CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL By Rick Liggin (continued from THINK page 1)
Denial And Excuses Won't Work
The book of Proverbs teaches: "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion" (Prov. 28:13). This text confirms the fact that mercy and forgiveness come only by confessionand forsaking our sins.

Please understand: you will never prosper--you will never find relief from your guilt or the forgiveness of those whom you have wronged (including God)--as long as you try to cover it up and hide your sin.

And that's exactly what so many of us do! Instead of "coming clean" about our sin, we want to deny it--deny that we did anything wrong; or we want to excuse it--find some way of pointing out that even though we did the wrong thing, somehow: "It wasn't my fault!"

Which brings me to one of the biggest obstacles that keeps many from finding forgiveness: too many in this permissive society of ours have adopted a "victim" mentality. For some, it doesn't matter how wrong they are or how badly they've behaved or how foolish they've been, they stubbornly declare: "It's not my fault! I wouldn't have had to do that bad thing, if this bad thing hadn't happened to meor if that bad person hadn't done what he did." And if you listen to such a person for very long, you'll soon see that what he's trying to convince you of is this: that really, "I'm the victim here. Woe is me!"

Friend, until you're willing to take full responsibility for all your own actions and admit it when you've done wrong, you will not find compassion from those you've wronged, and you certainly will not find forgiveness from God! In the end, it doesn't matter what bad things may or may not have happened to you, you are fully responsible for your own choices and your own actions. Unfortunate past events or the misconduct of others will never excuse my wrong choices or my sinful deeds. And if I want mercy and relief, I'm going to have to take responsibility, confess my crimes, and forsake my wicked ways.

It's Time To "Come Clean"
How about you? Are you running from your sins or trying to cover up your great transgression? Do you see yourself as a victim to whom life has simply not been fair? Stop it! Stop wallowing in self-pity, and face your responsibility! You committed the sin; so you need to fix it! Acknowledge your faults and confess your sins--and maybe then you will find compassion and forgiveness and a real fresh start. But undrstand, it's not going to happen until you finally "come clean"!

RICK LIGGIN
315 E. Almond Dive, Washington, IL 61571
Email: rcliggin@gmail.com

Return to THINK page 1.

THE GOSPEL'S DEPENDENCY ON MAN By Andy Diestelkamp (continued from THINK page 1)
"If there is a God, why wouldn't He just personally appear and communicate to each one of us?" Yet these are the same sophomoric ones who choose to assume the natural world spontaneously arose from nothing, rather than bow their knees to the Creator. Since men in their "wisdom" explained God away (or recreated Him in their own image), it pleased God to save mankind using a method that seems foolish to those who are wise in their own eyes.

God's method of communicating His grace and will to mankind (and thereby saving men upon their compliance with that message) was through the preaching of the gospel by men. While it is popular to quote, "Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," (Joel 2:32; Ac. 2:21; Rom. 10:13), Paul asks some practical questions that many people are not answering correctly.

"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?" (Rom. 10:14). They can't! This informs us that "calling on the name of the Lord" is neither some mindless incantation nor is it an "it can't hurt" shot in the dark. It is an act of faith which goes well beyond saying, "Lord, Lord" and doing things in His name (Matt. 7:21-23).

Paul continues his reasoning: "How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?" They can't. The saving faith of Scripture is not blind or mindless but is based on sound information. Without that information there can be no real faith.

Paul then asks, "How shall they hear without a preacher?" The answer is the same; they can't! In other words, while "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," (Rom. 10:17), the word of God comes to men by the message preached. Thus saving faith is a product of hearing the message preached. Do not misunderstand Paul. He is not providing job security for preachers. He is affirming that God's design for the spread of the gospel is by the message shared and taught by humans.

We tend to think that the necessity of the message preached is obsolete because we now have Bibles. However, let us never forget that our Bibles are the message preached. The written word exists because the message preached was written down (2 Pet. 1:12-15). Indeed, the Bible is the Word of God; but by God's design it was produced and propogated by men who were sent forth with a mission.

Paul took his call to preach seriously and declared that he was not ashamed of the gospel because it was God's power to save those who believe (Rom. 1:16). Jesus' own instructions to His apostles before ascending to heaven makes it clear that the salvation of souls was dependent upon men going into all the world and preaching the gospel (Matt. 28:19,20; Mk. 16:15,16; Lk. 24:47).

Reading through the book of Acts shows how the gospel was spread and souls were saved. There are no examples of anyone being saved without human agency. Faith and salvation are not subjective, personal experiences but products of the objective preaching of Jesus by men. This is by God's design.

God inspired men to reveal His gospel, His mystery, His will. Through those men God has instructed parents to train their children in His ways. If they fail, precious souls will be lost. Through the apostles and prophets God instructed others to "preach the word," "teach others also," edify, reprove, rebuke, exhort, and discipline one another. If we do not do this, souls will be lost.

ANDY DIESTELKAMP
323 E. Indiana Ave., Pontiac, Illinois 61764
Email: adiestel@verizon.net

Return to THINK page 1.

THE SEEKER FRIENDLY FAD By Al Diestelkamp (continued from THINK page 1)
Even from a few brethren who still claim to believe we need New Testament authority for all that we do, we hear the suggestion that maybe we ought to tone down our emphasis on authority. I've heard it suggested that visitors are turned off by preaching against instrumental music in worship, immodest apparel, divorce, etc. Evidently it's ok to preach against sin, in general, but it's a turn-off when you speak against specific sins.

Brethren sometimes justify following popular trends by claiming it's like eating watermelon. You learn to swallow the good part and spit out the seeds. It is true that something isn't necessarily wrong simply because it is practiced by those in error, but it is also true that a watermelon is sometimes rotten throughout.

Then there are some brethren who wouldn't, even for a moment, compromise the truth on doctrinal issues, but have seemingly bought into another aspect of the "seeker-friendly" concept by advocating that we have to keep up with the sectarians with our places of worship. They try to convince us that unless we do, people won't seek us out. It's true that many worldly people have come to expect churches to impress them with state-of-the-art facilities and every comfort and convenience imaginable. While there may be nothing wrong with building comfortable and convenient places to meet, if we adopt a "build it and they will come" approach, we are being fooled because it is the pure gospel that must attract people to Christ (Rom. 1:16).

Marketing polls indicate that people won't attend churches lacking ample off-street parking, or if their attendance approaches the capacity of their building. I assume these are the same people who will park on a side street blocks away from a theater they are attending, and will even wait for a table at a crowded restaurant. I think you'll find that people will do what they want to do, and if they want to seek the truth they will not be turned off by crowded conditions.

I'm not suggesting that we purposely make it difficult for people to worship by building meetingplaces and parking lots which are too small, but some congregations have been convinced that, in order to keep growing, they must add on or rebuild prematurely. A few congregations, after heeding such advice, have found out the hard way that people who visit because of the comfort and convenience, "stumble" at the "foolishness" of an unaltered gospel message (1 Cor. 1:18-25).

Jesus said He came to "seek and to save that which is lost" (Lk. 19:10). He also said, "If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (Jn. 8:31-32). It's the truth that is "friendly" to one who is seeking the Lord, so we do truth- seekers no favor by trying to draw them in by any other means.

AL DIESTELKAMP
P.O. Box 891, Cortland, Illinois 60112
Email: al@thinkonthesethings.com

UNCHANGING PRINCIPLES By Leslie Diestelkamp (continued from THINK page 1)

1. Profanity and vulgarity (including the use of euphemisms) have always been offensive to God, but are heard too often from the lips of God's people today (Tit. 2:8; Matt. 12:36-37; Eph. 4:29; Col. 3:8).

2. Drinking intoxicants, whether bar-room drinking, social drinking or private drinking, defiles men and women, degrades the youth, leads to irresponsibility in other moral matters and brings shame, disgrace and even death (Prov. 20:1; 23:29-35; Gal. 5:21).

3. Nudity (and near nudity) have always been shameful in God's sight (Rev. 3:18; 16:15). Every biblical reference to nakedness indicates shamefulness. The modern mini-skirt is a disgrace to any Christian who wears it. It cannot be considered as that adornment that exemplifies holiness of heart, nor can it be considered adornment that produces purity of mind in others (Phil. 4:8). Such scanty attire is, in and of itself, lascivious and it produces licentiousness and lust in others (Gal. 5:19).

4. Divorce and remarriage are so strongly condemned in the Bible that it would seem we hardly need to mention them. Yet these evils are not only practiced by some children of God, but they are overlooked and excused by most Christians today. However, when marriage is degraded, when home is debased and when the family circle is inconsequential, the basic foundation of society is thus removed and the anger of God is kindled (Mal. 2:14-16). Most of all, when this is true among God's children, the church is disgraced and the Lord must withhold His blessings (see Matt. 19:9; Rev. 2:14-16, 20-23).

Let us remember that true morality does not adapt to the styles and customs of the world. And let us not forget that it is the duty of Christians to demonstrate high moral standards regardless of what the world does. The destiny of our souls depends upon it, and the welfare of the church is at stake.

LESLIE DIESTELKAMP
From a Past Issue of THINK

Return to THINK page 1.