The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
December 19, 2004
In
This Issue:
The
Importance of Words
by
Gilbert Alexander
The
Sentence of Death
by
Steve Klein
The Importance of Words
Words are the stuff language is made of. They are the vehicles of thought, the structural blocks of communication. They can turn away wrath or stir up anger (Proverbs 15:1). Deceitful words are sometimes smoother than butter (Ps. 55:21), deceiving the hearts of the simple (Rom.16:18). Careless and unguarded speech gets people into trouble. It is better to be a man of few words than to sin through a multitude of words (Pro. 10: 19, Ecc1. 5:2,3). Words of truth give light (Ps. 119:130), and the words of the wise are like goads and nails which urge obedience to God and fasten securely our hope and faith. Empty words are vain and, in some cases, profane. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, a Lord, my strength and my Redeemer" (Ps. 19:14).
God chose the words used in the Scriptures. He gave names to people and sometimes changed their names to convey a message. In expressing His will to us and giving His commandments to us, He used the words He chose because they conveyed the message He wanted to deliver. Jesus was so named because He is the Savior or Deliverer. He was called Christ because He is the Messiah, the anointed One. Every word in the Lord's commands is significant. "With the mouth confession is made unto salvation" tells us that we must express our faith with words and that such confession is a part of God's plan of salvation since it is unto salvation. When God commanded that people believe and be baptized, He coupled faith and baptism (immersion, not pouring or sprinkling) for salvation. Men have fought against this simple truth with every stratagem they can conceive, but God meant what He said. When teachers of God's word point out that the way of salvation is for all, everyone, whosoever, and all men everywhere, they are using words that God chose to declare who can be saved.
Since all words have meaning and significance, it is essential that we understand the meanings of words in order to understand the message and to know what to do (I Cor. 14:9-11). Teachers must use understandable words, and hearers must ask about things they did not hear well or did not understand, if teaching is to be accomplished. Even simple words like meet, let, prevent, hell, and others may be confusing if one does not recognize that they have more than one meaning. The language of the Scriptures is not intended to be vague, but to be clear and direct in thought.
Finally, our words are important - even enough to justify or condemn us (Matt. 12:37). We must be careful about what we say and how we say it. We must use sound words that cannot be condemned (Titus 2:8). We must speak the truth in love (Eph. 4: 15). We must be swift to hear and slow to speak, to give proper thought as to whether to speak and what to say. Let us never underestimate the power and importance of words.
By Gilbert Alexander
The headline-grabbing trial of Scott Peterson wound down this past week out in California. The jury recommended the death sentence for Peterson, who earlier had been convicted of killing his pregnant wife Laci.
There can be no doubt that God approves of capital punishment. He ordained it as the proper punishment for many different crimes in the Old Testament. Execution was prescribed not only for traditional capital crimes such as murder and kidnapping (Numbers 35:30-31; Exodus 21:16), but also for sexual crimes such as adultery, homosexuality, incest and rape (Leviticus 20:10-16; Deuteronomy 22:25), and for religious crimes such as witchcraft, idolatry and false teaching (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:2; Deuteronomy 13:1-5).
In the New Testament, the inspired apostle Paul recognized the fact that there are indeed crimes "worthy of death" (Acts 25:11). And, he taught explicitly that civil government "does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil" (Romans 13:4). It should be noted that the authorities are said to bear "the sword," and that in ancient times "the sword" was never an instrument of incarceration, but an instrument of death.
The Christian should support capital punishment for crimes that warrant it. But that is not to say that we should gloat with sadistic pleasure when such punishment must be carried out. Even the Lord who ordained capital punishment does not rejoice in it. "'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.'" (Ezekiel 33:11).
As of July 1, 2004, there were a reported 3,490 criminals on death row in the United States. Those who stand condemned to die probably have different ways of dealing with the situation -- everything from defiance, to disbelief to postponement through legal means. But some may choose to reform their lives while awaiting death, and turn to God in order to prepare themselves to meet Him after this life is over. The apostle Paul could relate to that. In 2 Corinthians 1:9 he wrote, "Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead."
In a sense we all have the sentence of death in ourselves, because "it is appointed unto men once to die" (Hebrews 9:27). The purpose of such a sentence is to teach us to trust in God who raises the dead. Like those on death row, we can react to that sentence with defiance, disbelief or attempts to postpone the inevitable. But none of these reactions will change the fact that death awaits. Our only hope, and the only way of dealing with our sentence of death constructively, is to trust in God and obey His will.
by Steve Klein