Our Heritage in Christ

By Bob Myhan

At this time of year, Americans are particularly aware of their common heritage. A heritage is usually an inheritance of material property, rights, traditions or ideas that one receives through the gracious act(s) of another, or others. Our American heritage, for example, is political, social and economic in nature. Its foundation is the valiant, courageous, and determined efforts of from 4,000-12,000 men who shed their blood "in order to form a more perfect union." Its elements are such things as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the right to free assembly, and due process. Yes, we Americans have a great heritage, indeed, because of these patriots. But Christians (whether in the USA or in the People’s Republic of China) have a far greater heritage in Christ (Gal. 3:26-29). Let us consider, briefly, the nature, foundation and elements of this heritage.

The nature of this heritage is threefold— it is spiritual, holy and royal.

“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy (1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10).

The foundation of this heritage is “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:17-21; see also Rom. 3:21-26). He was “the Lamb of God,” the antitype of all typical sacrifices (John 1:29-34). He was ordained as such “from the foundation of the world” (2 Tim. 1:8-9; Titus 1:1-2; Rev. 13:8; Gen. 3:14-15).

The elements of our heritage in Christ are “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Eph. 1:3-14). These include “the forgiveness of sins” (Eph. 1:7) and freedom from the bondage of sin (John 8:31-36; Rom. 6:18-22). We also enjoy freedom from condemnation (Rom. 7:24-25; 8:1), freedom from the curse of law (Gal. 3:1-14, 19-29), freedom from fear (Rom. 8:12-15; 1 John 2:1-2) and freedom from religious division (John 17:20-21). We also have the privilege of direct contact, via the avenue of prayer, with the head of our government at any time of day or night and at any place on this earth. Lastly, and most importantly, we have an eternal home in heaven (Rom. 8:16-25; 1 Peter 1:3-5).

Indeed, as Maurice Barnett wrote in an email to this writer, “Ours is a freedom unlike any that man ever had before and it does not have Social Security in our old age to look forward to but an eternal retirement.”

Are you glad, dear reader, that you are an American? You have every right to be. You should be thankful to God that you were born in a “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” But, more importantly, you should be glad you are a citizen in heaven. And you should be thankful to God for the opportunity to become one of its citizens, to have so great a heritage in Christ. Yes, we have a far greater heritage as Christians than we do as Americans. &

Introduction to the Proverbs

By Bob Myhan

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines “proverb” as “an enunciation of truth, self-evident and self-illustrative, in some pointed or concentrated form adapted to arrest attention, awaken responsive thought, and remain fixed in memory” (Vol. 4, p. 2470). The Hebrew word for “proverb,” in its verb form, “means to rule, control, to have, or exercise control…Hence it is plain that there must be a close connection between ‘a rule’ and ‘a proverb.’ This connection may be illustrated by our phrase ‘a ruling principle;’ and by the fact that we might term what we call ‘the Proverbs of Solomon’ ‘Solomon’s Rules;’ since that is just what they are: rules for guiding life” (E.W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, p. 755). According to Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary [1996 edition], a proverb is a “short, pithy…saying popularly known and repeated, usually expressing simply and concretely, though often metaphorically, a truth based on common sense or the practical experience of humankind” (p. 1556).

It is God’s intention, through them, “to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth” (1:4, ESV). When seriously studied, they will enable one “to know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity” (1:2, 3, ESV). A study of the book of Proverbs would be well worth the time. &

IS THE FAITH WORTH THE FIGHT? (Conclusion)

By James W. Shear

The religious pacifist likes to give the impression that he patterns his actions, or lack of actions, after Christ. Nothing can be further from the truth. Christ cannot fit into the mold the pacifist has fashioned for Him any more than He could fit into the mold the Jews made for Him at the time of His earthly ministry. Contrary to the thinking of many, Christ, while here on earth, was one of the world’s greatest controversialists.

In his book, Christian, Contend For Thy Cause, J. D. Bales quotes from an introduction by B. J Radford, to another book titled Jesus as a Controversialist. Radford wrote: “Perusal of this little volume will create the conviction that Jesus of Nazareth was a constant, persistent, strenuous and aggressive controversialist, and will help us to understand the bitterness of the intolerance of Scribes and Pharisees, and all those whose error and vices He so constantly controverted and exposed. The author helps us to an instructive view of the wide range and varied methods of the controversies which Jesus took up with the propagators of error. He allowed no theories, systems or customs, which have to do with human life or destiny to go unchallenged. Nor was there anything languid in His manner or method of attack.

“No one will be a controversialist of any kind who does not have a clear appreciation of the value of truth, and of his own responsibility in maintaining and propagating it. No one will be more than a languid controversialist who cares more for tolerance than for truth. Only he who feels the infinite life giving value of truth, and the fatal error, coupled with a deep sense of responsibility and duty in view of their irrepressible conflict will be such a controversialist as was Jesus Christ. He could at any moment have allayed the spirit of intolerance, which hounded him, and have stayed the hand of persecution, which at last nailed him to the cross, if He had consented to ‘a conspiracy of silence.’ When Pilate suggested a way of escape by compromising the truth, Jesus answered, with the cross a few hours ahead, ‘For this cause I came into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth.’

“The only antidote for evil is good, and the only antidote for error is truth. The world is so crowded with evil and error that he who would advance good and truth must be both a reformer and a controversialist. Peter and John and the rest, understood this and would not be forced into silence by any threats or punishments. Bearing witness to the truth in this error-ridden world is a business of strenuous belligerency: not of ‘dignified silence’ or ‘masterly inactivity’.”

The religious pacifist sees no difference in fighting the good fight of faith and looking for a fight. He sees no difference in contending for the faith and being contentious. Therefore, those who fight the good fight of faith, those who earnestly contend, dispute, reprove, and rebuke, as did Paul and others, will never meet with the approval of the pacifist. To him, there is no right way to challenge error. In other words, there is no right way to earnestly contend for the faith.

No doubt many mistakes have been made in efforts to “earnestly contend for the faith.” However, the greatest mistake we can make is to be forced into a dignified silence while Satan takes over and has his way with us.

Let us be reminded that those who fight the good fight of faith, finish the course, and keep the faith are the only ones who can lay hold to the crown of righteousness. Those who do this can die in hope (2 Timothy 4:5-7). The hope that is in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3) should make the faith worth the fight. &