MY SIN IS NOT YOUR HOPE

Guest Writer: Robert F. Turner

f that is the way Christians act then I don’t want to be a Christian.” You have likely heard this many times and may have given tacit consent to the thought—having strong distaste for hypocrisy in religion.

here is no denying that followers of Christ should live so as to attract rather than repel; and we make no excuse for those lights who have gone out, or salt that has lost its savor. But one who uses the “if that is the way…” excuse is also “copping out” on responsibility.

hristianity, in its true sense, is not determined by what any person, high and noble or low and vile, does or says. “The church,” in its purest stage, is the product not mother of Christianity. God has not abdicated His throne nor Christ His divinely appointed roles. God distributes the “rule” (inspired truth), which reaches to all alike (2 Cor. 10:12-14).

f I mislead someone by my conduct or teaching, I must answer for this in judgment (1 Cor. 3:12-15). But my sin is not his righteousness. He is not released from his obligation to God because I failed to meet my obligations. Or, to put it another way, offenses must come [sin and injustices will continue so long as this age lasts] but this does not excuse him “by whom the offense comes” (Matt. 18:7). The inevitability of sin does not excuse the sinner.

re we to assume that the one who is disgusted by hypocrites has no need of forgiveness? If he knows what Christianity is not, does he know what it is, and refuse to conform? Or has he confused a “good moral life” with Christianity?

rue followers of Christ are morally upright, but they know they cannot trust in themselves for justification. Freely acknowledging their need for forgiveness, they trust in Jesus Christ for mercy and redemption. One has not learned the real meaning of Christianity until he so learns Christ.

nd we do not learn Christ by studying the faults of others. We must turn our attention from the disciples and center it upon the Master [From Plain Talk, Sept., 1979]. &

PLEASE TAKE THIS PERSONALLY

Guest Writer: Price A. McDonald

aul tells us that "every scripture is inspired of God" (2 Tim. 3:16) but do we really believe it? We can tell our denominational neighbors it is wrong to use instrumental music in worship to God and that sprinkling and pour­ing for baptism is not the same as immersion (giving scriptures to prove our point). There are numerous other things we could list but these will suffice. However, we pose the question again. Do we really believe that every scripture is inspired of God?

e are taught, in Rom. 15:4, that the things written aforetime were written for our learning. If this is true [we believe it is], then we need to look into the Old Testament and apply its principles to our lives. Example: Ezek.33 tells us of the watchman and his responsibilities. The man of God tells us if we don't warn the wicked and he dies in his sin then his blood will be required at our hands (v.8). Christians can and do understand this. The problem comes in v.12 "...the righteous­ness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression...nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins."

n other words, when the righteous sins he is just as lost as the wicked as long as he is still in his sins. We are instructed by the scriptures concerning what must be done to bring the lost to obedience, whether it be an alien sinner or an erring Christian. The alien must be taught the plan of salvation and must obey it. An err­ing Christian must be rebuked as the scriptures teach, IF we believe 2 Tim. 3:16 is true.

onsider: "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints…. For this ye know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.... Therefore do not be partakers with them.... And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them" (Eph. 5:3-11). "But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly" (2 Thess. 3:6).

rethren, the preceding scriptures show us that we are not to have fellowship with, but are to withdraw from, any brother that walks disor­derly. Some say withdrawal will not work. My question is - WHY won't it work? It will work if it is done for the right reason and in the right way, with love and concern for the erring brother/sister's soul. The same inspired word of God that tells us baptism is the concluding act in becoming a Christian instructs us how to carry out discipline toward those who walk disorderly. If we have the impression that it won't work then our faith is not as strong as it should be, and we need to do more study on the subject. We are commanded by an inspired apostle (not asked to do so if we wish) to "withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly." We have no choice in the decision we must make IF we desire to do what the Lord would have us to do. We urge each reader to take this person­ally. Christianity is an individual religion. Each of us will stand in the judgment, personally. We began this article with a reference to 2 Tim. 3:16, so also do we end it. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." &

THE FIRST HUMAN SIN

Bob Myhan

nvolved in the first human sin was the tempter, the tempted and the temptation. The tempter was “the great dragon” “that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan“ (Gen. 3:1; 2 Cor. 11:3; Rev. 12:9). Satan must have been created as an archangel, like Michael, having angels under him (1 Thess. 4:16; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7-9), which angels apparently followed him in rebellion (1 John 3:8; John 8:44; 1 Tim. 3:6). From the beginning, Satan has been the adversary of man; he “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

he tempted were Adam and Eve, the first human pair (Gen. 1:26,27; 2:7,18,21-25). God had told them what to do and what not to do (Gen. 1:28; 2:15-17). Had they obeyed God they would have continued to have access to the tree of life (Gen. 2:8,9; 3:22-24).

he temptation was twofold, involving both a drawing away and an enticing (James 1:14; Gen. 3:2-5). The serpent drew the woman away by misrepresenting and contradicting what God had said (Gen. 3:1,4) and by calling into question His motives for saying it (Gen. 3:5). He enticed her by focusing her attention on the forbidden fruit, which appealed to the “lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16; Gen. 3:6). He thus created within the woman a greater desire to eat the fruit than to keep the command of God. This first human sin was covetousness—wanting what one cannot legitimately have.

atan approached the woman directly, and the man indirectly through her (Gen. 3:12,13). “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression” (1 Tim. 2:14). Thus, he was more blameworthy than she, which is probably why Paul said, “through one man sin entered the world” (Rom. 5:12). &