THE TRENTON BULLETIN

THE TRENTON BULLETIN

Trenton Church of Christ, Trenton, Florida

It is often thought of those in the Church of Christ that they do not believe in the Old Testament. It is a fair question to ask and worthy of consideration. The Old Testament is so named by the collection of sixty-six books describing the history of early man, the creation of the nation of Israel with its laws and covenants and the history of the Israel from its glory to its downfall. The book of Genesis is a book of “beginnings” telling the story of man’s creation, his dispersion over the face of the earth and the early traces of Israel’s history through the lineage of Abram of Ur Chaldee.

Exodus unfolds the story of Israel’s leader, Moses, who would lead the people out of Egyptian bondage and then to the borders of the promised land. Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy would unfold the covenant of God with the people of Israel and beginning with the conquest of the land seen through the eyes of Joshua, the promised land would be conquered. Following the conquest the land would be settled, established with kings and destroyed in captivity because of rebellion against God.

The Old Testament is largely the telling of the Law of Moses to the people of Israel. The Law was not given to any other nation but only Israel (Deuteronomy 5:1-3). It is important to remember the Law of Moses (which included the Ten Commandments – Deuteronomy 5:4-22) was only given to one people – the nation of Israel. A man who lived in Europe during the time of David, King of Israel, was not accountable to the Law of Moses without being a proselyte of Israel. Often people read the Old Testament with the Law as if all men were accountable to the Law of Moses. They were not – only the nation of Israel.

When Christ came, He came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17) by living perfect to take away the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:10-14). The Law of Moses has been abolished with its commandments and regulations – including the Ten Commandments (Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14). The Hebrew (8:7) writer describes the “better covenant” with “better promises” and “if that first covenant (Law of Moses) had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second” (Law of Christ). Paul declared we are “delivered from the law” in Romans 7:6.

As a body of law, the Law of Moses (including the Ten Commandments) is not binding today. Most people fail to see a distinction between the Old Testament as a body of law and the New Testament as a body of law. This does not suggest the Old Testament is not invaluable for the Christian because “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Romans 15:4 encapsulates the foundation of the Old Testament by reminding us of the lessons we learn from its writings (see also 1 Corinthians 10:1-13). The Old Testament tells us who God is, who we are and so many, many vital lessons for the Christians. The lessons are based on principles; not law. The law of the disciples of Christ comes from the New Testament and the New Testament alone. We serve Christ and seek authority for all we do from His law. The transfiguration clearly shows the law and the prophets are no longer binding as law (Matthew 17:1-5; see also Hebrews 1:1-4). We cannot understand the New Testament without the Old. It is the word of God!

Question: “When the woman caught in adultery was brought before Jesus, He told her He did not condemn her but told her to ‘Go, and sin no more.’ If you’re going to continue to sin, why be baptized because you’ll ‘go down a dry sinner and come up a wet sinner.’ What does this mean?”

John 8:10-11 - “When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? She said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

The Bible is its own best commentary. Consider another occasion where the Lord told someone not to sin any more. John 5:14 - “Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”

Consider Matthew 12:43-45 - “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

In other words, when one chooses to rid himself of a harmful behavior or course of action, he must replace it with another more beneficial activity. Otherwise, he will not succeed in preventing the former behavior from returning and doing him even more harm. One who chooses to stop sinning must find a helpful, spiritually healthy activity to replace it. Otherwise there is a void in his life that must be filled, and will most likely be filled with the sinful activity he is already familiar and comfortable with.

Jesus was not going to condemn and punish the woman while she still had time and life in which to replace adultery with spiritual conduct. The healed man needed to fill his life with righteousness, lest he fall into sinful and self-destructive practices. The man who was saved from the evil spirit needed to have something in place that would leave no available room for the spirit when he returned. The apostle Paul wrote: Ephesians 4:27 - “Do not give place to the devil.” Meaning, do not provide opportunities for yourself to be vulnerable to temptation.

He also wrote in Romans 13:14 - “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” The two things he said to do and the order in which he said them is: 1) put on Jesus, and 2) do not provide yourself with opportunities to be tempted to sin. If you smoke when you walk to the post office, instead of taking your cigarettes and lighter with you, take a hymnal or a Bible or a tract or a bulletin or anything else but cigarettes and lighters, and read along the way. If you drink when you go play golf, take a bottle of your favorite soda pop. If you like to watch programming that is sexual in nature, have someone block that channel on your TV without telling you the code. You will have “made no provision for the flesh.” However, that is only the second part of Paul's instruction. The first part is to put on Christ. The second is destined to fail eventually, because the first has not been implemented. Just like the man who had a void in his life when the evil spirit left, so it will be with one who rids himself of a sinful habit without Christ in his life.

As to the woman of John 8, she lived under the Law of Moses, and therefore would be expected to devote herself to following the law. Jesus did not baptize her converting her to Christianity, because He had not yet died for sins. She would therefore fill the void left by abandoning adultery with a restoration of her service to God under the law.

There is a difference between one who is baptized all the while intending to continue in a particular sin versus one who is beset with a strong temptation but is baptized anyway, resolving to overcome the temptation in Christ rather than alone outside of Christ. The first has not repented because he plans to remain in sin. The second knows that he has an area of vulnerability but wants the Lord's help in overcoming it, and so he obeys the Lord trusting that He will help. And he does so knowing that it is possible to stumble in his resolve to go and sin no more, but also knows that he would be less successful alone and that should he stumble, he has a Lord who loves him and will forgive him in spite of his weakness.

Christ has never called us to perfection on our own power, nor are we saved on our works and results alone. We are called to strive against sin. Permit me to illustrate this with a story. A member of the church stands before the judgment bar of God. He says, “I was baptized into Christ following belief, repentance, and confession.” God replies, “Well, that's ten percent of what you need to get into heaven.” The man says, “I was faithful in my attendance, I gave generously every week, I was active in worship and in reaching out to the lost, I studied my Bible at home every day, and I taught Bible classes.” God answered, “Wonderful, that's another ten percent. You now have 20% of what you need to get into heaven.” The man was beginning to sweat, now. “I was kind and loving toward my wife, I took care of my parents when they were old, I raised my children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and I was a good citizen.” God said, “Yet another ten percent. What else?” The man began trembling, realizing this was going to be harder than he thought. “I lived a moral life. I didn't dance, drink, smoke, lie, cheat, steal, murder, fornicate, or use bad language.” God said, “Ten percent more; almost half of what you need to go to heaven. What else do you have?” The man in resignation said, “Well, I guess I must rely on your grace and mercy. What else can I do?” God said, “You now have one hundred percent of what you need to enter heaven; go on in.” Fictitious, but illustrative.

Romans 13:14 and 1John 1 & 2 supply the answer to your question. Romans 13:14 - “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Put on Jesus Christ, do not put yourself in the way of temptation, and appeal to God and trust in His grace and mercy when you stumble.

1John 1:7-9, 2:1 - “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness… My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

James 5:14 exhorts, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” The practical needs of the brethren are found in the book of James. In his concluding remarks the writer gives exhortation concerning those who have specific needs. The suffering should pray, the cheerful should sing psalms and those who are sick should call upon the elders to pray with them and anoint them with oil.

The use of oil has been common since the beginning of time. “Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it” (Genesis 28:18). The offering for the Lord in Exodus 25 included “oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil” (V6). David declares in Psalm 23, “You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over” (v5). The unity of brethren is described in Psalm 133 “like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments” (v2).

Jesus while in Bethany was anointed with fragrant oil (Matthew 26:6-7). Many were anointed with oil who were sick (Mark 6:13) such as in the case of the man saved by the Samaritan (Luke 10:34).

The use of oil in James 5 alludes to the practice of the ancients of using oil to anoint the body for medicinal reasons as well as health reasons. The oil that was commonly used for this practice was olive oil. Today this practice survives including the use of anointing the body with oil to protect it from the oppressive heat of the sun.

There is no divine directive concerning its use and while is a pleasant experience bears no resemblance to an act of salvation or miraculous healing. The admonition of James is applied to those who by custom practice the anointing of oil. This practice is not bound upon the Christians as a matter of faith but only a matter of convenience or personal desire.

§ Once there were rich parents who left their children constantly in the care of servants. But, like the flower of the grass, riches passed by. The parents could not afford servants and had to live with the children. One evening when the father had returned home after a day of anxiety and business worry, his little girl climbed upon his knee and twining her arms around his neck said, “Daddy, don’t get rich again. You did not come into the nursery when you were rich, but now we can come around you, and get on your knee and kiss you. Don’t get rich again Daddy.”

§ Everyone experiences problems. Norman Vincent Peale tells of a time he was walking down the street in New York City when he ran into an old friend, George. “Norman, I’m fed up,” George announced. “I have nothing but problems, problems, problems. I’d give you $5,000 right now if you could get rid of all my problems.” Norman ruminated for a minute and then replied, “Just yesterday I was in a place where there were a lot of people with no problems. Would you like to go?” George pounced on the offer. “Good,” Peale answered. “Tomorrow afternoon, I’ll take you to the Westchester cemetery. The only people who don’t have problems are dead.” (Erik Olesen, “Mastering Change,” Success Magazine, October 1993, Vol.40:8, p.45)

§ A man who was losing his memory went to his doctor for advice. He received this diagnosis: “We cannot help your memory without impairing your eyesight. The choice is yours. Would you rather be able to see or to remember?” The man thoughtfully replied, “I would rather have my eyesight than my memory. I’d rather see where I am going than remember where I have been.” (Erwin Lutzer, Failure: The Back Door to Success, p.127)