DOING
GOOD TO ALL - By Al Diestelkamp (continued
from THINK page 1)
Jesus recognized that we have differing means and opportunities
for doing good. When an unnamed woman was criticized for doing
good to Jesus by anointing His head with an expensive oil, Jesus
said, "She has done what she could" (Mk. 14:8). The
critics of this woman claimed she should have sold the oil and
the proceeds given to the poor, but Jesus justified her actions
by noting that "you have the poor with you always"
(Mk. 14:7).
While Jesus' statement shows
that there are other priorities which may limit one's help to
the poor, care must be taken not to use this as an excuse to
neglect the needs of the poor and unfortunate.
Let's look at a couple of other
opportunities we have to do good:
Doing
Good As "Heirs Together"
The apostlic instruction
for the husband to "give honor to the wife, as to the weaker
vessel" follows closely behind the admonition for wives
to "be submissive to your own husbands." To the extend
that both heed these instructions, they become "heirs together
of the grace of life" (1 Pet. 3:1,7).
Clearly implied is that the
ideal marriage is one in which both are Christians, working together
as partners for happiness in this life, and toward a reward in
heaven.
Of course, not all marriages
enjoy this advantage, with only one being a Christian. In some
cases this is because one of the partners has come to know the
Lord after being married, but the other does not. In other cases,
a Christian has chosen to marry one who does not share his or
her faith and commitment to Christ. In either case, the most
"good" the Christian can do for the unbeliving spouse
is to remain faithful to the Lord, being a great husband or wife,
in the hope of leading the unbeliever to Christ.
Doing
Good As Parents
The old saying,
"Charity begins at home" is not from the Bible, but
it is consistent with biblical principles. It is "at home"
where we first learn to "be good" and hopefully where
we learn to "do good." Many of the greatest opportunities
we have for doing good are within our own families.
Parents must lead the way in
doing what is good for every family member. The way fathers and
mothers treat each other is a training ground for their children.
When children witness their parents treating each other with
loving honor and respect they are more likely to respond in kind.
Speaking of which, as children,
we need to make sure to care for elderly parents and grandparents,
and look for opportunities to do good to other elderly people--especially
those who lack nearby children to look after their needs.
To Be
Continued
The apostle Paul
said we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works"
(Eph. 2:10). In this brief article I have only scratched the
surface of the many opportunities out there to do good. For that
reason, I'm planning future articles in which we will explore
good we can do in many other areas of life--some of which we
may have forgotten. Among other things, I want us to look at
opportunities to "do good" for our brethren, as well
as the good we can do in the workplace, for our nation, the lost,
the poor, our enemies and even ourselves.
AL DIESTELKAMP
P.O. Box 891, Cortland, Illinois 60112
Email: al@thinkonthesethings.com
Return to THINK page 1.
MY
BODY, MY SLAVE - By Rick Liggin (continued
from THINK page 1)
Unfortunately, too many of us have this exactly backward! We
let our bodies control us! Instead of telling our body what it
must do, we let the body tell us what to do! Instead of making
"my body my slave," we let our body make us its slave!
Instead of controlling the flesh, we indulge the flesh!
Let me tell you: the man who
"vents all his feelings" or "always speaks his
mind"--that man is letting his body rule him (Prov. 29:11).
The guy who gets angry or gets his feelings hurt every time someone
looks at him cross ways--that guy's body has made him its slave!
The person who says, "I couldn't help it! It felt so good,
I just couldn't help myself"--again, that man is one whose
body (passion) has taken control of him! In fact, anyone who
"can't stop it" or "can't control it" is
really just allowing his own body to enslave and rule over him.
"Well, it's my body! I'll
do with it what I want to!" Not if you're a Christian, it's
not! If you're a Christian, your body now belongs to God! "Or
do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your
own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify
God in your body" (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
Now that we're Christians,
we are "under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according
to the flesh," but to God, to live as He wants (Rom. 8:12).
And if it's now God's will that we must do, then we're going
to have to stop indulging the flesh and start making our bodies
our slaveseven if that means we will have to do some serious
body buffeting to get it under control!
How serious are you about making
sure that you're not somehow disqualified from receiving the
incorruptible crown of life (1 Cor. 9:24-27)? If you're really
serious about it, then you'd better take steps to get your body
under control! Your body cannot control you unless you let it
control you! Don't do that! I know it might hurt, but buffet
your body and make it your slave, lest possibly, after you have
served others, you yourself should be disqualified!
RICK LIGGIN
315 Almond Drive, Washington,
Illinois 61571
Email: rcliggin@gmail.com
Return to THINK page 1.
PUTTING
CHRIST BACK IN CHRISTIAN
By Andy Diestelkamp (continued
from THINK page 1)
They are synonymous. Therefore, whatever Christ taught about
being His disciple is what it means to be a Christian.
A disciple is not above his
teacher. A disciple is satisfied to be like his teacher. The
world rejected Jesus. Putting Christ back into Christian means
being content to be treated like Christ and, therefore, to not
be above being rejected (Matt. 10:24,25).
A disciple follows his teacher.
To follow Jesus we have to deny ourselves. We are not following
our own selfish inclinations, but Christ, as Lord. We have to
follow Him to the cross. That means bearing the burdens of this
life, the burdens of others, and being willing to die with Christ
(Matt. 16:24,25).
The extent of what it means
to bear a cross and follow Jesus is clear. Our love and loyalty
to all others (family, country, com-munity, self) must be less
than our love for Christ (Lk. 14:25-27).Putting Christ back into
Chris-tian means forsaking all that we have to be His disciples
(vs. 33).
True disciples of Jesus Christ
abide in His word because the truth He taught has the power to
make us free (Jn. 8:30-36). When Jesus taught this to His fellow
Jews, they protested, "We've never been in bondage to anyone."
In other words, they thought they were already free and didn't
need to be given freedom. Americans in this so-called "Christian
nation" might have a similar response. However, Jesus is
not talking about civil liberties but freedom from the bondage
of sin. Unfortunately, even many who call themselves Christians
believe they are at liberty to live as they wish and ignore Christ's
word. Putting Christ back into Christian means obeying His word.
A disciple views himself as
part of Christ as a branch is to a vine (Jn. 15:1-8). If we are
not willing to be connected with Christ, then we will wither
up and be destined for the burn pile. Yet, even those that claim
such a connection but do not bear fruit will be cast into the
same fire as those who reject the Name. Putting Christ back into
Christian means bearing good fruit to God's glory.
The word Christian appears
in Scripture a second time when used by King Agrippa in response
to Paul's powerful message about the resurrection from the dead
(Ac. 26:21-29). Festus had interrupted Paul to declare him crazy.
Paul countered that he spoke words of truth and reason and subsequently
pressed Agrippa about his faith in the prophets of old concerning
the Messiah. When Paul expressed confidence in Agrippa's belief,
Agrippa said, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian."
It must be observed that PauL
takes no offense at the term Christian, but takes the name for
himself by equating the term Christian with what he was. The
only clarification that Paul makes in his response to Agrippa
is over the word "almost." Almost a Christian is not
sufficient.
"Altogether" a Christian
is what Paul wanted him and others to become. Paul also takes
no exception to the idea of one becoming a Christian through
persuasion. Paul knew that the gospel was God's power to save
those who believe (Rom. 1:16) and that faith comes by hearing
the word of God (Rom. 10:17). Jesus had told His apostles to
"make" disciples (Matt. 28:19), and this is what they
and those whom they taught did (Ac. 8:1; 1 Cor. 1:21; 2 Tim.
2:2).
Christians are not made by
fleshly birth. We are not Christians because our parents were,
or our spouses are, or because we associate with Christians,
attend their assemblies, and/or embrace their lifestyle. A Christian
is one who has been persuaded and, therefore, believes and is
obedient to the gospel. This is a spiritual birth (Jn. 3:3-5).
Putting Christ back into Christian means believing in the power
of Jesus' atoning sacrifice on the cross, His subsequent burial,
and His resurrection from the dead. It means being buried with
Him through baptism into His death and rising to walk in newness
of life (Rom. 6:3,4).
The final time in Scripture
the word Christian is used is in connection with suffering as
one (1 Pet. 4:14-16). It should not come as a surprise that we
might be called upon to suffer for the name we wear (vss. 12,13).
It is to this that we have been called (2:20-24). Like our Lord,
we have not been called to be served but to serve (Matt. 20:24-28;
Jn. 13:1-17) and glorify God in this Name. If that be through
persecution, let us rejoice that we are counted worthy to suffer
for the Name (Ac. 5:41).
There will be those who will
blaspheme the noble name by which we are called (Jas. 2:7), but
let it not be because we are Christians in name only. Putting
Christ back into Christian means departing from sin (2 Tim. 2:19)
and living lives of selfless service to the glory of God.
ANDY DIESTELKAMP
323 E. Indiana Ave., Pontiac, Illinois 61764
Email: adiestel@verizon.net
Return to THINK page 1.