What Kind of Hearts Do We Need?

Hearts not hardened by sin: “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).

Hearts prepared to seek and to do God’s Word: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments” (Ezra 7:10).

Hearts that are wise: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Hearts that are upright: “Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts” (Psalm 125:4).

Hearts that do not think evil: “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?” (Matthew 9:4).

Hearts willing to forgive: “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses” (Matthew 18:35).

Hearts filled with God’s Word: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). “And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts” (Mark 4:15).

Hearts filled with love: “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:5).

Hearts filled with Christ: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17).

Hearts kept by peace: “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Hearts filled with grace: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).

Hearts that are purified: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8).

-via “The Better Way,” Spring, TX

Lukewarmness

The seven churches of Asia Minor fall into three classes: those in which the Master found something to praise and something to blame–Ephesus, Pergamos, and Thyatira; those in which He found only something to praise–Smyrna and Philadelphia; and those in which He found nothing to praise–Sardis and Laodicea. There was an exception in Sardis, in that there were a “few names” in the congregation that had not defiled their garments, and they would walk with Christ in white. But of the church as a whole nothing good is said. It had a name that lived but was dead.

These three classes are all-comprehensive. One cannot conceive of a congregation that would not fall into one of these groups. All congregations are either wholly bad, wholly good, or partly good and partly bad. Then, as now, the largest group was composed of congregations in which there was a mixture of good and bad.

The church in Laodicea was wholly bad. For it there was no word of praise. It was the worst of the bad. In it there was no exception as in Sardis. Yet this church was not disturbed by the vicious works of the Nicolaitans, as was Ephesus; unlike Pergamos, Laodicea was not troubled by those who held the doctrine of Balaam; it was not subjected to bitter persecution as was Smyrna; no self-styled prophetess, like Jezebel, sought to seduce her members, as in Thyatira; yet, Laodicea was in the most deplorable condition of the seven churches. It was a victim, not of false teaching, not of immoral practices, not of relentless persecution; but a victim of a more deadly malady–lukewarmness, indifference.

Laodicea was the church of the excluded Christ! The saddest words addressed to any of the seven churches fell upon the dull ears of Laodicea. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). Mark you, these words were not addressed to the alien sinner. They were written to a church that had expelled the Christ who died for it.

What is the gravest threat to the churches? What is the deadliest malady that haunts the Christian? Worldliness, digression, modernism? Don’t forget lukewarmness, indifference. It drove Christ from the hearts of the Laodicean brethren. It benumbed them into a false sense of independence and self-sufficiency. They mistook lack of pain for absence of malady. They thought they needed nothing when they needed everything. When you come to appraise the dangers besetting the church, remember indifference!

B. C. Goodpasture

Gospel Advocate, April 22, 1971

The Providence of God

All Christians believe in the providence of God. David Lipscomb well said, describing the age in which we now live, “The Bible draws no distinction between special and general providence, as the terms are generally understood. God is always present in His laws. What is done through these laws, God does” (Questions and Answers by Lipscomb and Sewell, page 518).

SPECIAL PROVIDENCE

In the age of miracles there was no doubt many special providences manifested. Jesus conferred special blessings on certain individuals and groups. The apostles excercised special powers on certain occasions. These miracles did not interrupt the laws of nature. They demonstrated a power of God over and above the laws of nature. These miracles were confirmatory and temporary (Mark 16:20; Ephesus 4:11-13; I Corinthians 13; Hebrews 2:3).

INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Providence, whether special or general, was unrelated to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Christ raised Lazarus from the dead but not as a result of the prayers of Lazarus nor the fact that the Holy Spirit dwelt in Him. Christ showed special providence to many who were not even children of God. Balaam’s ass spoke in an “unknown tongue.” God’s general providence is manifested toward the birds (Matthew 6:26). The Christian farmer asks God to bless his fields. However, we know that the Holy Spirit did not dwell in Balaam’s ass, a bird, nor a corn stalk. It is not correct to expect special providence to accomplish what may be gained through the ordinary channels of blessings.

TESTIFYING

That special providence was exercised in the case of miracles both in the Old Testament and the New is apparent even to the casual reader of the Bible. That God over-ruled circumstance in the life of Esther, Daniel, Joseph, or Paul, et al, cannot be denied. However, there was an inspired interpreter to certify the providence of God in these Bible characters. Today, we have no divine interpreter and therefore we cannot relate our experiences as the leadings of God. There have been things in my life, as in yours also, that appear to be providential. They may be but I cannot preach such as I have no divine interpreter. I shall not and I cannot Scripturally relate my experience as an act of God. Paul said, “We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (II Corinthians 4:5). When you hear one of my brethren testifying he is preaching himself, he is not preaching Jesus. I will not and cannot preach myself. Let me preach Jesus. All actions of the holy men of the Bible have certified to us by divine revelation. My message is a certified Gospel and not a human experience. I have no right to relate my experience as the leadings of God. Every false teacher makes the same claim and all have the same proof–their tongues. I know a man who claims that the Holy Spirit has directed him all the days of his life but he now preaches the exact opposite of what he preached yesterday. Is his tongue reliable? It is high time that we quit preaching ourselves and start preaching Jesus Christ.

The testifying among us cannot be justified by referring to reports of work done whether in the book of Acts or the News and Notes of the Gospel Advocate. It is good to report but to relate an experience and claim it is a leading of the Holy Spirit is a different thing altogether. Since the only evidence one has of a special providence is his own experience he has no right to relate it as an act of God. No one now has a divine interpreter of his life and any interpretation of his life is purely human. To preach such experiences is to preach oneself and thus to violate the instructions of the Holy Spirit (II Corinthians 4:5). We have a complete message revealed in the Word of God and we should proclaim it and not ourselves.

G. K. Wallace

Scriptural Conversion

Whatever is common to all cases is necessary to Scriptural conversion; but whatever we find in one case which certainly did not occur in all others, is a peculiarity of the individual cases in which it occurs. The points in which all the recorded cases agree are points in which all subsequent conversions must agree with them. The points in which they differ are points in which subsequent conversions may differ from them. In order to determine that certain features are not essential, it is only necessary to find cases in which they do not occur. In order to determine that any one is essential, we must find it in all cases, or find it prescribed in some general law expressly designed to govern all cases.

While the three cases already before us are fresh in memory, and before points of difference become multiplied by additional cases, so as to confuse the understanding, we propose to institute a comparison between them, in the light of the general rule just prescribed. Leaving out of view the difference in character, occupation, and social position, of the eunuch, Saul and Cornelius, which show only that the Gospel is adapted to all men without regard to previous character or position, we will only notice those differences which might form the ground of erroneous conclusions. First, then, in the cases of the eunuch and Cornelius, there was the visible appearance of an angel; and many converts of modern times have related, as part of their experience in conversion, similar apparitions. But there certainly was not in Saul’s conversion the appearance of an angel; therefore, such an appearance is not necessary to conversion. Second, The Lord Himself appeared to Saul and conversed with him; but He certainly did not to either the eunuch or Cornelius. It is not necessary, then, to see  the Lord. Third, Saul mourned and prayed for three days after he believed, and before he was immersed; but Cornelius and the eunuch did not; therefore, protracted sorrow and prayer are not necessary to conversion. Fourth, Cornelius was immersed in the Spirit, but Saul and the eunuch were not; therefore, immersion in the Spirit is not essential, but a circumstance arising from the peculiarity of a single case.

The points in which these cases agree are chiefly these: they all heard the Gospel preached, with miraculous evidence to sustain it [We now have the same Gospel complete (I Corinthians 13:8-10) in written form all of which was confirmed by the miraculous in the first century (Hebrews 2:3-4), LK]; they all believed what they heard; they all were commanded to be immersed; they all were immersed; and after their immersion they were all happy. If, then, we do not hereafter encounter recorded cases from which some of these items are certainly absent, we must conclude that at least all of these are necessary to Scriptural conversion.

J. W. McGarvey

Commentary on Acts (Original), pp. 140-141

A Message to the Faithful

Too much of our writing, preaching, and visiting is directed to the weak and unfaithful.  We want to reverse that order here. This article is not addressed to you who have to be begged, petted, and pampered before you will attend the services of the church, and still are absent as often as you are present.  This isn't for those who only give the church their excuses, and grumble, complain, that category can stop now, for this is not written for you.  This is written for the faithful.

The vocabulary is not large enough to tell you wonderful people how much you are appreciated. It does not matter how many meetings the elders call in a week, you will be present. Neither the weather nor company of any kind is able to keep you from your responsibilities. Whatever attractions or distractions the world may offer; you will not forsake the Lord or His people. You make whatever sacrifices are necessary. You always support fully every program submitted by the Elders and deacons.  You will accept an assignment, when you do it is a forgone conclusion that you will successfully complete it.

You don't flirt with sin and see how worldly you can become without completely apostatizing.  You are appreciated even more because you demand no special attention or praise or recognition for your service, and you do not consider regular and faithful attendance of each class or worship period in services to God as a grievous burden or a great feat of valor.  You are a good example to the youngest member and an inspiration to all. You make the work of an elder, preacher, deacon, or Bible class teacher much lighter. Thank you for being what the Bible describes as a simple New Testament Christian!

Author Unknown

Put the Lord First

I will be forever grateful to a lady by the name of Gertha Alston. Why? Because she said something to me before I obeyed the Gospel that still resonates in my ear when we are discussing certain passages of Scripture.  Without going into the word-for-word, she said to make sure that the person you are interested in puts the Lord first.

I thought about this again, not just in the context she addressed (which would only make perfect sense that a faithful Christian would look first at the spiritual personality as a primary consideration for a mate), and then put some other things we think/do that should demand the same conscientiousness:

  1. Do I think of my responsibility to the Lord when considering a job? Will it interfere?
  2. Do I think of the Lord first when considering my vacations? Do I make sure that I will be able to worship with sound congregations and not just whoever is available?
  3. Is God first when I look for a place to live (or relocate), or does the place and salary determine what I do?
  4. Am I often too sick for worship or Bible class, but up bright and early for work the next day?
  5. Are my best friends strong Christians or are they in the weak and non-Christian category?

You could easily add more, but the point is hard to miss. Mrs. Alston spoke of the importance of putting the Lord and church first, and we have certainly seen how the Lord emphasized that many times.

Johnny Oxendine