WHY MARRIAGES FAIL

We are being bombarded with propaganda that would have us believe that marriage and the husband-wife relationship have failed the tests of time and experience. True, divorce is rampant, but I deny that it is the fault of the God-ordained institution of marriage that has failed. When a marriage fails, it is because the people involved have failed in one or more important characteristics. Marriage works as God intended, only when both partners behave as God directs. A large percentage of marriages are entered into for very shallow reasons, often resulting in divorce for equally shallow reasons. Marriage is not for babies, either physically or emotionally. We will do well to discuss some of the trademarks of immaturity. I hope these thoughts will help those who are unhappy in their marriages. I write them also for those who are, or someday will be, contemplating marriage. Even those who are happily married may profit from reviewing these thoughts. Consider these marriage destroyers:

Selfishness. Babies are totally selfish, always seeking their own way. So are some adults. If one marriage partner is self-centered it is bad enough. When two selfish people marry, a powder keg is created that will eventually explode. This is the seed-trait of all of the other traits of immaturity.

Ingratitude. Babies are not grateful for sacrifices their parents make. One who is never grateful to one’s mate for sacrifices and favors bestowed is asking for problems.

Irresponsibility. A husband or wife who will not carry one’s share of the load, do one’s work, or fulfill one’s responsibilities, places a strain on a marriage that often destroys it.

Instability. Some people will not stay with a job more than a few weeks before quitting to jump to another. Some never finish the projects they start. This causes much marital misery.

Over-reaction. Some react to the inevitable problems and conflicts in marriage like children. Such a wife may run home to mother at the first disagreement with her husband. Such a husband may react to losing his job or to having an argument with his wife by drinking himself into a stupor. To avenge some slight (real or imagined), one may commit adultery.

Foolish standards of love. Whether a man takes his wife to see her parents at Christmas or whether she cooks his favorite meal once a week does not necessarily indicate love or its absence, yet many marriages have been dissolved over such trivial “standards” of “love.”

Dub McClish

THE KIND OF PREACHING NEEDED TODAY

Bible Preaching. “Preach the word” is Paul’s command (II Timothy 4:2). The Bible must be the content and focus of our preaching, for such alone can be rightly called “sound [i.e., healthy, health-giving] doctrine” (v. 3). If people hear only jokes, amusing anecdotes, personal experiences, stories, and “nice little talks” instead of God’s Truth, their souls will die from spiritual malnutrition. So much of what is being heard in our pulpits currently is not at all distinctive, as true Gospel preaching always is. Instead, many pulpits are platforms for brief popular psychology lectures or religious “pep rallies” based on pop-psychology.

Sadly, many members refuse to listen to anyone who is determined to preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Such debunk Bible preaching that cites book, chapter, and verse, labeling it “concordance” preaching. Even if some reject Bible preaching (as Paul prophesied, II Timothy 4:3–4), the preacher who is more serious about helping people get to Heaven than he is about keeping his job will pay the price to keep on preaching it (v. 5). Listeners who are more interested in going to Heaven than in satisfying their own selfish, carnal desires will support, encourage, yea, demand such preaching and will refuse any other kind as so much pulpit waste material. If one is not going to preach (or listen to) the Bible, why preach (or listen) at all?

Powerful Preaching. Preachers need to take Paul’s words to heart: “Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians 6:10). The devil, not the Lord, makes us weak and cowardly: “For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline” (II Timothy 1:7). The late R.N. Hogan was right: “Brethren have heard so much sweet-talk preaching that most of them have spiritual sugar diabetes.” If the Gospel teaches it, preachers must not be afraid to preach it with authority (Titus 2:15). The world and the church are in great need of men who will courageously preach against sin and error (both  “in general” and specifically) and uphold righteousness and Truth.

Emphatic Preaching. Many a pew-sitter has been sung to sleep by the perfectly-rounded, golden tones of the man in the pulpit. Preachers at times need to raise the voice and shout, lower the voice and whisper, slap the hands together, pound the pulpit, stamp the feet—emphasize appropriately what you are preaching. I’m not suggesting artificial theatrics, but preachers need to drive the point home.

Persuasive Preaching. Preaching that does not challenge us to deeper service, move us to greater faithfulness and prompt self-searching and rededication misses its mark. Preaching should stir up and touch our hearts. Paul was constantly beseeching, persuading the brethren, and so will God’s preachers in every age be ever seeking to do.

Dub McClish

XMAS XTREMES

This time of year people are generally the happiest, friendliest, most hospitable, and most benevolent. I suppose this behavior might be attributed to the “Christmas spirit.” What a better world this would be if this spirit “ran loose” each day of the year, and indeed, this is what the Lord wills (Ephesians 4:31–32). Along with all the good things this season brings, I have observed some who have extreme positions toward “Xmas.”

I was once asked if Christians should decorate a tree and give gifts at this season of the year. This question reflects an extreme concept, namely, that it is wrong to practice such innocent customs as adorning a tree, exchanging gifts and cards, and such like. Some religious groups take this position and among individuals, I have also known of brethren at various places who did so. I responded to the question, “If it is wrong to give gifts on December 25, it is wrong also on any other occasion. If it is not wrong on any other occasion (birthday, anniversary, etc.) then it is not wrong on December 25. There is nothing more wrong with decorating a tree with ornaments as a mere seasonal custom than with raising a flag on Veterans’ Day or eating turkey on “Thanksgiving” day.

Another extreme is represented by the oft-heard cliché, “Put Christ back into Christmas.” I was once harshly criticized for writing Xmas, instead of Christmas,thereby “removing Christ from Christmas.” Truth be told, Christ never was in Christmas until men put him there! “In the 5th century the Western church [Roman Catholic, DM] ordered the feast to be celebrated on the day of the Mithraic rites of the birth of the sun and at the close of Saturnalia, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed” (Encyclopedia Americana, 6:622).

This statement clearly demonstrates the fact that God was not very concerned about His Son's birth’s being celebrated. The event that God considered important for us to “celebrate” was His death, and we are thus to keep it in sacred commemoration each Lord's day. It is not by the birth of Christ that we are saved, but by His death and resurrection. Thus when one sings, “Remember Christ Our Saviour Was Born on Christmas Day,” he knows not what he sings. God has made it impossible for us to attach—with His authority—any sacred significance to one day as the birthday of Christ by allowing that date to totally disappear from secular history. For this reason faithful churches of Christ have no special religious observances at this season of the year. The silence of Scripture forbids any such religious observance. A practice that began four centuries after Messianic and apostolic times and that gathered all of its ingredients from Paganism must be rejected as a religious practice by those interested in New Testament Christianity.

Consider another extreme related to Christmas: While such things as the non-religious practice of adorning a tree and exchanging gifts in late December are innocent practices, these are often carried to an extreme. We should not become enslaved by our freedom. Sometimes the church’s contribution figure decreases sharply at the close of the year and into the new year. Perhaps the income of some decreases, but it may also be because some went to an extreme with their gift-buying, decorating, and traveling. Through the years, I have known some brethren who spent more on gifts during this one season than they gave to the Lord all year, in effect making the Lord pay for their festivities.

We should never allow this custom (or anything else within our control) to interfere with our worship and Bible class attendance, our giving, or other Christian duties. May we avoid these “Xmas Xtremes.”

Dub McClish

Victory in Christ

God's Word clearly teaches that each one of us can triumph over Satan and his snares. However, even those who understand and believe this sometimes err greatly in their conception of the means by which the victory will be accomplished.

Let us notice some ways in which it will not be accomplished. We will not overcome Satan and evil by carnal, fleshly, or material means. We are indeed engaged in a war, but not one with physical/material weapons (II Corinthians 10:3–4). Our struggle is a spiritual one, originating with invisible, yet very real, forces (Ephesians 6:12). As Christian “soldiers” we are commanded to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might” (6:10). Be strong is in the passive voice (literally, “be made strong”), implying submission to the avenues of spiritual strength the Lord has provided. Our strength does not come through some direct profusion of Holy Spirit power enabling us to resist temptation, understand His written Word, and be victorious in our personal spiritual struggles. Rather, the Lord provides us with all of the “weapons” and resources we need through His inspired Word (Ephesians 6:13–17; II Tim. 3:16–17).

Selfishness causes casualties among rank and file Christian soldiers, resulting in simple neglect of spiritual duty on the one hand and/or rebellion toward His authority on the other. This self-will often manifests itself by opposing those who faithfully preach God's Word. Many saints are not as wise or as spiritually mature as were those sinners in Thessalonica who became saints. When they heard the Gospel, they “…accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God…” (I Thessalonians 2:13). Tragically, many who would like to be known as “soldiers of the cross” accept the Word of God as if it were the words of men, despising its authority if it in any way reproves them. Often such seek to silence the messengers who faithfully deliver that message of Truth.

Note that spiritual strength is “in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10), as opposed to “outside” the Lord. In the Lord or its equivalent appears several times in the New Testament. This phrase indicates fellowship with Christ, attained by coming into the spiritual sphere where the Lord and salvation are. It is equal to being in the church/kingdom/body of Christ and to being saved, redeemed by the blood of Christ. Outside of Christ and His church, men deprive themselves of spiritual strength sufficient for their struggles with Satan. Regardless of how sincere, pious, or morally good one outside of Christ may be, salvation and spiritual strength are found only in Christ. Our labor avails “in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58). Two passages tell us plainly that baptism in water is the point at which the sinner enters into Christ (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27).

Further, our hope of victory is not in the devices and inventions of men, but “in the Lord.” “…The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh… (II Corinthians 10:4), either in the sense of physical military weapons or the philosophies, reasonings, and gimmicks of men, “…for our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, …but against the spiritual hosts of wickedness… (Ephesians 6:12). If we overcome Satan, it will be through reliance upon the Lord's way, not the ways of men.

Dub McClish

Why Some People Quit

Ever since the church began, some who have obeyed the Gospel, thus being added by the Lord to the church, have failed to remain faithful. They, like the Ephesians, “have left their first love” (Revelation 2:4). Likely, there are some motivations for departures with which I am not familiar, but some are very apparent. Some apostatize because they cease to value Truth and become ensnared in false doctrines and practices (II Thessalonians 2:10–12; I Timothy 1:19–20; 4:1; II Timothy 4:3–4; et al.). Others hear the siren-call of fleshly lusts and, unlike Moses, choose to enjoy the “pleasures of sin for a season,” forgetting the inevitable day of recompense (Hebrews 11:25–26; I Corinthians 5:1–5; II Corinthians 12:21; II Timothy 3:1–6; Jude 4; et al.).

Others who drop out do not do so because of such drastic factors. They depart for what one might refer to as more “personal” or “subjective” reasons, several of which I have heard over the years. In hopes that discussion of some of these might prevent someone from backsliding and losing his soul, consider the following:

1.  Guilt: When one knows he is not living as Christ teaches us to live during the week, he should feel guilty and ashamed when he comes into his Bible class or into the worship assembly. His guilt and shame leave him with two choices: He can confess and repent of his sin, or he can continue in it. One who continues in sin will not long faithfully assemble where Biblical preaching and teaching remind him of his guilt. If he is unwilling to abandon his sin, he will abandon the church by making no pretense at being religious or he will “shop at being religious or he will “shop around” for a “feel-good church” with a “feel-good at being religious or he will “shop gospel” (joining a “guilt-free church” that allows people to maintain membership and hold on to their sins is merely another way of abandoning the Truth—and the church). Unwillingness to give up sin (and the resulting guilt) has caused many to “quit the church.”
2. Personal dislike for someone in the congregation: Often it is the preacher, an elder, or a teacher—usually someone in a leadership role—who stirs such disfavor. We all have enough faults to be unlikable to someone else at times (e.g., I do not like the behavior of those who quit because they do not “like” someone). Guess what? You do not have to like every member of the church to be a faithful Christian (nor does everyone in the congregation have to like you). God must often dislike the behavior of even the best of us, but He still loves us and desires our salvation. Likewise, it is not necessarily wrong for us to dislike and irritate one another at times in matters of opinion and personal choice, as long as we still love one another enough to seek the good of each other. “Quitting the church,” thereby losing one’s soul, is a high price to pay because “I do not like someone.”
3.  The claim of “too many hypocrites” in the church: Perhaps all Christians (including preachers and elders) have at least been inconsistent, if not hypocritical at times. Even the best find it impossible to live flawlessly the flawless message we preach. I dare say that the one who charges, “There are too many hypocrites,” is himself hypocritical once in a while. There is no defense for hypocrisy, but which is worse—to continue to faithfully assemble and work with other imperfect saints, knowing that one’s own life is not perfect, or to drop out and lose one’s soul? Besides, the presence of one or one hundred hypocrites has nothing to do with one’s relationship with God unless he allows it to do so. Hell will be the eternal abode of impenitent hypocrites (Matthew 24:51). The one who so despises them here that he departs from the Lord rather than associate with them will condemn himself to inescapable association with them in eternity.

Many other “reasons” for quitting are observable, but they all stem from uncontrolled selfishness (Romans 15:1–3; II Corinthians 5:15; Philippians 2:4, 21; II Timothy 3:2). The quitter will return only when he gets selfishness under control.

Dub McClish

Why Some People Quit

Ever since the church began, some who have obeyed the Gospel, thus being added by the Lord to the church, have failed to remain faithful. They, like the Ephesians, “have left their first love” (Revelation. 2:4). Likely, there are some motivations for departures with which I am not familiar, but some are very apparent. Some apostatize because they cease to value Truth and become ensnared in false doctrines and practices (II Thessalonians 2:10–12; I Timothy 1:19–20; 4:1; II Timothy 4:3–4; et al.). Others hear the siren-call of fleshly lusts and, unlike Moses, choose to enjoy the “pleasures of sin for a season,” forgetting the inevitable day of recompense (Hebrews 11:25–26; I Corinthians 5:1–5; II Corinthians 12:21; II Timothy 3:1–6; Jude 4; et al.).

Others who drop out do not do so because of such drastic factors. They depart for what one might refer to as more “personal” or “subjective” reasons, several of which I have heard over the years. In hopes that discussion of some of these might prevent someone from backsliding and losing his soul, consider the following:

1. Guilt: When one knows he is not living as Christ teaches us to live during the week, he should feel guilty and ashamed when he comes into his Bible class or into the worship assembly. His guilt and shame leave him with two choices: He can confess and repent of his sin, or he can continue in it. One who continues in sin will not long faithfully assemble where Biblical preaching and teaching remind him of his guilt. If he is unwilling to abandon his sin, he will abandon the church by making no pretense. If he is unwilling to abandon his sin, he will abandon the church by making no pretense at being religious or he will “shop at being religious or he will “shoparound” for a “feel-good church” with a “feel-good at being religious or he will “shop gospel” (joining a “guilt-free church” that allows people to maintain membership and hold on to their sins is merely another way of abandoning the Truth—and the church). Unwillingness to give up sin (and the resulting guilt) has caused many to “quit the church.”
2. Personal dislike for someone in the congregation:  Often it is the preacher, an elder, or a teacher—usually someone in a leadership role—who stirs such disfavor. We all have enough faults to be unlikable to someone else at times (e.g., I do not like the behavior of those who quit because they do not “like” someone). Guess what? You do not have to like every member of the church to be a faithful Christian (nor does everyone in the congregation have to like you). God must often dislike the behavior of even the best of us, but He still loves us and desires our salvation. Likewise, it is not necessarily wrong for us to dislike and irritate one another at times in matters of opinion and personal choice, as long as we still love one another enough to seek the good of each other. “Quitting the church,” thereby losing one’s soul, is a high price to pay because “I do not like someone.”
3. The claim of “too many hypocrites” in the church: perhaps all Christians (including preachers and elders) have at least been inconsistent, if not hypocritical at times. Even the best find it impossible to live flawlessly the flawless message we preach. I dare say that the one who charges, “There are too many hypocrites,” is himself hypocritical once in a while. There is no defense for hypocrisy, but which is worse—to continue to faithfully assemble and work with other imperfect saints, knowing that one’s own life is not perfect, or to drop out and lose one’s soul?

Besides, the presence of one or one hundred hypocrites has nothing to do with one’s relationship with God unless he allows it to do so. Hell will be the eternal abode of impenitent hypocrites (Matthew 24:51). The one who so despises them here that he departs from the Lord rather than associate with them will condemn himself to inescapable association with them in eternity.

Many other “reasons” for quitting are observable, but they all stem from uncontrolled selfishness (Romans 15:1–3; II Corinthians 5:15; Philippians 2:4, 21; II Timothy 3:2). The quitter will return only when he gets selfishness under control

Dub McClish

The Thousand-Year Reign

The vast majority of Protestants believe the “thousand years” of Revelation 20:1–7 refers to the tenure of Christ’s reign in an earthly kingdom upon His return. Since He will come before His alleged millennial reign, this theological system is called “premillennialism.” Since the aforementioned passage is the Bible’s only reference to a millennial reign of Christ, premillennialists rely heavily upon it, in spite of the fact that it does not contain or support premillennial dogma. For example, the passage does not mention such essential parts of the pre-millennial program as the rapture, the bodily resurrection of saints, the city of Jerusalem, an earthly reign of Christ, a thousand years of earthly peace, or even the Second Coming—all essential points of the dogma. A principal key to understanding the book of Revelation is that it is largely written in symbolic or figurative “code” language (Revelation 1:1). No other Biblical document contains more signs and symbols than this one. One should thus approach its details as symbolic unless there is some contextual reason not to do so. Note the figurative flavor of the opening verses of Revelation 20 (the “angel,” the “key,” the “great chain,” the “bottomless pit”/“abyss,” and the “seal” are all obviously figurative). There is every reason to believe (and no reason not to believe) the “thousand years” is also figurative. The events described in Revelation 20:1–9 are not a chronological continuation of chapter 19, which describes Jesus’ return, His destruction of all the ungodly, and His casting the “beast” and the “false prophet” into Hell (vv. 11–21)—all of which are highly figurative descriptions of the end of time and the Judgment. Revelation several times moves in cycles from the beginning of the church to the end of time, the last such cycle occurring in 20:1–9. In these verses John recaps the period from Pentecost to the Judgment (the Christian Age), during which Satan is bound for “a thousand years,” “loosed for a little time,” and at last cast into Hell forever. During this period (the present Christian Age), Christ now reigns over His kingdom, the church (Matthew 16:18–19; John 18: 36; Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:5–6, 9), and simultaneously, Satan’s power is restrained. The “thousand years” of Satan’s “binding” and of Christ’s millennial reign is figurative, denoting a long, but indeterminate, period (cf. the “thousand hills” [Psalm 50:10] and the “thousand generations” [Deuteronomy 7:9]). During this time, “souls” (not bodies) of martyrs “reign” with Christ in Heaven (not on the earth), awaiting the universal bodily resurrection at His coming (John 5:28–29; I Corinthians 15:22–26). We are living in the millennium, the figurative “thousand-year” reign of Christ.

Dub McClish

Note: This article was written for and published in the Denton Record-Chronicle, February 16, 2007.