Dripping Springs church of Christ: Bulletin Articles 3/30/2008

Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins

IF I LOVE MY BROTHER

Jesus once told His apostles that He had a “new” commandment for them. We are not surprised to find out that the “new commandment” is “…that ye love one another, as I have loved you,” John 13:34. What is new about it? The new is in the phrase, “as I have loved you.” They had seen Jesus’ love in action and knew what that word – love – really meant. The term, “love one another,” is found twelve times in the New Testament, nine of which are written by the apostle John.

Yes, Christians are commanded to “love one another.” But what does that mean? What if my “neighbor” has an obnoxious way about him? What if he/she has such bad manners that I can’t stand being around him/her? How can I be expected to like someone like that? It may be that someone feels that way about me – or you. How can such a problem be brought to a solution? See Matthew 18:15-20.

We need to note that we are not called upon to “like” our neighbor. There are circumstances in which one person’s ways don’t fit in with others who are around them. That, however, does not affect the demand Jesus makes to “love” them. We can “love” them even when they are not “lovable.” The English word, love, can have many different meanings, but the Bible word “love” , from agape in the original language, means the highest and deepest form of love, to the point of seeking the very best interests of the object of our love even when it is not in our own best interests.

However, that still may not give enough information on how to love one another as Christians. Perhaps the following will help us to see what genuine love for others will motivate us to do – and what will result when I really, truly love my brothers and sisters in Christ.

If I really love my brother, I will:

….consider how I want to be treated by others in a similar situation, then practice that principle in my dealings with others, Matthew 7:12. We often call this the “golden rule.”

….give my brothers and sisters the “benefit of the doubt” on any occasion until there is no doubt.

….respect a friend’s trust, his confidential words and visits with me and guard any information entrusted to me, Proverbs 25:19.

….place the saving of his/her soul as my motive in any decision I must make in regard to them, Luke 19:10.

….do whatever it takes within scriptural bounds to cause my brethren to be ready for God’s judgment, whether they need rebuke, correction, encouragement, or support.

….love my neighbor “as myself,” Matthew 22:36-40.

….willingly go to anyone who has offended me, and try to make things right, not just fret about it or spread gossip, Matthew 18:15-20.

….whatever I do will be in his/her best interests, not merely my own.

If I Really Love my brother, I will not:

….make swift judgments without first obtaining all of the available facts, Matthew 7:1-5.

….believe every rumor going around, nor will I lend my ear to gossip.

….fail to communicate my love and affection for my brothers and sisters in Christ, and showing that love by my words and actions.

….twist the truth about others to sustain my own viewpoint, Proverbs 25:18.

….demand that my brother give in to my opinions, Romans 14:16.

….resist or resent correction from my brother’s pure heart, 1 Peter 1:22.

….bear a grudge against my brother or sister in Christ, Leviticus 19:18, James 5:9.

….endanger anyone’s soul by my attitude or by my behavior, 2 Corinthians 4:5.

….keep silent when my brother’s name is slandered, his reputation destroyed or when truth is being abused or endangered, Psalm 15:4

.….allow timidity or shyness to keep me from speaking to my brother or sister if their soul is in danger because of sin in their life. I love them and want the very best of heaven for them.

Carl B Garner

The Final Beauty Pageant

This life is the dressing room to prepare for eternity. Some
day all earthly accomplishments will fade into nothingness;
all material wealth will lose its value; physical bodies, whether beautiful or otherwise, will decay. But there is a part of us which will never die. Life’s most urgent task is to keep the inner being well-groomed, free from the stains of sin, ready to appear before the Great Judge of the only beauty contest that really counts. How shall we look as we appear before Him? How do we look to Him now?

Though thy name be spread abroad
Like winged seed from shore to shore,
What thou art before thy God
That thou art and nothing more.

(from Lottie Beth Hobbs’ You Can Be Beautiful)

"The Due Order"

Most Bible readers remember the incident involving Uzzah and the ark of the covenant. Because Uzzah put his hand to the ark, God struck him dead, 2 Samuel 6:6-7. On the surface, this appears to be very stern punishment for what seemed a well-intentioned gesture, but it takes on special significance with a little research.

We learn that the tribe of Levi was to carry the ark (Deut. 10:8). More precisely, the family of Kohath of the Levites (Num. 3:30-31). They were to carry the ark only after the sons of Aaron had properly covered it, and God cautioned them not to touch the ark, warning of death to any who did (Num. 4:15). The ark was to be carried by staves in the rings on both sides of the ark (Ex. 25:14-15).
Reading the contexts of 2 Sam. 6:1-7 and 1 Chron. 15:1-15, we find that not only had David and his men transported the ark in a manner other than the appointed way, but by persons other than those God had designated. They placed the ark on a new cart, instead of carrying it by the staves. They had ignored God's due order! They thought God's ordinance was unnecessary.

After the initial shock of God's decisive judgment had subsided, and David took time to reflect on the matter, he said, "None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites; for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God…" (1 Chron. 15:2). In verse 13, David gave explanation of God's anger upon them by saying, "We sought him not after the due order." Complete attention was then given to doing God's will, and verse 15 tells us that afterward "the Levites bore the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord."

Everything went well when they decided to do what God had told them to do in the first place. And so it is today. "Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it," Luke 11:28. But people get into serious trouble when they take God's Word lightly. No man has the right to supplant God's directives with their own opinions or desires! To do so is to be headed for trouble!

The plea we make to do things God's way is not out-moded! It is still the right way! It is the only way! We must seek God after "the due order," and people need to be warned that to do otherwise is to act in vain, Matthew 7:21 and Matthew 15:9. We please God by obeying Him!
Brethren, we must never allow truth to be sacrificed on the altar of compromise for any reason. We cannot afford to forget that there is a "due order," revealed to us on the pages of God's Book. It must not be taken lightly. It cost Uzzah his life, but it could cost us our soul! Remember this: "Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope," Romans 15:4.

Maxie Boren