Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins

". . . things most surely believed" Luke, in beginning his account of the life of Jesus to the gentile world, declared there are some things “most surely believed among us,” Luke 1:1, truths that are fully known. Luke’s writings in this book and the book of Acts constitute those things about which Christians are fully persuaded. Those who were commissioned to preach the “unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8) were always exhorted to speak “things which befit the sound doctrine,” Titus 1:9, 2:1, 2 Timothy 1:13. Those “things most surely believed” were taught by inspired teachers, and they were to be studied, honored, taught and defended. This body of believers here in Dripping Springs seeks to do the same, in our classes, in our publications and in our sermons. The following items are a brief list of such truths, matters that serve as the basis for our belief system, our “faith.” They are true, not because we believe them, but because God revealed them in the Bible—and because they are in harmony with the facts, 1 Peter 3:15. God exists, and we can know He exists by reason and by an examination of the facts (Genesis 1, Exodus 20:11, Hebrews 11:6, Romans 1:19-20 and Psalm 19:1-6). God created man and the universe, as described in Genesis, chapters 1-2. Their design and order indicate origin from a Being of power, knowledge and wisdom. The Bible, “all scripture,” is God’s inspired revelation of His will for man, including this life and preparation for eternity, 2 Peter 1:16f. The New Testament reveals the law of Christ, His plan of salvation, His pattern for holy living and the “sound doctrine” needed by all men (1 Corinthians 9:21, Romans 6:16-18, Hebrews 8:5, Galatians 6:1-10). Jesus is the “only begotten” Son of God, virgin-born, crucified and resurrected from the dead, now seated at the right hand of God (John 3:16, Matt. 1:21-23, Heb. 12:2). The church Jesus purchased with His blood is the Kingdom planned before the world began (Ephesians 3:4-13, Matthew 4:17, Colossians 1:13, 1 Thess. 2:12). The source of redemption for all mankind is God’s wonderful grace. By that Grace He sent Jesus to die for our sins and give us the right to inherit eternal life with God (Romans 3:23-26, 1 Peter 1:3-4, Ephesians 2:8-9, Hebrews 9:15-17, Romans 8:17, Galatians 3:23-29). Those who are saved by the blood of Christ are “added” to the church Jesus purchased with His blood, His Kingdom. Being members thereof, we should “love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22, Acts 2:36-47, 20:28-32). The church belongs to Christ, and He has “preeminence” in all things. He is the “head of the church,” the savior of “the body” (Colossians 1:12-29, Ephesians 1:15-23, 5:23, 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12). God’s authority, not man’s, governs the worship we offer to God. We know that “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth,” John 4:24. Not only must our worship be in harmony with God’s “truth,” John 17:17, what we do and say must be done sincerely, earnestly praising God. Christians begin as “babes,” but must grow and mature in love for God and in service to Him and to others. Our lack of growth stems from a failure to imbibe the “sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby,” 1 Peter 2:2. The consequence of our failure to grow is weak faith, lack of outreach to others, and departure from the faith. Christians must “be faithful unto death,” Revelation 2:10, then God will give us a “crown of life.” Early Christians were warned that some would “depart from the faith” (1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:2-4, Galatians 5:4, 6:1-2, Matthew 7:15-23, Hebrews 6:4-6, Romans 11:22). Christians must be good examples to believers and unbelievers alike. Regular, faithful attendance to each assembly will help us all to be provoked “unto love and good works,” Hebrews 10:24-25. Our behavior before the world should be as salt is to food, light is to living, and can incite us all to be closer to God and each other (Matthew 5:13-16, Philippians 1:12-16). All who have been saved by the grace of God and the blood of Christ must have an earnest desire to seek and save the lost. Taking the Gospel to others is the work of all Christians. (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16, Acts 8:4). Each of us will face God in judgment, giving an account of the work He gives us to do (Romans 14:12, 2 Corinthians 5:10-15, Acts 17;30-31, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Each of us is urged to “search the scriptures whether these things be so,” Acts 17:11. These things are “most surely believed” because we find them in the pages of God’s word. In searching these out, we can find the way of truth. Carl B. Garner

To Fear or Not to Fear? While driving down the road, you may have seen the phrase “NO FEAR” on the rear window of a vehicle. Some even place upon the glass of their beloved truck “AIN’T SKEERED,” in an effort to prove their manhood. (They obviously have no fear of illiteracy either.) The young man who plasters this on his pickup truck sees himself as one who is invincible, if not immortal, by the standards we mortals must live. He sincerely believes himself to have “No Fear” of the things of the world. Everyone has seen this fellow around. He is the one who has no fear of lung cancer from the cigarettes he smokes. He has no fear of cirrhosis of the liver, the people he will kill from drunk driving, and the many other dangers that come from the drinking of alcohol. This man sees the concept of “No Fear” in a far different light than the biblical heroes of the faith. The Bible’s blessed ones always showed FEAR when dealing with the commands of God. Noah displayed fear when he was “…warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7). The careful reader will notice that it was fear that caused Noah to take the right course of action. If Noah had been like so many today he would never have saved his family. Noah’s godly fear caused him to build the ark as God instructed, which led to the saving of his house and the continuation of the human race. Abraham exemplified fear when he left his land of nativity at the behest of Jehovah. The Hebrew writer recalled, “by faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whither he went” (Hebrews 11:8). Having a fear of Jehovah caused Abraham to obey God’s commands. Abraham’s fear of Jehovah resulted in the promised seed and salvation to all who obey God’s commands (Galatians 3:16-29). Moses demonstrated fear “…when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season…By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:24-25,27). In Noah’s case, the fear of God caused him not to fear Pharaoh. Noah had fear that prompted him to forsake all that he had known in order to seek after the riches of Christ (Hebrews 11:26). After this short study of godly fear, the words of the Hebrew scribe are most fitting, “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets” (Hebrews 11:32). Time also fails this scribe to illuminate the rest of the great men and women of faith whose lives will forever resonate in the h alls of history. Thankfully, God has preserved their faithful lives in His Book so all can delve into its rich pages and learn the answer to the burning question, “To Fear…or Not to Fear?” The sobering declaration of the Hebrew writer should forever reverberate in the chambers of our minds as an answer to this question: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31) Joel Harris