The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
July 13, 2003
In
This Issue:
Ramifications
By
Steve Klein
Two
Approaches to Grace and Obedience
--
author unknown
Ramifications
Thursday, June 26, 2003 may go down as one of the worst days in the history of our proud nation. On that day, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down a Texas law which had outlawed sodomy between same-sex couples in effect ending all anti-sodomy laws in the 13 states where they still exist. Supreme Court Justice Scalia, dissenting from the decision of the majority of the Court, correctly noted that the six justices in the majority had "signed on to the so-called homosexual agenda" -- they had essentially legalized homosexual behavior. The following day, Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor indicated that the Court's action effectively did away with Alabama's antisodomy law.
Ramifications are consequences. The consequences of this Court ruling may outstrip even the infamous Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.
This court ruling had immediate ramifications, but it will have many more that are serious and far reaching. Some of these will be seen rather quickly in our society. Others may take a generation or more to appear. And some may not be evident till we reach eternity's shore and stand before the judgment throne of God. Here are some of the ramifications that concern me:
(1) The door has now been opened much wider for efforts to legalize homosexual marriages. It will almost certainly happen.
(2) As Attorney General Pryor noted, there is now little legal or logical basis for outlawing pedophilia or other grotesque and perverted sexual behavior. Eventually, such will likely be legalized.
(3) More and more our children will learn to accept sexual immorality as normal.
(4) People will cast off restraint. History is plain that when something that is immoral is legalized, we wind up with more of it. This has been the case with liquor, gambling and no-fault divorce, and it will be the case with homosexuality.
(5) Our nation is at enmity with God, and if it continues, He will give us up to wholesale immorality. Romans 1:26-28 states, "For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting."
(6) Souls will be lost. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites" (1 Corinthians 6:9).
What can we as Christians do to limit these negative ramifications?
· Speak and teach the truth to our neighbors.
· Rebuke error.
· Pray for our leaders, our nation and ourselves.
There is a spiritual war going on all around us. May the Lord give us the courage to stand on holy ground and fight for His cause.
--By Steve Klein
Two men have been saved by the grace of God. Both believe that Jesus Christ has died so they might be justified by His blood (Romans 5:9) and be saved from the wrath of God. Both have repented and put away the practice of sin (Acts 3:19; Luke 13:3). Both have been buried with Christ in baptism for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38;Romans 6:3,4). Both men have put off the old man and continue to put on the new, living by the law Christ has given.
There is one difference between these two men. One lives for God's grace, and heavily depends upon his works to acquire salvation. The other lives because of God's grace and sees it as the driving force of his faithfulness. A very subtle and almost indistinguishable difference, but still a difference in attitude toward grace and obedience - a difference that can make a difference in their quality of living for the Lord.
While the first man appreciates God's grace, he is constantly trying to pull himself up by his own bootstraps. He finds reliance upon grace to be a weakness and feels compelled to always accomplish "big things" in the kingdom in order to impress God. The second man knows he can never be saved without grace and is constantly full of thanksgiving and praise for the Lord's mercies. He lives for the Lord daily, doing whatever he can, whether big or little, to bring glory to God.
The first man puts himself in competition with his brethren. He feels he must live better than others, do more than others, gain more recognition than others to feel worthy of God's grace. He sees the failures of his brethren more easily than their victories because of this. The second man recognizes that they are all saved by grace and need each other to get to the end of this race. He looks to each one for example and tries his best to be a good example himself. He attempts to encourage each one knowing that the stronger his brethren are, the more they will be able to help him and each other get to heaven. He is merciful and forgiving toward his brethren, because He knows God has been merciful and forgiving toward him.
While the first man is grieved by his sin, he finds it hard to be forgiven by God and tries to "make it up to Him" by doing more good deeds. He is often discouraged because he does not feel like he is doing enough for the Lord. The second man is also grieved and tearful when he sins. He too knows that he has abused God's grace and harmed that relationship, however after he seeks forgiveness he rests confidently in the Father's love. He appreciates God's mercy and is thankful for the advocacy of Jesus Christ, which enables him to forget about the sin of the past and move on to work for the Lord joyfully.
The first man finds God's commands to be more and more of a burden. He finds Christ's yoke to be heavier and heavier. He struggles to accomplish the "big things" for the Lord and finds himself more inclined to give up. The second man sees God's commands as part of God's grace. He loves God's law because it shows him into the paths of righteousness.
Both men are saved by grace. Both are saved by faith working with their works. Both have a relationship with God and may still live with the Lord eternally. However, one may not endure until the end. For the man who puts his confidence in his own righteousness will eventually find his labor in the Lord to be exhausting. He is motivated by temporal rewards, and thus his motivation will begin to wane as he finds those rewards less satisfying. The second man also finds his work for the Lord to be exhausting at times, but he knows that his labor is not in vain. He is driven by his appreciation for God's grace and salvation. He loves living for God. He loves God and lives for God because the Lord first loved, lived, and died for him.
Both approaches to grace and obedience will get you to heaven, but the first will be a much harder way to live. The second man's attitude comes from a recognition that we are never worthy of God's grace. It derives from a humility of spirit which says I am only what God can make me to be. It springs from the heart of one who trusts in the love and grace of the Father, and yet at the same time has no greater goal than to please Him. So which man are you?
--Via the Corinth church of Christ bulletin
Athens, AL