Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
 
I was sitting in one of those stackable plastic lawn chairs and leaned back. POP! and I fell sideways.  When I picked myself up from the ground, I found the arm was broken from the back of the chair.  The   chair was ruined.  Made of flimsy material its strength depended on it being one piece.  I set it aside to haul to the dump and got a folding chair in its place.

But, I go to the dump seldom and one day I needed a place off the ground to dry some squash seeds from an heirloom variety.  I got the broken chair and put the pulp and seeds in the seat in the sun.  Not long after, I got a free six-pack of cauliflower plants because one was broken.  I carefully taped the broken stem and re-potted it and set it in a clear gallon jar to protect my splinted plant from the winds.  But, the sun wilted it, so I moved the broken chair over to provide some shade.  The plant did recover and is now growing in my early garden.

The list of broken things that we make do with goes on and on—the cart that has 2 strong bungee cords pulling the sides tight against the dump gate, the tiller I got tired of replacing a spring on and just duct taped a 2 pound weight to the go-lever (this also has a bungee cord to hold  the go-lever up until I get the motor started or the dead man control will kill it because it dropped in gear faster than I could move to the handlebar grips.)

A bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench (Isa 42:3).  Has life battered me until I am like that cauliflower and need binding and special care just to survive?  Jesus is there with the tape and the jar to protect me from winds that might destroy me.  He cares.  That gives me the strength to grow as much as I can. Like that plant, I may never be as big as those who were not broken, but I can produce for the master who loved me. 

I hear people comfort some person who has really messed up his life with some variation of, "God has a better plan for you."  Really?  If I had sawn off my leg with a chainsaw or broken my back in a car wreck, there are numerous things I could never be or do.  If I demolished my reputation and status with sin, I have closed doors that may never open again.  I can never undo the impact of pornography or foul language grooved in the mind or alcohol/drugs.  The weakness will always be there.  And frankly, I am broken. In some places my soul is held together with duct tape or bungee cords. In all probability, so is yours.

But, our hope is that Jesus will still find a use for us if we will come to him.  Like that chair we may not ever be what we were intended to be, but we can be shade to another weak soul or of some other use in his kingdom.  We must humble ourselves and be useful in the ways Jesus places before us, not being proud and desiring only to be great things.
 
I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bandage the injured, and strengthen the weak (Ezek 34:16).

Keith Ward
 

Another in a series by guest writer Lucas Ward.

There is no passage in the Bible that says “accept one another” and yet that is exactly the idea expressed in Rom. 15: 1-7. There are two other one another passages in this text, which combine to give us this lesson: we are to accept one another.

A little context: the church in Rome had a problem. There was a strong racial tension. You see, the Hebrews had long known that they were God’s Chosen People. Even though the Kingdom of God had changed from a physical nation to a spiritual kingdom with the advent of Christianity, the Jewish Christians still carried that arrogance. Old ways die hard. The non-Christian Jews were even worse. The hatred of Gentiles could be vicious. One rabbi writing at about this time taught that Jews should not help an ailing pregnant Gentile woman. If help was given, it would just result in more Gentiles. Far better, he thought, to let her miscarry and die in the process. One less current Gentile and no new ones either. It is no wonder that the Gentiles generally hated the Jews.

In Rome, it was even worse. Here the “Chosen People” butted heads with the rulers of creation. The Romans were an understandably proud people for having conquered most of the known world. They considered themselves the greatest people and now they have to put up with a rag-tag band from a backwards province claiming to be God’s only chosen people? Tension rose. Even in the church there was discord. Then, in circa A.D. 49, Claudius Caesar expelled all the Jews from Rome. (This was why Aquila and Priscilla were in Corinth when Paul got there, Acts 18:2.) On Claudius’ death, the edict was rescinded, and the Jews returned. The Jewish Christians rejoined the church and expected to regain their prominence as those who best knew the OT. The Roman Christians were loath to bow to the Jews, as they had just had years of getting along fine without them. Dissension ruled.

Paul’s letter to the Roman church was largely aimed at ending this strife. For instance, in chapters 1-3 he emphasized to the Jews that they would be just as lost as the Gentiles without Christ, and so had no reason to be holier-than-thou. In Chapter 11 he tells the Gentiles that they have been grafted into the tree the Jews were naturally part of, and so could not afford to be anti-Semitic. These are two of numerous examples of Paul quelling the fight. Chapter 15 is the summation of this instruction.

Rom. 15:1-2 “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”

Paul is almost teasing them here. He knows full well that neither side is going to admit to being the weaker side, and so he puts the onus on each of them to bear with the failings of the other. He almost admits to as much when he says “let each of us” in verse two. He knows that they will each strive to prove themselves strong, and thereby forget pleasing self in order to please the neighbor. Which is what he (and the Holy Spirit) wanted. The strength that each has is not to help themselves, but to be used to help, and build up (edify), those who are weaker. The strength can also be used to bear with the failings of the other. Contrary to all the fun revenge movies out there the strong one isn’t the person who wreaks vengeance, but the one who accepts the failings of his brothers and helps them to be better. Unsurprisingly, the Lord is a perfect example of this.

Rom. 15:3 “For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

The Lord didn’t use His considerable strength for His own pleasure, but instead used it to help the weak. Who can forget His prayers in Gethsemane? “Let this cup pass from me.” He wasn’t having fun when He was nailed to the cross. Instead, He was willingly taking our burden, bearing with our failings, building us up, as He took the reproach due us upon Himself. The quote is from Ps. 69.

Rom. 15:4 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

Paul quotes the scriptures both to solidify his point and to show that the Jews were useful, as they knew these scriptures better than the Gentile converts. These scriptures are for our instruction. It is not just the scriptures, however, that leads to hope, but endurance also. We have to keep going. We have to keep bearing with the weak. We have to keep pleasing others rather than self. It is the scriptures plus endurance that leads to hope. Notice that in the next verse he calls God the God of endurance.

Rom. 15:5-6 “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The double emphasis on endurance is interesting. Perhaps Paul is admitting to both sides that he understands that bearing with the other won’t always be easy. He prays that God will help them to live in harmony with one another. They are to get along. He describes the harmony that they should experience as being “in accord with Christ”. Clearly a reference to verse 3, Paul is saying they should be willing to bear reproach for each other, as Christ did for them. Their own pleasure is less important than harmony, as Christ’s pleasure was less important than their salvation. The end goal is that they be able to come together to together glorify God. A summation is offered in verse 7:

Rom. 15:7 “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”

Welcome, greet, accept. We are to welcome each other. Notice how this verse essentially sums up the previous six. Vs. 1-2 are about bearing with each other and pleasing the other rather than self. That is welcoming each other. “As Christ has welcomed you” is a reference to verse 3, that Christ pleased others by bearing their reproach. “For the glory of God”, shows the end result mentioned in verse 6.

God is glorified when His people forget their differences and come together to worship Him.

In the next 5-6 verses, Paul reminds the Gentiles that Christ came to fulfill the promises given to the Jews and reminds the Jews (by quoting their own Scriptures to them) that He also came to give mercy to the Gentiles. Again and again, there should be no dissension.

One reason that there was discord was that the Jews and Gentiles worshipped a bit differently. This is covered somewhat in chapter 14. The Jews kept certain holidays and celebrated new moons, etc. all as a holdover from the old law. The Gentiles had no cultural reason, and no teaching from any authority, that they should do such things. One side thought the other weird and the other thought the first lax. Paul told them to get along, despite this. This is something we can learn from today:

Predominantly black churches of Christ tend to worship a bit differently from predominantly white churches of Christ. Their song services are maybe a bit more. . . soulful. Their preachers are a bit more animated. (In general. I’ve been to predominantly black churches in which, if I closed my eyes, I’d have guessed they were predominantly white.) There is nothing unscriptural about any of this. It might make me feel a bit uncomfortable for cultural reasons, but it shouldn’t for Christian reasons. If our church gets a large group of black Christians as visitors and we notice that the building is swaying a bit more than usual during the song service and the sermon generates more “Amen!”s than usual, should we get upset and ask our brethren to quiet down? Of course not! We are to “welcome one another”.

Despite racial differences, cultural differences, and even differences in the worship (as long as the basic scriptural pattern in being followed) we are to live in harmony with one another. We are to welcome one another as brethren in Christ. We are to accept one another.

God is glorified when His people forget their differences and come together to worship Him.
 
Lucas Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

It seems that some fail to grasp figurative language and some apparently are unaware that it exists, though they use it every day. Many have correctly condemned the attitude behind having "Born to Lose" as a motto for life. But, in the song the phrase is wrested from, it means something else entirely. There might even be a lesson there about Bible study.  If you never heard the song, which was old when Ray Charles sang it, the quotes below are from that song.
 
A favorite preacher often says, “If you have missed heaven, you have surely missed it all.  It would matter nothing if you were successful on every other level and happy every day of your life."

Is there nothing in your life that had you missed it, then your whole life would seem a loss?  “Born to Lose” expresses that idea.  Had I missed Dene, “every dream would bring me only pain,” and I would feel that, “I’ve lived my life in vain,” and, “All my life I’ve always been so blue.”  It would color my life so that no success, no joy would truly be happy or good.

“Breathes there man with soul so dead” (or woman) who has no one that means that much?  Have you told her lately?  [Scott, "My Native Land"]

If everyone who knows you does not know that about you, is it true?
 
With the idea in mind that “Born to Lose” refers to an event that so alters one’s perspective in life in a negative way that it seems that he was born that way, let us examine a couple of Bible phrases.
 
“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psa 51:5 (ASV)
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. “ (ESV) 
 
At a moment when you perceived the depth of the wickedness that you have done, maybe a recent one or in a wakeful moment in the night reviewing your life, have you never felt that way?  In other words, “My whole life has been sin to the bone?”  It seems to me that such passages as these have nothing to say about the state of one at birth or conception. They express in a strong way, a poetic way, the depth of awareness of one’s own sinfulness that he has done.
 
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."  Jer 1:5
 
Having seen this on a number of billboards along the interstates expressing opposition to abortion, and with my thinking supercharged by the adrenaline of dodging all the idiots for whom the hope of arriving a few minutes less late is worth the risk of their lives and ours, I realize that as used, literally, it expresses the Mormon view that souls exist prior to conception.  Instead, when the passage is seen figuratively, God is expressing the depth to which he knows Jeremiah’s character and the confidence with which he appoints him to the prophetic office.  It is not intended to express any truth regarding birth.
 
And, so with these and numerous other instances, we realize that God communicates with us the way we do with others, by figures of speech. And yes, the Bible means exactly what it says, it just does not always mean the literal dictionary meaning of the words used.  When we say a man would "give the shirt off his back," we are not even talking about shirts!  Nor was Jesus talking about eye problems when he said to remove the beam from your own eye so you can see to take the mote from your brother's.
 
Many a false doctrine and unsound interpretation is based upon the foolishness of making God's figures of speech into literally exact dictums.
 
We need to lighten up.  Because it is "THE BIBLE" does not mean that we do not use normal means to understand it. That is the way God communicates.
 
But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Spirit teaches; combining spiritual things with spiritual words. (1Cor 2:12-13)
 
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Eph 5:17)
 
Keith Ward

A continuing series by guest writer Lucas Ward.

Having discussed the most basic, all-pervading “one another” command, to love one another, let’s move on to some of the more specific ways we show that love for each other. Some of the “one another” passages that easily group themselves for discussion are those which teach us to edify, exhort and admonish each other: Rom. 14:9, 1 Thess. 5:11, Heb. 3:13, Heb. 10:24, Rom. 15:14, and Col. 3:16. First, let’s discuss what these commands mean.

To edify just means to build up. An edifice is a building, to edify is to build. The Greek word is oikodomeo which means *gasp* to build up. No surprises here. The only other way the word is ever used is if it is literally referring to the construction trade. When we are commanded to edify, we are being commanded to build our fellow Christian’s faith & character.

To exhort, according to Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, is to urge strongly, to make urgent appeals, to give warnings or advice. The Greek is parakaleo. This word is translated “exhort” 19 times in the KJV, “beseech” 43 times and “entreat” three times. So the idea of urging and making urgent appeals seems to hold. However, the word is also translated “comfort” 23 times, which might seem odd until you realize that the ESV translates the word “encourage” pretty uniformly. Which makes sense, because when someone is feeling down, we encourage (comfort) them, but when someone isn’t achieving as they should, we encourage (exhort) them to do better. So you can see how the same word can fit in both situations. The meaning of the command to us seems to be to urge our brethren to be what they ought to be.

To admonish is to indicate duties and obligations. To express warning or disapproval especially in a gentle, earnest or solicitous manner. The Greek is noutheteo which means to put in mind of or to remind of something which fits well with the idea of reminding Christians of their duties and also reminding/warning them of the eternal consequences of sin. Notice two things about the English definition: the manner is to be gentle and earnest, and disapproval can be expressed. Is disapproval really a part of Christian life? Well, if we are trying to live pure and holy lives before the Lord, then there are things that we can’t approve of. But disapproval doesn’t mean hatred of the individual. 2 Thess. 3:14-15, “And if any man obeys not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. And yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” We can’t approve of his actions. If he continues in them, we are to have nothing to do with him. But this isn’t the result of hate, but of brotherly love: we admonish him with the hope of his repentance. He is not an enemy, but a brother being admonished. So, to admonish our brethren is to remind them of their Christian duties and/or gently warn them of temptations and sins.

Ok, so how do I do this? How do I edify, exhort, and admonish (EE&A)? The first thing to note is that I can’t if I’m too busy condemning my brother. In Romans 14 Paul is writing to a church that is fighting over the permissibility of eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Some believed wholeheartedly that it was a sin. The rest of the church laughed at them for being silly. Both sides were quick to judge, in the sense of passing sentence on the other side. Paul told them in vs 13 “Let us not therefore judge one another anymore: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block in his brother's way, or an occasion of falling.” Rather than judging, they needed to make sure they weren’t hurting their brothers. Why? vs 17 “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The Church was a lot more important than just eating and drinking. Righteousness, peace and joy were far more important. Therefore, vs 19 “So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another.” Instead of condemning each other, the Roman Christians should have been finding ways to make peace and to edify one another. I can’t very well build my brother up if I’m busy tearing him down, now can I?

To properly EE&A, I must also be fully aware of the dangers of sin. The Hebrew writer says in 3:13 “but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin”. Sin is tricky. It doesn’t seem all that bad. “I can put just my toe across the line, and I’ll still be ok.” Soon, my whole foot is across the line, and before I know it, I’m standing several yards beyond the line. It keeps sneaking up on you, and never seems that bad. And it hardens you, leading to, as verse 12 calls it, an “evil heart of unbelief.” The more you live in sin, the more you don’t want to listen to or believe the Word of God. Which is why we need to urgently warn our brothers and sisters about sin. Growing up in the piney woods of North Central Florida, I quickly learned to look down at the ground whenever I ventured into the woods. Snakes, especially rattlesnakes, have an uncanny knack for blending into the background. The patterns on their backs make them look just like a pile of dead leaves unless you know what to look for. Whenever we would hike as a group, anyone who saw a snake would immediately warn everyone else in the party. As Christians, we need to know that sin is far more dangerous than any poisonous viper and yell out warnings as we see our brethren nearing danger.

To EE&A, I also must be full of goodness and filled with knowledge. Romans 15:14 “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” Paul was sure they could handle their own admonishment precisely because they were full of goodness and filled with knowledge. Which makes sense. How can I build my brother up according to God’s word if I don’t know God’s word? How can I urge him to his duties if I don’t know what God says his duties are? But knowledge alone can be dangerous. Note 1 Cor. 8:1-3: “Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. If any man thinks that he knows anything, he knows not yet as he ought to know; but if any man loves God, the same is known by him.” Knowledge alone can lead to false pride and damage done. Which is why Paul also says that the Romans were “full of goodness”. This is analogous to the love he mentions to the Corinthians. Knowledge, directed by love and goodness, leads to proper EE&A.

Furthering the discussion of the need for knowledge, look at Col 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.” The word is to dwell in you. It is not an occasional visitor; it lives in you. We read and think about it regularly. This leads to teaching and admonishing “in all wisdom”. As mentioned in Romans and 1 Corinthians, knowledge alone isn’t enough. It is to be guided by love, goodness and wisdom. And see how this teaching is done? Through the songs we sing. We often think of the song service as purely praise to God, and it does contain a lot of that, but it is also a great avenue for teaching. If we actually pay attention to what we say, we can be greatly built up and exhorted by the songs we sing. Think about “Prepare to Meet thy God”: “Careless soul, why will you linger wandering from the fold of God. . .” Or “Almost Persuaded”: “Sad, sad that bitter wail ‘almost, but lost’”. How about “Take Time to be Holy”? “speak oft with thy Lord; abide in Him always and feed on His word.” Or “I Want to Be a Worker for the Lord” or. . . Songs can be powerful. At thirteen, singing the phrase “Lord come quickly” made me wonder if I really wanted Him to come back quickly right then and led directly to me discussing baptism with my parents. Songs are a tool for teaching and admonishment and, given that, song leaders need to take care how they choose the songs we sing.

In order to EE&A, we must also consider one another. Heb. 10:24 “and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works”. The ESV says “to stir up one another”. While the word isn’t used here, isn’t stirring up or provoking to good works the definition of exhortation. (Which word is used in the next verse.) But to do it, I have to consider my brethren. I have to think about them. I have to figure out what each of them needs and how I can best help them. If I never think about my brother, how am I supposed to know how to help him out? We are supposed to be a family that helps each other, not a group that meets a couple of times a week. To be the former, we must take the time and make the effort to consider each other. Also, note the verses preceding vs 24. We are told that Christ has opened a way for us into the Holy Place. The Hebrew writer says that we should therefore 1) draw near with true hearts and full faith, 2) hold fast to our confession, and 3) consider one another. The way to heaven is open, and my job is to walk through the door and bring along as many of my brethren as I possibly can. Draw near, hold fast (that’s me getting there) and consider one another (dragging them along with me). That leads into my final point, that we . . .

EE&A with the knowledge that salvation is already won. 1 Thess. 5:9-11 “For God appointed us not into wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as also ye do.” He died for us so we could live with Him. We are not appointed to wrath, but to salvation. “Wherefore” or with that in mind, exhort and edify one another. The door has already been opened. We only have to walk through. The way can be hard, sometimes, and we need to encourage each other with the knowledge that the hardships of this life are temporary. We are appointed to salvation. We just have to keep going.

“Wherefore exhort one another, and build each other up”

Lucas Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
 
God set eternity in man’s heart and in longing for that which is unknowable, the inspired men of the Old Testament revealed glimpses from God of that home. And truth to tell, though we have more figures of speech, it is hard to say that we understand much more than they did (Eccl 3:11).

But as for me I know that my Redeemer lives, And at last he will stand up upon the earth: And after my skin, [even] this [body], is destroyed, Then without my flesh shall I see God; Whom I, even I, shall see, on my side, And mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger. My heart is consumed within me. (Job 19:26). The ASV translation, “without my flesh” is justified by “And after my skin, this, is destroyed.” Clearly, after his life was over, Job expected to see God.

Peter quotes Psa 16:10-11 and applies it to the resurrection of the Christ. As with most Messianic passages, it also had a meaning for the time written.  Regardless, it expresses absolute faith in an undying soul that comes forth from the grave, from the realm of the dead.

Arise, O Jehovah, Confront him, cast him down: Deliver my soul from the wicked by thy sword; From men by thy hand, O Jehovah, From men of the world, whose portion IS IN [THIS] LIFE,… As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, WHEN I AWAKE, WITH BEHOLDING THY FORM. Men of the world have their portion in this life; The Old Testament righteous lived in hope of a resurrection where they would be with God and see him.

Asaph nearly slipped when he considered the rich for “they have more than heart could wish” and “there are no pangs in their death.” But then he “went into the sanctuary of God and considered their latter end.” (Psa 73:4,7,17).  What latter end if there are no pangs in their physical death and there is no eternity?  Certainly this psalmist believed in after-life punishment of the wicked.  And, he believed in a reward in heaven for the righteous, “Whom have I in heaven [but thee]?  And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart fail; [But] God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.” (24-26).

For he shall see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike perish, And leave their wealth to others. They are appointed as a flock for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be for Sheol to consume, That there be no habitation for it. But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For he will receive me. (Psa 49:10,14-15). Shall we sing a verse of “In The Morning of Joy?” The righteous will be received, redeemed from the power of death and have dominion. YES THEY KNEW!

Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. It is not clear in the context that this concerns the final resurrection. Many think it does.

Before Jesus came revealing more, the Pharisees studied the Old Testament and determined that it taught eternal life, eternal reward and eternal judgment. The Sadducees were worldly and could only come up with silly riddles to mock that belief—sort of like the riddle, “What would happen to a man on the way to baptized and a tree fell on him?”  These establish nothing.  Jesus himself supported the Pharisees, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat: all things therefore whatsoever they bid you, [these] do and observe: but do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not.” (Mt 23:1ff).
 
The rich young ruler asked Jesus, "What must I do to inherit Eternal Life?" If the Old Testament does not teach eternal life as a reward, where did he get his notions about it?  When you finish considering that, think about the Lawyer who asked the same question in Lk 10:25.  A Lawyer had no interest other than the Torah, the five books of Moses.


There are many more such passages in the Old Testament.  Some may be less clear, some may speak of eternal life and again, may not. However, once we have established as clearly as has been done above that they knew these things, it does no violence to truth to understand the doubtful ones as supporting belief in eternal life.
 
In the resurrection morning,
When the trump of God shall sound,
We shall rise, we shall rise
Then the saints will come rejoicing,
And no tears will e'er be found
We shall rise, we shall rise.
 
Keith Ward

This begins a series by guest writer Lucas Ward on the "One Another" Commands.  You will find them in the middle of the month for the next several months.

God could have saved us through the sacrifice of His Son and then left each of us to find our way to heaven on our own. In His wisdom, however, He created the church so we’d have a family of believers to help us make it. The church was designed to be a family. A place where we don’t have to be as on guard as we do out in the world. A place to receive encouragement as we battle temptations. A place where the older can teach the younger (Titus 2) and where we can find others who have been through what we are currently suffering and can offer advice and exhortation. This family, when it runs as God intended, is far more supportive than most physical families. Unfortunately, men have corrupted God’s family, often acting as if it were an institution where they can garner power, influence and/or wealth. Other local branches spend more time fighting among themselves than they do supporting each other. It is no wonder so much of the New Testament is instruction for how we should be getting along with each other. Depending on exactly how you count it, there are 51 passages in the NT specifically about how we should (or should not) treat one another which use that phrase, “one another”. If nothing else, all the references to “one another” should emphasize that we are connected. We are not individuals; we are of each other, part of a group. The 51 passages encompass 22 different commands about how we treat one another. Everything from forgiveness to exhortation; from kisses to admonishment; from not lying to not “biting and devouring” one another. The most basic command, which is really the underpinning of all the other instructions, is that we are to love one another. If we get that right, all the others will fall into place; if we fail to love, no amount of teaching on the other commands will accomplish anything.

The first thing to note about love is that it is a first principle. 1 John 3:11 “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” John says that the instruction they heard from the first was to love. One of the first things taught to new Christians by the Apostles themselves was love. He repeats himself in his second epistle: 2 John 1:5 “And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.” A lot of churches have “first principle” classes for new converts to teach them the basics of Christianity. According to John, loving each other should be prominent in that class’s curriculum.

That leads right into the next point. Obedience to the truth leads to love. 1 Pet. 1:22 “Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently.” Obedience to the truth was “unto” love of the brethren. That is the result of obeying the truth. Notice what else Peter says about brotherly love here: it is to be from the heart. In our culture, we think of the heart as the seat of emotions and so might get the idea that we are to be emotionally attached to our brothers. In the first century, however, the heart was not considered the seat of emotions, but the seat of reason. One thought with the heart. So, the command to love our brothers from the heart isn’t a directive to gooey feelings, but rather to decide to love our brothers by doing what they need. Choose to do good for them. Remember that the famous description of love in 1 Cor. 13 is all about actions. Choose with your heart to love your brothers and sisters and do for them what they need.
Connected to the idea that obeying truth leads to love is the fact that God teaches love. 1 Thess. 4:9 “But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another”. Love is from God and is basic to Christianity.

Love fulfills the Law. Rom. 13:8-10 “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” I really enjoy that Paul cites examples of the ten commandments to prove his point. If you love your brother, you won’t murder him. (!) You won’t steal his wife, nor his possessions. Love fulfills the law. If we love each other God as teaches us, we won’t need detailed instructions on how to live our lives.

Our love for each other should continue to grow. 1 Thess. 3:12 “and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you”. In this epistle, Paul praises the Thessalonians for their love, but he urges them to continue to increase in that virtue. The word “abound” in this passage means to be over and above. It is also translated as “exceed” and “enough and to spare.” So, our love should not be just barely enough to get by, but should be overflowing toward each other. We should continue to increase in how we show our love to each other. Again, love is action; it is doing for each other. Also notice from the context of this verse that Paul’s next visit combined with their growing love for each other would establish their hearts. Continually growing love of the brethren was as important as an apostolic visit to their continued spiritual health.

Twice Jesus told His apostles to love each other as He had loved them. First was in John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Given that His second admonition to love in chapter 15 is clearly linked to the crucifixion, I believe that this particular command was looking back on how He had loved them during His earthly life. Earlier that evening He had humbled Himself to wash their feet. Throughout their association, He had chosen them, taught them, live with them, and was patient with them. Essentially, He put their needs above His wants. That is what He is teaching them to do now. Put each other’s needs above the wants of self. Also, note that love is to be the defining characteristic of Jesus’s disciples. All will know that we are His if we love each other. That, however, logically means that all will know that we aren’t His if we don’t love each other. A church might sing without instrumental music, organize itself according to the NT pattern, and only use its monies as taught in the NT but if they don’t love each other, they aren’t a “sound” congregation. According to Him, not me.

The second time Jesus instructed His apostles to love as He did was in John 15:12-13 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Despite the past tense, this is clearly looking forward to the cross as Jesus mentions dying for others. (Incidentally, God regularly spoke of future events in the past tense in the OT to emphasize how certain His promises were. Jesus doing this here might be yet another indication of His deity.) He died for us. We are to love as He did. We are to love our brethren more than our own lives. They are to be first in everything.

Finally, we cannot please God unless we love one another. 1 John 3:23 “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” The context here is that we are pleasing to God and can ask Him for whatever we need because we keep His commandments. Then the commandment is listed as believing in the Son and loving one another. Wait, did the Holy Spirit through John just put loving one another on a par with believing in the name of Jesus? Yes, He did. Can I be a Christian if I don’t believe that Jesus is the Son of God? No, I can’t. Can I be a Christian if I don’t love my brethren? According to this passage, no, I can’t. Then there’s 1 John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” If I am born of God and know God, I love. If I don’t love I don’t know God. I can’t please Him if I don’t love. Again, in 1 John 4:11, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” John has just stated that God’s love led Him to sending His Son to die for us and to be a propitiation of our sins. If He loved us that much, surely we can love each other. And if I can’t love my brother, aren’t I casting aspersions on God’s judgement? If I judge Brother So-and-So to be unlovable, and I know that God has loved him so completely, then I’m setting my judgement up against God’s, aren’t I? “God made a mistake in loving that jerk!” I might want to be careful in acting in a way that posits that idea. Finally, there is 1 John 4:12 “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” God abides in us only if we love each other. If we want God to be with us, we must love our brethren. Also notice that God’s love for us is only perfected, or completed when we love each other. God loved us, which caused us to love Him, and then taught us to love each other. So, it is God’s love which leads us to love each other, and the work of God’s love isn’t finished until we do love each other.

Don’t leave God’s work unfinished. Love one another.


Lucas Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

Several times lately, I have been asked a variation of, “How much did the Old Testament people understand about Heaven and Hell?  Did they understand about eternal life?

My first response for a long time has been to refer them to the one Old Testament passage everyone knows, the 23rd Psalm, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord FOREVER.”

There are numerous other passages that give hints that they knew life and death were more than the physical.  Ezekiel says the soul that sins shall die. Well everyone, good and evil, dies physically so, obviously, something more is referred to as when he says the sinner who repents shall live.

But, more, I have been thinking about the purposes of the stories of Enoch and Elijah, lately.  Eight times in Genesis 5, God inspires Moses to record, “and he died.”  In stark contrast, “Enoch walked with God: and was not; for God took him.”  Where was Enoch?  He was not in the grave with his fathers or sons.  He was with God.  From the earliest pages of scripture, God made clear the hope of the faithful.

Elijah, Elisha and all the prophets knew that God would take Elijah that day (2 Kg2).  As they walked and talked, a fiery chariot parted them and Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind.  Any who say he was just caught up in a tornado like Dorothy’s witch must contend with the 50 strong men who searched for 3 days without finding a body. They knew that Elijah was with God.
 
God made heaven clear in order that they would walk by faith while looking forward to being with him. They had the same hope and home as we, for "They looked for a city" (Heb 11:16).
 
Some glad morning when this life is o'er
I'll fly away
To a home on God's celestial shore
I'll fly away
When the shadows of this life have grown
I'll fly away
Like a bird from prison bars has flown
I'll fly away
Just a few more weary days and then
I'll fly away
To a land where joys shall never end
I'll fly away
 When I die,
Hallelujah by and by
I'll fly away
 
Keith Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.

When Dad had his stroke he was out of it for about 24 hours. His memory ran in cycles of a few minutes, then he’d forget everything that had happened and would start over brand new.  I had left work when the word came and joined Mom at the hospital. We stayed with Dad until he finally got a room and I then drove Mom home so she could get a few hours of sleep and grab what she needed for an extended hospital stay with Dad.  When we got back the next morning, Dad was himself again (mostly).  Suddenly, I was overcome.  I sat on the window sill and turned my face away for a few moments. I hadn’t realized how much I had been affected by Dad’s illness until he showed definite signs of improvement.  I had been busy taking care of Mom, being strong for her, trying to help in whatever way I could and when that need was past, the emotions of almost losing my Dad came rushing in on me.  Knowing that, yes, he was going to be OK caused a huge emotional release, a more obvious one than the illness itself had.

We see this kind of thing fairly regularly.  Someone successfully completes a long, hard journey and once it is clear that the suffering is over then, and only then, do they break down in tears.  They never cried through all the years of toil or all the aching miles, but once the trip was completed, they broke down in tears of joy that it was over and everything would be ok.  Often when this happens, a close friend or relative will hold them and comfort them “yes, it’s over.”  I’ve thought of Rev. 21 in these terms lately.  It says, “and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes”.  Could it be the tears of joy at having finally completed our course and made it to heaven that He will wipe away?  “That’s right, you’re here with Me. Everything will be ok.”  The verse does go on to mention that death, pain and crying will be no more, so the tears of this life’s pain are definitely in view, but I like the mental picture of God smiling as He hugs me, comforting me as I cry tears of relief and joy, “I’m finally home!”

Matt 25:21 “His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
 
Lucas Ward

This guest post is by Helene Smith from her blog MaidservantsofChrist.com

Today, I have 7 tips for Christian parents to help their kids develop thankfulness in their daily lives. 

1. Work: Kids who work learn to be grateful.  For one they understand the effort that goes into other people’s work.  Waitresses, janitors, police officers, cashiers and parents are easy to disregard if you have no experience with the work it takes to do their job.  So give your kids ample opportunities to empathize. Give them daily chores appropriate to their age; let them participate in a family business; let them have a part time job; take them to work with you, or to job-shadow in the community.  Don’t let idleness develop into a lack of gratitude for the work done around them. 

2. Service: There are a myriad of opportunities (especially for homeschool kids) to reach out and do community service.  Summer and the holidays are great times to volunteer.  Charity fun runs and youth mission trips are great summer activities. Volunteering to wrap presents for an angel tree or serve a holiday meal to the underprivileged provide a chance for kids to help others.  Year round permanent volunteering positions are especially helpful because your children can connect with the people they serve. We sing hymns at our local nursing home.  My 9 year old knows the elderly there by name; she prays for them when they are sick and gets and gives enormous amounts of love and attention.

3. Provide perspective (not guilt):  Let’s abandon the cliche, “Clean your plate!  Don’t you know there are starving children in Africa!” Instead let’s provide kids with perspective.  When we  lived abroad my (then) tween had lots of opportunities to see the body-wracking results of famine and malnutrition.  These weren’t distant people to whom she could potential feel superiority or even pity.  These were our dinner guests. My younger daughter doesn’t have this opportunity but our family gives a little money in keeping with our small budget to a school in Africa.  It really isn’t a lot but it ensures that a child or two there gets a free education, exposure to the gospel, and a warm meal a day.  It doesn’t hurt my 9 year old to see me write that check and talk about that this little bit of money is staving off hunger and malnutrition in a child just like her.  Again I am not suggesting you use other people’s misfortune as a club. Just provide your children with perspective about their blessings!  

4. Excess: Overheard recently at our local high school: 
Teenage Boy: Our maid is so irritating.  Every time she comes to clean she puts my deodorant under the sink.  Why can’t the stupid (insert entirely unsuitable word) remember to leave it alone?
Second boy: You have a maid?!
            As the first young man exemplifies gratitude is a tough lesson even or especially when we have an enormous amount to be thankful for! When we provide excess in our kids lives, it makes them not only less thankful but also less happy.  In order to help them be grateful, we may need to back away from some of their blessings.  Reducing the number of toys, the number of hours of TV, the number of activities, the number of lavish birthday parties, the number of times you eat out has unexpected benefits. Not only will it be better on your budget, health and the life of your family, but it will also help your child be happier, more thankful and better adjusted.  Not sure?  Consider the differences in Ebenezer Scrooge and the Cratchit family.

5. Budgeting: I have a wise friend who gave his tweens what felt like to them an excellent budget in their own account.  He gave them cards so they could withdraw money.  And then when they asked for something extra, he made them spend the money he gave them for that purpose.  Suddenly trips to Starbucks took a nose dive.  Again my suggestion here isn’t to force kids to worry over whether or not their parents will make the car payment or the power will be cut off. But it is worthwhile for a child to have a set amount of money and budget their wants and needs out of it.  

6. Expressing gratitude: One way to cultivate gratitude is to notice then express the good.  This starts with pointing out to your child what you have to be grateful for close to home.  “Hey, look!  Dad came out early and defrosted my windshield!  Wasn’t that thoughtful.  Let’s text him and say thanks!” Modeling gratitude includes regularly thanking them when they do well! We can incorporate thankfulness into their and our regular prayers.  Thank you notes, small homemade gifts, and the simply noticing what others do can be a great encouragement to them.  Be creative and encourage them to look for opportunities to be grateful!     

7. Develop a theology of gratitude: Consider having your children memorize one of the following scriptures on gratitude:  Colossians 3:15-17, 1 Chronicles 16:8-11, or 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.  Or print out a copy of Ephesians 1 and have them underline each blessings we have in Christ.   Sing songs at home that emphasize our thankfulness. Try this simple song if you need a place to start!

May God bless you and your children with His contentment, His joy and every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus.  May you learn to be thankful in every circumstance and how to give the blessing of thankfulness to the little people God gave to you!

Helene Smith
maidservantsofchrist.com

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

This phrase is used a number of times in the Old Testament at the time of someone’s death. I believe that I can establish that it means something more than being buried in the family tomb.

Gen 25:8 And Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full [of years], and was gathered to his people.
Abraham had lived a long time away from his ancestral home and burying grounds. Only Sarah’s bones waited him in this world. Abraham went somewhere to be with someone, not just any someone, but those (people is plural) who were HIS people, dare we say, people of faith.

Gen 35:29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, old and full of days: and Esau and Jacob his sons buried him.
Clearly, the gathering and the burying were distinct.

Gen 49:33 When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
In a clear distinction, dying, i.e., breathing his last, is separate from being gathered to his people.

Deut 32:50 And die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. Aaron died and was buried. Moses died and God buried him. In no sense is it possible to equate his being gathered to his people to simply being dead like they were. And, being in the wilderness, it is impossible that they were buried where their forebears had been.

Someday we shall “Gather at the River” with those Old Testament saints who’ve gone before, who, knowing less than we do, still walked by faith in hope of being together and with God.

Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing from the throne of God
Yes, we'll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river,
Gather with the saints at the river,
That flows from the throne of God.
 
Keith Ward