THE POUND
PROCLAIMER
Volume V
January 2011
Number 11
Sing
to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day
to day. Psalms 96:2
Hindrances to
Bible Study
The faithful Christian understands how
important it is to study the Bible in an honest, sincere manner. He also
understands that each individual must deal with his/her prejudices. These
prejudices come from selfish desires and influences from close ties whether
family or friend. The following story will serve as a starting point to discuss
Hindrances To Bible Study.
A businessman was interviewing applicants
for the position of divisional manager. He asked each applicant the simple
question, “What is two and two?”
The first interviewee was a journalist.
His answer was “twenty-two.”
The second applicant was an engineer. He
pulled out a calculator and showed the answer to be between 3.999 and 4.001.
The next person was a lawyer. He stated
that in the case of Jenkins v. the Commissioner of Stamp Duties, two and two
was proven to be four.
The last applicant was an accountant. The
businessman asked him, “How much is two and two?” The accountant got up from
his chair, went over to the door, closed it then came back and sat down. He
leaned across the desk and said in a low voice, “How much do you want it to
be?”
There are those who exhibit the same type
approaches to Bible study as the journalist, engineer, lawyer and accountant in
our story.
The journalist looks beyond the obvious;
others assume the question is a mathematical problem but not the journalist. He
seeks out an answer different than all others and admires his acumen at finding
truth that others cannot.
The engineer prides himself in exactness.
The answer must be analyzed to its most rudimentary level.
The lawyer appeals to the laws of men as
the standard for his answer. He sees only the wisdom of men, a wisdom by which
he judges everyone and everything.
The accountant’s point of view is that
public opinion is the determining factor. The answer is based upon the present
circumstances. Times change, therefore, answers to questions must also change
to fit the time.
Just as each of the applicant’s point of
views colored their answer to a simple question, our point of view will color
our understanding of biblical teaching. The point of view we bring to Bible
study determines how we interpret a given passage of scripture. Hence, it is
the responsibility of each individual to approach Bible study with this
knowledge and the determinate self-discipline to overcome personal prejudices.
Biblical Truth is singular, so when
disagreement occurs, regardless of the subject, someone is wrong, maybe both.
This ought to be an incentive to a more thorough investigation of Scripture
that is introspective of one’s motives.
Jesus prayed for the apostles and by
expansion, all Christians, that the Father would, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17) Being sanctified in the
truth can only happen when we accept that truth is absolute. Further, this must
be accepted by all who call themselves Christians. In His prayer, Jesus also
prayed, “that they may all be one, just
as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that
the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21) The cause of Christ is hindered when we allow our Bible
study to be hindered by our personal prejudices.
Let us pray that all Christians will
approach the study of God’s words with an honest desire to know the truth from
God.
The Editor’s
Page
I have often contemplated why people of
other religious beliefs are so violently opposed to those of us who claim
membership in the one body of Christ, or as we commonly say
There are religious people, some who wear
the name Christian, who believe that man cannot fully understand God’s words.
Their view of the Bible is that it is filled with mysteries which man cannot
hope to understand. Hence, no one can affirm their understanding of the Bible
is the one that is correct and must be accepted by all. Their position is that
to believe we can agree on doctrine is anti-Christian. As I observe my
brethren, I fear many of them have drunk from the same cistern and also
flounder on the sea of doubt.
It is one thing to admit that we do not
have all the answers and that our knowledge is incomplete. It is quite another
to fall prey to doubt which robs us of stability in belief and practice. If brethren
persist in following this course, they will find themselves without the means
to oppose false doctrine. Without the confidence to proclaim the Truth in
opposition to error, brethren loose their unique identity and become like the
man-made religions around them.
The solution to this plague upon the soul
is to understand the destructive nature of doubt. Paul taught the Roman
brethren that eating meat, which is acceptable to God, with a doubting
conscience, is sin (Romans
James tells us that those who doubt are
like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed (James 1:6). James describes those who doubt as being like waves
that rise and fall against the shore. The doubter will today be happy and
confident in his beliefs, but tomorrow he will only waggle his head in confused
disbelief. To that person, James further says he will not receive anything of
the Lord (James 1:7).
The key to the problem which James
describes is found in verse eight. James refers to the doubter as a
double-minded man who is unstable (James
1:8). The problem with the doubter is the problem of compromise. He wants
to have eternal life with the Lord in one hand and to have the sinful pleasures
of the world in the other. Therefore, when questions arise concerning the teachings
of the New Testament, the doubter cannot give a definitive answer least he hurt
someone’s feelings or condemn himself.
In Matthew
23 Jesus condemned the Scribes and Pharisees as hypocrites because of their
arrogant self-righteousness. Confidence in our understanding of inspired
Scripture is not self-righteousness when based upon sound Bible study. I do not
ask nor expect anyone to believe as I believe just because it is what I
believe. My plea is for an open and honest study of God’s words. When that happens,
there will be agreement among all faithful Christians.
I shall continue to confidently affirm
that my personal faith is in compliance with the Faith (Romans
WORKING FOR THE
MASTER
ESTEEMING OTHERS
The Hebrew writer instructs Christians by saying, “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to
maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of
faith toward God,” Hebrews 6:1.
God’s standard of perfection is often ignored. We live in a world filled with
things that contradict this standard. One thing, probably the most prevalent is
self-fulfillment. We are trained to be competitive, to be winners on the job
and in recreation. The motivation is to win at all cost. This is not to say we
should lower the standard for being the best we can be at whatever we do. We
should strive to be the best. However, there is a time that being the best we
can be is when we count others better than ourselves.
The following account illustrates how we can rise above the ‘win at all
cost’ mentality and put others before self (Philippians 2:1-4).
One afternoon Corky and his father walked past a park where some boys that
Corky knew were playing baseball. Corky asked, “Do you think they will let me
play”? Corky’s father knew that most boys would not want him on their team. You
see Corky is ‘special’, he has Down’s syndrome.
Corky’s father approached one of the boys in the field and asked if Corky could
play. The boy said, “We are losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth
inning. I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to put him up to bat in the
ninth inning.” Corky smiled broadly as he was told to put on a glove and go out
to play short center field.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Corky’s team scored three runs but was
still down by three. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Corky’s team scored
again to tie the game. With two outs and the winning run on first, it was
Corky’s turn to bat next.
Would the team let Corky bat and give away their chance to win? Corky was
given the bat. Corky did not know how to properly hold the bat. Corky stepped
up to the plate and the pitcher moved a few steps closer to lob the ball in
softly. Corky swung clumsily at the first pitch. One of Corky’s teammates
stepped to the plate and held the bat with him. They faced the pitcher and
waited for the next pitch.
The pitcher lobbed the ball softly toward Corky. As the pitch came in,
Corky and his teammate swung the bat. It was a slow ground ball to the pitcher.
The pitcher picked it up. Corky would be out and the game would be over. The
pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc deep into right field.
Everyone started yelling, “Corky, run to first. Run to first”. Corky had never
before, in all his life, run to first. He scampered down the baseline with the
biggest smile you ever saw. By the time he reached first base, the right
fielder had reached the ball. The right fielder picked it up. He looked at the ball
for a moment then threw it high over the first baseman’s head. Everyone yelled,
“Run to second, run to second”.
Corky ran towards second base as the runner ahead of him deliriously
circled the bases towards home. As Corky reached second base, the opposing
short stop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base and shouted,
“Run to third”. As Corky rounded third, the boys from both teams ran behind him
screaming, “Corky run home”. Corky ran. As he stepped on home plate, all
eighteen boys lifted him on their shoulders and made him a hero. After all, he
had just hit a ‘home run’ and won the game for his team.
On that day, eighteen boys reached a level of God’s perfection seldom
reached by the great unwashed mass of humanity. They were willing to put
another’s happiness before their own need to be winners. In lowliness of mind,
each one counted Corky better than self. In so doing, they gave a little boy
the greatest thrill of his life. And, in my humble opinion grew about six
inches in stature!
THE LAST WORD
I came across the following results of a study by a research group concerning valid principles of growth. I found them interesting and thought I would share them with you. I took the time to add Scripture where they were applicable.
BE OPTIMISTIC. We should be too busy to expect failures for we know we can do all things through Him. Philippians 4:13.
BE PEOPLE ORIENTED. Men seem to think they cannot accomplish a desired end without organizing some program. Eventually the program becomes the focal point. We must focus on people, not programs. Romans 10:14-17; 2 Timothy 2:2.
RECOGNIZE THE LIMIT OF YOUR DUTY. Goal setting is very important for a congregation. Looking ahead to what we want to accomplish in the future is necessary as long as we are realistic in our goal setting.
STRIVE TO EXCEL. Elders, deacons,
evangelists, teachers and all disciples must resolve to be the very best. Being
satisfied and failing to see the need to improve ourselves is to be spiritually
dead. 2 Peter 1:5-11;
DISTINGUISH CHRISTIANITY AS A LIFE, NOT A CEREMONY. Christians are the church; we do not merely attend church. Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:12-25. Let the world see Christ in us, the hope of glory.
HONESTLY DEAL WITH FLAWS. Men have a way of pinning the sacred cow of perfectionism on the church. The church is made up of humans and humans have flaws. We turn prospects off when we preach perfectionism. This is not because they don’t want salvation, but because they cannot reconcile what they observe in us and what they hear us preaching. Luke 18:9-14.
ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TALK UP THE CHURCH. Tell your friends you respect the elders, appreciate the deacons, gain knowledge from the sermons, and relish the reverence the whole congregation exhibits.
BE DETERMINED TO GROW. Do not accept the defeatist who cries, “We can’t do that here.” The nay Sayers would have everyone’s faith to be as weak as their own. Philippians 4:13.
ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF ALL AGES. Do not neglect either the young or the old. All have spiritual need. Philippians 2:1-4.
DO NOT OVER-ORGANIZE. While it is necessary to have leadership and organization, spiritual bureaucracy is worse than political red tape. Both can, and do, strangle the ability to reach goals.
DEMAND A STRONG PULPIT. The nature of the assembly pinpoints the pulpit as the key to spiritual growth. Therefore, strong Bible oriented preaching that is presented in an understandable fashion is absolutely necessary. 2 Timothy 4:1-5.
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WHAT MUST
I DO
Hear: Rom
Believe: Heb 11:6
Repent: Lk 13:5; Ac
17:30
Confess: Matt
Be Baptized: Ac
TO BE
SAVED?
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FAMILY
MATTERS
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The Pound Proclaimer is published monthly by the Pound
All articles by the editor unless
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Editor: Glen Young
Phone: 276-796-5767=Office
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