From the Pen of Paul

What Will You Do With 2008?

Very rapidly the year of our Lord, 2007, is nearing its end. If God is willing, we will soon be entering a New Year. What will we do with it? Will we use it for our pleasure or will we use it for God? Many people make resolutions at this time of year as the New Year approaches. Let me suggest a few for all to consider.

If not a Christian, "I will obey the gospel of Christ." Jesus said, "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24). He also said, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). And He tells us, "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before the Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32). And in giving the great commission to his apostles, he said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). So, in the words of Jesus, for one to become a Christian, a saved one with his sins removed, he must believe, repent of his sins, confess the precious name of Jesus before men, and be baptized. At the moment of completing one's obedience to the gospel of Christ, he is saved, made free from sin, and added by the Lord to his church (Acts 2:47). After discussing the way the Romans had become Christians, Paul writes, "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness" (Rom. 6:17-18). Have you obeyed the gospel? I urge you not to wait until the New Year, but without delay, obey the gospel NOW while you have time and opportunity. Don't be like Felix (Acts 24:25) and postpone it.

If an unfaithful child of God, "I will return unto my Father." Like the prodigal son of Luke 15, you need to "arise and go to the Father and say, I have sinned against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son." And like the father of that parable, God will forgive and restore you to your proper place in His kingdom. The condition of the unfaithful child of God is described vividly in the Scriptures. "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" (II Pet. 2:20-22). Doesn't sound very good, does it? But you can "Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee" (Acts 8:22). And remember, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). One of the most miserable lives that anyone could live must be the life of an unfaithful child of God. He has been saved, tasted of salvation and yet now is in sin, and lost. The best life is in faithful service to Christ. Why not consider your unfaithfulness, repent, and vow to live faithfully to his cause in the New Year.

If a Christian, "I will do my best to be faithful, walk in the light, and grow in the New Year." I will attend every service of the church, including Bible Study on Sunday morning and Wednesday night, in order that I might "grow in knowledge" (II Pet. 3:18). I will give as I have been prospered in order that I might assist the spreading of the Gospel. I will worship God reverently "in spirit and in truth" as he has directed (John 4:24). I will strive to "be thou an example of the believers" as I let my light "so shine before men" each day of my life. I will strive to continue to grow in the Christian graces that I might not be "barren or unfruitful."

How about you? Where do you fit in the plan? All who read this fit into one of the three categories. Let's all do our best to be what the Lord wants us to be in the New Year.
—Paul Wilmoth

From the Preacher's Viewpoint. . .

Too many today glory in their shame. . .

We are living in a very sinful world. It seems that many people have lost the sense of right and wrong. Things which are now accepted shock the thinking of righteous people. In the days of Jeremiah the people of his day lost the ability to blush (Jer. 8:12). Some today stand up and talk about their ungodly lives and seem not to be a bit ashamed of what they have done. All of us have done things we are not happy about, but what one of us desires to stand up and give testimony of these shameful things?

The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians something that sheds light on what we are discussing. He said, "Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things" (Phil. 3:19). He is here discussing the wickedness of his day. There were those then who were headed for eternal destruction and they served their appetite, and gloried in their shameful activities and this was brought on because they were given to earthly things.

Many today "glory in their shame." Instead of taking a back seat because of what they have done and being embarrassed, some are very bold and put themselves forth as though their lives are exemplary. Do they follow a quiet and humble life because they are ashamed of a deed or deeds done? No, not at all. They want to be the leaders and the exalted ones. The Jews of old would dress themselves in sackcloth and sit on the ground while throwing ashes up and letting them settle on their body. They did this to show their penitence and sorrow for wrongs done. Our society today is far from this kind of spirit. They glory in their nakedness and wickedness. Immoral activities do not seem to bother them at all. They seem to expect a high position in society.

The publican in Luke 18:10-14 had the right attitude about his sinful life. He said to God the Father, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13). We can all say this to the Father above but especially those who have given themselves to intentional wrongdoing and ungodliness. Some seem not to realize that they reap what they sow (Gal. 6:7). Right-thinking people do not appreciate those who have sown to the flesh putting themselves forth as if nothing had ever happened. There must be a time for weeping and sorrow for those who have pursued the wrong course in life. It is fitting and proper that such be so. When good people see a humble and contrite spirit in a person who has done wrong, they have pity and sorrow in their hearts. But the same good people have anger in their souls when they see the wicked try to exalt themselves and put themselves forth.

Television is filled with the most ungodly folks glorying in their shame. Evidently they have led a life of rottenness so long that they do not know what righteousness is. They seem to think that all accept the wickedness of the world and that it is the normal way of life. To them the righteous life is the abnormal life. How warped can some minds get to be!
—Malcolm L. Hill