[Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 5/27/07
tedwards at onemain.com
tedwards at onemain.com
Thu May 31 07:22:12 CDT 2007
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THE GOSPEL OBSERVER
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"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching
them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you
always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20).
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May 27, 2007
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Contents:
1) Translated, Transformed, Transported (Larry Ray Hafley)
2) The "Name" of Jesus (David Smitherman)
3) News & Notes
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-1-
Translated, Transformed, Transported
by Larry Ray Hafley
The terms of our topic and title are scriptural ones (Col.
1:13; Rom. 12:2; Lk. 16:22). Unfortunately, they do not occupy the
minds and hearts of men and women as they ought to. Very few people
give much thought to biblical translation, transformation and
transportation. However, these words and the importance of the
concepts they convey cannot be exaggerated. All things earthly,
carnal and mundane are not to be compared to the themes of these
ideas which the Holy Spirit has written.
1. Translated: "Who hath delivered us from the power of
darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son"
(Col. 1:13). The Colossians, having been buried with Christ in
baptism (Col. 2:12), had been delivered from the power or kingdom
of darkness and had been translated into the kingdom or power of
God's dear Son. In ancient times, when one kingdom captivated and
subjugated another, it often would "translate" or carry the
conquered kingdom from one place to another. Booty, spoil and
plunder belonged to the visitors. Hence, they carried their
captives away, along with all their goods and gold. This process
was called "translation."
Hence, when the sinner has been delivered from the power of
Satan, when he has been called out of darkness into the Lord's
light and life, he may be described as "translated into the kingdom
of God's dear Son." A war takes place on the battlefield of the
mind. It is the arsenal and artillery of the devil's deceitful
lusts versus the love, grace and goodness of God as expressed in
the power of God, the gospel (2 Cor. 4:3,4; 10:3-5; Rom. 1:16;
2:4).
When one with an honest and good heart obeys the truth given by
the Spirit, he is mustered out of allegiance to the devil and is
translated into the kingdom of light and love (Lk. 8:15; 1 Pet.
1:22). His citizenship is removed and changed (Eph. 2:19-3:6). He
is subtracted from the number of the lost and added to the roll of
the redeemed, the church (Heb. 12:23; Acts 2:47). While men seek
the privileges of freedom and move from one nation to another to
acquire life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, they remain
oblivious to their plight in the kingdom of the devil and to the
horrors of the judgment to come. Have you been translated, or are
you yet following the course of bondage, death and eternal misery?
2. Transformed: "And be not conformed to the world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is
that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:2).
"That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man,
which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed
in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which
after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Eph.
4:22-24).
With translation into the kingdom there should come
transformation of one's character and conduct. Some are translated
who are never perfectly transformed (Lk. 8:13,14; 1 Cor. 3:14).
Being conformed and transformed into the image of God's Son is a
daily struggle. It is fraught with frustration, but unto those who
are exercised thereby, it yields the peaceable fruit of
righteousness. In a sense, perhaps, translation is easier than
transformation, as much as being born is easier than the proper
development of one's faculties and functions.
Apart from transformation, however, there can be no salvation.
"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man
shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14). Christians fervently, and rightly
so, stress the process of translation while lightly touching the
quest for transformation. As a new born baby dies if he does not
grow and develop, so the babe in Christ will expire if he does not
go on unto perfection, if he does not transform his conduct in
harmony with the guidelines of truth.
3. Transported: "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and
was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom" (Lk. 16:22). "The
Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out
of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing
and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 13:41,42,47-50; 22:11-13).
You may not be translated into the kingdom. You may not be
transformed in heart and life, but you will be transported when you
die. There can be no doubt about that. All that are in the graves
shall hear the voice of the Son of God and all shall come forth. It
is an undeniable summons. You may turn a deaf ear to the call for
translation. You may reject the appeal for transformation, but you
will be given eternal transportation.
When the Lord Jesus shall descend from heaven with a shout,
accompanied by ten thousands times ten thousands of his saints and
angels, when he shall employ the keys of death, hell and the grave,
when the voice of the archangel shall sound with the trump of God,
every one of us will receive divine transportation. We shall be
transported to meet him in the clouds or cast away from the glory
of his power forever and ever.
It is the ultimate end of our transportation that makes our
present translation and transformation so vitally important.
Imagine being carried by the angels to meet the Lord in comfort or
to be cast away unto tribulation and anguish, indignation and
wrath! Such awesome reflections ought to cause us to contemplate
the current state of our souls, for it is a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10:31).
-- Via Guardian of Truth XXXV: 3, pp. 78-79, February 7, 1991
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-2-
The "Name" of Jesus
by David Smitherman
Jesus has a "name" that is above every other name (Eph. 1:21;
Phil. 2:9) but that "name" is not just an arrangement of letters to
spell that word: J-E-S-U-S is not this name. It is much more than a
title or designation.
In scripture, "name" is often equivalent to "revelation!" what
is revealed by or known about some one or some thing. The "good
name" in Prov. 22:1 is not that "Mary" is better than "Sue" but
that each Mary and Sue have good character. Their reputation is
their "name."
Thus the "name" of Jesus is what is known about, revealed by
Him. The texts above are affirming that what is known about Jesus
-- what He reveals Himself to be -- is far above anything known
about or revealed by any other individual.
An action "in" this name is one that is done in harmony with
it. We do things "in the name of" Christ when those actions are
based upon and in harmony with what Christ has made known or
revealed.
All men are called upon to BELIEVE in the name of Christ (1 Jo.
5:13, Jo. 1:12). This is done when men accept all that Jesus claims
to be (Jo. 8:24) and all that He has revealed (Jo. 8:31; Lk. 6:46).
Simply believing that Jesus was a good man is not believing on His
name for He has revealed many other things about Himself (Jo. 5:18;
8:46,58) that must be accepted also. And, while Jesus said we must
love one another (Matt. 5:44; Jo. 15:12), there are other things of
equal importance that we must do. Such as...
CALLING upon his name (Acts 2:21; 22:16; Rom. 10:12-14). This
is not an audible pronouncing of a word but an appeal to Him
because of what He reveals Himself to be. Paul "appealed" (same
Grk. word as "call upon") unto Caesar (Acts 25:11) because he
recognized that it was before him that justice would be served. So
our appeal is made to Christ: only Jesus reveals Himself to be the
one who can effectively deal with our sins. This "appeal" is to His
word, which will judge us in the last day (Jo. 12:44-50). In His
word He speaks of...
BAPTISM "in the name" (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38. The thought is
not that the "right words" (whatever they are) need to be said. But
that the action be done out of a regard for what our Lord had said.
One might have "the right words" said over him as someone sprinkled
water on his head but this would not make the action "in the name
of" Christ for Christ has said nothing about such an action.
Likewise, the "right words" spoken as one is immersed for reasons
other than the remission of sins is not an "in the name of" action
for Christ said nothing about other purposes.
After baptism, ALL THAT WE DO in word or deed (Col. 3:16) is to
be done "in the name" of Christ: every action and each uttered
thought is done out of a regard for and based upon who Christ is
and what He has said.
"Take the name of Jesus with you...take it then, where'er you
go."
-- Via Plain Talk, July 1983
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-3-
News & Notes
My mother, Marian Edwards, will be admitted to the hospital
June 4 to have fluid removed from her abdomen. Though it is
outpatient surgery, she will be remaining a few days for testing.
She has congestive heart failure; and that, along with some of her
medications, has probably caused this buildup; but the results of
the tests should show. The procedure, which she had once before,
is called "paracentesis." If you are a Christian, please be
remembering her in your prayers. Thank you.
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MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST
1022 Myrtle Street
Denham Springs, LA 70726
(225) 664-8208
Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 PM
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
e-mail: tedwards at onemain.com
web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go
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