THE TRENTON BULLETIN

THE TRENTON BULLETIN

Trenton Church of Christ, Trenton, Florida

The anticipatory words of Jesus, “I will build My church…” (Matthew 16:18) have lost their luster with a lot of people today. Some in the denominational world are fed up, discouraged and distracted--and are quitting. Some are seeing their churches as man-made institutions and are tiring of leaders marketing to them as though they are consumers.

Others have come to expect churches to be more like non-profit organizations and less like religious groups--they easily become dissatisfied and move on, becoming serial quitters as they frequently shop for a group with more amenities.

Brethren are often tempted by this trend. The lure of greener grass, something new and exciting, different relationships, and less structure, lures them to quit assembling with God’s people. And local churches feel the shrinking numbers and are tempted to respond by trying to meet people’s perceived needs with unlawful activities and unscriptural teaching.

Christ’s church faces an attack from people who want to be spiritual, but don’t want anything to do with a church. They view quitting church as quitting organized religion, as quitting an outdated organization which is out of touch with modern life. They want to claim to believe in a perfect God without the hassle of having to associate with imperfect people (Christians). They wonder if Jesus had lived today if He would have said, “I will build my website,” or “Just stay home and read my blog.”

In the broadest sense, the church is all people who have been purchased by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 20:28). Christ adds people to this number when they obey Him and are saved (Acts 2:38, 47). In this sense, the church exists as an expression of the collective possession of Christ. Those who say they want nothing to do with the church are therefore saying they do not want to be one of the saved. Those who reject all concepts of the church are rejecting Christ and His sacrifice for them. However, most who reject the church will say they are leaving the people--they want Christ, but not “organized religion.” It might be said they want to be one of the people of God, but not physically with others who are His people.

The word church is also used to describe a group of disciples in a common location who worship and do spiritual work together (example: 1 Corinthians 1:2; Philippians 1:1). Assembling with, working with, and worshipping with other faithful disciples is Christ’s will (Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 11:26). Disciples may choose with which faithful disciples to assemble and work (Acts 9:26). But Christ expects His disciples to be “…longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3). That means the solution to problems, conflicts, and dissatisfaction isn’t to just leave. Resolving problems, not quitting, is to be a high priority among disciples because what we do together as Christ’s church glorifies Him (Ephesians 3:21) and edifies each other (Ephesians 4:16).

Most importantly, quitting must never involve or lead to quitting the Lord. It often does. Personal desires and goals may make exchanging our souls by quitting seem worth temporary rewards (Matthew 16:26). Frustrations, disappointments, and problems involving our lives and other people must not cause us to abandon Christ and His church.

Ultimately, irreconcilable differences over truth or edification may cause us to choose to work and worship with different faithful disciples. Unfortunately, most who leave do so because of hurt feelings, personalities, certain doctrinal teachings, and disagreements over matters of opinion. In the heat of problems or in the despair of discouragement, quitting may seem an easy solution, even what is best. However, love should unify disciples, making giving up and quitting our relationships unimaginably painful.

Those left behind often feel hurt, abandoned, and angry. Problems are left unresolved and some who were involved aren’t even around to help clean them up. Like Samuel, God has to remind them, “…they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me” (1 Samuel 8:7). Pride must give way to sorrow over the breaking of fellowship and the loss of a soul if in quitting they have left the Lord.

Preachers, elders, teachers and saints would do well to do serious soul searching when people quit. It isn’t right for people to quit, but those who cause offenses share in the guilt (Matthew 18:7). Not every quitter’s charge is true and not everything they are looking for can legitimately be supplied by the church, but not all complaints are false. “Test all things” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

In the decision to quit or stay, God is often forgotten. The whole concept of the church is disdained because of the frailties of man. What is ignored is that the church is a visible demonstration of the “manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:10). He adds to the number those who are being saved, but some respond by saying, “I want to be spiritual, but not linked to anyone else.” He gives His people other disciples with which to work and worship so His name can be glorified and they can be built up, but some say, “No thanks! The work required to get along with each other isn’t worth it.” We honor God when we value being His church.

God knows there will be those who go, “…out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us” (1 John 2:19). God knows some will quit, whether they realize it or not, because they simply do not want to be His people as He wills them to be. Continuing with God’s people is His will and to quit His people is to quit Him.

One of the things that makes good men good is their humility. They know that they are not as good as need to be. Making no claim to perfection, neither blaming others for their imperfections, they continually seek to do and to be better. While such good men are not always right, they ever want to be right— and what one sincerely wants to be speaks volumes about his character. Let it be said to the credit of the weak and sin-plagued Corinthians, they earnestly cared about their condition and sought to clear themselves (2 Corinthians 7:11). Good men are never indifferent to their spiritual condition— they seek to be “clear” (pure); they hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6) because they are truly concerned about their standing with God.

Accordingly, the good man, having recognized that right is not relative and that the way of man is not in himself (Jeremiah 10:23), turns to God for his direction and standard of right. Good men become godly men; they come to have that piety which, “characterizes by a Godward attitude, does that which is well-pleasing to Him” (Vine). As the Psalmist puts it, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way.” (Psalm 37:23). Life’s journey without God is dark and dangerous. Knowing this, the good man does not look within himself, but to God and His word which becomes a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path (Psalm 119:105). Thus, we see the strong correlation existing between good men and truth. Good men want to be right; truth determines right; therefore they reverence God’s word which is truth (John 17:11).

Hence, it is the honest and good (heart) that will hear the word, hold it fast and bring forth fruit (Luke 8:15). Some prove themselves to be less than good by refusing to hear the word of God. Good men are not ruled by prejudice. Instead, they are ever willing to come to the light that their works may be made manifest (John 3:21). Good men are not only willing to prove themselves, whether they are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5); they likewise respect God’s admonition to prove ALL things in order that they may hold fast to that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Hearing the word is one thing—Jesus says the good man will also “hold it fast” or “accept it” (Mark 4:20). In Proverbs this is called “buying the truth” (Proverbs 23:23). Paul showed the Corinthians how that salvation depends on holding fast the word (1 Corinthians 15:3). Accepting truth means turning away from wrong; it means change. Good men are willing to make whatever changes are necessary to put them right with God. Some otherwise good men allow pride to hinder needful changes. Holding fast to friends or tradition becomes more important to them than truth. Like others, they exchange the truth of God for a lie (Romans 1:25) to their own eternal detriment.

Consequently fruits of righteousness are brought forth by such good men as hear and hold fast God’s truth. Herein is God glorified (John 15:8) and man saved. Being counted as good by men is not good enough. Unless we’re good like God wants us to be, what have we profited?

Pray without ceasing

In Matthew 25:31-46 the Bible teaches that at the final judgment while the righteous will enter heaven to enjoy everlasting life, the wicked will go into eternal punishment. The thought of everlasting suffering is repulsive to many. No doubt this aversion lies at the bottom of much of the unbelief to what the Bible teaches about hell.

Hell, despite the denials of many, is real. Sin demands it. Sin is a violation of the law of God (1 John 3:4). If there were no punishment for sin, then there could be no law for law without penalty is null and void. If there is no law, there would be no sin. That would make the death of Jesus useless because if there is no sin there is no responsibility to save anyone from it.

The reality of life after death also demands the reality of hell. Jesus taught, in Matthew 22:23-33, that there was life after physical death. In the account of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), two distinct destinies are presented: comfort for the righteous but punishment for the wicked.

Hell was originally prepared for Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Jude 6 states that fallen angels are placed in chains awaiting judgment. Yet, when men and women join the devil in his work and live in servitude to him, they must suffer the same fate that will befall him.

Hell Not Contrary To The Nature of God - Many people find it difficult to accept the reality of hell because they cannot believe that a loving and merciful God could create such a place. But hell is not contrary to the nature of God. If no punishment were given for violation of His law, then God would not be just. Being a just God, He will reward the righteous and punish the wicked. Hell is to punish the wicked.

What Hell Is Like - Hell is eternal. It is described that way in Matthew 25:46. In Romans 16:26 God is said to be eternal. The Holy Spirit, in Hebrews 9:14, is also described as eternal. The same word in the Greek language in which the New Testament was originally written was used in all three of these passages. The word means eternal, everlasting, without end, never to cease. Hell and the punishment meted out there will last as long as God. It will last eternally, forever.

Hell is a place of darkness. Jude 13 speaks of “the blackness of darkness” to which false teachers will be confined forever. God is light (1 John 1:5) and the Father of lights (James 1:17). Hell is described as darkness because it is the place farthest removed from God. There will be no God to listen to pleas for mercy or give hope of release.

Hell is a place of fire. Matthew 13:42 speaks of it as a furnace of fire. Matthew 25:41 calls it an everlasting fire. Mark 9:44-45 says the fire is never quenched. Revelation 21:8 refers to it as the lake of fire. There will be no relief from its fires because Revelation 14:11 says the smoke from the fires of torment ascends forever. There is no rest there. Revelation 14:11 says the wicked will have no rest from their torment day or night. As there is no rest, there will be no relief. The rich man in Luke 16, awaiting the final judgment in Tartarus, wanted a drop of water to cool his tormented tongue but he did not get it.

Who Will Go to Hell - As already noted, Satan and his angels will be there (Matt. 25:41). Revelation 21:8 says the “cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars” will be there. Those who do not know God and those who will not obey the gospel will be punished with everlasting destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). In short, all who choose to remain in their sins will be found in hell.

Why People Will Go There - God desires that all be saved (1 Timothy 2:1-4). God is all-powerful and the gospel, His power to save (Romans 1:16), can save to the uttermost. People will not be in hell because God will not save them. He sent His Son into the world so that all might have salvation (John 3:16) and He has invited all who would to come to Him (Matthew 11:28-30; Revelation 22:17).

If a person ends up in hell, he is lost by his own free choice. He has no one to blame but himself. Many see no need to be interested in spiritual things and are indifferent to the pleas of the gospel. Others refuse to obey the gospel or submit to the will of God. Some refuse to believe. Others just love sin more than righteousness. Some become unfaithful in service. Many put off obeying until it is too late.

Conclusion - Hell is real. The suffering of it is waiting for the sinful. You can escape the torments found there by giving obedience to Christ now. He will wash away the guilt of your sins and grant you hope of a life of eternal bliss in His presence.