Mopping Up

Brandon Jackson, Jasper, Alabama

Wielding a mop can be an amazing skill. Starting with a clean bucket of water and a dirty floor one proceeds to get the "dirt" in the bucket and the "clean" on the floor. It requires patience, skill, and elbow grease to make the process work. Some people have swept their lives clean, or even wiped their slates, but have you ever heard of someone mopping up his life? What a wonderful analogy.

Start by filling your bucket. Every person who sets out to mop a dirty floor must prepare a bucket of water to be used to loosen the dirt. Fill your bucket from the clean flowing fountain of God’s Word.

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life (Jn. 4:13-14).

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water (Jer. 2:13).

Next, grab that mop and get to work. You see, it is the mop which applies the water to the floor. The mop represents our application of God’s instruction. We must apply the cleansing water of God’s Word to our lives or it just stays in the bucket. It takes work. It takes delving into a study of the Word of God each day to gain skill in application.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15).

I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word (Psa. 119:16-17).

I can remember working at a movie theater, cleaning up after everyone had gone home. I would take my mop and begin at the back of a theater and mop every row until I reached the bottom. That was hard work; I expended hours of time and energy in removing the cola and candy that covered the floors. But, cleaning the theaters demanded hard work.

It takes practice and skill to take the lessons of the Bible and put them to use in our lives. However, we can take courage in the knowledge that everyday we pull out that bucket, fill it up, and take a mop in our hand. We work daily to make our lives free from the sin that tries to cover them up.

It took my work and a supply of fresh clean water to get those theaters clean. Some people would mop with the same bucket of water all day long and the only thing they accomplished was . . . smearing the dirt around. It does not matter how hard one works on his life without a clean supply of water, without God’s Word, the only task accomplished is a smearing of godly principles. Why settle for an unsightly smearing when God’s Word is so freely made available to us? Take the time to study it, apply it, and keep it fresh in your life. You will be amazed at its power to leave your soul sparkling clean.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16).

Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee (1 Tim. 4:15-16).

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psa. 119:11).

When one truly applies the Word of God to his life and follows the commands found therein he can "mop up" his life. The wonderful thing about God’s plan is that it does not matter what condition your floor (life) is in—mopping up with His Word will make it brand new. You may only have a few spills or a small layer of dust, or it may be that you have deep dark scuffs. It won’t matter. With God’s Word and a consistent application of it your life can be "spic and span."

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psa. 24:3-5).

Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil (Isa. 1:16).

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Do We Misunderstand Baptism?

Our denominational friends believe that we do. In fact, this religious topic has probably stimulated more discussion between us than any other point of doctrine. The debate currently rages on, and will until the Lord comes back, in spite of clear New Testament teaching. Baptism is the act at which we contact Christ’s blood (Rom. 6:3-5) and have our sins forgiven (Acts 2:38; 22:16). It puts us into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27), "saves us" (1 Pet. 3:21), and washes us (Eph. 5:26; Tit. 3:5). Through it we experience the new birth (Jn. 3:3-5). Without doubt, baptism stands between the penitent, believing sinner and salvation.

With that said, however, have some among us put too much emphasis on baptism? Please consider:

"If I can just get him to be baptized, . . ." seems to typify some people’s attitude concerning immersion. It’s almost as if genuine faith and repentance are irrelevant. All we need to do is get him in the baptistry. Then we have a conversion . . . Then we can move on to someone else.

If we have such a shallow view of conversion, we misunderstand what the Bible teaches about being saved. The more important questions are: Does he truly believe that Jesus is God’s Son, that He loves us so much that He suffered and died at Calvary? Does he really believe that Jesus was raised the third day, and that the same power that raised Him will one day raise us from our graves? Is he penitent . . . truly penitent? Is there evidence of godly sorrow? Does he realize how badly his sins have hurt God? Does he want more than anything for his sins to be forgiven? Does he tremble at the prospect of facing Christ in judgment as an unbeliever? Does he love the Lord?

When a person truly believes in Christ and mourns over his sins, he will not scoff at baptism, questioning its significance. When he is convinced that he is lost and can be saved, his attitude will be like those at Pentecost as he cries in desperation, "I am a sinner. I crucified Christ. I am lost . . . What can I do?!" (cf. Acts 2:37). He will not need to be prodded into being baptized.

The efficacy of baptism is inextricably linked with the understanding in the heart of the one being baptized. To believe and practice otherwise is to make it into a rite equivalent to the empty sacraments of the ritualistic segments of "Christendom." "You have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered," Paul said (Rom. 6:17, emp. added). If baptism without understanding saves, then our chief aim would be to get people to submit to the rite, not to get them to engage in true repentance, which is the most difficult act in the plan of salvation. Since baptism is meaningless without understanding, our primary aim is, rather, to stimulate others’ understanding and touch their hearts. Then they will obey.

An incident in Paul’s life clearly illustrates this fact. When he encountered the Ephesian disciples on his third missionary tour, he discovered that they had been baptized, but that their baptism had been John’s—not Christ’s; i.e., they had been baptized after Pentecost (when the baptism of the Great Commission became effectual—Lk. 24:47; Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 1:8) with an incomplete understanding of Christ. They did not know He had come. Instead of looking backward to Christ, they had looked forward. They did not know about His personal ministry, teaching, or death, burial, and resurrection. When Paul corrected them, they instantly recognized what they needed to do: "When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:5). Why the second immersion? The answer is clear: their understanding had been incomplete when they first obeyed.

How does this impact us in a practical way? It means that we should be careful to emphasize the importance of the mind and heart as we teach others about Christ, instead of merely trying to evoke a certain outward action. If we miss this point, we could very likely immerse sinners without converting them.

We would never believe that one act of obedience, once rendered, would forever guarantee our salvation, would we? Consider this historical lesson: Israel had been soundly defeated by its arch enemy, Philistia, losing 4,000 men. "Why did God forsake us?" they asked. "It must have been because the ark of the covenant was not with us." So they brought the ark from Shiloh, fought the Philistines, and this time they . . . won, right? Not exactly. ". . . Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers" (cf. 1 Sam. 4:1-11). Apparently they thought that if they had the symbol of God’s presence with them, His blessings would surely follow. Never mind their unfaithfulness and rebellion. Disregard the fact that they wanted God’s blessings without the consequent obligations. All they wanted was victory, and the ark was supposed to deliver it.

We scoff at their presumption and shake our heads at their hypocrisy. "How ludicrous of them to think that an artifact could guarantee their victory . . . we would never do something like that," we proudly affirm.

But actually members of the Lord’s church do it regularly. Maybe we don’t have a tangible object to put our confidence in. We are far too cultured to rely on a graven image or hand-carved statue. But we look back at our baptism and think it assures our salvation. Never mind our apathetic attitude toward the death that baptism represented and our lukewarm commitment to the church purchased by the blood. Disregard our becoming distracted by all of the pleasures of this world. Forget about our lack of fervor for spiritual things. "After all," some say, "I was baptized in that baptistry/creek/pool in 19__, and I’ve got a certificate to prove it!" It is almost as if they think that baptism is similar to a ticket they purchase for admission to a theater production. Their attitudes imply they believe they have their "ticket" punched and how they live afterward does not affect their ultimate destination.

The Bible teaches, of course, that God gives salvation when we respond by faith to His commands, and continued salvation depends on our walking in the light of Christ, continually repenting of and confessing our sins (1 Jn. 1:7-10).

It is sad when people believe that a single act of obedience—because of its significance in the plan of salvation—guarantees their eternal destiny. Their misunderstanding leads to a false sense of security, and consequently they do not heed others’ pleas concerning the importance of faithfulness. Because they have "the ark in their possession," they lose their sense of urgency in their relationship to Christ.

Reincarnation teaches "that the soul reappears after death in another and different bodily form" and is a popular belief in today’s world. In fact, some, because of its popularity, have turned to the Bible to try to justify it by using the prophet John the Baptist. As we study the New Testament, however, we see clearly that trying to prove reincarnation from biblical texts is impossible and that reincarnation is a false idea and teaching.

In Luke 1 we see that John the Baptist, "shall go before him [Christ] in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." John the Baptist was a special person with a distinct purpose from God (Jn. 1:6-7). It is important to note that Luke 1:17 does not say that John the Baptist would be the literal incarnation of Elijah the Tishbite from 1 Kings 17:1 but be in the spirit and power of Elijah. This was to fulfill the Old Testament prophesies of Malachi 4:5-6 and Isaiah 40:3.

John the Baptist understood that he was not the literal Elijah the Tishbite. "And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No" (Jn. 1:21). John the Baptist knew that he was not the literal Elijah the Tishbite reincarnated. As one reads John 1:21 it is apparent that the people in John’s day did not understand the prophesies of the Old Testament about Elijah and John the Baptist, but this was not uncommon for the people in John’s day. Many did not understand the prophecies about Christ either. For example, in John 6:15 the people wanted to make Jesus a literal king that would rule like Herod or Caesar; however, this was not to be. The people in John 1:21 asked John the wrong question. The people of John’s day believed that the prophecies of the Old Testament about Elijah were to be literal and that he would somehow be resurrected from the grave. The idea of reincarnation was foreign to them and was not even considered—their minds were on resurrection. Yet John the Baptist told them that he was not Elijah the Tishbite resurrected or reincarnated.

It is apparent by reading the Scriptures that the crowds still did not realize who John the Baptist was, so Jesus tried to explain (Matt. 11). Here, Jesus said John the Baptist was Elijah: "For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears let him hear" (Matt. 11:13-15). Jesus was trying to explain what Luke 1:17 has already stated; i.e., John the Baptist had the spirit and power of Elijah, and not that he was the literal Elijah the Tishbite. John the Baptist was not the resurrected or even reincarnated Elijah, but he took on the prophetic role and spirit of Elijah. He did not come to re-live the life of Elijah nor did he come to make things right that went wrong in Elijah’s life, because Elijah was already dead. Jesus affirms that a person’s life on earth is over when he dies. "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matt. 25:46). This point is made clear again in Hebrews 9:27: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." John the Baptist did not repeat Elijah’s life until he "got it right," nor does any human. John the Baptist was sent to this world as a unique individual to fulfil prophecy and to prepare the way for Jesus Christ.

Just as John the Baptist was a unique individual with a purpose and direction in life, so is every person. Man does not need to believe in reincarnation to find meaning and purpose. He simply needs to read the Bible, which points one to Jesus Christ, who gives true meaning to life and death.

"I Have Sinned"

The phrase "I have sinned" appears nineteen times in the Bible (KJV). It was stated by ten different people; some were sincere, while others were not. A study of this phrase reveals some interesting lessons.

First, the person who said it the most was David. What makes this of great interest is the fact that David was said to be "a man after mine (God’s) own heart" (Acts 13:22). Certainly if a man with the credentials of David often needed to take stock of his life and confess sin, so should every individual (cf. 2 Sam. 12:13; 24:10, 17; 1 Chron. 21:8; Psa. 41:4).

Second, some who made the statement were not sincere: Pharaoh (Ex. 9:27; 10:16), Balaam (Num. 22:34), Achan (Josh. 7:20), and Judas (Matt. 27:4). From these it can be learned that such confession must proceed from the heart and not just from the mouth.

Third, one of the subjects who made the statement said it twice—once to himself, and again to his father. While in the "far country," the prodigal son made a decision and said to himself, "I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned . . ." (Lk. 15:18). Upon returning home he made the confession to his father (Lk. 15:21). From this occasion it can be seen that, although God knows our hearts, He still wants to hear our voices. While it is the case that one can pray to God without doing so in an audible way (cf. 1 Sam. 1:13), it is also the case that prayer is an act in which one must engage with all his mind. Thus, one must approach God in the fashion that God has revealed (Col. 3:17; Heb. 13:15-16) and not after the dictates of his own heart.

Fourth, it is interesting to note the statement that accompanies Job’s remark that he had sinned. He stated, "I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?" (Job 7:20). In sinning, Job admitted that he had become "a burden to himself." Indeed how foolishly we often act in being "our own worst enemy." When we sin against God we become a burden to ourselves.

To Christians, John said, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 Jn. 1:9). Do you have sins that you need to confess to God?

Hindering Causes to a Clear Understanding of God’s Word

[Editor’s note: We believe you will enjoy the following article, written by Lawrence Ray Wilson and published in The Minister’s Monthly in June 1956. Brother Wilson served churches in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Texas, and contributed articles to the Gospel Advocate and Firm Foundation. He was born on December 23, 1896, and passed away several years ago.] 

There are so many hindering causes to a proper understanding of the Bible that many good people have felt it useless to try. However, they do not show the same indifference toward other matters in which they have an interest. The social security law is much more complicated than the practical teachings of the Bible, yet most people manage to find out how to get the benefits of social security. The income tax law is a real headache to every honest person who tries to figure it out. Yet most of us manage to do so each year. If we have enough concern about the teachings of the Bible, we can learn enough about it to be pleasing to the Lord and to serve our fellowman. If we do so, however, it will be necessary to remove the following hindering causes.

1.) Prejudice. The greatest hindrance to a proper understanding of God’s Word is that of prejudice. It is appalling how many people have their minds already made up regarding what the Bible teaches. Once this is done it is nearly impossible to change their thinking. Prejudice is one of the most difficult of all obstacles to remove. People hate to change their minds. There is hardly any crime that has not been committed because of prejudice. It was prejudice that caused the Jewish people to reject the Christ, and the gospel concerning Him. It was prejudice that caused Paul and the other apostles to suffer martyrdom. We suspect the truth is missed by more people as a result of prejudice than any other cause. There is not much we can do for those who refuse to see the truth.

2.) Indifference. Many read the Bible for the sake of reading it. They recognize it as a good book, a book that has many wonderful lessons in it, but they are indifferent toward what it says. They do not regard it as of any consequence. It seems never to occur to them that it is the book by which they are to be finally judged. They read it very much like they would a novel, a short story, or some other work of merit, but of no special importance. The fact that they shall one day stand before God and be judged by the things written in the Bible makes little or no impression on them. It never occurs to them that it is a matter of eternal life or eternal death. Until we come to regard the Bible as our one and only way to heaven we can never grasp its sublime truths.

3.) Distinction. Some read the Bible for the sole purpose of distinction. They are not concerned with the truth at all. They merely want to impress someone. Some simply love to argue. Some like to find obscure passages and try to embarrass preachers or other sincere souls. They think it makes them look "smart." Lawyers sometimes study the Bible to impress a jury. Some study the Bible because they think it makes them friends to talk about it, or it may improve their business. Such motives always blind us to the truth.

4.) A desire to please the world. Some want to be like the world about them. They read the Bible with but one thought in view: how to justify their desire to be like the world. Sometimes a man wants to please the rich and the mighty. In order to do so he twists the Scriptures so as to mean what he wants them to mean. Those who preach to royalty can always find Scripture to justify the deeds of those they serve. Until we can forget about the world and look objectively at the Word of God we can never understand or appreciate it.

5.) Science. In ages past the hierarchy and other ecclesiastics thought they understood all that was in the Bible, scientifically and otherwise, and that it was sacrilege to try to discover any new truth, either in the field of science or religion. Those who first talked about the earth being round were excommunicated, or were threatened with excommunication. The religious authorities retarded the progress of science for centuries. They were actually afraid that the scientists would discover something that would upset all of their beliefs. We need never to be afraid of any truth the scientists may discover, or any fact they may unfold. Truth is always truth, and any denial will not change it. But if the ecclesiastics went to one extreme in ages past, the scientists have gone to the other in more recent years. Apparently some think that the Bible must either be rewritten, or at least reinterpreted to fit every new theory they may put forth. But a theory is one thing while a proven fact is another. We are not afraid of any proven facts. We should not get alarmed every time someone comes up with some new theory. God is the author of both the book of nature and the book of revelation. When we thoroughly understand both we are not afraid of any contradictions. Let us not then feel that we are bound to make the Bible fit every new hypothesis that some put forth. When and if they prove their hypothesis, we may then re-examine the Bible to see if we clearly understood it in the first place. Meantime, let us not lose our heads over any seeming contradictions.

6.) A book of mysteries. Some look upon the Bible as a book of mysteries which no one can understand. To them it is a bundle of riddles. Hence, they see no sense in trying to understand it. Because those who were in favor of slavery could find ample justification in the Bible for their beliefs during the war between the states, while those who opposed slavery could find an abundance of scripture in support of their views, or because every denomination seeks to justify its tenets by the Scriptures, they regard the Bible as a bundle of riddles, which can be made to support any views we want. It never occurs to them that lawyers can do the same in their study of canon law, or that physicians may do the same in their study of diseases and their remedies. If we were to go on this theory, then we would have no lawyers, no physicians, no school teachers, nor, in fact, any other professional men. It would be foolish to study architecture, engineering, or any other technical course. Until we learn to look at the Bible objectively, sifting out what is theory, what is guess, and take the facts as they are intended by the Holy Spirit, we can never grasp the sublime truths of God’s Holy Word.

7.) A human book. Many think of the Bible as they do any human document. They think it good, practical, and superior to nearly, if not all, other human documents, but not necessarily infallible. They regard it as inspired, if they are allowed to tell you what they understand by inspiration. They think of it as being inspired in the same sense that the works of Shakespeare were inspired, or the framers of our federal constitution were inspired. It is not the inerrant Word of God. It is not the final authority in religion. It is not necessarily a matter of life and death for those who accept or reject it. They do not regard it as God’s final Word to man while he lives upon the earth. They prefer to rely upon some peculiar dream, the "still small voice of conscience," or their own powers of reason and discrimination, or on the "voice of experience." They simply cannot bring themselves to think of the Bible as the final authority upon which they must stand or fall, live or die. It is the word of God, they admit, but not THE final Word of God. Men can never understand it as long as they look upon it in this light.

So we tell little boys when they fall. Then they read in their Bibles that Jesus wept. Does that mean He was a "sissie?" No. One has to consider the reason for the tears. Are they tears of weakness or strength? Of fear or compassion? Jesus was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief (Isa. 53:3), and He wept on three occasions. Each time He left us the right example.

JESUS WEPT AT LAZARUS’ TOMB (Jn. 11:35). The shortest verse in the Bible says a lot! It tells us that the Great Physician had good "bedside manners." He knew that Mary and Martha needed somebody to care about their pain. They had lost a brother and their hearts were breaking, so even though He was about to resurrect Lazarus, He "wept"¹ with those that wept" (Rom. 12:15; Job 30:25). He illustrated the Jewish proverb:

• Among those who stand, do not sit;

• Among those who sit, do not stand;

• Among those who laugh, do not weep;

• Among those who weep, do not laugh.

This shows us that Jesus is touched with the feelings of our infirmities (Heb. 4:15; Psa. 35:13-14). Harry VIII, wandering disguised one night in London, was met at the foot of a bridge by night watchmen. They did not believe he was the king, so they shut him up without fire or candle in the Poultry Compter. Upon liberation he granted thirty chaldrons of coals and some breads for the night prisoners in the Compter. Experience brings sympathy. This world would be better if, instead of putting others in their place, we more often tried putting ourselves in the place of others. Those who have felt affliction, doubt, sickness, and temptation are more apt, and better equipped, to console those in similar conditions (2 Cor. 1:3-4; 1 Pet. 3:8). Christians are tenderhearted (Eph. 4:32) and have been known to cry upon occasion in funeral homes and hospitals. These are tears of sympathy.

JESUS WEPT OVER JERUSALEM (Lk. 19:41-45). This was the most glorious public moment of Jesus’ life. He was ushered into the city with a hero’s welcome. Everyone is singing His praises (literally), yet . . . He breaks down in passionate sobs.² Like the Psalmist, rivers of water ran down His eyes, because they kept not the law (119:53, 136, 158; cf. Jer. 13:17). Like Paul, there was great heaviness and continual sorrow in His heart for His kinsmen according to the flesh (Rom. 9:2-3). He had done all He could to get them to believe, yet they persisted in doubt. He had come that they might be enlightened, but they chose darkness (Jn. 1:11). He wanted for them the abundant life, but they wanted eternal death (Jn. 10:10). The city He had just entered was on God’s "hit-list" (Mt. 24:4-34), and Sodom and Gomorrah got off easy by comparison (24:21). These voices now shouting, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord" (19:38), would soon scream, "Crucify him crucify him, His blood be on us and on our children" (Matt. 27:25; Mk. 15:14).

Jesus still weeps for lost cities and souls. He longs for men to mourn over their own sins (Matt. 5:4), so He won’t have to. A legend from the Middle Ages tells of a young woman who was expelled from heaven and told that she would be remitted only when she brought back the one gift God valued most. She brought back a blood drop from a dying martyr. She collected coins a destitute widow had given to the poor. She found a Bible used by a powerful preacher. She returned with dust from the shoes of missionaries who served long years in a distant land. Each time she was turned away. One day she watched a man on horseback come to a fountain where a small boy was playing. Seeing the boy, he was reminded of his own childhood innocence. Then, looking into the fountain, he saw his hardened face. He was overcome by sins, and began to weep penitent tears. She took one of those tears to heaven whereupon the door opened wide³ (2 Chron. 7:14; Isa. 55:7; Ezek. 18:21; 2 Kgs. 22:19). The lost die daily unprepared for what awaits them. Many never give the afterlife an afterthought. We must make them think. Jesus let His tears drive Him to Calvary; ours must drive us to tell of Calvary (Mk. 16:15). These are tears of sorrow.

JESUS WEPT IN GETHSEMANE (Heb. 5:5-7). The Bible here reveals a detail about that night in the Garden that neither Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John gives us. It says, ". . . when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard . . ." Jesus wept in Gethsemane the night He was arrested. This was not silent, personal grief, but loud, public crying. The disciples—had they been awake—could have heard it at the stone’s-throw distance.⁴ This episode shows Christ’s humanity. He did not want to suffer Calvary’s humiliation, pain, and separation (Heb. 12:2). He prayed that God find some other way to save man, but there was no Plan B (Mk. 14:32-35; Lk. 22:40-44).

Americans take 33,000,000,000 aspirins a year.⁵ Jesus knows every headache. Sixty to ninety percent of medical office visits are for stress-related symptoms.⁶ Jesus knows every stressor (Eccl. 8:16; Lk. 10:40; 21:34). Countless pillows are wet each night with heartache’s tears and sleep flees from dread of the future. Jesus sees every tear and understands every fear. We can cast our cares upon Him for He cares (1 Pet. 5:7). He understands because He has been there. Augustine of Hippo said, "God had one Son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering." Everybody has problems; the wise ones let their troubles drive them to the Garden of prayer. These are tears of struggle.

Man is the only creature God made that can cry. No other experiences sorrow to the extent we do. But God is there to comfort (Psa. 23:4; 2 Cor. 1:3-7; 2:4; 7:2-11). Big boys sometimes cry—for Christians never outgrow being children (of God).

References

¹Interestingly, the root of the word weep here (klaio) means, "to sob, or wail aloud." It does not just mean to become teary-eyed or weep silently (dakruo).

²The word is klaio again.

³Don McCullough, "Jesus the Judge," Preaching Today, Tape No. 129.

⁴Strong’s, ischuros, means "forcible; boisterous, mighty" and crying, krauge, could be translated "an outcry" (it comes from a root, chris, meaning, "to croak as a raven; scream aloud; shriek, exclaim").

⁵Reader’s Digest Book of Facts.

⁶Harvard Business Review (11/12/94).

God told Adam, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Gen. 2:16-17). This information must have been relayed to Eve, because she told the serpent what God had said (Gen. 3:2-3). The serpent twisted what God had said by adding one little word: "You will not surely die" (Gen. 3:4, emp. added).

God’s Word can be twisted and perverted in many ways. Paul warned against such perversions (Gal. 1:6-9), as did the apostle John, forbidding our adding to or subtracting from God’s revelation (Rev. 22:18-19). Despite these warnings, the gospel is perverted by many in the religious world. God’s Word is not respected when it is changed to fit one’s personal desires. Following are just a few examples.

God’s Word says: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mk. 16:16). Religious leaders of today say: "He who believes will be saved and then, at a convenient time for him in the future, he will be baptized."

God’s Word says: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). Religious leaders of today say: "Repent, and you shall receive remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, and then those who wish to be baptized may."

God’s Word says: "Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" (Eph. 5:19). Religious leaders of today say: "Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart, and with your hands, and on the piano, and drums, and guitar, and whatever other instrument you desire, to the Lord."

God’s Word says: "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47). Religious leaders of today say: "And the religious body will determine who will be added to the church by the democratic process of voting, after they are saved."

God’s Word says: "And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence" (1 Tim. 2:12). Religious leaders of today say: "And I permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, for it is a shame for her talents to go to waste in silence."

There are many more examples that could be offered, but the point is clear: God’s Word is not esteemed as the final authority among many religious leaders of today. They refer to their creed books before they search the pages of the New Testament.

It is the aim of those in the churches of Christ to restore first century Christianity. One early restorer coined the phrase, "Speak where the Bible speaks; be silent where the Bible is silent." Such is a biblical position. The apostle Peter instructed, "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God" (1 Pet. 4:11).

We will not worship in a way that has no command or example in the New Testament, the inspired guide for all Christians. "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Col. 3:17).

As we study and defend the Bible, we must keep in mind that we are dealing with an inspired record that contains numerous uninspired statements. Even though "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Tim. 3:16), not everything that the inspired writers recorded was a true statement. For example, after God created Adam, He told him not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil lest he die (Gen. 2:17). Yet, when the serpent approached Eve, he "informed" her that she would not die if she ate of this forbidden fruit (3:4). Obviously, Satan was not inspired by God to say, "You will not surely die." In fact, as we learn later, he actually lied (Jn. 8:44). However, when Moses recorded hundreds of years later the events that took place in Eden, he wrote by inspiration of God (cf. Lk. 24:44; Jn. 5:46). When Jesus healed a demoniac, some of the Pharisees accused Him of casting out demons, not by the power of God, but by the power of "Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons" (Matt. 12:24). Like Moses, Matthew did not write a lie, but merely reported a lie. The inspired writers of the Bible are in no way responsible for the inaccurate statements that are recorded therein. Whether the statements were true or false, they reported them accurately.

When giving a defense for a particular truth the Bible teaches (cf. 1 Pet. 3:15), or when refuting the error that someone else may be teaching (cf. Eph. 5:11; 2 Tim. 4:2), we must keep in mind who is doing the talking. The above examples are rather elementary: Satan’s statement and the Pharisees allegations clearly were false. But what about when statements are made by individuals who do not seem "as bad" as these?

Oftentimes when attempting to defend a certain doctrine, a person will quote a verse from the book of Job and say, "See, that’s what it says . . . the book of Job says . . . therefore my doctrine is proven true." Not long ago I read an article by a gentleman who was defending a doctrine by citing various verses in the book of Job. This man never indicated who made the statements; he simply cited all of them as being true statements. Those who "defend the truth" in such a way totally disregard one of the fundamental rules of interpretation—knowing who is speaking. One who studies Job must realize that it is an inspired book that contains many uninspired statements. For instance, we know that Job’s wife was incorrect when she told him to "Curse God and die" (Job 2:9). We also know that many statements made by Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were incorrect. Nine of the 42 chapters in the book were speeches by these "miserable comforters" (16:2) whom God said had "not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has" (42:7). Clearly, then, one never should quote these men and claim it as an inspired truth.

Finally, we must understand that even though Job was "blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil" (1:1), there is no indication that his speeches were inspired. Neither He nor anyone else in the book ever claimed his statements were "given by inspiration of God." In fact, when Jehovah finally answered Job out of the whirlwind, He asked: "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" (38:2, emp. added). Obviously, God never would have asked such a rhetorical question had Job been inspired. Prior to the Lord’s speeches, Elihu twice accused Job of the very same thing (34:35; 35:16). Later, Job even said himself: "I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know" (42:3, emp. added; cf. 30:16-23) Clearly, then, these passages indicate that Job’s speeches were not inspired.

Through the years, various authors have sought to establish scientific foreknowledge in the passage found in Job 26:7 where Job, in speaking of God, observed that "He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing." Two items from this passage are alleged to be prescientific in nature. First, appeals have been made to the fact that one supposedly can observe an "empty space" in the northern skies—a space where there are no stars, thus corroborating Job’s statement about an "empty space" in the north. Second, some have suggested that since Job’s phrase, "He hangs the earth on nothing," is literally true (because as everyone now knows, the Earth is freely suspended in space), this is an example of scientific foreknowledge. But if we attempt to convince people that this verse is to be taken literally, how do we then consistently deal with statements in the same chapter that obviously are figurative (such as verse 11: "The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astonished at his rebuke")? Further, there is no empty space in the north. Instead, "billions of stars and galaxies extend outward in all directions" (DeYoung, 1989, p. 95). [Job was not speaking of a literal "empty space" in the north. During his day, pagan gods of idolaters were said to live "in the north." Job pointed out, correctly, that this could not be true because in the north there was nothing but "an empty space."]

The honest Christian desires to defend the Word of God with every legitimate weapon in the apologetic arsenal. However, we only hurt the cause of Christ when we employ arguments that are backed by uninspired statements. When studying your Bible or when teaching and defending one of its many truths, always remember to look who’s talking.

DeYoung, Donald B. (1989), Astronomy and the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Jesus - The Master Teacher

There is no power which attracts attention like an authoritative word. Of Jesus it was said, "the multitudes were astonished at his teaching; for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes" (Matt. 7:28-29). When we consider the large amount of space given in the gospel accounts to the recorded sayings and teachings of our Lord, it makes it imperative that we study the characteristics and scope of His teaching. Christ is the Teacher supreme! Unlike every other teacher, not only does His teaching still live, but He (the Teacher) lives! He is the incarnation of the truth He came to teach. All that He ever taught is perfectly summed up in Him. As we notice the following characteristics of our Lord’s teaching, let us consider how we can implement them in making us more effective teachers.

The authority with which Jesus spoke. In the text, His teaching is contrasted with that of the scribes who basically had no message. They talked about trivialities and never spoke with any conviction. One common mistake made today by teachers and students alike is the frequent appeal to man’s opinion and judgment, whether it be one’s own opinion or that of another. Authoritative teaching makes an appeal to Scripture (1 Pet. 4:11; 1 Cor. 4:6) and not human opinion. All teachers would do well to follow Micaiah’s decision: "As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak" (1 Kng. 22:14).

The boldness with which Jesus spoke. His contemporaries stated that He spoke openly and none could successfully dispute Him (Jn. 7:26). He boldly exposed the sham of hypocrisy (Matt. 23), corrected religious error (Matt. 22:29), and tenderly pointed out moral deficiencies (Jn. 4:17-18). Christ is the perfect epitome of a man of steel and velvet with the courage and love to be bold, yet winsome. What an attractive quality for all teachers to develop!

The simplicity with which Jesus spoke. He was profound, yet "the common people heard him gladly" (Matt. 12:36). Frequently He taught by parables, illustrating great and sublime truths with very ordinary things. Is our teaching simple, or is it above the heads of the people?

It is impossible within the scope of this article to consider the substance and scope of our Lord’s teaching, but just think of the variety of themes upon which He spoke with authority. The words of other great teachers have long been forgotten; Christ’s words will abide forever (1 Pet. 1:24-25). No doubt our teaching will greatly affect the lives of others if we also will teach authoritatively, boldly, and simply.

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