24).

via the Gospel Advocate

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John M. Duvall

Since the beginning of time, God has had a standard by which man was to live. When men walked in a different path than was instructed by God, God demanded repentance and change. We see this demand in several passages of both the Old and the New Testament. In Jeremiah 18:8, God said, "If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them." (KJV) Take notice that God said that He would not destroy the nation if they world "turn from their evil." This call to turn was a call to repent and change. Another example of repentance is seen in the life of king David. (II Samuel 12:12-17, 22-23) David had sinned by engaging in sexual relations with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. David then had Uriah killed in an attempt to cover his own sin. By so doing, David had given occasion for the other nations to blaspheme the Lord. After Nathan confronted David about his sin, David changed or turned from his sin. (Although David repented of his sin and his life was spared, he still had to face the consequences of his sins.)

In the New Testament, we find that God still demands that men turn away from their sin. II Peter 3:9 reads, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (KJV) The Lord desires that all who are guilty of sin come to repentance. If a sinner will come to repentance, the Lord will forgive him of his sins. Turning away from sin to serve the Lord is essential to becoming a Christian, a child of God.

Consider the example of the Jews who had crucified Jesus. On the day of Pentecost, fifty days after the death of Jesus, Peter addressed the guilt of these Jews. In Acts 2:38, Peter preached, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (KJV) In Acts 3:19, Peter also preached, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,. . ." (KJV)

The Greek word translated as repent is metanoeo which means "1) to change one's mind, i.e. to repent 2) to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins." (Thayers) Peter was teaching the Jews the need to turn away from their past sin of rejecting Jesus and to be converted to Jesus and His teachings. The Greek word translated as converted is epistrepho which means "1) transitively 1a) to turn to. . .1b) to cause to return, to bring back 2) intransitively 2a) to turn to one's self. . ." (Thayers) The Jews were to turn to a life of believing in and obeying the teachings of Jesus. This change was to begin with the Jews repenting of their past sins and being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:38) Upon so doing, those who obeyed would be forgiven of their past sins.

As we study Acts chapter 2 through 4, we find that many of the Jews changed their hearts and their lives. In order to undergo this change, the Jews had to repent of their sins and be converted to Jesus Christ. In Acts 2:41, we see that 3000 people repented and were baptized. In Acts 4:4, we see that 5000 people believed and were converted to the Lord.

If you are not a Christian, then please take to heart the fact that God desires for you to come to repentance. Embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ by believing in Him (John 3:16), repenting of your past sinful life (Luke 13:3), confessing your belief in Him before men (Matthew 10:32), and obeying His command to be baptized (Mark 16:16). Upon so doing, your sins will be forgiven and washed away just as Ananias promised Saul when he said, "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (KJV)

If you are a Christian, but you have wandered away from a life of obedience, then follow the instructions Peter gave to Simon when he was told to repent of his wickedness and to pray that God would forgive him of his sin. (Acts 8:22)

In order to serve the Lord, changes must be made. Make those changes today so that you will be saved.

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George Hutto

"Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah." (Jer. 22:28-30)

Will Christ reign in Jerusalem at some future date? Not according to the prophecy of Jeremiah in the above verse. Coniah is the last king from the lineage of David to reign in Jerusalem. He is called Jeconiah in Matthew 1:11-12 where he is listed in the lineage of Christ, and Jehoichin in II Chronicals 36:9-10 where his reign of only three months and ten days is recorded.

Of course, the lineage shows that Coniah was a descendant of David. Nathan the prophet had prophesied "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever." (2 Sam. 7:12-13)

So, here's what we have: 1) A prophecy which states that David's son will have an everlasting kingdom; 2) Another prophecy which states that the kingly lineage ceased with Coniah, that none of his seed would reign again in Judah, yet, Coniah (Jeconiah) is in the lineage of Christ. (Mt. 3:11-12)

Those who look for Christ to return and sit on a throne in Jerusalem are misguided and mistaken. Christ sits on David's throne in Heaven, in His spiritual kingdom. Now. (Acts 2:36ff)

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Jim R. Everett

Each person is to esteem others better than himself and one is to look to the needs of others, but it does not follow from that that one is not to have a proper esteem for oneself. In fact, Jesus taught that one is to love his neighbor "as himself'' (Matthew 22:39). The warning is, "Do not think too highly of self.'' The self-deception ("delusion of grandeur'') comes when one thinks he is something "when he is nothing'' (Romans 12:3; Galatians 6:3).

This particular self-deception appears in a context of interrelated thoughts in Galatians 6:1-5; and the continuity can be missed, if one is not careful. For instance, verse 2, says, "Bear ye one another's burdens.'' This means that each is to reach out to his brother in need, because he loves as Christ loved him (compare John 13:34). However, verse 5, says, ''...for every man shall bear his own burden.''

How did Paul make the transition from "bear ye one another's burdens'' to "every man shall bear his own burdens?'' Verses 3 and 4 are the key. The word "for'' (v. 3) connects the thoughts together by showing an opposite of one who is willing to share. This one deems himself to be self sufficient. Such self satisfaction renders him incapable of bearing another's burden, for one who does not realize his own deficiency will not reach out to the needs of another. In this context the key to proper self evaluation that keeps one from being self deceived is the constant testing of one's own work. There is nothing wrong with realizing what one has been able to accomplish by God's help and to take pride in his own work. Without reference to any other person, each must shoulder his own responsibilities.

Therefore, the opposite of "delusions of grandeur'' is not self dejection and spurious self abasement but rather is, in humility, genuine testing of one's real value and accomplishment.

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Similar statements are found in Rev. 21:1 and Isa. 65:17. Let us look at all three texts. "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Pet. 3:13). "And 1 saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven" (Rev. 21:1-2). "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind" (Isa. 65:17).

In both of the New Testament texts, the church of the Lord is in view as to her victory and reward. The "holy city" is plainly declared to be the church (Heb. 12:22-23; Rev. 21:2). The passage from the prophet Isaiah refers to what happened to God’s people who had been in bondage, and reveals that they would ultimately be restored to a beautiful relationship with Jehovah. The "new," all through the Bible, denotes something better and more vibrant. Abraham was a new name for the great patriarch, just as Israel was the new name for Jacob. God promised a new name for His people, once the Gentiles received heaven’s righteousness (Isa. 62:1-2). Both passages in the New Testament (2 Pet. 3 and Rev. 21) come in the midst of persecution for the people of God. Victory, or something better, is in view for the loyal saints. It will be like a new dwelling place or environment to be in the pristine presence of the redeemed.

Just as Israel and Judah came out of captivity into a closer walk with God (Isa. 65:17), so the church, in spite of Roman tribulation (Acts 14:22), will pass through the fiery trial of duress to enjoy the bliss of a new and better eternal reward. "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you... Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name. . . For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with him" (1 Pet. 4:12-16; 2 Tim. 2:11-12).

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Tracy Schell

The apostle Paul lived a life in the service of Christ that led him through many hard and perilous times. He endured trials and afflictions that would have broken the spirit of most men. Paul was not like most men in that he had a deep and abiding love of the Lord and lived to do his will.

In the closing days of his life, Paul issues to Timothy some final instructions and warnings of perilous times to come. He starts by giving Timothy a solemn charge: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine'' (2 Timothy 4:1-2).

What was it that Paul told Timothy to preach? Did he tell him to preach whatever he wanted to? Did he tell him to preach whatever made him feel good? No. He was told to preach one thing, and one thing only. The word!

Paul then warns Timothy of the trouble that is soon to come: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables'' (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Paul encouraged Timothy to stick to the word of God, sound doctrine, because he knew the time was coming when men would no longer give heed to God's word.

This is a problem we face today. Men want to justify a particular belief or practice that is not in scripture, so they get other men who will preach to them what they want to hear! When you have men teaching other men things that are apart from the word of God you have nothing more than hot air! The doctrines of men are useless to us.

We know that doctrines of men are worthless because Jesus commented on it: "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.'' (Matthew 15:9)

The teaching of the truth sometimes offends men, especially when they are in violation of the truth. Shall we then compromise truth so as to not offend men? God forbid! Jesus' teaching offended the Pharisees: "Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?'' (Matthew 15:12)

Did Jesus alter his teaching so that he would not offend the Pharisees? Absolutely not! "But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch'' (Matthew 15:13-14).

False teachers with false doctrines abound today. They are subtle and do seem to be the emissaries, not the enemies of Christ. "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple'' (Romans 16:17-18).

Friends and brethren, be not deceived by all these false doctrines of men that are in the world today. Remember to turn to the inspired word, for it is there, and only there, that you will find sound doctrine that is able to keep you on the straight and narrow path which will lead us to that crown of righteousness that Paul said awaits us.

Via The Bulletin of the North Courtenay church of Christ
August 16, 1998

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