From the Pen of Paul

What Shall I Do With Jesus?

When Jesus was arrested His disciples were scattered. His trial was a mockery and a pretense of justice. He was carried before Annas, Caiphas, Pilate, Herod, and then back before Pilate. Witnesses were bribed, questions were asked, charges were made—and Herod only wanted to see a miracle. Finally, Pilate remembered the custom of releasing a prisoner at this time; when the people asked for the release of Barabbas, a noted criminal, Pilate asked, "What shall I do with Jesus" (Matt. 27:22)? Every person, like Pilate, must decide the answer to this question. Notice how some have answered it.

Judas: "I will sell Him." (Matthew 26:14-16; 27:3-4). Judas was willing to profit from Jesus, but was not willing to be used by Jesus. Paul warns about the dangers, temptations, traps, and hurts that come one's way when he has a desire to be rich (I Timothy 6:9). When a "Christian" buys a lottery ticket, cheats someone on a transaction, refuses to give as he has been prospered, or steals, he is guilty of selling Jesus for profit.

The Jews: "We will crucify Him." They accomplished this through "wicked hands" (Acts 2:23). Peter told them what a terrible deed this was in the first Gospel sermon on Pentecost (Acts 2). We are quick to condemn them for this dastardly deed—and rightly so. However, many today are still crucifying Jesus by their actions. Listen to the writer of the book of Hebrews, "But it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame" (Hebrews 6:4-6). Brethren, could there be any worse sin than this?

Peter: "I will deny Him." Peter was a victim of his surroundings; he was too weak for hostile company. Paul warned the Corinthians about whom they associated with. "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame" (I Cor. 15:33-34). It seems that some of the Corinthians were allowing their companions, who did not have a proper knowledge of God and His word, to influence their thinking. Because of this, they were teaching that there would be no resurrection. Paul tells them that they need to wake up and quit being influenced by those who didn't know the truth. He said they should be ashamed. We should be ashamed today when we allow ourselves to be misled by those who have an improper knowledge of truth. There are different ways to deny the Lord (II Peter 2:1) and before we declare, "I will never deny Him," we need to remember that that is also what Peter said.

His disciples: "We will forsake Him, and walk no more with Him." (Matthew 26:56; John 6:64-68). Notice that Jesus was forsaken by His disciples when He was lonely and in enemy territory. If we forsake Jesus today, we forsake man's only hope for salvation (Acts 4:11-12). Like His disciples then, many are willing to take but not give; when it comes time to do something for Jesus, we are not interested; we will just forsake Him and not speak up for Him nor defend His teaching.

Pilate: "I will be neutral." Too fearful to deny, too weak to take a positive stand, Pilate thought that he could just wash his hands of the whole matter and remain neutral. Jesus tells us that this is actually impossible. "He that is not with me, is against me" (Matthew 12:30). We are either for Him all the way, no matter what comes our way as a result; or we are against Him. Which is it with you and me?

Saul: "I will persecute Him." Saul learned that when he persecuted the church, he was actually persecuting Christ (Acts 9:3-5). Sad to say, some have still not learned this valuable lesson. Many try to destroy a good cause, or a good man due to envy, jealousy or spite. One might as well spit in the Lord's face as to speak evil of one of His disciples.

Felix: "I will postpone my decision" (Acts 24:24). Actually, Felix had already made his decision when he made this statement. Procrastination is the thief of time. It is dangerous when we delay or postpone doing what we know that we must do. Time waits for no man; there is danger and death in delay. "Today" and "now" is stressed in the Word of God (II Cor. 6:2; Heb. 7-15).

I know of nothing that we are taught to put off until tomorrow. Reader, what about you? Have you postponed your obedience to the gospel? Have you neglected to straighten out your life as an erring child of God; don't postpone it like Felix. As far as records indicate, Felix died outside of Christ; don't let that happen to you!

The Pentecostians: "We will accept and obey" (Acts 2:37-41). When one learns the truth, honesty demands that he act upon it immediately. That is what these Jews did on Pentecost. They did not argue with Peter; they did not try to explain away what He said they must do to receive remission of sins; they did not try to justify their sins; they simply obeyed and that is what all must do.

How about you? How are you answering this question? Remember Jesus stands before our judgment bar today; we will stand before His judgment day in the future; how we answer this question now will determine what He does with us then!
—Paul Wilmoth

From the Preacher's Viewpoint. . .

The Bible Will Save the World

The Bible contains the true religion, or there is none. There is light in the Bible to save the world, or the world is lost. Our only choice is between the Bible and nothing.

Judaism is abolished. Mohammedanism has no claims in internal merit or external evidence. The fruits of all Paganism show that it is evil, and only evil, continually. Infidelity has nothing for the world. While it would take Christianity from us, it has nothing to propose. It is no system — no doctrine — teaches nothing and defends nothing. Its only province is to stand and deny. It finds fault with everything, starts doubts, destroys confidence, fills the world with fears, and spreads an eternal gloom over the prospects and hopes of all nations.

Reason and the light of nature have been tried longer and more effectually than any system in the world. At least four thousand years have the pagan nations been trying what they could do for our race without a revelation from God. In all the experiments yet made, with no guide but reason and the light of nature, the tendency has been downward. Deterioration has been the universal result, without the light of the Bible.

We then cling to the Bible, and the religion it reveals, as the only hope of the world. If it fails, all must fail, and all must be lost. But it is folly of the most stupid order to speak of the Bible failing. Its Author is emphatically the friend of man. Its holy lessons are all for our good. All who have been led by it, are thankful they ever knew it. It has never deceived one or misled one. No one has ever lamented being led by it. The more solemn and affecting the circumstances around us, and the greater the trials in which we are placed, the more comforting and precious are its holy consolations to the soul. It encourages all that is good; discourages and condemns all that is evil. It is our guide and comfort throughout the journey of life; nor does it fail when we are sinking in death. No one who believed it before, in a dying hour denies and repudiates the Bible. But many determined infidels have recanted and repudiated their infidelity when sinking into the eternal state. That which they talked in health, that which dwelt upon their tongues in their mad career through life, they themselves condemned in the most awful and solemn moments of life, and with their dying lips repudiated.

How shameful and preposterous that a man should live such a life of folly and inconsistency as to be compelled in his dying moments to condemn all his past life, with all the sentiments he had cherished and inculcated, and warn all men against them!
—Benjamin Franklin