The Truth in Print Vol. 26 Issue 11, Dec. 2020
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
COVID RESTRICTIONS ~ JUST SAFETY OR PERSECUTION
INCLUDED?
I get the feeling that there are going to be
a lot of sermons preached on Romans 13 and injunctions given there to
Christians. Some of it will be fluff that lacks scriptural application of
holding our obedience first to Christ as our one Master, and then man as needs
be. When preachers and teachers instruct on civil authority in this present
distress they need to be sure to include the injunction to not forsake
assembling of ourselves together (Heb. 10:24-25). After all, why would anyone
preach on civil authority at this time and not mention Heb. 10:24-25?
GOD, LOCKDOWNS &
NON-ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES
With Lockdowns non-essential activities come
into play. Oh, the inconsistency thereof! And they ought to be enough to answer
the question above. The hypocritical governors come out with their “essential”
lists that include multiple “physical” services — new homes and real estate to
boot. Are we to pat them on the back for their percentage capacities put on
churches not put on physical services? —- Some states get to see God as not
essential (total ban) and then becoming increasingly more essential as
attendance percentages rise to 10% to 25% etc. Who is he to say what the
almighty God is to His people! Would you conclude from this that churches were
not spoken against and those seeking to worship God according to His rules
(Heb. 10:24-26; Col. 3:1-3)?
JUST WHAT KIND OF “PUSH”
DO YOU EXPECT THE UNGODLY AND UNBELIEVING TO MAKE?
It continues to be such a push as you would
expect from the godless. Get the preachers out of way – make them turn from the
rightful order of things – let’s not hear about God and His law.
Sort of like you read about in Isaiah’s day
and the ungodly among God’s people:
Isa
30:8 Now go,
write it before them on a tablet, And note it on a scroll, That it may be for
time to come, Forever and ever:
Isa
30:9 That this
is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of
the LORD;
Isa
30:10 Who say
to the seers, "Do not see," And to the prophets, "Do not prophesy
to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.
Isa
30:11 Get out
of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease
from before us."
THERE COULDN’T POSSIBLY
BE ANY NEED TO GET “SPIRITUAL” HERE COULD THERE?
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the
Lord and in the power of His might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that
you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly
places.
Eph 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of
God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand.
BEFORE YOU MAKE THE LORD
JESUS TOO SUBMISSIVE — HOW ABOUT THIS JESUS?
He cleansed the
Temple:
Joh
2:14 And He
found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money
changers doing business.
Joh
2:15 When He had made a whip of cords,
He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured
out the changers' money and overturned the tables.
Joh
2:16 And He
said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's
house a house of merchandise!"
Joh
2:17 Then His
disciples remembered that it was written, "ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE HAS EATEN
ME UP."
Joh
2:18 So the
Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do
these things?"
And who was on the take? Perhaps you’ve
read about how the high priests’ family was involved to a great degree in the
thievery. How dare the Lord God resist their authority!
HE CLEANSED THE TEMPLE
AGAIN, A SECOND TIME AT THE CLOSE OF HIS MINISTRY:
Mar
11:15 So they
came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those
who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money
changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
Mar
11:16 And He
would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.
Mar
11:17 Then He
taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A
HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL NATIONS' ? But you have made it a 'DEN OF
THIEVES.'"
Mar
11:18 And the scribes
and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they
feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.
What was this an example of? OF ZEAL! (Jo.
2:17); OF TEACHING (Mk. 11:17). Preachers still preaching and teachers
teaching through Covid is an example of zeal and of
teaching. Brethren still assembling are examples of zeal. Yes, of zeal and
teaching!
PETER AND JOHN ARRESTED
AND THREATENED (ACTS 4)
This was done by priests, captain of the
temple guard and the Sadducees being “...greatly disturbed that they taught the
people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” The authority
represented here is seen in the rulers, elders, scribes and Annas
the high priest as well as Caiaphas and those of high-priestly descent.
Referring to a sick man made whole they wanted to know “By what power, or in
what name have you done this?” Peter told them “...by the name of Jesus Christ
the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead — by this name
this man stands before you in good health” (4:10). He tells them you rejected
Him “And there is salvation in no one else (4:12). The Council conferred and
then summoned them and “...commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the
name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18).
Act
4:19 But Peter
and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of
God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.
Act
4:20 For we
cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
Act
4:21 So when they had further threatened
them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the
people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.
When they came to their own and reported we
are told they lifted up their voices together addressing the power of God, the
Creator, and quoted from Ps. 2 concerning the trial of Jesus —- naming guilty
authorities in their city — Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles
and people of Israel — and asking God to take note of their threats, and grant
that they might speak His Word with all confidence which they continued to do.
Act
4:25 who by the
mouth of Your servant David have said: 'WHY DID THE NATIONS RAGE, AND THE
PEOPLE PLOT VAIN THINGS?
Act
4:26 THE
KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND, AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER
AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.'
Act
4:27 "For
truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and
Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered
together
Act
4:28 to do
whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
Act
4:29 Now, Lord,
look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they
may speak Your word,
Act
4:30 by
stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done
through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."
Some of those enemies of the Truth were
still around. Some bad guys just keep coming back!
THE APOSTLES ARRESTED
AND PUT IN PRISON (Acts 5)
An angel released them and said Acts 5:20 “Go,
stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this
Life." Act 5:21 Upon hearing this, they entered
into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. Someone reported this (5:25)
and Acts 5:26 “Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to
bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they
might be stoned). Act 5:27 When they had brought them, they stood them before
the Council.”
Why? Because they had resisted the
authorities — they went ahead and did what God told them to do. The high priest
questioned them in Act 5:28
saying, "We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching
in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend
to bring this man's blood upon us." Act 5:29 But Peter and the apostles
answered, "We must obey God rather than men.”
They were beaten and there was no
resistance. They left rejoicing and didn’t cease teaching and preaching (Acts
5:42). They did not submit to the authorities but kept right on preaching and
teaching.
Don’t we have a passage on not quitting the
assembling of ourselves together? Heb. 10:25.
Isn’t that a core issue involved with some of our rulers
directives restricting churches in our country? We should apply Heb. 10:25 in
our crises when teaching on civil authority.
PAUL & SILAS IN THE
IMPERIAL PRISON IN PHILIPPI (ACTS 16)
They were seized and dragged to the
marketplace and put before the authorities, and then brought to the chief
magistrates (Acts 16:19-21). They were beaten and imprisoned (Acts 16:20-24). I
guess when they seize you and literally drag you off you could go kicking and
screaming but what good would that do?
After the conversion of the Jailor and his
household the next day they are back in jail. The jailor brings word from the
Chief Magistrates to release them and tell them they can go in peace. Paul says
they beat us in public, without a trial, and both of us are Roman citizens and
threw us in prison, and now they are sending us away secretly – “No indeed! But
let them come themselves and bring us out” (Acts 16:37).
Did Paul resist the government? Yes! He said
“No indeed!” – “indeed” [G1063 gár] with “No” is a
strong negation (Acts 16:37). It strengthens that “No.” The chief magistrates did not want to come
and escort Paul and Silas out of prison. It says “…they came and appealed
(*pleaded with, NKJV) to them, and when they had brought them out they kept
begging them to leave the city.” They pleaded with them because they were
resisting! They went to the house of Lydia, encouraged the brethren and
departed (Acts 16:40). May God help His church!
SOME PASSAGES SPECIFY CLEARLY WHAT GOD SAYS
WE MUST BE DOING. HEB. 10:25 IS ABOUT GOD! IT IS A PASSAGE THAT INVOLVES
WORSHIP AND SAYS WHAT WE MUST BE DOING! THE APOSTLES KEPT RIGHT ON PREACHING
AND TEACHING (CF. ACTS 4:17-20, 5:28-29, 42). WE KEEP ON ASSEMBLING BECAUSE GOD
SAID DO NOT FORSAKE ASSEMBLING TOGETHER (HEB. 10:25).
Valley Church of Christ
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364
(928) 782-5058 ~
http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
Sunday Services – Classes ~10:00;
Assembly 10:50 am; Evening: 6:00 pm.
Wednesday evening – 7:00 pm
To learn more call, visit or visit our website at:
http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com