PROPER ATTITUDES TOWARD GOD'S WORK (Cont)

     "And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night
unto Berea; who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received
the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily,
whether those things were so" (Acts 17:10, 11). What a wonderful trait
for people to have!! The disposition to search the scriptures, to
inquire into that which is taught. My sincere desire and prayer this
morning is that those of you of the listening audience, that we all,
might have the same courage and determination as did those people back
there in Berea. To have the readiness of mind to search the scriptures
and determine whether or not that which is taught comes from the Word
of God or not. That goes for what you hear presented at this time over
this station and in future studies. I would hope that you in the radio
audience will examine what I present from time to time. Be sure that
what I say is based on a "thus saith the Lord."  That which I present
to you is of little value, unless it is based on God's word.  Will you
not follow along with us this morning, carefully examining what shall
be said in the light of the Word of God?
     Your speaker this morning is Jack Thompson, the regular preacher
for the White Park Church of Christ.  Once again, we express our
appreciation to you for tuning us in this morning. I hope that you who
have listened during our first two programs have told someone else
about the program. Take time to call someone this week and ask them to
tune in next week. It is my sincere desire that these broadcasts may be
of value to those of you who have so honored us with your time.
     Last week we spoke concerning the proper attitude that mankind
must have toward the Bible, God's Word. I pointed out that in order for
God's Word to have its effect in our lives we must be submissive to it.
We must have the disposition to "hear ALL THINGS that have been
commanded of the Lord," as so stated Cornelius in Acts 10:33. Many must
be ready and willing to "Gladly receive" the word (Acts 2:41). There
are far too many who do not have this attitude toward the Bible.
In Hebrews 11:6, we read, "Without faith it is impossible to please
God"; but, Paul, the apostle, in Romans 10:17, tells us, "Faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  This is the only process
of producing faith --- Faith which man must have if he is to please
Jehovah. But this faith comes through hearing. One must hear God's
Word, which is the truth as Christ Himself tells us in John 17:17, as
we noted last week. The mind of man must accept what God demands of
him. The intellect of man must be challenged to believe in God. We hear
a great deal today about "heart felt" religion. And I suppose most of
this means that the feelings must have sway over the mind. But what
about the "heart felt" religion. It seems strange that many seemingly
have not learned that the Bible heart if the part of man that can be
reasoned with. Paul states in Romans 10:10, "For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness." What does man do with the heart? He
believeth unto righteousness. Truly thee is an emotional impact upon
the one who does God's will, as that person realizes he stands before
the presence of the eternal creator, justified by the blood of Christ;
with the opportunity to worship and serve Him. How exhilarating it is
to know that the blood of Christ cleanses one as he or she walks in the
light. Hear the apostle John in 1 John 1:7, "But if we walk in the
light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and
the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin."  But this
emotional impact can come only as one through knowledge understands and
obeys the commandments of Christ Jesus. The mind of man is not in his
breast. It is not the blood pump that serves the Lord. It is the
intellect, the will, the mind, the heart of man.
     As there is the proper attitude or attitudes that one must have
toward the word of God, there are likewise some improper attitudes. For
the remainder of our time this morning I invite you to study with me
some of the attitudes which man should not have.
     First, some say that the Bible cannot be understood; they say that
we do not have the ability to comprehend it. Some even go so far as to
think that God never intended for us to understand it. While others say
only certain ones can understand it; only a certain group. And, the
others must wait to be told what it says. May I state as forcibly as
possible, this just isn't so. This is a wrong attitude toward the
Bible. We ask our listening audience --- Why did God give us His book,
what was His purpose in allowing it to be written. If God demands that
we obey Him -- and truly He does -- then He has endowed man with the
ability to understand it. YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE, if you so
desire. Granted, there are difficult passages, wherein misunderstanding
has come, but that which God expects of each one of us is within the
grasp of each one, if we but make an effort to study and learn. But so
often man is too lazy to put his mind to the challenge of understanding
what the will of the Lord is.  We can understand just about anything we
set our mind to, but so often man excuse themselves from studying the
Word of God, with the flimsy excuse, "I just can't understand it." What
really ought to be said is, "I just don't want to take the time to
study the Bible, to read it, to learn it, and most of all to put into
practice the things I find therein."  Paul says, "Study to show thyself
approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). If you have the mental
ability to understand the multitude of thins called upon modern man to
comprehend, then you can understand the Bible. Isn't it strange, people
can build and use the million and one things available to us, we can
send a man to the moon, but we cannot understand the Bible. We
encourage you, my listening audience, become a student of God's Word,
read it, learn from it, and most of all DO WHAT IT REQUIRES OF US.
     Another improper attitude, closely aligned with this first one is,
"WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE ALIKE."  If this be so, that we cannot
understand it alike, then it means that the Lord expects one thing from
you, something else from your neighbor, and still another thing from
others, each doing something different. If that is so, does that not
make God a respecter of persons??  Yet, the apostle Peter states, "Of a
truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, But in every
nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is accepted with
him" (Acts 10:34, 35). Peter states that God is no respecter of
persons. Man comes along and says God IS a respecter of persons; if not
by his words, then by his actions.  Whom shall we believe??? Note also:
Those who fear God WORK RIGHTEOUSNESS -- they do God's commandments.
The Son of God in the shadow of the cross prayed for the UNITY OF ALL
BELIEVERS. Hear Him, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one;
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one is
us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John 17:20,
21). Religious division breeds atheism, infidelity, and unbelief. Does
this sound like Christ believe that we cannot understand alike?? Listen
to Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:10, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same things, and
that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined
together in the same mind and in the same judgment." Hear the same
writer as he admonished the church in Ephesus in Ephesians 4:1-4, "I
therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of
the vocation wherein ye were called.  With all lowliness and meekness,
with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, Endeavoring to keep
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and
one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One
Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above
all, and through all, and in you all." Christ prayed for unity, Paul
commanded Unity, the early church was encouraged to keep the unity of
the Spirit.
     I am not talking about what men are wont to call the ecumenical
movement, but I am talking about Unity founded upon God Word, the
truth. There is a vast chasm between religious union and religious
unity. You might tie two cats tails together and hang them over a
clothesline and call it union, but it would be a far cry from unity.
Are we whistling in the wind when we quote the prayer of Christ for
unity and call upon man to strive to obtain or work toward that unity.
Did Christ mean what He stated in His prayer?  Did not Paul speak about
the UNITY OF THE SPIRIT in Ephesians 1:3? This can be attained by
walking in the light of Christ Jesus (1 John 1:7), which brings about a
fellowship between the one so walking and God. And when two walk
together with God they of necessity will be walking together with one
another. Amos said, "Can two walk together except they be agreed?"
(Amos 3:3). May we have the courage to lay down the doctrines and
schemes of men, pick up our Bible and unite upon it.
     The third improper attitude we notice is: MANY GO TO THE BIBLE FOR
THE WRONG PURPOSE. Far too many make up their mind of a subject, form a
preconceived idea, then go to the Bible to prove it. Thus, so often
their study becomes biased, colored, with that particular notion.  Let
me emphasize: The Bible must be allowed to state its own position,
without seeking to make it teach something that it does not teach. To
believe a doctrine that does not come from the Bible and they try to
take the Word of God prove it will force one into a position of
dishonesty. We should not draw conclusions until we have studies each
passage on any given subject, and then with all the information, decide
what the Lord wants us to know. This and this alone will suffice. The
apostle Peter warned, "As also in all his (that would be Paul's)
epistle, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things
hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable
wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own
destruction" (2 Peter 3:16). This is why we invite you to examine what
I shall say from time to time, examine it with the Bible. Be as the
people of Berea were, be noble, search the scriptures, determine for
yourself what the Lord commands of you.
     Truly, man must approach the Word of God with the proper attitude,
or else it has no value to him. When we do approach it correctly, it
brings blessings that are found nowhere else, joys unspeakable,
impressions unlimited. It tells man how to become a child of God. How
to please our heavenly Father.
     Again, think you for being in our audience. This program is paid
for by the White Park church of Christ; meeting one block south of
Interstate 10 at the Hankamer-Anahuac exit. We will meet this morning
at 9:00 a.m. for Bible study; at 10:00 a.m. for worship and again this
afternoon at 7:00 p.m. for evening worship. On Wednesday evening we
meet at 7:00 p.m. for Bible study. If you would desire a copy of this
manuscript or of a cassette of this program, please write us at: Route
1, Box 502, Anahuac, TX 77514.
 
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