THE TRENTON BULLETIN

THE TRENTON BULLETIN

Trenton Church of Christ, Trenton, Florida

On any field of competition the unknown factor of who gains the victory is on the mind of every player. Locker room speeches offer hope and assurance but until the final whistle is blown the victory can remain unsure. Wars are frightening for many reasons including the fear of losing the battles. Confidence of victory is a sliver of hope borne on cries of courage pushing men forth to gain the final conquest. All of this is true but for one place: our relationship with God and the triumph over the forces of Satan.

Is it possible to imagine fighting the greatest war in the ages of eternity conducted against the greatest foe of all time with the absolute and confident message of victory? As people of God we have that victory. This promise is not a “may happen” or something we “hope” will come to pass. The victory we have is our “blessed assurance” given through the power of Jesus Christ in His resurrection from the dead.

The writer of Hebrews declared that all men will die and all men will face the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Men fear death yet in Christ death is not to be dreaded with uncertainty. The certainty of death is clearly marked in the marble monuments dotting the country side and the loss of loved ones brings grief and sorrow. Yet in the dark face of death the Christian has the light of hope and reality. Jesus Christ died on the cross to give us life in His name (1 John 5:13).

Paul reminded the Corinthian brethren the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us the victory over death and hades. “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O hades, where is your victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Death is not to be feared because in Christ there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1) and in the final judgment death and hades will be destroyed (Revelation 20:11-15).

Satan is our “adversary” (1 Peter 5:8) and while he is pictured as a “roaring lion” we have been given the power over him. The greatest tool the devil uses against man is to convince man that no one can resist him. “The devil made me do it” may have made Flip Wilson (1933-1998) famous but many today believe it to be gospel. The fact of scripture is that victory was gained nearly two thousand years ago when Jesus rose from the dead and defeated the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).

Sin does not have to have dominion over our lives (Romans 6:12-14). As people of God we can resist the devil and flee from him (James 4:7); refuse to fall sway to his temptations (2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Corinthians 6:18) and defeat him in every part of our lives (1 Peter 5:8-9). The book of Revelation clearly shows forth the message of assurance given to all Christians that victory is to the Lord (Revelation 19:11-16).

We win! Only by the grace of God but we win. How can we not live lives of victory knowing this? “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:2-5).

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:13-16).

Despite what many people may say they believe, words are very powerful. And one of the most powerful words in our language is “home.” Foreigners living in a strange land often do what they can to make where they’re living a lot like “home.” They’ll fly their country’s flag, cook meals which especially remind them of their homeland, and may do their utmost to retain the language of their home.

As Christians, we’re not yet home. “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself ” (Philippians 3:20-21). As the Lord Himself testified before Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (John 18:36).

And so we “look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). What does it mean for us to be looking for or waiting for new heavens and a new earth? It is more like waiting for a desired event rather than something we dread—as if we were waiting for a loved one to return home from an extended journey: we don’t just sit around and twiddle our thumbs, we prepare the house and ourselves for their impending arrival.

Jesus taught, “Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks” (Luke 12:33-36).

We prepare ourselves for the Lord’s coming by living in accordance with His new covenant laws—“Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11). “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-20).

“Beloved, now we are God’s children, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifi es himself as He is pure. … No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him” (1 John 2:2-3, 6; and see Colossians 3:1-5). Where is our heart? Answering this question honestly reveals where our eternal treasure is.

We really need two basic things: Forgiveness and Transformation. Sinners need some means outside themselves (since pardon cannot be self-conferred), to be relieved of the guilt of their sin. Then sinners also need information with motivation that provides transformation (to walk in newness of life after baptism; see Romans 6). God provides both for us through Jesus, “who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”

A man said to a preacher one time, “Why are you people always talking about the death of Christ.” He said, “Why not talk about His life. Talk about His teaching and His great example. Why all this interest in His death. Just give us His example and teaching. That’s what we need!”

The preacher said, “Really? That’s all you need. You will follow Him and be a Christian, without all this morbid death history?” The man said, “Yes, that’s it.”

“All right,” the preacher said, “let’s take the first step. The first thing you need to know about Jesus is that He never sinned. Can you do that?”

“Of course not,” the man replied; “I sin every day.” The preacher said, “Sounds to me like you not only need an example and teaching – you need a Savior! Then the preacher quoted John 1:29. “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

He is the author of eternal salvation to all who will obey Him (Hebrews 5:9). And you can obey Him and have eternal salvation because “…we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowed with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9).

What in your life can be traced back to the grace of God? Everything good (Acts 17:25; James 1:17; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Romans 8:32). We display the grace of God, not by continuing in sin, but by continuing in obedience to God (Romans 5:21-6:18). In fact, apostles were divinely chosen and empowered by the Spirit to tell the world of God’s grace “for obedience to the faith,” (Romans 1:5). God loves for us to cheerfully reflect His grace through our giving to others, of all we have to give (Romans 12:3, 6; 1 Peter 4:10).

Grace, Mercy and Peace to you – from God the Father, and Jesus Christ, our Lord.

One article I read recently began by asking the question, "When the faithful gather online, are they a church?" In another article, the question went, "We have E-greetings, E-business and ebay. Why not have E-church?"

A national survey by Barna Research Group two years ago found that one of six teen-agers expected to use the internet as a substitute for church activities. Another Barna study found that those who claim to be "born again" Christians spend more time surfing the net than they do praying.

We need to understand that there are things that can be done on the internet and things that cannot be done. The internet can be used to disseminate information about anything. The information, of course, can be good or bad, but there is here an avenue and a potential to reaching many thousands with a message.

Also, the internet can be used to discuss matters pertaining to faith. Things can be debated and examined. Discussion groups and chat rooms can be found, some of which might be limited only to those of a certain limited persuasion while others are wide open. In some places, one can find, for example, a six way discussion / debate / rumble between (in alphabetical order) an atheist, a Catholic, an Evangelical, a Hindu, a humanist and a witch.

The internet can be used to gather information as one researches any and everything. I have done quite a bit of this myself. Recently we were studying early church history, for example, and I found rather extensive histories on the Roman emperors mentioned in the Bible as well as the Herodian kings and their families.

But, again, there are some things that cannot be done. One cannot have a Scriptural church online. When the Lord set up the arrangement of a local church, or body, He gave it responsibilities that cannot be met online. Local churches in the New Testament met together on the Lord's Day, or first day of the week, to partake of the Lord's Supper together (Acts 20:7). These early Christians were told not to forsake assembling themselves together in one place (Hebrews 10:25).

Churches were told to select men from among them to function as elders and deacons, and the elders of a local congregation were told to watch over that congregation ( 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Acts 20:28). There is a mutual sharing and fellowship that requires being physically together, a "coming together as a church" (1 Corinthians 11:18-20; 14:23)

These and other Scriptures answer the question, "Why not an "E-church." This is also why no one can successfully substitute what they can find on the internet with what God means for them to find in a Scriptural church patterned in work and worship and fellowship after the local church in the New Testament as they were established by the will of God according to apostolic doctrine."

A Hindu said to a native missionary, "I am sure if I lead a good life and do what is right, giving up my bad habits, God will be pleased with me and receive me into heaven." "That is the way most people reason today," replied the missionary. "You know the babul tree (a tree with long, sharp thorns). Now, suppose you break off from its branches a hundred or more of the nasty thorns, then will the tree cease to be a babul tree?" "Certainly not."

"Suppose you should apparently stop one or another or even many of your evil ways and habits, you would still remain the same like the babul tree. You must have an entirely new nature, must become a new man, in order to please God. Only Christ can give you a new heart."

The missionary's reply was sound and scriptural. The message of Christ, His first and only message to sinful man, is his need of repentance.

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.