The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at New Georgia

Tim Johnson, editor

May  13, 2007

 
In This Issue:
Gullibility
by Steve Klein

The Wrath of God
by Tim Johnson

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Gullibility

     If you've been told that the word gullible is not found in any dictionary, and then checked in a dictionary to see whether or not it was there, YOU are the definition of gullible.  Gullible is in fact in the dictionary and it means "easily deceived or tricked, naïve."

  In our world, gullibility is responsible for a lot of trouble.  Conmen rely on it to work fraudulent schemes that successfully separate people from their hard earned money.  Gossips and slanderers rely on it to spread false and misleading information.  For those who use e-mail, you've no doubt received numerous messages warning of some supposed computer virus, or promising financial reward if you'll forward an e-mail to friends, or informing you that you've won millions from a long lost relative in Africa or by winning a lottery that you never entered.

  It has been said that for every credibility gap, there is a gullibility fill.  For every person willing to lie and deceive, there is someone who is willing to listen and believe.  This seems to be very true when it comes to matters of faith, and it is exactly what was foretold by the apostle Paul in  2 Timothy 3:13: "But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." 

  When we are able to grasp this biblical truth, it helps us understand how there could be people who believe exactly the opposite of what the Bible plainly teaches on so many different things. For instance, have you ever wondered why so many believe that baptism does not have anything to do with salvation, despite the fact that the Scriptures teach that it "saves us" (1 Peter 3:21), can "wash away your sins" (Acts 22:16), and is to be done "for the remission of your sins" (Acts 2:38)?  The answer is that people are gullible and "many deceivers have gone out into the world" (2 John 7).

  As Christians, we must guard against spiritual gullibility.  We cannot allow ourselves to be "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting" (Ephesians 4:14).

  Here are a couple of Bible principles that will help us ward off gullibility:

  1. Recognize that something is not true just because the person you heard it from seems nice and speaks kindly.  Romans 16:18 warns us about those who "by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple."  In Proverbs 26:24-25 we learn that "He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself; {25} when he speaks kindly, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart."

  2. Use the Bible to test everything you hear.  Christians must learn to think critically.  We're commanded to "Test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21).  "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).

-- Steve Klein
 

 The Wrath of God

  "God is not mad at you, no matter what!" This is what most people in the world believe. In fact, there are religious groups who use this as their slogan. However, the Bible paints quite a different picture.

   In Exodus 4:14, as God was choosing the one who would lead Israel from Egyptian bondage, "the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses" because Moses continued to make excuses for not doing God's will.

   In Leviticus 10:1-7, Nadab and Abihu were struck dead because they "offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not."

   In Numbers 12, when Aaron and Miriam "spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married&ldots;the anger of the LORD was kindled against them."

   In Deuteronomy 9:19-20, as Moses was reminding the Israelites of the terrible sin they had committed in asking Aaron to make the golden calf, he spoke of "the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you."

   In Acts 5:1-11, when Ananias and Sapphira had conspired with each other to lie to the Holy Ghost, we see God's anger in striking the two of them dead on the spot.

   So we see from simple Bible history that God can be mad at mankind. Further study shows that God is mad at:

  1. Those who suppress the truth - Romans 1:18 - "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness."

  2. Those who are hard-hearted - Romans 2:5 - "But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God."

  3. Those who are self-seeking and disobedient - Romans 2:8 - "But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness - indignation and wrath."

  4. Those who practice evil - Romans 13:4 - "For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil."

  5. Those who are deceivers - Ephesians 5:6 - "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience."

  6. Those who engage in sexual immorality - Col. 3:5-6 - "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience."

   Psalm 7:11 tells us that "God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day." But we don't have to face the wrath of God. "For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thessalonians 5:9). As long as we are obedient to Him, God is not mad at you or me. We may slip up from time to time and sin, but as long as we recognize our sin and turn from our wrongdoing in repentance, asking God to forgive us, He will not be mad at us.

   If we refuse to become obedient or if we sin and continue living in our sin with no intention of repenting, God is definitely mad at us, and, as we have seen, will punish us severely.

   "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31).

-- Tim Johnson