NO COST RELIGION

After David had been told by God to build an altar and worship God on the threshing floor of Araunah, this Jebusite offered the king the threshing floor and everything necessary to worship God. David refused the offer with these words: “Nay, but I will verily buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt-offerings unto Jehovah my God which cost me nothing” (II Samuel 24:24).

Would that all Christians had the attitude of David. Instead, they often show the very opposite disposition. David realized that an offering which cost him nothing was worth exactly that to him—nothing. God has always demanded the best that each person has—not what somebody else has (Leviticus 22:21).

All we have has been given to us by God to use for His glory and in His service. We are but stewards of these things (1 Pet. 4:10). The Lord expects us to be good stewards, but giving what comes without cost to us is not practicing faithful stewardship. The measure of our devotion, reverence, and love for God is in direct proportion to how much we are willing to commit to the service of God, or how much we are willing to sacrifice (John 12:3ff). Those who take the easiest, cheapest way to serve God are, in reality, servants of self, not God.

There is to be nothing cheap about our religion. It is to be the best we have—the same attitude that characterized David. “I will not offer... unto Jehovah my God [that] which cost me nothing.”

Al Brown

HOW DO YOU SPELL C-R-O-S-S

“See”

Look at Calvary. Don’t turn away. I know it’s not easy. What is done to Him is shameful. I know. But look closely! Past the spittle. Beyond the blood. There. In His eyes. Friend, that is love. It is love for you! See the nails in His hands and feet, fastening Him to a tree He created for man’s use. Look at the love He has for you!

“Are”

Are you able to see that He bled for you? Are you willing to admit that you are lost without Him? Are you ready to submit to His will, to obey Him, and to live for Him? Are you prepared for eternity? Are you convinced?

 “Oh”

Hear His cries of pain and agony. The death of a thousand deaths. Bitter moans of His disciples. The gasp of heaven’s angels. The sorrow of a Father for His only begotten Son! The gasps and exclamations of a hateful mob.

“SS”

That’s the hiss of the beguiling serpent. The one who is bruising the heel of the perfect One (Genesis 3:15), putting God the Son in the tomb. This is the moment of his triumph. Though resurrection will soon bring the ultimate victory for Christ and hope for man, at the cross of Calvary the devil must be enjoying his front row seat. Doesn’t he anger you? Disgust you? Motivate you? Live for Jesus. Don’t live for the snake!

Friends, the cross spells the difference between heaven and hell, hope and helplessness, joy and sorrow, day and night! The cross spells life!

“And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross…” (Ephesians 2:16).

Author Unknown

Courage In The Face Of Adversity

One of the hardest things for a Christian to do is remain faithful when faced with adversity. Paul warned Timothy, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (II Timothy 3:12). True godliness is at odds with the world. The wicked will always oppose the good. Jesus faced similar opposition in His time. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). The question that ought to concern every Christian is, “How will I respond to adversity when it comes my way?”

Some Christians take the easy way out. Some keep quiet when they should speak up. This led Peter to deny the Lord (Matthew 26:69-75). Others go along to get along. Paul had to rebuke Peter to the face for this behavior (Galatians 2:11). Still others give up altogether (Matthew 13:20-21). Such failure is hardly worthy of God’s blessings.

Paul is a great example of one who know how to face adversity. Consider Paul’s courage in the face of adversity, “And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:22-24).

Paul wasn’t ashamed of the Gospel. He was always glad to be identified with Christ. He stated on one occasion, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

Paul was not afraid of a goal. He knew where he was going. He pressed toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (see Philippians 3:14). He also knew what it was going to cost him to get there, yet he still refused to ease up. We need Christians today who are not lukewarm or halfhearted! Are you such a person? May we all be willing to learn the will of the Lord and have the courage to do it regardless of the personal cost.

Bruce Stulting

HOW MUCH OWEST THOU UNTO THE LORD? Luke 16:5

1. “Tenth of all,” said Abraham (Genesis 14:20).
2. “I will give a tenth,” vowed Jacob (Genesis 28:20-22).
3. “Our gold, silver, and jewelry,” said the children of Israel when they were about to build (Exodus 35).
4. “A tenth or more,” said the devout Jew under an inferior covenant (Leviticus 27:30-33).
5. “According to ability,” says the Old and New Testament (Deuteronomy 16:17; I Corinthians 16:1-2).
6. “We do not owe Him anything,” said the apostate Jews. So they robbed Him―robbed Him by withholding their gifts (Malachi 3:8-9).
7. “A tenth of all,” said the heathen to his false god.
8. “All that I have,” said the poor widow (Mark 12).
9. “Your body and all that pertains to it,” said the inspired apostle (Romans 12:1).
10. “Beyond our power, or ability,” said the Christians in Macedonia (II Corinthians 8:9).
11. “One tenth of my income,” says the Roman Catholic, the Mormon, the Seventh Day Adventist and others.
12. What is your answer?

“As much as I spend for pleasure,” says one. He places the god of pleasure on equality with the only true and living God.

“What I do not need,” says one. He does not have the spirit of God, the great example.

“Whatever I find in my pocket when the plate is passed,” says one who ignores the divine law of purpose (2 Cor. 9:7).

“What I have, that I cheerfully give,” says the true Christian (Acts 3).

The Lord loves a cheerful giver. Upon him showers of blessings descend. Jesus, our great example, gave His life!

rank L. Cox

“BROUGHT UP IN THE CHURCH”

Some people seem to have the absurd idea they are Christians simply because, as they put it, “they were brought up in the church.” They mean by this that their mothers and fathers were members of the church and as children they regularly attend the services of the church. They may be as spiritually ignorant, as hogs, as spiritually cold as proverbial cucumbers, and as worldly minded as infidels, yet because they were “brought up in the church,” they assume the Lord has a reserved seat for them in Heaven.

This reminds me of a joke we read in a recent publication. The story is this:

A man was giving a government clerk information for filling out a required form. When the clerk came to “nationality,” he said, “you’re French, aren’t you?” “No, English,” replied the citizen. “Both my father and mother are English.” “But you were born in France,” protested the clerk. “What’s that go to do with it,” demanded the exasperated citizen. “If your dog had puppies in a stable, you wouldn’t call them horses.”

Some of these “brought-up-in-the-church” folks, on the basis of their reasoning concerning their spiritual state, would very probably call the puppies “horses.”

Brother J. D. Tant, Sr. once told us of an experience he had with a man whose wife was a member of the church. On meeting Brother Tant, he advised him that he was a “brother-in-law to the church.” Brother Tant asked, “How is that?” The man replied, “Well you see, my wife’s a member of the church.” Brother Tant then said “In that case I suppose one could say your wife is a sister-in-law to the Devil.”

Some of the most useless members of the church we have ever known have been those who could have laid claim to being “brought–up-in-the-church.” Fortunately, ancestry in the church is not the standard by which God judges His people. Fidelity to the Word of God is the determining factor in being listed in the divine “Blue Book.” “The Lord knoweth them that are his,” and it is no accident that inspiration appends to this fact the admonition, “let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (II Timothy 2:19).

Author Unknown

I’ve Learned…

• I’ve learned that, no matter what happens, how bad I have it today, life does go on, and someone else has it worse than I do.
• I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she handles four things: a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
• I’ve learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.
• I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.”
• I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.
• I’ve learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you, but if you focus on God, your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work, and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.
• I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.
• I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

Author Unknown

Use or Lose

Most speakers and writers have certain favorite expressions to which they frequently give utterance and which come to be recognizable characteristics of their style. An analysis of the words of our Lord shows that he, too, was given to the repetition of sentiments one of which was, “Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath” (Matthew 13:12).

This expression, or one similar in form, occurs several times in the books of the gospel, and in a variety of circumstances: (1) In the foregoing instance, it was used to justify parabolic teaching; (2) twice he utilized it in teaching about WHAT and HOW we are to hear; (3) it occurs also in connection with the condemnation of the one-talent man and still farther; (4) in the parable of the pounds. It is paradoxical but, nonetheless, a fundamental law of life, governing every aspect thereof. It is THE LAW OF ATROPHY. That which we use we have, all else we only appear to have (Luke 8:18). The principle is, Use or lose!

The unused manna of the wilderness wanderings bred worms and stank; food, when long stored, spoils; water unstirred becomes stagnant; and, muscles unexercised wither. The principle finds illustration in all the affairs of life. Skillful surgeons, talented artists, acute businessmen remain so only by their constant use of their faculties and neglect leads to loss of abilities formerly possessed. Through mental and moral exercise we keep our sensibilities of right and wrong strong (Hebrews 5:14), the alternative is moral stagnation (Ephesians 4:17-19). The Greeks excelled in mental and intellectual development in the ancient world but because they had not "learned Christ" (Ephians 4:20), they were in a state of moral decay.

To this sentiment the Lord directed attention in his figure of the fruitless tree and barren branches. “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire” (Matthew 3:10). “I am the vine and ye are the branches. ... If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned”(John 15:5-6). Growth is of the essence of Christianity and its alternative is not only unproductivity, it is to lose the means by which growth is achieved. “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby (I Peter 2:1-2). “But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18).

The DIRECTION, the DUTY, and the DETAILS of Christian growth are clearly set out in these passages. There is a pragmatic method by which we may determine the progress and extent of growth. Am I daily adding to my store of biblical knowledge thus growing stronger and more mature in the Christian life? Am I more skillful in the word of righteousness, more adept in resisting false teachers and confuting their teaching? Have I been able to raise myself above the petty jealousies of the day, and do I exhibit a more patient and understanding attitude toward those in need of patience and tolerance rather than criticism and rebuke? Do I engage more actively and successfully in soul winning, and have I been able to bring others to the truth more effectively than I did a year ago?

Am I faithful and regular in attending all of the services of the church and do I manifest a more worshipful and reverent demeanor than before? Has my liberality increased to the point that there is no suspicion of covetousness in my heart and life?

These are reliable tests of growth in grace and in the knowledge of the truth to which all of us are enjoined. May we weigh them carefully.

Guy N. Woods

Gospel Advocate, 12/14/78