From the Pen of Paul

God's Remedy for a Sinsick World

David had desired to build God a house but had been prevented from doing so because he was a man of war. However, his son, Solomon, did build the temple as a dwelling place for God. When the temple was completed the people came together for a dedication. During this period Solomon made several requests of God. After the people had returned home and Solomon had retired for the night, God appeared to Solomon and assured him that as long as they followed Him and obeyed His statutes and commandments everything would be well for them; however if they ceased to follow Him and turned to serve other gods, hard times would come. And in the midst of these warnings God said: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (II Chronicles 7:14).

Today, it doesn't take a man with the eye of an eagle to be able to see that there are major problems in our land. Terrorism is a constant threat to our nation. Many countries literally hate the American people. Crime has climbed to an all-time high with most major crimes increasing each year; it is no longer safe for women to be out at night. Drinking of alcohol and the abuse of drugs are major problems that we must constantly deal with. Homosexuality and lesbianism and the destruction of the unborn are plagues that might easily cause this nation to fall. Immoral deeds of all kinds are practiced and flaunted on TV and in the movies.

Besides all of this, there are spiritual and religous problems in our churches. Liberalism, for the past 40+ years, has weakened the church to the point that not much remains. Many congregations have completely abandoned the "old paths" and have compromised with the followers of Satan. The cry has been for "restructure," meaning an abandonment of the pattern given in Scripture. There is open acceptance and fellowship with those in error, even to the fellowshipping of denominational groups. The plan of salvation has been compromised, the worship contaminated; and Christian ethics and morals have been lowered until it is impossible to tell the child of God from the child of the world.

Sometimes, in the midst of all of these problems, folks are prone to throw up their hands and ask, "Is there any way out? is there any kind of an answer? is there anything that can be done to turn our nation and our churches around?" And we are happy to say, "Yes, there is an answer!" And the answer is, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land," Let's examine this mighty statement by God.

"if my people..." There are some 6.5 billion souls in our world today; but they are not all God's people in the sense of belonging to His family. We hear people talk about the "fatherhood of God" and the "brotherhood of man." These folks seem to be indicating that all of us are part of the worldwide family of God. However, this simply is not true; all people are not God's people; God is not the Father of all; some have Satan as their father. Jesus said of some in His day, "Ye are of your father the devil" (John 8:44a). It is obvious from this statement that all people are not included when God speaks of "my people." One of the greatest privileges afforded anyone in this life is to be a child of God (I John 3:1; Romans 8:14-17). To be an "heir of God" (Rom. 17) we must be in the family of God; and in order to be in the family of God we must be born into it (John 3:1-5). Have you been born into the family of God?

"which are called by my name..." In the Old Testament God's people were called by His name. God changed Jacob's name to Israel meaning prince of God. The Hebrew name for God is EL; hence the name of God was embodied in the name they wore—Israel. You could not pronounce the name of God's people without pronouncing the word for God. But what about today? What name do God's people wear today? In Isaiah 62:2 Isaiah had prophesied, "And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all the kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name." What is that name that God was to give to His people? Someone suggested "saints" as in Philippians 1:1; but God's people were also called "saints" in the Old Testament (Psalms 116:15). Maybe it is "brethren" as in Galatians 6:1. God's people are referred to as "brethren" in the Old Testament (Psalm 133:1); then maybe it is "sons of God" as in I John 3:1; but, again, God's people are referred to as "sons of God" way back in Genesis 6:2. Then, what is the name? Can we know the name that God's people should wear today?

It is very interesting after reading Isaiah 62:2 to read in Acts 26:11 that "the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." The interesting thing is that this was right after the Gentiles saw the glory of God (Acts 11:18). This new name was given by God to His people and this is the name that God's people should wear today if they are going to be well-pleasing unto God. God's people are Christians with no suffix and no prefix to be added. There is no such thing as this kind of a Christian or that kind of a Christian. God's people are Christians ONLY and the ONLY Christians! Notice that just as you could not pronounce the name of God's people in the Old Testament without saying the name of God, you cannot pronounce the name of God's people today without pronouncing the name of His Son—Christian. Are you a Christian and only a Christian? (Continued next week)
—Paul Wilmoth

From the Preacher's Viewpoint. . .

"One Idea-ism"

Ben Franklin believed that it was possible for a preacher to become so enamored with one good or bad idea to the point that it became a hobby. He defines what he calls "one-ideaism" as the following:

"It is to be carried away with one idea. The idea may be a good one, or it may not; but one-ideaism is giving an idea undue importance. A man addicted to one-ideaism can no more cover it than a leopard can change his spots.

"If he attempts to pray, he will commence with something else as a stepping stone, regularly paving the way and unmistakably making his way to his favorite idea. When it is put forth and he is delivered of it he is relieved for the time being, especially if he finds that it annoys someone.

"If you call on him for an exhortation, a sermon, or if he writes, he may wind round and round, trace back and forward, but it will, in spite of himself, in all his efforts to conceal it, be manifest to all, that he takes no interest in all he is saying only as it subserves his purpose in paving the way to the one idea, the center around which the whole man revolves, and to which his entire existence is subservient. If that one idea is not dragged in, the man is not relieved, his burden is still upon his soul, and he is in travail waiting to be relieved."
—Malcolm L. Hill