The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
January 9, 2005
In
This Issue:
Learning
the Truth
by
Steve Klein
"That
Don't Impress Me Much..."
by
Randall Hammock
BACK
TO INDEX
Learning the Truth
I have had the opportunity on several occasions to attend or read religious debates. In every such debate, at least one of the disputants has been in error. Sometimes, they both have been. Yet, I know for a fact that the debaters often spend hundreds of hours studying what the Bible has to say concerning the subject at hand. Whether the topic was instrumental music in worship, the necessity of baptism, the mode of baptism, church support of institutions, miraculous spiritual gifts or Christians taking oaths, I have always been impressed with the tremendous amount of Bible study, thought and preparation done by each participant. Their laborious effort shows. Personally, I have never heard a debate in which I didn't learn many new facts, some of them from the person who was defending error. One can have a lot of facts and still not have the truth!
The same holds true for preachers and Bible class teachers. Many spend a great deal of time studying and preparing, and are capable of presenting a lot of true and valuable information. Yet, many are in error on certain points. Is it because they don't study enough? Maybe, in some cases. But maybe there is more to understanding God's truth than just studying. Maybe there is more to learning the truth than just learning the facts.
How do we come to know the truth of God's word? Is it through study? Yes. But something more than study is necessary.
1) Study must be coupled with the will to know the truth, and not with a desire to reinforce our opinions or defend our positions. In John 5:39-40, Jesus told the Jews, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life." The Jews did not discover the truth about the Christ in the Old Testament Scriptures because they were "not willing." Even though they searched the Scriptures, they remained in error because they didn't want the truth more than they wanted their own opinions and traditions. We will do no better than they as long as we cherish anything more than the truth. Proverbs 23:23 commands us to "Buy the truth, and do not sell it."
2) Study must be thorough, and truly include all of the related information in the Bible on a given subject. Psalm 119:160 states that "The entirety of Your word is truth." If I want to know the truth, I must take "the entirety" of God's word. If I dismiss or ignore certain passages of Scripture because they don't fit with my view of truth, I will not learn the truth.
3) Study must be done with the humility of one who is ignorant, not with the pride of one who already knows. In 1 Corinthians 8:1-2, the apostle Paul writes, "Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know." The person who doesn't know, but doesn't know that he doesn't know, has a lot to learn, but he is not likely to learn it. One who is proud in his knowledge does not receive instruction and correction; so, he remains in error. "He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray" (Proverbs 10:17).
I am troubled that there are well-studied brethren who are wrong. Aren't you? I am keenly aware that I might be in the same shape myself, and just as blissfully ignorant of it as many others seem to be. I must study. I must study more earnestly, more honestly, more thoroughly, and more humbly. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).
-- Steve Klein
Though I don't support the song or the singer, this title of a popular song recently spurred my thought as to how man gets so carried away with himself. He seems so concerned about his outward appearance and what others think of him. Great emphasis is put on what he wears, what he drives, and where he lives. From the small business to the large corporation, everyone seems concerned about their "Public Relations". In the political arena, analysts take polls to see how their candidate is measuring up in the public eye. And great forethought goes into maneuvering oneself so that he has a positive image among others. With all this great effort being made, we have to ask, does man's outward appearance really impress God?
In Luke 16:15, our Lord told the Pharisees "for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." In I Samuel 16:7, Jehovah told Samuel concerning David, "he Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the hear."
Indeed the Lord is concerned about our outward appearance (Rom. 12:1), but a good outward appearance should be the reflection of a pure heart inside. The Pharisees were so concerned about their outward appearance, but neglected the heart. Christ rebuked them in Matthew 23: "But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi." In verses 25-28 of the same chapter, Christ went on to say, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisees, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also." In verse 27, he went on to describe them as "whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness."
Thus, we see the importance of making one's heart absolutely pure. The apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Paul also encouraged Timothy "keep thyself pure" (1 Tim. 5:22). And the Lord exhorted, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matt. 5:8).
The little children sing, "Oh be careful little eyes... ears... mouth... hands... feet... what you do." And the wise man wrote just how to do this in Proverbs 4:23, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out o fit are the issues of life."
Do you wish to please God or man? Live to impress God as you serve him with a "pure heart fervently"!
-- Randall Hammock