The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
October 23, 2005
In
This Issue:
Avoiding
Temptation
by
Steve Klein
How
Does One Become a Christian?
by
Tom Roberts
Avoiding Temptation:
How to Stay Spiritually Undefeated
I know of a high school and a college which are both undefeated in football. Neither has lost a game in decades. That's because neither has ever fielded a football team or scheduled a game with an opposing school. But they really are undefeated!
You will never lose a game that you don't play. The unfought fight will leave you unharmed, unscathed and undefeated.
Now I understand that temptation is not entirely avoidable. Every man is tempted. Even Jesus was (Hebrews 4:15). Being tempted is not sin, but it can and does produce sin. When we struggle against temptation, we frequently lose the battle. However, we can do a lot to control the frequency and intensity of our temptations.
When temptation is unavoidable, the Bible recommends trying to "escape" or "flee".
-
"Flee sexual immorality" (1 Corinthians 6:18).
- "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to
man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond
what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of
escape, that you may be able to bear it. 14Therefore, my beloved,
flee from idolatry" (1 Corinthians 10:13-14).
- "Flee also youthful lusts&ldots;" (2 Timothy 2:22).
But an even better approach is to avoid temptation altogether when possible. Jesus encouraged us to pray to our Heavenly Father that He would "not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" (Luke 11:4). Jesus told His disciples in Gethsemane to "Pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Luke 22:40, 46).
This strategy for dealing with temptation applies to many aspects of our daily lives. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 7:5 the apostle Paul told husbands and wives, "Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." Paul recommends that married couples fulfill one another's desire for affection so that Satan will not tempt them! Think of how many broken marriages might have been saved by following this simple advice. How many unfaithful spouses might never have strayed had they had the help of their mates to avoid temptation to begin with?
In another area of life, Galatians 6:1 teaches us to avoid temptation when trying to restore an erring brother. Paul commands, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted." We can easily imagine the temptations that would come our way if we tried to restore a brother in a spirit of meanness and arrogance rather than in a spirit of gentleness. We would likely be tempted with pride, anger, self righteousness and evil speaking, to name a few. How much better off we would be spiritually if we could avoid these temptations.
Our daily struggle with sin is hard enough. Why make it more difficult than it has to be? Let us all pray daily that we will not be led into temptation. And then, let us choose paths that demonstrate the sincerity of our prayer.
--Steve Klein
Hear the Gospel
Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and
knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to
him and dine with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20). The Lord is
inviting you into His kingdom. He also said, "I am the good
shepherd," and he is the "door of the sheep" (John
10:7, 11). He invites the lost into the fold of safety, for danger is
outside. For the lost, Jesus is the good shepherd that leaves the
"ninety and nine" and looks for the "sheep that is
lost," for "the Son of Man has come to save that which was
lost" (Mt. 18:11-14). Jesus' sheep hear his voice and follow him
(John 10:27-28) for eternal life. How do the sheep hear the voice of
Jesus? We are "called by the gospel" (2 Thes. 2:14), which
is "the power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16). It is by
the word of God that faith is produced in the hearts of the lost
(Rom. 10:17). Have you heard the gospel?
Believe
As the gospel story is read (Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John), Jesus is shown to be the Son of God (Jn. 20:27-31). Our faith
rests in Him. We must believe that He is the Son of God, sacrificed
for our sins (Mt. 16:13-16; John 8:24). Do you believe?
Repent of Sins
All of us have sinned (Rom. 3:23) and have died
spiritually because of sin (Rom 6:23). We must face our sins and
repent. Repentance is a change of mind, followed by a change of life,
as illustrated in Matthew 21:28-31. The son "repented"
(changed his mind) and "went" (changed his life). This
repentance is required before one can be saved (Lk. 13:3-5; Acts
2:36-38). Have you repented?
Confess the Name of Jesus
Jesus warned that we must have the courage of our
faith to openly confess Him with the mouth, an oral confession (Rom.
10:10). If we do not have this courage, Jesus will not confess our
name as brethren (Mt. 10:32-33). People in the New Testament times
confessed Jesus' name (Acts 4:10-12; 8:37). Have you confessed that
Jesus is the Son of God?
Be Baptized
Yes, baptism is a Bible doctrine, commanded by Jesus
(Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Luke 24:48). Baptism is not administered
as a "rite of the church," as a work of human righteousness
or merit, but as an act of faith (Mk. 16:16; James 2:17, 18, 20, 24).
Regardless of the animosity toward baptism in the denominational
world, and in spite of their denial of its place in salvation, it is
administered by the authority of Jesus for the remission of sin.
Baptism is a burial (Rom. 6:1-7; Col. 2:12) in water (Jno. 3:1-5; Acts 2:38; Acts 8:38). It is for (unto, toward) the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) and is viewed in scripture as involved in "washing away sins" (Acts 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). It is understood by Bible students that forgiveness is not in the water, but in the blood of Christ (Mt. 26:26-28; Rom. 6:1-7). However, Jesus has placed the opportunity of reaching that blood in the act of baptism. It is at baptism that the sinner meets the blood of Christ, that the old man of sin dies, and the new birth takes place (Rom. 6:1-7; Jn. 3:1-5).
Baptism is a re-enactment of the sinner for what Jesus did for him (death, burial and resurrection, 1 Cor. 15:1-4). The sinner obeys, in baptism, a "form of the gospel" (Rom. 6:16-18) in that he becomes dead to sin as he repents, is buried in baptism, and arises to a new life in Christ (Rom., 6:1-7). There is no other act of obedience in the New Testament that so fittingly portrays the gospel in our life as baptism. It is an act of faithful obedience (Rom. 1:5; Jn. 6:28-29; 8:39), not an act of merit or of human righteousness (Tit. 3:5). At the time of baptism, Jesus forgives our sins by the power of the blood and adds us to His church (Acts 2:38, 47). Have you been baptized?
Now That I'm A Christian
Disciples of Jesus wear no denominational names or
support denominational doctrines. You are not Baptist, Methodist,
Catholic, etc. No such names or denominations existed when Jesus
built His church, and you now belong to that church (Mt. 16:18; Acts
2:47). The name of "Christian" is given for you to wear,
and you glorify God in that name (Acts 11:26; 4:12; 1 Pet. 4:14-15).
As a Christian, you will meet with other Christians for worship and service (Heb. 10:25; Acts 2:42; 9:26-28; Eph. 4:11-16).
Christians begin as "babes" in Christ, having been born again (Jn. 3:1-5; Rom. 6:1-7; 1 Pet. 1:22-23; 1 Pet. 2:1-2). Each grows toward being a mature Christian (Eph. 4:11-15). They no longer live in sinful life-styles as in the past (Col. 3:1-17; Gal. 5:19-24). A Christian grows by adding the attributes of grace (2 Pet. 1:2-11). Are you a Christian?
-- Tom Roberts