The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
June 21, 2009
In
This Issue:
An
Ideal Father
by
Steve Klein
An
Explanation of the Church of Christ
by
Eugene Britnell
An Ideal Father
The world has set aside June 21st as a day to honor fathers. Of course if you are striving to please God, you will "honor your father" more than just one day a year (Ephesians 6:2, Mark 10:17-19). But "Father's Day" is a day on which some individuals choose to express their love and respect for fathers in more outward, tangible ways than they do throughout the rest of the year. Sadly, there are those who have a hard time honoring fathers on Father's Day, or at any other time for that matter. The problem may not totally be their fault. Honor is easier to give to those who deserve it.
In a time when society is full of dead-beat dads, abusive fathers, and men who have largely refused to fulfill their responsibility as spiritual leaders in the home, it shouldn't be surprising that some do find it difficult to honor fathers. Men of God ought to take this as a challenge to improve - to make themselves worthy of the honor that God has said is due them.
If an ideal father existed, one whom we could all honor and respect, we could use him as a model - an example for other fathers to imitate. Well, such a Father does exist. He is perfect (Matthew 5:48). He deserves honor forever (Philippians 4:20). He is our heavenly Father, and earthly fathers would do well to use Him as a model of the kind of fathers we should be. From Him we learn . . .
1. AN IDEAL FATHER KNOWS THE NEEDS OF HIS CHILDREN. Jesus said that our heavenly Father "knows the things you have need of before you ask Him." (Matthew 6:8, cf. 6:32). How many earthly fathers are concerned enough, observant enough and communicate enough with their children to know their children's true needs? Many fathers not only do not know what children need before the children ask, they don't know after they ask either because they don't really pay attention. They are too involved in the game on TV, or the newspaper, or some other selfish interest to give their children the time of day.
2. AN IDEAL FATHER PROVIDES FOR THE NEEDS OF HIS CHILDREN. The Father who feeds the birds of the air and clothes the grass of the field provides for the needs of His children with even greater care (Matthew 6:26-29). Every good and perfect gift we have comes from Him (James 1:17). He provides not only physical bread for the hunger of the body, but also spiritual bread to satisfy the soul (John 6:32-33). He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). Even so, earthly fathers should concern themselves with providing for both the physical and spiritual needs of their children (Ephesians 6:4). Too many fathers neglect their children's spiritual needs in order to work overtime to provide well beyond what is needed materially. Most children have been given far too much of what they don't really need and precious little of what they do. An ideal father provides for every need. And, "if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8).
3. AN IDEAL FATHER LOVES HIS CHILDREN. "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!"(1 John 3:1). The "manner" or sort of love the heavenly Father lavishes on us is much more than a cozy, warm feeling. It is a love which has our eternal welfare at heart. "God the Father. . . has loved us, and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace" (2 Thessalonians 2:16). This is the "manner of love" earthly fathers need to have for their children. It is love which "suffers long and is kind . . . does not envy . . . does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
4. AN IDEAL FATHER DISCIPLINES HIS CHILDREN. It is because God loves us that He instructs us, corrects us and punishes us for disobedience. This is discipline. Earthly fathers who love their children will discipline them just as God does His children. "For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights" (Proverbs 3:12). "He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly" (Proverbs 13:24).
5. AN IDEAL FATHER FORGIVES HIS CHILDREN. Aren't we thankful God forgives? Naturally, there are conditions placed upon the forgiveness He grants -- His children must repent and pray for forgiveness (Acts 8:22), and they must be willing to forgive others also (Matthew 6:14-15; Mark 11:25-26). In the course of life, most children will disobey fathers and bring upon them untold shame, grief and embarrassment (cf. Proverbs 19:26; 10:1, 5). The father who has truly resolved to be like the Ideal Father will forgive his children from the heart when they repent and ask to be forgiven.
God commands children to honor their fathers. May it be the quest of every father reading these words to be the kind of father who is honorable.
-- Steve Klein
It is not a stylish or proud church. You will find it is very simple. It does not propose to feed vanity with a display of vain things. Its aim is not to amuse or entertain those who attend it services. It exists in your community simply as a body of Christians pointing all who look its way to Jesus Christ as God's Son, the hope of the world. Its doors are open to those who from the quiet depths of their hearts would look to God in simple worship and obedient living.
You may be surprised to find that there isn't much ready-made for you in this church. There is no ready-made creed such as you find in many places. You take the Bible and make it your guide as you believe everything it teaches. There is no ready-made order of worship. Each church of our Lord arranges its own order in harmony with the items of worship described in the New Testament. There is no ready-made music. Everyone makes his own, from his heart, as early Christians did (Eph. 5:19).
You may be surprised to find that this church is free under Christ as its only Head. It has no organic connection with any other congregation, but is bound by a unity of faith with all those everywhere who "speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent."
In this church, every Christian is a priest. There is no distinction between the "clergy" and "laity." We believe that all Christians are called "to be saints." Their gifts and functions may differ, but their status before the Lord is the same. Jesus Christ is our High Priest.
This church is the outward manifestation of the deep conviction in many hearts that simple apostolic Christianity can be produced today by the same living Word which produced it in the first century. We do not claim perfection as human beings. We were all sinners who were saved by the grace of God upon our trusting obedience to the gospel. We seek to humbly serve Jesus and to urge others to do so. Our aim is to glorify God by exalting Christ in our lives and teaching. Truly, to be a free Christian, without dictation from man, is a glorious privilege.
-- Eugene Britnell