THE TRENTON BULLETIN

THE TRENTON BULLETIN

Trenton Church of Christ, Trenton, Florida

The burden of debt robs happiness and joy from life. In our economic crisis our world has been propelled into a dark period of hardship, sadness and depression. As many have spent their time enjoying whatever the heart finds to do the day of reckoning brings about the reality of life unbridled. Free spending of temporary wealth has plunged untold families into financial nightmares. Thousands have lost their homes, jobs and joy of life. Insurmountable debts are brought about by not given due consideration to the cost; throwing aside caution and wisdom to enjoy the passing pleasures of life. Reality is the wake-up call that for every action there must be a reaction. But we do not speak of the spending of money – we speak of the spending of lives marred by sin.

Paul reminds us that “whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7). When we spend our lives enjoying whatever the heart finds to do there will be a day when the harvest will be gathered. It seems joyful for the moment but then reality settles in and the debt of sin overwhelms the soul. Eve thought that a little taste of the forbidden fruit would be enjoyable and she also gave some to her husband (Genesis 3:6). But then their eyes were opened and it was too late. They were ashamed and fearful at what they had done.

The nature of immorality is that it looks appetizing and appealing and fun; and we must know there is a hunger and desire that is pleasant and enjoyable. In those moments when Adam and Eve tasted the fruit there was enjoyment and pleasure. It was the aftertaste that changed their minds. Immorality is a tempting fruit of desire that brings fulfillment but for a moment. The aftertaste is a life of guilt, sadness, despair and ruin for the loss of innocence, purity and holiness before God.

Wisdom suggests that a clear picture of sin must be understood in the debt that will become a burden hard to bear. The crafty woman of Proverbs 7 is one that entices the young man with all the finery of her day and the alluring speech enticing his heart to lay with her. “With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him. Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, until an arrow pierces through his liver; As a bird hastens to the snare, so he does not know that it will cost him his life. Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths. For many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain. Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death” (Proverbs 7:21-27).

The cost is the slaughter of ones life and what a high price is paid. If wisdom had been the guiding path and the cost would have been counted the young man would not have passed near her street (Proverbs 7:6-20). The proverb writer goes on to say that “the fear of the Lord is to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13). Hating evil is to stay far away from it and counting the cost of coming near to evil. “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).

Consider the debt of sin before paying the ultimate price. “Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Or can a man walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched” (Proverbs 6:27-28).

It would be trite to say authority and discipline are unpopular in current society; and unnecessary to say this spirit has affected the church. Hundreds of churches have existed for years without exercising corrective discipline in a single case — and not because everyone was faithful. Bring up the subject, and brethren tremble because we see trouble at the door.

Why does church discipline have such a reputation? [1] Brethren have not learned to think objectively — to separate personal feelings from principles — to lose self in the greater cause of Christ. [2] Discipline, has been abused, used vindictively (when we wanted to “tell off” someone), or practice majority rule. Or, [3] it has been neglected for so long there is no “easy” place to start. We await some horrible deed that will shock us all — and we are building immunity to shock. Perhaps some churches have acted to save face respecting highly publicized events; or a few may have made a “flag” of disfellowship — proving “soundness” by something akin to martial law; but for the most part we have neglected corrective discipline.

A comparison of Job 36:10, 2 Timothy 1:7, and 2 Timothy 3:16 — in the King James Version and in the American Standard Version, will show discipline and a controlled and instructed mind have much in common. Discipline begins as we present the call of the gospel to an alien. He is “called out of darkness” (1 Peter 2:9), is taught to crucify the “old man” in obedience to a “form of doctrine” that he might become a “servant of righteousness” (Romans 6:3–7, 16–18).

While not corrective or punitive in the sense of disfellowship, this hedges about and brings into line in a most positive way. If we are careful to explain the cost of discipleship (Luke 14:26–33) and the necessity of forsaking “self” unto the Lord, this initial “discipline” will spare the need for much later correction.

1 John 1:5–7 makes the relation of discipline to fellowship very obvious — “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie.” The means of forgiveness, hence of fellowship with God, is provided by Christ; but my forgiveness, my fellowship is contingent upon my walking in the light. This involves a humble walk, ever acknowledging my inadequacy, my need for Him — “If we confess . . . he is faithful and just to forgive” (v. 9).

Church discipline, properly viewed, is a part of the mutual assistance we should expect among Christians in our effort to walk in fellowship with God.

In Luke 18:8 the Lord asks the question, "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Christ was disturbed over the conditions that he found in the days of the New Testament. The same conditions are with us in 1973. That there has been a great "cooling off" in religion no one can deny. It is getting harder, by the day, to convert the lost to Christ. There are many reasons for this indifference. One of the foremost is the taking of the wife and mother out of the home and putting her to work. She is no longer there to have all things ready for the family to attend ser vices and to show the right interest in spiritual affairs. Other factors enter also, such as materialism, the influence of "science falsely so called" in the class room, etc. The facts are with us, however, and if we are to survive as a people we will have to find the answers.

The first, perhaps, is a BETTER HOME ENVIRONMENT. We must do a better job of instilling in our children the same spiritual values that were placed in us. We take it for granted, many times, that the young ones in our homes will have the same faith we have, only to wake up too late and realize that it is not true. The church only receives what the home gives it and regardless of the effectiveness of the church program it can. as a rule, be no better than the home. The rules are simple, prayer each time the family sits down together, a time set aside each day to study the Bible, stories of God's great around mother's knee instead of T.V. The rules are simple but rare is the home that follows them.

Secondly, WE MUST BE SURE THAT THE CHURCH HAS A PROGRAM FOR ALL. From the oldest member to the two-year-old who is attending class for the first time, the congregation should have the best teachers in the class room, the best material to study and an arrangement favorable for such study. As Bobbie points out in her new book, Stairway to Teaching, less time is spent in the Bible School than we would believe possible. Compared to the public schools less than two weeks is spent in study. This is compared to one year in the schools of the nation. Just think, we are expected to do in 52 hours what the public school does in nine months.

WE MUST SET THE RIGHT EXAMPLE. In our lives, in teaching others, in showing the proper interest in all that is right, our children are not looking for perfection but for consistency. They have a right to expect the proper example. When mistakes are made they should be acknowledged instead of covered up. Conversation in the home should be spiritual in nature and uplift the church of the Lord. Children ought to hear the right things and ought to hear them in the right spirit. Comments, if they are critical, are misunderstood by children and they tend to magnify them. It is little wonder that our boys do not make elders and preachers when all they hear is derogatory remarks against those who have these positions.

Yes, the Lord asks, "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, what will he find on the earth?" Unless we are able to teach our children to "remember their creator in the days of their youth," there will be no church tomorrow. It is up to all of us, may God help us as we know he will. [Searching the Scriptures, Vol. 1, January 1973.]

§ People who do a lot of kneeling don’t do much lying.

§ Poverty of character is far worse than poverty of purse.

§ To truly achieve one must truly believe.

§ Deeper giving means deeper living.

§ We are known by what we say — and by what we don’t say.

In the book of Jeremiah, we find the prophet being commanded by the Lord in Jeremiah 36:2-3 to write down the words that God had spoken to him in a book that through the reading of those words the people might turn from their evil ways. Jeremiah did exactly what the Lord commanded him. This book, with its condemnation of Israel and Judah, eventually ended up being read in the presence of king Jehoiakim. After just a few pages had been read, the king became so infuriated he cut the book into pieces with a penknife and threw the pages into the fire. This account is found in Jeremiah 36:20-24. The concluding verse of that passage notes of the king and his court, “Yet they were not afraid nor rent their garments.” Certainly a sad state of affairs when the leaders of the people so violently reject the word of God that they become enraged at its reading and seek to destroy it.

Many today are concerned that our leaders have rejected God’s word in a similar fashion. No, we do not see them cutting up the scriptures and casting them into the fire, but rather we see in the laws they enact and the lifestyles they embrace actions that speak just as loudly regarding their attitude toward the word of God as those of king Jehoiakim. Because of this apparent forsaking of the precepts of God by many of our leaders, some have come to fear for the future of the church and our freedom to worship and teach the truth as we do now. Well that very concern should cause each of us to strengthen our faith in the Lord and, as many before us have done, serve the Lord our God regardless of the consequences that may come our way.

But consider what occurred following king Jehoiakim’s book burning. In Jeremiah 36:32, we see that Jeremiah took another book and wrote all the words the Lord had spoken to him and added many more besides those. The king’s rejection of the word did not stop its proclamation. The powerful may reject it, those in authority may oppose it, but the word of God continues to work for good in the lives of men.

Many years after the life of the prophet Jeremiah, we find the account of the Apostle Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. Following the crowds plea of “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” we find Peter answering that question in v.38. The results are seen in v.41, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” The word of God cannot be thwarted by a king’s knife. They cannot be burned by any leader of man, legislated away by any government, or declared archaic by changes in societal norms. Those have all occurred before but the word of the Lord continues to be proclaimed and accepted by good and honest hearts.

So where is religion headed? Well that depends on us. Just as Jeremiah and the prophets suffered rejection and often punishment for preaching of the word, we should be prepared for the same treatment. Just as Jesus demonstrated in speaking the words of the Father regardless of the consequences, we must follow that same example. And just as Peter overcame the ridicule of the crowd on Pentecost to proclaim the good news that saves men’s souls, we must have that same courage knowing that our efforts to teach and live by God’s word will ultimately lead to an eternal home with God, not only for us but for those who hear us.

Religion, as it has been described in the Bible, is all about the people. The greatest obstacle to where religion is heading in our time is the same as it has been in the past. The people must know God’s word. Many today “have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2). Many “know God, but glorify him not as God” (Romans 1:21). Some are “tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine.” People have been this way in the past and these problems still exist today.

How have these difficulties been overcome in the past? By the word of God being “heard among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). By heeding the exhortation to “study to show thyself approved unto God” (1 Timothy 2:15). By “desiring that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” That is the future of religion just as it has been since the days of Jeremiah. Where is religion headed? It all depends on you.