Bible Thought #339

By Charles Hicks

Acts 20:29-30 “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.”

These words addressed to the Elders of the church in Ephesus are words of warning about dangers that would threaten the peace and very existence of the church. We must recognize that just as there were dangers threatening the church in the first century, there are dangers that threaten the church in our age also.

Due to very limited space, let me suggest only two great dangers of the hour for us: Apostasy and Compromise. We live in age of both.

Apostasy simply means “a falling away from God’s truth”. This is due in part to the fact that there has always been the temptation on  the part of God’s people to be like those around them (1 Sam. 8:1-5). But God’s people cannot be like the world around them (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17; 1 Pet. 2:9-10). There is a tremendous need for preachers (teachers) who will stand four square on the truth of God’s word, who will preach that word in all its purity (2 Tim. 4:2). We need more teaching on things that will help people (Eph. 4:24-32).  We need more teaching on marriage (Matt. 19:3-9). We need more teaching on living as a Christian (2 Pet.1:5-10). We just need a lot of teaching on remaining faithful (Rev. 2:10).

Then there is that old spirit of compromise that is ever present around us. In some quarters, pure, plain, straight from the shoulder preaching is not always appreciated or wanted. In matters of human judgment (opinion) we can and sometimes must compromise but we cannot compromise the truth by saying one church is as good as another Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25). We cannot compromise as to whether or not one must be a member of the Lord’s church in order to be saved (2 Tim. 2:10; Eph. 5:23; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18). Jesus Christ is the Savior of the body according to Eph. 5:23. The body according to Colossians 1:18 is the church. Therefore if you are saved you will be in the Lord’s church. You cannot compromise on God’s plan for saving man (Rom. 10:17; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:9-10; Rev 2:10). Many are the people who have compromised themselves right out of New Testament Christianity.  When God has given his divine judgment, we cannot through compromise change it. If we do, we will eternally condemn ourselves. We do not need a new church, the old one is good enough and it is the old one that is the ark of safety. &

Does Man Have to Sin?

By Bob Myhan

Some affirm that man is so totally depraved that He could not do good if he would and would not do good if he could. This is the doctrine of Total Depravity. It is not taught in the Bible. Please ponder the following questions.

Was Adam morally able “to tend and keep” the garden of Eden, as God expected?

Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. (Gen. 2:15)

Was Adam able to do what God put him in the garden to do or not? He was able or God would not have told him to do it. Further, there is not the slightest hint that he did not do so.

Could Adam and Eve have chosen not to eat the forbidden fruit? God told them not to do so. Did He tell them not to do what they could not help doing?

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Gen. 2:16-17)

Now, if God had unchangeably ordained that Adam and Eve eat the fruit, as some affirm, why did He command them not to do so? Wouldn’t they be between the proverbial rock and hard place?

Did Cain have to bring God an offering that did not please Him? The Bible tells us that God had no respect for Cain and his offering.

And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD…, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. (Gen. 4:3, 5)

While Moses does not tell us the reason God had no respect for Cain and his offering, we are told in the New Testament.

By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. (Heb. 11:4)

Given that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17), we infer necessarily that Abel had respect for God’s word but Cain did not.

And speaking of Cain, did he have to kill his brother Abel or could he have chosen not to do so?

So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. (Gen. 4:6-8)

Why would God tell Cain the grounds on which he would be accepted if He had unchangeably ordained that Cain not be accepted? Cain not only failed to rule his desire but allowed his desire to rule him, and killed his brother.

For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. (1 John 3:11-12)

Thus, Cain’s works—including his offering—were evil because they were not in keeping with the Holy standard of God’s word; but Abel’s works were righteous, because they were done by faith. It can also be said that Abel was a true worshiper of God—worshiping in spirit and truth—but Cain worshiped according to the dictates of his own desires.

Did the Gentiles have to “suppress the truth in unrighteousness”? Did they do so because God had given them up or did God give them up because they had done so?

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise 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. And 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; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Rom. 1:18-32)

Notice that, in each case, God’s actions were in response to their actions, not vice versa. No, man does not have to sin; he chooses to sin. &