The Truth In Print, May 2006 Vol. 12 Issue 4
Selected
Newspaper Articles ~ The Valley Church Of Christ
We’re Just a
Bunch of Kids Here!”
Churches
appear to be all over the board these days. One foolish extreme is the recent
fad of skipping church services on Sunday to please worldly members who’d
really rather be at home with their physical family on Holidays. Yet another is
the new approach for kids that might be summed up by the phrase, “Pop a DVD and
get closer to God!” This approach demands loud music, kids getting close
together, lots of gyrating, and a hip preacher leading the way. Such tactics
would even be indicative of a Jr. High class. This is simply playing to the
kids and giving them what they want. Adults who are not willing to guide and
discipline young people by the Word often take the approach of “Lord, please
let the kids just be kids.” They fail to fulfill the Biblical duty of warning
young people to “trust in the Lord; lean not unto thine own understanding” (Cf.
Prov. 3:5-6; Prov. 22:15; Prov. 19:18).
The
message in the Bible is when one leans upon their “own” understanding that in
turn brings its “own” reward! (See Prov. 1:31). The “reward” for young adults
who are allowed to turn to their own ways is that things will go badly with
them and what they deserve will be done to them (Cf. Isa. 3:11). Nor are adults
to see themselves as just big kids! (Cf. Prov. 16:31). The ultimate “reward”
for the foolish adults involved in letting the kids be kids is shame (Cf. Prov.
29:15). To read the results of family applying the scriptures to
themselves while teaching the child see: 2 Tim. 3:15, 1:5; I Tim. 4:6; Prov.
22:6.
Scriptural
Warnings Appropriate For Grad Night
With the
view in mind that there are still parents and young adults who care about
morality and integrity we issue the follow scriptural warnings:
1. Do Not Be The Parent Whose Child Knows
You Are A Hypocrite. Teens are plenty capable of connecting the parent’s own
immorality with their telling them not to do the same. Telling kids to say “No”
to drinking while engaging in such one’s self is simply hypocritical! Jesus
said, “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then
shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye” (Matthew
7:5).
2. Do Not Give In To Your Child’s Wrongful Wish.
Now is the time to talk! Don’t miss your time and especially if you suspect
fowl play. Many a parent’s weakness is giving in to their child’s importunity
(Cf. Prov. 19:18). Say “No!” and mean it when you must (see Prov. 27:5).
3. Do Not Make Provision For Sinful Lusts (Romans
13:14). The word “provision” in Rom. 13:14 involves one’s planning in advance.
Parents would certainly not allow their children to talk them into letting them
couple up and get a motel room for the night. Also, even attending the
“drinking parties” without the idea of drinking one’s self is wrong (I Pet.
4:3). The same goes for the “lascivious” dancing that is done today; simulating
sex before others heightens emotions, breaks down self-control and leads from
the dance floor to the bed! (Gal. 5:19). Moreover, warn kids against the
service providers willing to hand out condoms to teens (I Cor. 6:18).
Much is
lacking In “The Sinner’s Prayer”
An
individual who had asked to be baptized made this comment while on the way to
do so. He said, “The sinner’s prayer is not even in the Bible but I know a lot
of people in town are told to do so to be saved.” My response, “It’s not in the
Bible!” As with this individual, the example in the Bible of one who had the
Gospel preached to them and then asked if they could be baptized is the
Ethiopian eunuch (Read Acts 8:26-39).
Some
copies of the New Testament have a “hope” guide that supposedly points the
inquirer to what to do to be saved. One such copy even supplies a page guide to various verses pointed to, thus
finally arriving at the back pages that tell what one should do. However, there
is a great surprise. No scriptures are offered but you do find a form of the so
called “Sinner’s Prayer.” Concerned reader, did the eunuch ask to confess he
was sinner and invite Jesus into his heart or did he ask “to be baptized”?
(Read Acts 8:36; Compare Acts 2:38, 22:16; Mk. 16:15-16). There are indeed
lessons to be learned from any similar presentation of the Sinner’s Prayer. Not
all will tell the complete truth about what to do to be saved. A hard lesson
for some to accept is that less than the truth does not save. Above all, the
Sinner’s Prayer is lacking in the very thing that the eunuch asked to do in
order that he might be saved! For a study of the Eunuch’s conversion go online
at —
http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com/articles/churchthree.htm
.
Tell Me I’m A Great Guy!
As the
town fills with winter visitors lists naming businesses and even churches are
hurried along for advertising and advantage purposes. No doubt some churches
will vie with others for both numerical and financial advantage. Such can be
flattering to say to least to those viewed as merchandise. As the topic
suggests, “I’m back and now you may get your chance at telling me what a great
guy I am.” Besides their love of the social facts would attest that seniors are
often covetous, drunkards and sexually immoral thus the older counterpart of
the younger who are decried as having gone to the dogs! Retirement continues to be “party time” for
those who refuse to repent but choose to drink and party instead (Cf. Isa. 22:12-14;
Gal. 5:19-21).
Church
leaders including members who gawk over and receive such into their fellowship
are the spiritual counterparts of such as they receive (Cf. Prov. 28:23; Ps.
36:2). Never were people converted with flattery in the first century (Cf. Acts
2:36-38; Gal. 2:11ff; James 2:1-6). It is the “false teacher” who uses
flattery as a cloak to hide their greed (Cf. I Th. 2:5-6; Rom. 16:17-18). The
social gospel has caused such a spiritual decline that people can no longer
recognize unadulterated Christianity (Cf. I Cor. 5:1-6, 11, 6:8-9; 2 Cor.
12:19-21). Isaiah described in his day
the faithless shepherds who despised God’s justice saying “…they are greedy
dogs which can never have enough...they all look to their own way, every one
for his gain, from his quarter.” These would not - “Cry aloud, spare not; Lift
up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgressions…and their
sins” (Read Isa. 56:9-12; ch. 58).