The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
October 20, 2002
In
This Issue:
Shall
We Overcome?
by
Steve Klein
What
is the Work of the Church?
by
Phillip Mullins
Shall We Overcome?
God's children today are living in a time when the inspiring affirmation expressed in the phrase "We shall overcome" has been effectively changed. In the minds of many, it is now in the form of a question -- "Shall we overcome?" Or sometimes it takes the form of a completely negative statement -- "We cannot overcome!" The power of evil is so strong. There is so much temptation to be faced as we live in the world. Each day, our human weaknesses become more apparent, as does the hideous strength of Satan our adversary (cf. Ephesians 6:11-12, 1 Peter 5:8). We turn for strength and assurance to spiritual leaders, only to be told by some that our "sinful human nature" simply forces us to "have to" sin. As in the days of old, when Moses chose leaders among the children of Israel to go and spy out the promised land, some have seemingly returned to report that "we are not able" to overcome (Numbers 13:1-3, 31).
All of this is distressing and depressing to sincere children of God. If, to quote a favorite football coach of mine, "the fun is in the winning," then (apparently) there is no fun and no joy in being a Christian, for there is no winning.
Helen Keller wrote that, "the marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome." We are painfully aware of our limitations and shortcomings, but the great news of the Bible is that God's children CAN overcome, and that many rewards and great joy will be theirs when they do. In his first epistle, John writes in language that assures us of this truth. He writes to young men who are strong and in whom the word of God abides and he tells them "you have overcome the wicked one" (1 John 2:14). John assures us that "whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith" (1 John 5:4).
In chapters two and three of Revelation, we are presented with seven churches; members in each of these churches had something to overcome. Jesus promised Great rewards if they would do so. Among other things, the one who overcame would be given "to eat from the tree of life" (2:7), and would "not be hurt by the second death (2:11, cf. 2:17; 2:26; 3:5; 3:12; 3:21).
We, as they, can overcome the power of Satan "by the blood of the lamb" (Revelation 12:11). We do not have to give in to temptation, for God will not allow us to be tempted above what we are "able" to bear (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:13). If we do give in, we do not have to wallow dejectedly in sin, we may approach our heavenly Father and receive forgiveness through Jesus Christ! "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world" (1 John 2:1).
by Steve Klein
There are so many good causes in the world. There are so many needs that people have. There are so many problems in society that need to be addressed. Of all of these, which ones merit the attention of the church?
First of all, what is the church? As the apostle Paul is addressing the Corinthians in his first letter, he says, "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,..." (I Corinthians 1:2). The Greek word for church means "the called out". It was used to describe a gathering of citizens to decide political matters or a band of men who would go off to war. It is a collective noun and its use in the New Testament indicates that the church is a collection of people. However, the church is not just any gathering of people. As the above verse indicates, it is the body of people who are sanctified in Christ, called to be saints, and who call on the name of Jesus. The church is the collection of people who have been called out of sin to follow Christ. The term can either be used for the entire collection of saved people in Christ (Matthew 16:18) or an assembly of them in a given location, as in the case with the church of God in Corinth. According to the instructions and examples of the New Testament, it is only this local church that organizes and works as a unit. What kind of work does the collection of Christians do in a given community? What are the needs and problems upon which they focus?
The local church at Antioch is a good example of the kind of work a local church does. Acts 11:22-30 lists three things that this local church did in fulfilling their divine calling.
In vs. 22-24 we see that Barnabas comes from Jerusalem and works with the church in Antioch. Vs. 24 ends by saying that, "...And a great many people were added to the Lord." Therefore, evangelism is a work of the local church. The local church is God's instrument to reach others in a community with His saving gospel. A local church can even participate in the preaching of the gospel in other places as Antioch did in sending out Barnabas and Saul to go to other lands and preach (Acts 13:1-3).
In vs. 25-26 of the eleventh chapter of Acts, Saul of Tarsus is brought to Antioch. The passage records that Saul, later called Paul, teamed up with Barnabas to aid this local church. Vs. 26 comments that, "...for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people." This local body of Christ was assembling and securing teachers to aid its members in growing in the word of God. Edification is to be another work of the church. Ephesians 4:12-13 speaks of this work and the goal of it, "...till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." The church is to devote its energies, time, and resources to a-iding individuals to grow in Christ.
Acts 11:27-30 tells us how that the church at Antioch heard about coming economic hardship for Christians in Judea. They gathered funds and sent them to the brethren there to relieve them from physical need. Acts 2 and 4 tell us about how that the church in Jerusalem relieved needy saints that were within that local congregation. A local church of Christ is authorized to help needy Christians locally or even in another place. Benevolence is the third work that the Lord's church is to do.
Evangelism, edification, and benevolence to needy Christians are the only three works that the church of the New Testament did or were commanded to do. It is imperative that if a body of people claim to be Christ's church, that they perform all of these works and these only. For a church to become distracted with other causes, though wholesome as they may be, is to lose its focus and even identity as the church that Christ built. The Lord's church has a distinct reason for existing and it has God-given goals to accomplish. The church belongs to Christ and none of us have the right to change the church's mission. Recreation, politics, community service, and relief to needy non-Christians are not sinful in and of themselves. They can freely be engaged in by the individual Christian. However, they are not part of the mission and work of the church of the New Testament. The Lord is wise enough to know what is the best work for His church. Are we wise enough to respect His will on the matter?
--By Phillip Mullins
Via The Manslick Road Speaker