Learn to Evaluate

SOURCE:  Gospel Advocate, 1/27/1972

A Lesson of Prime Importance: 
Learn to Evaluate

by Frank L. Cox

All things are not of equal value.  In the mineral kingdom, gold is more precious than brass; in the plant kingdom, a fruit tree is more important than a thistle; in the animal kingdom, man is of greater value than a sheep (Matthew 12:12); and in the spiritual kingdom, some things are superior to other things.

Because this is true, we should learn to evaluate, to place the emphasis where it belongs, especially in matters pertaining to the spiritual kingdom.  Some have not learned to evaluate; hence, the confusion and strife and shameful loss of time and energy.

Our theme is one of practical value.  In our study of it, let us go back to the Old Testament and move forward.

ONE… “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22).  The words of the prophet Samuel here were reproduced or referred to by other Old Testament writers (Psalm 51:16-17; Isaiah 1:11; Jeremiah 6:20; Hosea 6:6).  Jesus gave utterance to the same great truth (Matthew 9:13).  For obedience to the Divine will, there is no substitute (Matthew 7:21).

TWO… Moral uprightness before prayer.  The prayer of the impenitent is not heard, his worship is unacceptable (Isa 1:15-17).  But how powerful is the prayer of the righteous! (James 1:15-17).

THREE… It is more needful that we do justly, love kindness, and walk with God than to present any sacrificial offering (Micah 6:6-8; Matthew 5:23-24; 23:23-24).

FOUR… The kingdom is superior in value to material things (Matthew 6:31-33).  Our interest in it (the church) should be paramount.  For it Jesus died; it is His body; His bride; for it He will come.

FIVE… It is better to obey than to hear.  We are commanded to hear (Matthew 17:5b); unless we hear we cannot obey; but, without obedience hearing comes to naught (Matthew 7:24-27).

SIX… The law of love is superior to any other law (Matthew 22:24-40).  Love is greater than eloquence, or the gift of prophecy, or knowledge, or faith, or benevolence, or sacrifice (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 13).

SEVEN… Inward cleanliness is more needful than outward cleanliness (Matthew 23:25-28).  The motive is more important than the deed.  What we think is more important than what we do.  This is true because what we think determines what we do (Proverbs 4:23).  God looks into the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

EIGHT… The teaching program of the church is first and foremost (Matthew 28:18-20).  When properly taught, people fulfill the divine plan for their lives. 

• (1) When sinners are taught, they come to Christ (John 6:44-45). 
• (2) When taught, Christians live as they should; attend the meetings of the church; worship as they should; and do every worthy work. 
• (3) If the teaching program should fail, all spiritual progress would cease.  There would be no more conversions, no more spiritual growth, the church would soon become extinct.  But if the program continues, as it should, the church will move forward.

Beloved, learn to evaluate.  When you learn to evaluate, pass the important lesson on to others.  By this means, the church will learn to evaluate.  Then our purpose will be single.  Then, the church will be united.  Then, no energy, no time will be wasted.  Then, the church will move forward.  Then, things of minor importance will receive minor consideration.  Then, things of major importance will receive major consideration.

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Be Ready to Answer

SOURCE: The Spiritual Sword, 10/2007

Be Ready to Answer

by Alan E. Highers

We are all familiar with the admonition of the apostle Peter: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).  There are three expressions in particular that we wish to emphasize from this verse: “ready,” “answer,” and “reason.”

First, one is to be “ready always,” i.e., prepared “invariably, at any and every time” (Vine, 43).

Second, one must be ready always “to give an answer.”  Answer is from apologia, the same word from which we get our English word apologetics, meaning a defense.  It is defined as “ready to make a defense to anyone” (Arndt-Gingrich, 96).  The same word is used in Acts 22:1, “hear ye my defense,” and Philippians 1:17, “I am set for the defense of the gospel.

Third, the manner in which we make a defense of the hope that is within us is by providing a “reason” to those who ask.  We do not merely make wild, belligerent claims, unsupported by evidence.  Neither do we rely on emotion, feeling, or passion.  The term, reason, in this text is from the Greek logos, indicating a word.  A word is a means of communication.  Jesus was “the Word” in the sense that He communicated Deity to the world (John 1:1-3).  Inspired men communicated “by the word of the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15).  We are to give a “reason” for the hope within us, suggesting that we should be able to communicate to others why we believe what we believe.  “This obligation implies sufficient acquaintance with the word of God to substantiate one’s hope therewith, and godliness of life consistent with its teaching” (Woods, 98).

Things Implied by this Obligation

1.  That a Christian’s hope is defensible.  The very admonition to be ready always to give a defense manifests that the faith can be defended.  We live in what is sometimes called a post-modern society.  Post-modernism disdains the idea that one can be “right” about anything and others be “wrong.”  The influence of this philosophy can be seen everywhere around us.  Unless the Christian is careful in this age of false toleration, we will begin to absorb the prevailing consensus of the world which says “everyone is right,” “whatever one believes is the truth for him,” “it does not make any difference what one believes.”  Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).  He declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

2.  That there is such a thing as absolute truth.  We have a “reason” for what we believe.  We are able to appeal to the word of God as a ground for our hope.  “Hold fast the form of sound words” (2 Timothy 1:13), “holding fast the faithful word” (Titus 1:9).  God did not leave us without a standard, adrift on a sea of uncertainty.  “We have also a more sure word of prophecy … but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:19021).

3.  That we can understand the revelation God has given to us.  In order to “give an answer to every man that asketh,” we must be able to comprehend the message God has given to us.  “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17).  God’s will is understandable.  Paul spoke of the revelation which was given unto him and said, “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:4).  It is necessary for us to study that we may grow “in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).  We begin with the milk of the word (1 Peter 2:2), and we advance in knowledge so that we can digest the meat of the word (Hebrews 5:14).  The apostle Peter spoke of some things “hard to be understood,” but he did not say “impossible to be understood” (2 Peter 3:16).  With study, diligence, and a pure heart, we can grow in understanding and knowledge of the will of the Lord, so that we may give an “answer” to those who ask a “reason” for the hope that is in us.

4.  That a Christian should be able to defend what he believes.  To be able to “give an answer” is to be able to defend our convictions.  Paul said, “We also believe, and therefore speak” (2 Corinthians 4:13).  Faith is not blind; it is based upon evidence.  “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).  Every child of God should endeavor to know the basis of what he believes and to be able to communicate that to others.  This does not mean that one must be a public speaker or a professional scholar, but each one of us should feel comfortable to open the word of God and to point to the “book, chapter, and verse” that sustains our faith.  Elders in the church should “be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9).  Even a Christian couple such as Aquila and Priscilla could instruct Apollos, teaching him “the way of God more perfectly” (Acts 18:26).  Jude exhorted us to “contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).

5.  That there is a duty to teach others.  People will constantly ask a reason for the hope within us.  We should be ready always to give an answer.  Peter says we are to do this “with meekness and fear,” i.e., not in arrogance or pride, but out of genuine respect toward God and His word.  The apostle Paul stated that he taught publicly and from house to house (Acts 20:20).  In writing to Christians at Rome, where there was much persecution, he nevertheless stated: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).  In Acts 20:26-27, the apostle proclaimed: “Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.”  May every member of the body of Christ be pure from the blood of all men in that we deliver the counsel of God to all who come within our sphere of influence.

…

References
Arndt, William F. and Gringrich, F. Wilbur (2nd Ed., 1979), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Chicago: University of Chicago Press).

Vine, W.E., An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (Iowa City: Riverside Book and Bible House).

Woods, Guy N. (1956), A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles of Peter, John, and Jude (Nashville: Gospel Advocate).

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One Talent

SOURCE: Bulletin, CHURCH OF CHRIST, P.O. Box 251, Mammoth Spring, AR 72554

The One Talent Man

Oh, how often one hears men cry,
“I’m just a one talent man”
When what he really means is this:
“I don’t want to do what I can!”

 

How many men have only one?
Have you ever know of such?
Yet, over and over one hears,
“I just cannot do very much.”

 

Tragic it is that talent wastes,
With the Lord’s work in the balance;
While one sits crying, “I can not,”
Worrying of his lack of talents.

 

Instead of counting how many,
Develop what’s been given to you;
For God shall require no more of us,
Than He gives ability to do.

 

 

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TALC Update 071025

74% Completed

With the hard word of Dave Dugan and Larry Cole we now have a searchable index of 74% of the annual lesson commentaries available online.  Many of my preaching brethren among churches of Christ have some of these volumes in their libraries.  I know that there was once printed an index of some of these volumes, however, this one is searchable online.  This should be a great advantage.  We have it available online in such a way that you can search the PDF files:

• One year at a time
• One decade at a time
• All of the years which we have indexed (64 years at this time)

You can download the files or use them online.  Find the files by clicking H-E-R-E.

If you have one of the 22 volumes which have not been indexed, perhaps you would like to index it yourself, send it to me, and we will add it in with the others.

—-David Lemmons

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