Relationships

By Bob Myhan

Relationships, in both natural and su­pernatural realms, are not simple; they are complex and manifold. In natural families, for example, there is both a genetic and a social relationship.  A child's genetic relationship with his biological par­ents will never cease. He may fail to live up to their moral and spiritual expectations, but he is still their biological child. They may disinherit him and he may cease to be their son, socially. But he remains their son, bio­logically.

If a birth mother gives up her child for adoption, the genetic mother-child relation­ship continues to exist, although the social mother-child relationship ends. The adopted child usually comes to consider those who raised him as his parents. And they are his parents, both socially and emotionally. But he is still the biological child of his birth mother. This will never change. Thus, he is the child of one set of parents in one sense, and the child of a completely differ­ent set of parents in another sense.

Likewise, an individual may be a child of God in one sense, yet not a child of God in another sense. The apostle Paul gave in­spired sanction to the statement of certain Athenian poets who said "For we are also his offspring" (Acts 17:28). In what sense were they the "offspring" of God? They were His “offspring” in the sense that He created them. This establishes the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of all men. Since we are all the “offspring” of God, He is the “Father of all” (Eph. 4:6) and all human be­ings are brothers and sisters of one an­other. The angels are also referred to as "sons of God" (Job 1:6; 2:1). Even Satan is "among them." In what sense are the angels [including Satan] "sons of God"? They are “sons of God” in the sense that they were created by Him.

But once a human being has sinned, he must be "born again … of water and the Spirit" in order to enter the spiritual king­dom, or family of God. Only God can place an individual in His kingdom/family, and only God can remove an individual from His king­dom/family. Does He do so directly or indi­rectly? He does so indirectly through His agents. Who are His agents? In placing per­sons in the kingdom, His agents are those who proclaim the gospel on earth. In re­moving people from the kingdom, however, His agents are the angels in heaven.

In the parable of the wheat and tares (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43) we are told that "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniq­uity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." This certainly indicates that those who "offend” and “do iniquity" are yet in the kingdom at that time; and if yet in the king­dom they are yet in the family, for the king­dom and family are coextensive.

Thus, though one must be approved of God [by having his sins remitted] in order to get into the family of God, His approval is not neces­sary to remaining therein during one’s physical life. Or, to put it another way, mem­bership in the family or kingdom of God does not guarantee that one is approved of God.

This was one of the many mistakes of the Jews. They thought God approved of them just because they were His covenant people. But this was not the case then and it is not the case now. He is disappointed in His chil­dren when they sin, even before they are withdrawn from, but He still recognizes them as His children. However, if they do not re­pent in this life they will be “gathered out of his kingdom” at the end.

Of course, each local congregation is a mini-kingdom, or mini-family, in that it is a microcosm of the whole. When a member is in sin and will not repent, he is to be with­drawn from [denied the so­cial interaction that is normally associated with membership in the local church family]. In effect, he is removed from the family, so­cially (Matt. 18:15-17; 2 Ths. 2:14). But he is still a part of the family, spiritually, and we are to “admonish him as a brother” (2 Ths. 2:15), in the hope that he will one day re­pent. &

Crucified with Christ

By David A. Cox

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not but Christ liveth in me: and the life which mow live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

This is a most interesting statement made by Paul. How is it that Paul could say that Christ now lives in him? It was because Paul had molded him­self into the image of Christ. How did this happen?

Paul began this process when he went into Damascus and was told by Ananias to "Arise, and be baptized and wash away thy sins" (Acts 22:16). Paul had lived in the flesh as a Jew and as a Jew could glory in who he was (Philippians 3:7-14). But at Paul's conversion, that changed. He no longer lived doing what he previously thought was tight or what would give him a lofty reputation among the religious and po­litical leaders. He crucified self to live for Christ.

Paul wrote to the Romans concerning the crucifying of the old man. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? There­fore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life... Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Romans 6:3-4,6). Notice Paul said he was buried and arose to walk a new life. Why? Because the old man had been cruci­fied; he had put to death the affections and lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:24).

Our new life will be focused on the things above, and not on things on the earth. We will have our minds set on Christ for he is now our life (Colossians 3:1-4). Yes, we con­tinue to live in the flesh, but now that Christ is enthroned in our lives, our actions will be pleasing to Him. Our lives will be lives of faith. Trusting Him and looking to His word to find the direction for our lives (Romans 10:17; Proverbs 3:5).

What is the motive of the Christian's life? One motive may be heaven, the prepared home for the faithful, and that is a great mo­tive. But another motive Paul mentions here is the sacrifice of Christ for us upon the cross, "He loved me and gave himself for me." As we walk in life thinking of how much Christ valued us by giving His own life for us, we should be motivated to live to please Him and to do the work He has left for us to do.

May God help us to be "crucified with Christ" and to mold our life into the image of His dear Son. May our hearts and minds say as the song says:

"Mold me, make me, as you 'd have me be,

Take me, use me, that the lost may see,

Guard me, guide me, thru this pilgrim land,

Make me as clay in the potter's hand. &

(From Gospel Power, Vol. XV, No. 26, June29, 2008)

Evil Surmising

By J. Mike Johnson

Evil surmising is listed as being a sin in 1 Timothy 6:4. The passage says, "He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings." What is evil surmising? We need to know what it is to know whether we are guilty of it or not.

Let us break the expression down. The word evil means “wicked.” The term, “surmise,” means, “to suppose, imagine, to conjecture." Thus the idea is to suppose, to imagine or to conjecture in a wicked way. The NASB says, "evil suspicions." We commit the sin of evil surmising when we think or imagine that others are involved in wrong without any real reason or evidence for do­ing so.

A similar idea is found in 1 Corinthians 13:8. Here we are told that "Love thinketh no evil." This verse shows us that we are to think or believe good [things] about a per­son as long as possible.

Evil surmising is commonly done today. It is often associated with such sins as envy, hatred and jealousy. Perhaps the reason for this is that such sins frequently lead to evil surmising. Evil surmising is like many other sins as it tends to promote further sins.

We must make sure that we are not guilty of the sin of evil surmising. &

(From Main Street Church of Christ, Vol. 1, No. 5, September 29, 1985)