SEEKING AND SAVING THE LOST?

By Jackie Prince

very Saturday the Arkansas Democrat Gazette highlights a “House of Worship”. One church is provided an opportunity to have what is essentially a free quarter-page ad. The article informs the public on the size, address, meeting times, mission and work of the church. Every week the public is given insight into religion in America.

 recent article on a church of 125 members contained the following: “Women organize an annual Valentine’s Day banquet. There is a annual Father-Son breakfast and a fall luncheon. The youth serve a full breakfast every Sunday morning as a fund raiser. The women have a scrap book club, organize bridal and baby showers, and child care is also available through the church. We are striving to have one activity per month for men, such as bowling or going to a professional sporting event. The children have annual Christmas and Easter programs. The church also host a fall festival, open to the community, at Halloween.”

’m sure there is some sort of worship and spiritual training offered in the church’s program. There has to be, doesn’t there? Indeed, this is an “advertisement” used to attract the lost to this church. It is an appeal to the masses that their entertainment and recreational needs can be met by this church. This story is repeated week after week, as each church highlights and boasts of all the fun activities that members enjoy. The names and creeds of the churches are obscured by their united, never-ending passion for entertainment. This provides real insight into religion in America, 2005.

ocial interaction among Christians is to be preferred. “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” (Rom 12:10)

owever, such is not the mission or work of the church. “What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.” (1 Cor 11:22)

hat we are seeing may very well be the beginning of a world-wide war between Muslims and Christians. This war is already being waged in many countries throughout the world. On the one hand, you have people whose lives are disciplined to a point of absurdity because of their religious beliefs. These people not only will die for what they believe but are taught from a child that is an honor to die for Allah. On the other hand, you have those who are “striving” (their words) to have a men’s bowling night.

et us all heed Paul’s warning to the church at Corinth. “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.” (2 Cor 13:5) &

WHAT IS SIN?

By Max Burgin

here are several Bible definitions of sin. These include, "All unrighteousness is sin" (1John 5:17), "Sin is the transgression of God’s law" (1John 3:4), "To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17) and "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:3).

rom these brief definitions we learn that sin is not always the doing of that which is evil or wrong. The very first sin, which resulted in man being separated from God (Isaiah 59:2), is the doing of that which was considered "good" and desirable; the sin involved was not wrong within itself but was a violation of God’s instructions.

his is the nature of sin that we need to be very careful to avoid. It is one thing to avoid doing that which is wrong, and "fall short of God’s grace" (Rom. 3:23), but it needs to be remembered that it is just as much a sin to be involved in anything seemingly "good" if it is a violation of God’s decrees. AND it needs to be remembered that good we are capable of is a sin to ignore. So doing "good" is something we need to be very conscious, and cautious, of.

any people who have a reputation for doing "good," and therefore are rightly considered fine examples, may well be sinners who are rejected by God. Doing "good" is not the basis of decision, it is not accepted if it is not in accordance with what God has stated. So we need to be very careful about accepting, or being involved in, that which is considered good. Something that in itself is good can become a "worldly lust" which we are instructed to "deny ourselves" (Titus 2:12). Classic examples of this are education and riches, over which many people have lost their souls. It’s not wrong to be a rich educated person or to go to great lengths to achieve that goal but "what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36) That would be a very poor bargain and eternally costly beyond the most diligent consideration. In all things there is a need to maintain a proper attitude toward the significance and value of life, and its ultimate purpose and eternal destination.

o one ever will "gain the whole world", not even come close, no matter what he accumulates in the effort. When that fact is realized, it adds weight to the Lord’s question and promotes thinking seriously about the worth of the soul. What ever it is, it has been said, "You can’t take it with you", no matter what you accumulate here, you will leave it all behind when you leave this life. That ought to make us realize the true sense of what is "good", and help us realize that which will survive eternity is very worthy of pursuit, at all costs.

od is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34), that means He treats rich and poor alike, that in His sight they are equals when it comes to what He considers "good." But He warns that it will be harder for a rich person to find it than a poor person (Mark 10:25), so it is very possible that the very thing we think will make life more comfortable is that which will destroy our hope of that which God says is "good".

t is one thing to avoid falling into sin from the standpoint of evil and wrong, which always invades every person, making it necessary to seek the "way of escape" (1 Cor. 10:13), it is entirely another to also give our attention to being mindful of, and pursuing, that which is "good" in an effort to escape the consequences of sin.

ince there is no such thing as a person who can claim to be free of sin, both in the past tense, and the present tense (1 John1:8-10), this lesson is for every person. We all need to be aware of the fact that we are both affected, and contaminated by it, and be constantly aware of its nature by keeping the definitions in mind.

e need to be aware of the reality of sin, and make a concerted effort to seek its remedy, in order to escape its certain reward. Only when we face the reality, will we be motivated to find the remedy -- which is in Christ alone -- and thus no longer be afraid of the reward -- which though certain, can be escaped -- by being baptized "for the forgiveness of sins" (Acts 2:38), thus becoming "dead to sin" (Rom. 6:2-4), then walking in "newness of life".

f you want the "good" life, this is where and how it is found. And only sin will keep you from it.

t can be yours, for all of eternity -- God will see to it. &