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Garreth and Barbara Clair 2007
OWNER AND EDITOR’S BACKGROUND
The editor was born in Lothair [Hazard], Perry County, Kentucky at Hurst and Snyder Hospital on 10/14/1935. My father was working for Black Gold Mining Company, we lived in a company house on Black Gold Hill in Lothair. My grandfather, Henry W. Clair and my grandmother Lilly May Clair lived in Lothair at that time too.
My grandfather and my Dad [Mitchell Lee Clair] were both part of the church of Christ in Lothair, Kentucky. My Father Mitchell Lee Clair and my mother Ruth Madglene [Mooney] Clair were involved in the Lothair church as well as my grandparents and other members of the Clair family.
My grandfather, my father, and my uncle, Woodrow Clair were all involved in the preaching of the gospel at the Lothair congregation and in other places in the area. Others involved in the work at Lothair were Grover Branson, Luther Dalton, Red Gibbs, Bethel Shepherd, Paul Cornett, and others that I do not remember by name.
The church was a good size congregation to the best of my recollection.
The editor’s background consists of conversion in 1959 at a gospel meeting in Chicago, Illinois conducted by Norman Fultz. The editor began his life as a Christian with a group of faithful Christians that had recently began a store-front congregation at 5404 South Halstead Street in Chicago. The services of Bobby Witherington were acquired as the first preacher for the new congregation. As I recall brother Witherington was working as a structural steel worker while preaching. The church prospered and shortly after my baptism, I aspired to preach the gospel and was aided in doing so by Bobby Witherington, Billy James (deceased), Mitchell L. Clair, Sr. (deceased), James Hodges, Carlos Henry and other members of what was shortly to become the Englewood church of Christ.
Some of the people that have aided me through the years as advisors and dear friends have been, first of all my wife, Barbara Ann (Horton) Clair, we have been married since 1959. Also in the list of helpers were my father (Mitchell L. Clair, Sr. (deceased), Dad was a gospel preacher and gave me a great deal of encouragement and help as I began to preach the gospel. Others that have helped me stay the course were Woodrow Clair (i.e. Uncle—deceased), Cecil Willis (deceased), Stanley Lovett (deceased), Ken Weeks (deceased), Joe Stano, Carl Bohn, Delbert Mills (deceased), James Smith of Jackson, MS, Johnnie Edwards. and Billy Ray Ford; To these I will be eternally grateful, without their timely encouragement and kind advise I probably would not have been able to develop my ability as a gospel preacher, and stay the course.
Churches and brethren who assisted us through the years were located in: Dumas (6th and Meredith), Texas — Bedford, Ohio — Columbus (Laurel Canyon), Ohio — Meridian, Mississippi — Other churches and individuals that have been helpful in our work for God have been Rochelle, IL - Glendale, AZ (55th and Myrtle) — Brawley, CA — Jackson MS — Marion, AR — Jeff, KY — Brown's Fork, KY - Greencastle, IN and other brethren in many other places, to numerous to mention.
This year I will become 73 years of age (October 14, 2008) I do intend to do the work of an evangelist as long as I am able. considermagazine.com will possibly be my last publishing effort, yet I will do my very best to make it informative and helpful to the Bible student wherever he/she may be on their travels on the “Narrow Way” leading to eternal glory after a lifetime of faithful service.
We are also mindful of the good brethren and close friends that we have with the Cemetery Road church of Christ. We are now in our 11th year with the church here in Hilliard and the work continues to be good and productive of good. Our health is good at this time and I pray that it will continue. We are still holding gospel meetings away from the congregation here, we average over the years to have conducted about 4 meetings each year. Indeed, God has been good to both Barbara and me, and our brethren have also been good to us with few exceptions. NEW EDITORIALS
APPROACHING THE INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE [How are we to approach the contents of the Bible?] Explanation by Garreth L. Clair
About Understanding God’s Dealings with Mankind [The Question of a Divine Pattern]
A STARTING PLACE: With regard to any subject it is necessary that we determine standards before we proceed. The concept of standards or the following of patterns is not simply a biblical philosophy, the idea of patters is important in ever major human endeavor. Whenever a plan is devised to build any new building [a house, a shopping mall, or an automobile factory the creators and planners will first prepare a pattern that is to be followed by those that build the edifice]. Whenever a new automobile comes to the showroom of our automobile dealers, the car has first been planned by its creators based on a drawn scale or blueprint. The same is true whenever we want to make a measurement of distance, we have to appeal to a rule, [i.e. a foot is 12 inches, a yard is three feet, a mile is 5280 feet, a football field is 100 Yards or 300 feet], you see, in every endeavor it is necessary to follow a pattern.
Understand this, if there is no pattern to follow in building anything or determining values of materials, distances, weights, measure, and any other quality we could not exist in the world in any orderly fashion. As we come to understand this fact about patterns, measurements, and gauges, we are better prepared to follow the Divine Pattern that our Creator has given to us.
GOD IS COMPLETELY PERFECT: Matt 5:48, “Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” ASV God cannot give an imperfect pattern to mankind because HE IS PERFECT and HE HAS CREATED MAN. Since HE HAS CREATED MAN the GUIDEBOOK THAT HE HAS GIVEN MAN IS ALSO PERFECT. The Bible is perfect because God is perfect and God would not provide mankind with a guidebook that contained error or patterns that were imperfect. God has given mankind a Book to guide him through life and acquire eternal life as he understands and complies with God’s instruction. This is absolutely the truth – one cannot understand further than this if one is an atheist, agnostic, an individual that doubts the accuracy of the Bible or anyone that rejects the Bible or any part of it.
GOD HAS GIVEN MANKIND A GUIDE [A Pattern]: The Bible is a book of Divine patterns:
CONSIDER THIS:
God gave us a pattern to rightly divide the Bible: THE BEGINNING PATTERN: 1. 66 Books make up the Bible 2. There is an Old Testament and a New Testament 3. There are three primary dispensations: Patriarchal – From Adam to the Law of Moses [Ten Commandment Law] The Ten Commandment Law given at Mount Horab – From Law of Moses to the establishment of Christ’s church [Kingdom], Acts 2 The Christian Dispensation beginning at Acts 2 POINT: "Today we live under the Christian Dispensation.
God gave Adam and Eve a pattern to follow – Gen 2:16-17 - “16 And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” ASV
God gave Noah a pattern to follow – Gen 6:8-22, “8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of Jehovah. 9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, (and) perfect in his generations: Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 And the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. 13 And God said unto Noah. The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15 And this is how thou shalt make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16 A light shalt thou make to the ark, and to a cubit shalt thou finish it upward; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 17 And I, behold, I do bring the flood of waters upon this earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is in the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. 21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. 22 Thus did Noah ; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” ASV
God gave Moses a pattern to follow –Heb 8:5, “who serve (that which is) a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned (of God) when he is about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount.” ASV
Joshua followed the Divine Pattern - Josh 22:28, “28 Therefore said we, It shall be, when they so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah, which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.” ASV
King Ahaz followed the Divine Pattern - 2 Kings 16:10, “10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus; and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.” ASV
David followed the Divine Pattern – 1 Chron 28:11-12, “11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch (of the temple), and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper rooms thereof, and of the inner chambers thereof, and of the place of the mercy-seat; 12 and the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit, for the courts of the house of Jehovah, and for all the chambers round about, for the treasuries of the house of God, and for the treasuries of the dedicated things;” ASV
God gave a pattern to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego – Daniel 3:1-29
Daniel followed the Divine Pattern – Daniel 6:1-28
God gave Christ a pattern to follow – Matt 11:27, “27 All things have been delivered unto me of my Father : and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father ; neither doth any know the Father , save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal (him.).” Luke 2:49-50, “49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be in my Father's house? 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.” ASV Heb 5:8-9, “8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;” ASV
Christ gave his apostles a pattern to follow – John 1:17, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” ASV John 8:32, “and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ASV John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth. for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, (these) shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.” ASV John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth.” ASV
Paul Instructed Timothy to follow the pattern - 2 Tim 1:13, “Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
Christ gave the church a pattern to follow – Matt 28:18-20, “18 And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” ASV
Composed of members – all have followed the same pattern to become Christians: They have heard [or have learned] the truth – Rom 10:13-17, “13 for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So belief (cometh) of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” ASV
They have believed the gospel – Mark 16:15-16, “15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.” ASV
They have repented of sins – Acts 2:37-38, “37 Now when they heard (this,) they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? 38 And Peter (said) unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” ASV
They have confessed Christ with the mouth – Rom 10:9-10, “9 because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus (as) Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: 10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” ASV
They have been baptized for remission of sins – Acts 2:38, “38 And Peter (said) unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” ASV 1 Peter 3:21, “21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, (even) baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;” ASV
NOTE:
The above plan of salvation is a pattern from God revealed to all mankind so that man may be saved from sin – no person will be saved from sin unless this Divine Plan is followed. Everyone that is saved from sin follows the same plan and receives the same results [i.e. “salvation from sin”].
They have been added to the church by Christ – Acts 2:47, “47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved.” ASV
Composed of men and women of all nations, all have followed the same pattern – Matt 28:18-20, “18 And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” ASV Acts 20:21, “21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” KJV Rom 3:29, “29 Or is God (the God) of Jews only? is he not (the God) of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also:” ASV
Composed of pattern worship – “In spirit and in truth” – John 4:24
Assemble - Heb 10:24-25, “24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting (one another); and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.”
Pray - 1 Thess 5:17, “pray without ceasing;” ASV 1 Tim 2:8, “I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing.” ASV Acts 12:5, “Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him.” ASV
Teach/Preach - Acts 20:7, “7 And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his speech until midnight.” ASV
Lord’s Supper - 1 Cor 11:23-29, “23 For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; 24 and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink (it), in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself, if he discern not the body.” ASV
Contribution into a common treasure - 1 Cor 16:1-2, “1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.” ASV
Sing --- with out mechanical music – Heb 2:12, “saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, In the midst of the congregation will I sing thy praise.” 1 Cor 14:15, “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” ASV
THE BIBLE IS TO BE CORRECTLY HANDLED: 2 Tim 2:15, “15 Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.” ASV
THE BIBLE IS GOD’S INSTRUCTION BOOK FOR MANKIND: There is no reason to go elsewhere for information about God or how to live acceptable to God. 2 Peter 1:3, “seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue;” ASV 2 Tim 3:16-17, “Every scripture inspired of God (is) also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. 17 That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.”
WE WALK BY FAITH - 2 Cor 5:6-9, “6 Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord 7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight); 8 we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him.” ASV
NOTE: The “faith” in Jude 3 is the system of truth: Walking by faith means that we live out our lives according to God’s pattern - Jude 3, “3 Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.”
THE BIBLE IS THE PATTERN:
CONSIDER THIS: The individual, who for whatever reason decides to resist the teaching of the Bible will not become a Christian. The person with a disposition to dispute the teaching of the Bible or any part of it will not come to Christ on His terms, but will be as the Pharisees and Sadducees of Christ day, “will become a blind leader” who will attempt to lead others but will lead them only to his/her own philosophy. Whenever one comes to God’s Book there is humble acceptance or stubborn resistance.
Those actions by Christians and those actions performed by the congregation are to be performed according to the Divine Pattern [i.e. the Written Word of God]. Indeed, the Bible is to be correctly interpreted and this action is dependant upon the actions of men with pure and holy motives. The Bible is a Book that is divided into dispensations, these dispensations consist of Patriarchal, the Law of Moses [i.e. the Ten Commandment law given to the Jews], and the Law of Christ [the Christian].
The first step to rightly dividing the Divine Pattern is to understand that mankind lives today under the Law of Christ, the other three dispensations have been taken out of the way. Since the other two dispensations have been completed, the Law of Christ is the Divine Pattern now to be followed by everyone [i.e. both Jews and Gentiles].
The Law of Christ consists of several patterns within God’s Book of instructions for mankind, they are:
Pattern for the salvation of mankind: Salvation for the individual [i.e. the plan of salvation – a pattern]: Hearing, Believing, Repenting, Confessing Christ as Messiah, being baptized “for the remission of sins”].
The life of the individual Christian [i.e. manner of life – lifestyle]: “Faithful to the instructions that God has provided for us in the New Testament [examples: no fornication, no lies, no stealing, etc and, love one another, forgive the sinner who repents, faithful to God in all things, etc.].
Pattern for the church [congregational relationship of the Christian] Lord’s Day worship [A Biblical Pattern]: Assembled, In Spirit and in truth, Singing, Prayer, Teaching, Lord’s Supper, Giving
SOME FINAL REQUESTS BY GARRETH ABOUT INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE
Since God is perfect, God would not give to man a book that contained error of any kind. Since the above point is true we may rightly conclude that the Bible has no error in it. Since we are God’s created beings we will follow God’s Written instructions for us even when we do not understand everything about God’s wishes for us.
Whenever we study God’s Written Word, we will always seek to understand it as it has been written.
We will also understand that expedients are used in interpreting the Bible but we will also understand that any expedient must be authorized by Scripture before it is acceptable.
There are three factors involved in an acceptable interpretation of Scripture they are:
We will also seek to understand FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE and we will not press prophetic language beyond its fulfillment unless the context demands a secondary application.
We will also examine parables and other figures of speech in their proper setting so that we will correctly understand God’s intention for us.
… Prepared by Garreth L. Clair ...
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING FACTS ABOUT THE DIVINE PATTERN [i.e. Previous articles]
THE WISE PERSON
A great and wise person is that person who is lead by God’s Written Word [i.e. the Bible]. There can be no wisdom in any of us without seeking it in the proper place. Wisdom, the kind of wisdom that aids man in his life here in this world surely comes from sources that are truly reliable. Indeed, the only source of true wisdom or if I may say, the only source of absolutely dependable knowledge about life and all things that pertain to it comes from man’s Creator [i.e. God]. Without recognition of this source we cannot attain sufficient truth to be wise or to make wise choices about the problems and opportunities of life. God makes this very clear through Jeremiah the ancient prophet in Jeremiah 10:23, “O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” ASV
FURTHER THOUGHTS ABOUT WISDOM or BEING WISE
OF TRUE WISDOM:
God (i.e. speaking via the Bible) says that a person's choices in life will come back to trouble or to aid him/her sometime in the future - The idea of the old adage, "You will reap whatever you sow" is found to be true.Galatians 6:7-10, "7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (NKJV)
WISDOM IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S COMMANDS: Wisdom is seen whenever a person understands the concept of obedience to God's instruction and obeys God. The person who really believes in God as the Author of the Bible will gladly demonstrate that belief (i.e. faith) in God by obeying all of God's commands that apply to him. Even if the person cannot obey God's instructions always, he/she will constantly plead with God for strength and seek greater understanding for the purpose of being pleasing to God through obedience. Please notice the following passages of Scripture from God's Book that teaches this concept: JEREMIAH, the Old Testament Prophet of God understood this principle when he returned to Jerusalem and saw the desolate condition of the city and the fortifications, He therefore honestly sought to lead the people back to God so that God would bless them in the work of rebuilding after the seventy-years of captivity in Babylon - Daniel 9:3-5, "3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplication, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments ; 5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from" (KJV). SOLOMON, the wisest man of all history understood this principle of obedience too: - Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, "13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments : for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (KJV). THE APOSTLE JOHN, understood this principle too: - 1 John 2:3-5, "3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments . 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him" (KJV). 1 John 3:22, "22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments , and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 1 John 5:2-3, "2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments . 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments : and his commandments are not grievous" (KJV). WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THIS TRUTH TOO July 10, 2007
Garrth Clair: Editor THE IMPORTANCE OF AUTHORITY
THE CONSTITUTION: Without the American constitution those of us who are citizens in America would not have rules to live by with regard to responsibilities and rights. The constitution gives all citizens the same rights and privileges. Since the previous sentence is true, we must make sure that we are citizens of this great country - if we want the rights and privileges we will surely find out how to be a citizen and do whatever we need to do to become one. As citizens of America we understand that our rights and privileges are simply laws by which we live and conduct our affairs while we live here. The constitution, although an important document to all citizens cannot guarantee our survival in this world. The survival [i.e. life expectancy], of anyone of us will depend upon many things and our life may end at any time regardless of the protection under our republic form of government guaranteed by the constitution. Yet, whether we live as model citizens or as rebellious citizens, our rights and privileges under the constitution continues to exist. Even though these conclusions are correct, our life will one day come to an end. Whenever we die we will be buried somewhere, where will be determined either before we die or after we die - perhaps by a family member. After physical death what can the constitution, what can the government, what can the army, navy, marines, etc. do for us? "NOTHING." After death we are either annihilated {forever gone as is a dog, or a fish} or we will live again in another circumstance {i.e. we know not what}. Have we considered the possibility that we may live again?
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT ONE MAY DO THAT WILL HELP BEYOND THE GRAVE? “YES!” Please read John 3:16; Acts 2:37-39; Matthew 25:14-33 July 2007 EVANGELISM
Matt 28:18-20, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you." Imagine that Jesus saying these words to eleven of us today and we were one of the eleven. What would be our reaction? Impossible? Incredible? Absurd? Or Lord don't you see there are only eleven of us? Or would we think "Yes Jesus really means me also." We are also under this obligation to teach others. Jesus had just commanded the eleven to go teach and to teach those who were converted to observe all things he had command them which included that we are also to be taught to go and teach.
Paul says in Romans 1:14, "I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise." In like manner today we are debtors to every non-Christian because we have the good news that can save his soul. This places us under obligation to share the gospel with the lost so they can be saved. Because someone loved us enough to teach us the truth, shouldn't we do as much for someone else? What if you were unsaved and doomed to Hell, wouldn't you want someone to teach you the saving gospel of Christ?
If people have not heard and learned the gospel they cannot obey it. In 1 Peter 4:17 the question is asked, "What shall be the end of those who do not obey the gospel?" The answer is given in 2 Thessalonians 1:8 which says when the Lord comes He will come "In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." We should not want to see anyone lost but as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:11, "Knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men." People are going to be lost forever if we don't teach them now!
The Lord doesn't want anyone to be lost. We read in 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord...is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." They can only come to repentance when they know what to do. We also read in 1 Timothy 2:4, "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth." Because of what the Lord has done for us, we have the obligation to teach others so they can come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:16, "Woe is to me if I preach not the gospel." How are we going to answer the Lord if we haven't bothered to tell the good news to others?
Our Lord in teaching His disciples, tells them in John 4:35, "Do you say there are still four months then comes the harvest? Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white already to harvest." Our Lord was speaking of the spiritual harvest of souls who would be lost in eternity if they are not harvested. There is an urgency to teach the lost for Jesus says in Matthew 9:37-38, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." We must work in the Lord's harvest because if we don't then those we could have taught will be lost and we don't want that to happen.
Teaching the lost is the work the Lord has commanded each of us to do. Successful evangelism is accomplished one person at a time. Evangelism is not only to be done in distant lands, but we must also teach those near us, our next door neighbors. God will be with us as we teach His word to the lost. We will be successful because we read in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." When we do what the Lord says to do we will not fail.
When we teach the lost we cause all of Heaven to rejoice. Jesus tells us that there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner repents (Luke 15:7, 10). The joy of teaching one the gospel and seeing them obey it is beyond description. Plan to be with us Sunday morning at 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, and 6:00 PM too; you will always be welcome and the church members will appreciate your encouragement. Perhaps you have not been to our services before – come on and get acquainted with us. Psalms 118:24, “This is the day which Jehovah hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” ASV
Psalms 122:1, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go unto the house of Jehovah.” ASV
SEE YOU IN WORSHIP! ---- glclair@aol.com January 1, 2008
Consider Magazine is an independent work by Garreth L. Clair Garreth has over 46 years experience as a preacher, and is currently the preacher for the church that meets at 4840 Cemetery Road, in Hilliard OH. http://www.cemeteryroadchurchofchrist.org/ Copyright 2005, All Rights Reserved. (Please contact us for permission to reprint.) Please help us show up on search engines, by putting a link to http://www.considermagazine.com on your website!
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