[Biblemat] B> The Elon Challenger (Vol. 5, No. 2)
Mikejohnson104 at aol.com
Mikejohnson104 at aol.com
Sat Oct 6 13:10:01 CDT 2007
The Elon Challenger
ELON CHURCH OF CHRIST
New Hope, Alabama
Seeking to challenge your interest in things
spiritual & eternal (Eph. 6:10-18).
Volume V Number 1
October, 2007
__________________________________________________________
Peer Pressure
Mike Johnson
A woman who had reached the age of 102 was discussing her longevity. She
said, "Well, at least I don't have to worry about peer pressure." Someone 102
probably may not have many peers left. However, peer pressure influences
most people, to one degree or another, and it is a great tool of Satan.
Sidney Asch and his associates conducted one study on how groups influence
members. In this study, they asked subjects to compare and match lengths of
various lines. Asch arranged for all but one with each test to deliberately
give incorrect answers. The study involved how the incorrect answers of
the majority influenced the one person (the naive one).
The study included 59 naive subjects. One-fourth reported the true lengths
of the lines though this meant contradicting the answers of the rest of the
group. The study reported that the rest of the participants agreed with, or
yielded to, the group for various reasons.
The first group, the smallest group, was unaware that their estimates had
been distorted. These had a "distortion of perception," as they came to
perceive the majority as correct. Most had what was called a "distortion of
judgment." They doubted themselves and, due to a lack of confidence in their own
perceptions, came to believe that their perceptions were wrong and that the
majority were right. The third group had a "distortion of action." These
knew that their answers were incorrect but felt a great need to go along
with the rest. They did not want to be different from the group.
Our peers can clearly influence us in our thinking and practices in a very
negative way in the above ways. We must not allow the pressure of our peers
influence us to sin. Young people's morals can be particularly influenced
by their peers. Likewise, older people's religious beliefs and attitudes
toward religion can be especially influenced by those around them. Exodus
23:2 says, "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil...."
The majority will often ridicule, intimidate, and laugh at the person with
strong convictions. Also, sin does not look as wrong when most of one's peers
practice it. People seem to have a great need to be in step with those
around them. It takes a great deal of conviction to be different and to resist
peer pressure.
Consider a few Bible cases where different ones gave in to this tool of
Satan. The first example is Rehoboam who became king of Israel when Solomon,
his father, died (I Kings 12). Rehoboam was unwilling to listen to the older
men. Instead, he sought the counsel of the young men (his peers). They
influenced him to put a heavier burden upon the people which ultimately resulted
in ruin for Israel. Another example is Herod. Herod arrested John who had
rebuked him for his unscriptural marriage (Mt. 14). The daughter of Herod's
wife danced for Herod and his friends at a birthday banquet, and he liked her
dancing so much that he offered her anything that she wished up to half of
his kingdom. Having been instructed by her mother, she requested John's head
on a platter. Herod did not want to kill John, but because he had made an
oath and, importantly, because of his dinner guests, he did. He obviously let
them influence his decision; he yielded to their pressure. A third example
is Peter. Paul (Gal. 2:14) had to rebuke Peter "before them all" for his
hypocrisy. While in Antioch, Peter would treat the Gentiles properly until
certain Jews came from Jerusalem. When these Jews were around, he would not have
anything to do with the Gentiles. Peer pressure obviously caused this
attitude toward the Gentiles.
Are we strong enough to resist the influence of our peers when their
influence will cause us to do wrong? Those around us must not be allowed to be a
negative influence on us. Peer pressure will cause many to be lost. I
Corinthians 16:13 says, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be
strong." (NASB).
__________
HOW LONG IS THIS LINE?
Bobby Graham
________________________________________________
Would you care to guess or speculate how long this line is? The answers
would likely vary.
Some would underestimate its length, while others would overestimate it. It
is possible that a few might guess its exact length, but their answer would
still be a guess in the absence of specific measurement. Regardless of one's
sincerity, honesty, or fervor in attempting the answer, a wrong answer would
still be incorrect. It would not be made acceptable by one's sincerity. No
answer would be either right or wrong because of who provided it;
correctness does not depend upon such considerations. The correct answer must be
determined by using a standard of measurement acceptable to all. If some reject
the standard while others accept it, there will never be agreement. Mere
lip-service paid to the need for some standard or to a particular standard will
not suffice. All involved must accept the standard to the point they use
it.
Would you care to guess or speculate about whether one must be baptized to
be saved or
when the Lord's Supper should be eaten, or whether lying is moral? The
answers would likely vary. Some would answer one way, while others would respond
differently. It is possible that some might answer correctly, but their
answer would still be human wisdom if not based upon the teaching of God's Word.
Regardless of one's sincerity, honesty, or fervor, a wrong answer would
still be wrong; and practice based in a wrong answer would still be unacceptable
to the Lord. No answer is right or wrong because of the person giving it;
acceptance with God does not depend upon one's person (name, identity). The
correct answer must be determined by using the only divine standard of
measuring beliefs and practices the "one faith" of Ephesians 4:4. If some reject
the standard while others embrace it, there will never be agreement or unity.
Mere lip service paid to the need
for some standard or to a particular standard will not suffice. Many pay
such lip service to Jesus as their standard, but they don't want to practice
what He taught. "And why do you call Me Lord, Lord, but do not do the things
that I say" (Lk. 6:46)? All involved must accept the standard to the point
that they use it.
I Thessalonians 5:21-22- "Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain
from every form ofevil."
Via Market Street Bulletin
Athens, AL
_________
"OLD PATHS" (No. 2)
"WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?"
Charles G. Maples, Sr.
There is no more important question ever asked by man! Since "Salvation is
(only) of the Lord" - (Jonah 2:9); we can find the answer only in His Word of
Truth. God had promised a "New Covenant," in which there would be
"forgiveness of sins"(Jeremiah 31:31-34) Jesus; in His institution of The Lord's
Supper; affirmed, "This is my blood OF THE NEW COVENANT which is shed for many
FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS."(Matt. 26:26). In His commission to His apostles
He told them to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature; he who believes and is baptized shall be saved..."(Mark 16:15f)
As we noted in our previous study, Inspiration, through the apostle Peter,
establishes "THE
BEGINNING" of that NEW COVENANT dispensation as the first Pentecost after
the death, burial and resurrection of the Christ (Acts 11:15). Therefore, we
must go to that "Good Way...Old Paths" for the answer to our question.
"BEGINNING" at Pentecost the gospel of Christ was preached, people HEARD
"the Word of salvation"(Acts 13:26), and when "pricked in their hearts"
(convinced that the One Whom they had killed was the Christ, and that they were
guilty of sin), they were told to "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins..." (Acts 2:36-38)
Thus, they had the answer to our question, "What must I do to be saved?"
Then, as the gospel continued to be preached, we see that, as there at "The
Beginning" the "Good Way" was established; in other cases of conversion people
HEARD the Word, they BELIEVED that Jesus was the Christ, they REPENTED of their
sins, they CONFESSED their faith in Jesus as the Christ, and were BAPTIZED
for the forgiveness of sins. (this established by a compilation of those
Scriptures)
We have, well established, in the Scriptures that SALVATION IS BY GRACE
(Ephesians 2:5; vs. 8-9); but we are also assured that Christ "became the Author
of eternal salvation to ALL WHO OBEY HIM" (Hebrews 5:8-9). In Romans 6:3-18
we read of the conversion of Roman Christians: They (having come to have
FAITH - 5:1) had been "baptized into Christ..into His death...ceased to be
servants of sin...became servants of righteousness (when they) OBEYED from the
heart that form of doctrine..." In this, again, we have record of the answer to
our question, "What must I do to be saved?" and that as established by "The
Good Way...Old Paths." It was not until many years later that the "doctrines
of men"(See Matt. 15:8-9) began to offer people salvation on "Faith Only,"
"Wholly of Grace," etc. Uninspired men decided that "baptism is not essential
to salvation...just believe that Jesus is the Christ..."But these doctrines
are NOT according to "The Good Way....Old Paths," which WE are urged to appeal
to! We see the same appeal as that of Jeremiah 6:16 in such New Testament
Scriptures as I Peter 4:11; 2 Timothy 3:16f; Jude 3; etc. And let me call our
attention to Paul's statement (Inspired of God) in I Corinthians 4:6, that we
should "learn not to (even) THINK beyond what is written...!" We must; if
we would have God's approval; turn to "the Old Paths, in which is the GOOD
WAY."
_maplescharles at bellsouth.net_ (mailto:maplescharles at bellsouth.net)
(to be continued; next, THE CHURCH of "THE OLD PATHS.")
__________
The Kind of Preaching We Need
Greg Gwin
People may have various views about preachers and their work, but the Bible
plainly states the kind of preaching that is needed in the world today. We
need preaching that is:
1. Bible-based. The Lord told Jonah to "preach the preaching I bid thee"
(Jonah 3:2). Some preaching is pleasant to hear and it entertains people, but
it leaves them sadly uninformed about what God really wants.
2. Doctrinal: Paul urged Timothy to "take heed unto thyself, and unto the
doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and
them that hear thee" (1 Timothy 4:16). Doctrine is distasteful to some
folks, but it is essential to the saving of the soul.
3. Direct & Personal: Preaching that doesn't deal with the real problems and
sins of people is of little value. We should not be unkind, but we need to
"get to the point." John the Baptist set a wonderful example, and lost his
head for doing so (Mark 6:18).
4. Motivated by love: We won't succeed in reaching people if they can't see
that we truly care about them. But when we "speak the truth in love"
(Ephesians 4:15), we will be able to help people deal with the toughest problems.
5. Full of Conviction: You have to have a deep faith in the message you
proclaim. As Paul said, "I believed, and therefore did I speak" (2 Corinthians
4:13).
6. Bold: Some men check to "see which way the wind is blowing" before they
speak. Instead of this, we should speak "with all boldness" (Acts 4:29).
7. Balanced: We need both positive and negative instruction. If we omit
either one we will not be effective in this important work. Paul told Timothy to
"reprove, rebuke, exhort" (2 Timothy 4:2), and in doing so he emphasized the
need for both positive and negative teaching.
via Gospel Power
__________
What Christians Need
Christians do not need new schemes and methods, but more faith in God's
plan. Christians do not need more money, but more unselfishness. Christians do
not need more time, but more wisdom for using time. Christians do not need
to think bigger, but to think. Neither do they need glamour of "new
frontiers," but blessings of "ancient landmarks."
__________
Waiting Too Long
Once a man standing by Niagara saw an eagle sitting on a lamb frozen in a
piece of
ice. The eagle was feasting upon the carcass as it drifted towards the
rapids. Now and
then the eagle proudly lifted his head to look around, as if to say, "I'm
drifting toward
danger, but I know what I am doing. I will fly away and escape before it is
too late."
With great interest the man watched the piece of ice and its strange cargo
drift nearer
the awful roar of the falls. At last the eagle stopped and spread his
powerful wings and
leaped for flight. But alas, while he had been feasting on the carcass his
feet had frozen
to the fleece. He leaped and shrieked in vain. Together the frozen lamb
and the eagle
went over the falls into the crash and darkness of death.
This incident illustrates the danger of every soul feasting on sin. Many
people, intend
after a little more indulgence, to turn away from sin and be saved. But,
alas, when they
would turn, they find themselves bound by sinful habits, poisoned by sin,
paralyzed in will,
and frozen in soul by the evil upon which they have been feasting.
There is no greater folly than feasting upon the world until one is wedded
to it. We
should seek the Lord while we are able to escape the clutches of death.
__________
Brief Exhortations
"But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man
be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did
not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming
of the Son of Man be." (Matt. 24:37-39)
The Pearl Harbor attack demonstrated that not only were an Admiral and
General unprepared, but the whole nation as well. Nearly everyone, in their
satisfaction with the trivia of everyday living, ignored all the evidence that an
attack was coming. In spite of all the evidence, people were astonished when
the attack came.
The Bible repeatedly informs us regarding the Second Coming of Christ. Men
are warned to flee from the wrath to come. They are warned that sudden
destruction will overtake them. It will come as suddenly as the blinking of an eye,
and unexpectedly as a thief in the night. In spite of all the warnings, men
continue to be preoccupied with their everyday trivia. When the Lord comes,
they will be awakened with a blow far more destructive than Pearl Harbor.
Let us not let that day take us unawares.
Written and/or Compiled
by David J. Riggs
__________
Carried by Angels
Mike Johnson
An interesting line occurs near the end of Hamlet, as Shakespeare has
Horatio saying these words as Hamlet dies: "...Good night, sweet prince, / And
flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!" (5.2.361-2). Shakespear's idea of
angels being near when an individual dies does not conflict with what we learn
from the Scriptures regarding the death of a faithful Christian.
"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by angels into
Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died and was buried" (Lk. 16:22). Most are
familiar with the story of the rich man and Lazarus which is found in Luke
16. During his life, Lazarus, a beggar, was in a very pitiful situation. His
body was full of sores, and he was carried to the gate of a rich man's home
so that he might get some crumbs which fell from his table. Lazarus was so
helpless that he could not even stop the dogs from licking his sores. In
contrast, the rich man was clothed in "purple and fine linen" and "feasted
lavishly" (NRSV) every day. Both men died and went to the Hadean realm (v. 23,
Acts 2:27). The rich man went to "torment" or "tartarus" (v.23a, II Pet. 2:4,
Jude 6), and Lazarus went to"Abraham's bosom" (v. 23b) which is also called
"paradise" (Lk. 23:43).
How did Lazarus get to Abraham's bosom? Verse 22 says that he was carried
there by angels. The facts of this story are to be believed, and thus, we can
say that all righteous people who die will be carried to Abraham's bosom by
angels. There is no reason to conclude otherwise. This is of significance
as it demonstrates God's tender love and care for his children and it ought to
comfort us.
Even Christians are sometimes anxious about death as the unknown can cause
apprehension. We can be reassured, however, when we realize that the angels
of God will be present when we die to carry us to Abraham's bosom. We, as
faithful Christians, will close our eyes in death, and then, in a sense, open
them in the reassuring presence of angels who will carry us to Paradise.
Many have had to deal with the hardship of their loved ones passing away.
It may have been a mother, a father, a sister, a brother, or perhaps a close
friend. Many may have actually been with a loved one when he or she passed
away. For those who remain, there is comfort in knowing that when the faithful
Christian dies, he is in the presence of angels.
Consider the following illustration. There is usually a point when parents
will leave their child with a baby sitter for an evening so that they can go
out by themselves. Conscientious parents will not just leave their child with
anyone. If that person is someone whom they can trust, like their parents
or a close friend, they know that their child is in good hands, and they can
leave the child with full confidence. When loved ones who are faithful
Christians leave this life, we know that they are in good hands. They will be
transported by angels; their destination will be Paradise (and ultimately
heaven); they go in good hands. As with the fact of the resurrection, we ought to
"comfort one another with these words" (I Thess. 4:18), perhaps with
thoughts of "flights of angels" conveying our loved ones to their rest.
You cannot expect to reap a harvest, if you have kept the seed in the barn.
It is not the years in your life, but the life in your years that count.
Make a pact with your tongue not to speak when your heart is disturbed.
__________
You Can't Please Everybody
I am reminded of an old Spanish parable about a man, a boy, and a donkey.
They were all three walking down a dusty road on a hot summer day. Someone
passed and they overheard him say, "Look at those foolish people walking when
they could be riding the donkey." Not wanting to appear foolish, the man and
his son climbed on the donkey. They had ridden a short distance when another
passerby exclaimed, "Look at the poor donkey carrying those two people.
Aren't they heartless?" At this point the son climbed down
and walked beside the father and the donkey. Then someone said, "Look at
that inconsiderate man making that poor little boy walk when he rides." Upon
hearing this the father and the boy changed places. Still they had not
satisfied their fellow man who said, "Look at the young man riding and that poor
old man walking in the heat of the day."
So the son climbed down. They tied the feet of the donkey to a pole and
proceeded to carry the donkey. Everyone then exclaimed, "Look at those foolish,
foolish people."
This only goes to show that you can't please everybody. Have you ever
tried? Strive to please God and stop worrying about what others think
Jimmy Tuton via
"Pause-Ponder-Profit"
The Elon Challenger is published monthly by the church of Christ meeting at
4021 Hobbs Island Road in Owens Cross Roads. The mailing address is PO Box
149, New Hope, AL, 35760 where any comments, questions, or requests for
further information can be sent. The editor is Mike Johnson.
Evangelist: Charles G. Maples Sr.
Phone-256-530-0772
Evangelist & Editor: Mike Johnson
Phone -256-776-2223
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