(This is the second part of the article "Choose to be a winner - Participate". The article continues as "Choose to be a winner - Follow through")

By Eugene C. Perry

Follow through!

The challenge is for us, with a view of eternity, to live as Paul lived. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phil.1:21). Faith in eternity gives us strength, peace and courage, because working, playing and living, we know that, come what may, there is a life, infinitely better than what we know now, waiting for us. We thus have "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding," guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil.4:7).

How do we live with this in view? Although he preferred "to be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (II Cor.5:8), Paul had decided (made it his goal) to please the Lord, "whether we are at home in the body or away from it." Anticipating the judgement, he stated, "Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men." Again, although he confidently stated that "to die is gain", and that his desire was to "depart and be with Christ" which is "far better", Paul was ready to continue in the flesh - to do God's will. His hope was that he would "in no way be ashamed" and that "Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death" (Phil.1:20). He was willing to abide, which would mean "fruitful labor" for him and which was "more necessary" for the Christians.

As with Paul, as long as we live, we have a useful purpose in life, we are vessels for God's use. This is not meant to be an unwilling but a voluntary service, "faith expressing itself through love" (Gal.5:6). We love Him and want to please Him who loves us so much that He gave his Son to restore our relationship and is so patient with us.

Realizing the fate of those who fail to decide for God, we persuade men out of love and concern rather than out of duty. Loving our brothers and sisters in Christ, we work for their well-being, especially the eternal well-being resulting from continued faithfulness.

Involved in all of these matters is the necessity of making decisions regarding both the general trend of our lives and the myriad of lesser choices which present themselves to us each day. In Galatians 5, Paul lists the "acts of the sinful nature" which prevent participants from inheriting the kingdom of God, and by way of contrast, "the fruit of the Spirit", which, by implication make it ours. In the next chapter, he used the sowing and reaping analogy to emphasize the same truth.

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life" (Gal.6:7,8).

"By the 'sowing' the apostle appears to be referring to the whole pattern of our thoughts and habits, our life-style, life direction and life-discipline. It includes the company we keep, the friendships we cultivate, the literature we read and the films we watch..., the kind of pursuits with which we occupy our leisure and everything which engrosses our interest, absorbs our energy and dominates our mind... For by these things we are sowing, sowing, sowing all the time; and according to what and where we sow, this shall we reap" (John R. Stott, Baptism and Fullness, pp. 81,82).

These all involve decisions. By sowing to the Spirit we reap eternal life. Stott describes this life as "a deepening fellowship with the living God now (to know whom is eternal life, John 17:3); together with that fullness of fellowship with him which defies imagination and which awaits us in the last day."

Because we have eternity in mind, we set our "minds on things above, not on earthly things." And, "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Col.3:1-4).

"All through the inspired word the prize set before us, the goal to attain, the motivation to service is always eternal life. Not a phenomenon to be feared but a paradise to be desired" (Gary Beauchamp).

We have been deeply touched by stories or scenes of the emotional welcoming home of POW's or hostages, long separated from their families. This cannot be compared to the reunion with our heavenly Father when we go home. Yet, with many, there remains a dread of this transition instead of it being viewed with anticipation.

We are God's family. He cares for us. We can't lose. In 1990, sister Joan Smith who had patiently endured a valiant but losing 10 year battle with caner, wrote a series of articles for the Women's Page of this paper (The Gospel Herald). She tells in detail of the way she came to look at and face this affliction. During the time of her battle, including operations, chemotherapy, much suffering and the accompanying mental stress, she was a faithful wife and mother and served with dedication and efficiency at Great Lakes Christian College and in the church. She began the series by quoting, "My help comes from the Lord" (Ps.121:2). She explained her positive attitude, and continuing and dedicated service beyond "the call of duty" in the following statement: "I am a survivor. I am not a loser. God is allowing me to stay here a while longer. I can be with my family and still work for Christ. If I don't survive, I am still not a loser. I have a home in heaven waiting for me. Sister Smith has since gone on to that eternal home.

All Christians should think of this life as the journey, the preparation for eternal life. We are sojourning here. Like the faithful of old, we must confess by life and word that we are "aliens and strangers on earth. People who ... show that they are looking for a country of their own ... longing for a better country a heavenly one." God is not ashamed to be the God of such. He "has prepared a city for them" (Heb.11:13-16).

Those who become sick and are in hospital look forward to going home. Sometimes it means going home to the joys of reunion with a loving family; sometimes going home to a loving Father in heaven. In either case, they are winners.

The crown of righteousness is, according to II Timothy 4:8, "to all who have longed for his appearing". We long for his appearing only if we are confidently prepared and in the process of fighting "the good fight", finishing "the race" and keeping "the faith".

As the Jews journeyed from their various villages on their pilgrimages to Jerusalem, trudging on foot through unfamiliar places, they would sing songs of encouragement. As they approached Jerusalem, the men would sing:

"I lift up my eyes to the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of heaven and earth."

The women and children would then reply:

"He will not let your foot slip
He who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep."

Then the men would sing:

"The Lord watches over you
The Lord is your shade at your right hand;"

The women and children would reply:

"The sun will not harm you by day,
Nor the moon by night."

The men would sing:

"The Lord will keep you from all harm -
he will watch over your life:"

Then everyone would join to affirm:

"The Lord will watch over your coming and going
Both now and forevermore" Psalm 121.

As these people "went out" from their familiar villages and "came in" to a city in which things were strange to them, they moved from one world to another. Heartened by the lines, "The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore," they pushed on. Surely, these lines have a similar application for us as we journey to our Holy City.

Having in mind a beautiful view of eternity, let us live each day in anticipation, hope and faith, repeating to ourselves the powerful words of Paul, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

By Eugene C. Perry

Participate

Personal experience and observation show that there are many losers and few winners, even among those who are frequent participants. Take for example raffles, sweepstakes, or even races and other athletic contests. The prizes go to only a few. There may be thousands of entrants, but there are very few winners, sometimes only one.

Like us, you likely receive an abundance of junk mail offering fabulous prizes in various forms of sweepstakes almost every day. We are encouraged to participate, often at little or no cost other than a postage stamp. Although it is claimed that there are winners, such seem to be very rare. The odds are discouraging. Why bother to enter?

Even in the case of races and athletic contests, where formal entry requirements are met and much effort is spent in preparatory practice, the prize goes to the few. In each case, we must decide whether or not to participate, to make the necessary preparations and meet the other required conditions.

There is a race in which we cannot lose and each person is encouraged to make a decision to enter it - a race in which all who complete the course are winners. The Christian life is frequently compared to a contest, a fight or a race, but there is a great difference. Unlike these other contests, in it, all are potential winners.

We face opportunities to make choices or decisions in many areas of life. Some are small and inconsequential whereas others are very important and have profound and far reaching consequences. These are decisions that no one else makes for us. There will be people and circumstances that encourage or discourage the right and beneficial decision, but in the final analysis, we must, personally, decide. If we make the wrong decision we can only blame ourselves. We, and likely others influenced by us, will pay the price in this life and the future life. In contrast, if we make the right decisions, we thank God for the benefits to ourselves and the many others who benefit. This is because God provides the blessings resulting from the right decisions. God is the prize-giver.

Decisions we make in regard to vocation, location, companionships and relationships contribute to us not being losers in respect to the eternal prize. Basic to all of this, of course, is the decision to accept God's gift of salvation in Christ by deciding to obey the terms of the "good news". In doing this, we enter the race, we confess our faith in the divinity of Christ, we acknowledge Him as Lord and we commit ourselves to serve Him.

Having thus become a participant in this race, one must realize that faithfulness and fruitfulness are the expected results. This involves following a spiritual leader while living in a physical body in a material world and making appropriate decisions along the way, We are in the world but not of it. Jesus prayed for his followers saying, "they are still in the world . . . they are not of the world any more than I am not of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth" (John 17:11, 14, 15-17).

Loyalty to this Lord will mean decisions resulting in self-denial, hardship, sacrifice, service and growth into His likeness. We make those decisions because we love our Lord, but also, like Moses of old, because we look ahead to the "reward". "By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the other people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward" (Heb.11:24-26).

The decisions we face regarding resisting temptation, being steadfast in our labour for the Lord (I Cor.15:58), a proper and permanent marriage, responsible parenting and loving and caring relationships with others - all of these should result from our first choice, to enter the "narrow way". Jesus encouraged this decision. He said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate, and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Mt.7:13,14).

An elderly African lady was dying. Friends and loved ones from the entire community had gathered to her home and were quietly comforting one another with prayers, handclasps and tears. Maude had been an inspiration to all who knew her, having raised five children, cared for her neighbours and steadily worked for her church. She would be gravely missed. A handful of her closest family stood now above her bed, whispering all the appropriate epitaphs, when Maude spoke up with her typical wit and wisdom, "Why's everyone cryin'? I'm not lookin' for the undertaker, I'm lookin' for the uppertaker!"

How do we look at death or at the coming of the Lord? Do we have the undertaker or the uppertaker view of death? Are we among those like Paul who "desire to depart and be with Christ" (Phil.1:23); those who "have longed for his appearing" (II Tim.4:8)? Do we welcome this event as Jehovah does, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (Ps.116:15)?

Although many believe in and sometimes talk about eternal life, most people, even Christians, look on the transition to such with fear and uncertainty. Why? In general the pain involved in death does not appear to be that dreadful! Do we fear change? Do we fear the loss of associations and possessions here on the earth? Truly, we have many meaningful and precious relationships and, in our culture, an over-abundance of material possessions, and the security provided by them in a stable society. But how dependable and durable are these things that we can feel and touch? "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Mt.6:19-21).

We must be careful that our treasure is not in the wrong place, if we would be winners. In one place it is secure while in the other it is insecure.

Note the contrasts. "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling ... For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life" (II Cor.5:1,2,4). "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Rom.8:18).

"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Rev.21:3,4).

How real is this better life? Would that we all had the confidence of G. C. Brewer who once said, "Someday you will read in the newspaper that G. C. Brewer is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now."

By T. Pierce Brown

Those of us who believe that God gave us a revelation that can be understood and obeyed, and that there is no room in it for denominational doctrines and practices, usually answer the question something like this: "We must understand the Bible alike, for if we come up with different views, then one or both of us have not understood it." When the Bible says, "Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins" it is impossible for a person to understand it to mean, "Arise and be baptized because your sins are already washed away." When the Bible says, "Baptism doth also now save you" it is impossible for a person to understand it to mean, "Baptism doth not save you."

These kinds of statements may all be true, but they leave out something that is very important for us to realize. That is, one may understand properly what he does understand about a scripture without understanding all that he might understand. There may be a significant difference in MIS-understanding a scripture and not understanding its meaning or significance as deeply as one might. I do not remember anyone ever writing about this, but I think it significant enough to emphasize.

If you have ever grown any in your comprehension of anything, you can understand something of what I am saying. However, the implications or value of what I am saying may not have occurred to you. It would help us to overcome some arrogance, divisive tendencies and unnecessary bickering if we realized these truths.

Let us give some examples, so we may see more clearly some of the implications of these principles. Take the expression in 1 Peter 3:20-21 which partially reads like this in the ASV, "Eight souls, were saved through water: which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Both of us may understand the truth that baptism saves us, but neither of us may understand some of the things involved in what that statement says. How it saves us, when it saves us, where it saves us and why it saves us are also important. Do you not see that it is possible for us both to understand the truth -- and if we understand it, we understand it alike -- yet not understand it alike in the sense that one of us may understand it more deeply than the other? To say it another way: If we understand the Bible, there can be no contradiction in what we understand, but there can be a growth in understanding, and therefore a difference in what we understand. If one of us claims to understand that baptism saves us, and one claims to understand that baptism has nothing to do with our salvation, one of us is wrong. It is not a matter of understanding differently, but a matter of misunderstanding.

This was suggested to me as I meditated on Ephesians 3:10, "to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God." The word manifold is from the Greek "polupoikilos" which means "many colored." I may not be able to distinguish as well as you the various shades of blue and green in a picture, but that does not mean that either of us has the right to deny that the picture is there.

This suggests some of the things that are wrong with the doctrine of "unity in diversity" which many of our brethren are now upholding. If it only meant that in a forest there are many different kinds of trees, yet they are all trees, or that in the church there are many different kinds of persons, yet all may be Christians, or that we may emphasize different aspects of truth differently because we have different degrees of understanding of those truths, we would have no objection to the doctrine. It is apparent, however, that it is often used to uphold the idea that one person may teach that baptism is sprinkling, another that it is immersion and both be satisfactory. One may teach that the Lord's Supper is to be taken each Lord's day and another that it may be taken whenever we choose, and both equally acceptable. One may teach that only acapella music is authorized of God, and another teach that mechanical instruments are equally pleasing, and both be right. This denominational concept of "unity in diversity" is as old as denominationalism, and is false and dangerous. That a rainbow has diversity of colors, yet there is one rainbow is a kind of "unity in diversity." This is not the kind of "unity in diversity" the denominational world, and some of our brethren are advocating. Those of us who deny the validity of the "unity in diversity" doctrine are not denying that in every congregation there are and must be as many different concepts as there are individuals. What we are denying is that when any of those concepts contradict the scriptures, they are all equally valid.

God's wisdom is manifold (polupoikilos) -- marked with a great variety of colors. You may see one more clearly than I and emphasize it. To that degree, and in that manner, we may understand the Bible differently. If, in emphasizing the green, you teach that there is no yellow, then you do not understand the rainbow, and it is not a matter of understanding it differently. It is a matter of denying reality.

One of our problems is that we may have those who feel that if one emphasizes grace more than we do, he is teaching false doctrine. Or if he goes more deeply into an interpretation of a word or phrase, because he has a deeper understanding of it than we do, he has no right to do it, for we must all understand it alike. The "bottom line" is that if we understand it, we will all understand it alike in the sense that there can be no contradiction in our concepts of it. However, we may all understand it differently if we mean that there are different degrees or depths of our understanding. If you have no deeper understanding of any of God's word than you did last year, you have not grown in the grace and knowledge of God, and should be ashamed. That does not necessarily mean your concept was wrong. It was perhaps simply not as complete or deep as it now is.

By T. PIERCE BROWN

Neither Paul (Romans 4:2) nor James (James 2:21) were talking about Abraham being saved from his past sins when they talk of his being justified. We have heard it discussed in such a way as to make it sound as if Abraham got forgiveness of his sins by offering Isaac on the altar! The impression may be left that up to that time Abraham was out of fellowship with God--as an alien sinner--and when he offered his son he was justified--forgiven, as a man is forgiven at the point of baptism! This is an erroneous concept. It is similar to using Noah's case to try to prove that Noah would have gone to hell if he had died before the flood. After all, the Bible plainly says that he "prepared an ark to the saving of his house" (Hebrews 11:7). Doesn't Peter plainly tell us "Noah was saved by water, the like figure whereunto baptism saves us" (1 Peter 3:21)? Certainly so, but Noah was not saved from his sins by the ark, nor by the flood, but his physical salvation is a type or figure of our salvation from sins at the point of baptism. We can properly use him as an excellent illustration of the necessity of an OBEDIENT faith. "Thus did Noah, according to all that God commanded him, so did he" (Genesis 6:22).

We may properly conclude that if he had not used gopher wood, or had substituted his will for God's will, he would have been displeasing to God. We may NOT properly conclude that Noah was out of fellowship with God before the ark was built, and the building of the ark, or entering it, or the flood somehow washed his sin away and justified him in the same sense the alien sinner is justified from his past sins at baptism. The point is that each step along the way, Abraham was justified by faith. Note carefully: When all God required Abraham to do was TRUST, then Abraham stood in the right relationship with God (was justified) when he obeyed THAT command and trusted. When God required Abraham to ACT on his faith, his faith could not be reckoned unto him for righteousness until he acted.

In Genesis 15:6 we find, "And he believed in Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness." This does not prove that Abraham was lost until this time, nor does the fact that James 2:23 says, "the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness" mean that God for some reason held Abraham's sins against him until he offered his son, but reckoned him righteous from then on!

The truth of the matter is that at every point where God commanded and Abraham had enough faith to obey, he stood justified--counted to be righteous--in the right relationship with God. There is no difference in the policy stated by the Lord in Exodus 23:7, "I will NOT justify the wicked" and in Romans 4:5 where he "justifies the ungodly." He never did, and does not now justify the ungodly in the practice of their ungodliness. The adulterer, liar and murderer have to quit their wickedness. They are still ungodly until they are forgiven by grace, through their faith in Jesus, as they demonstrate that faith in obedience.

The fact that Genesis 15:6 says, "He believed God and he counted it to him for righteousness," in no wise suggests that he had not believed God before, nor that he was not in every previous or subsequent case "justified" when he thus trusted in God. If we conceive of "justification" as a ONCE-FOR-ALL judicial act in which God takes away our past sins, then we become confused. But if we understand that when God said in Genesis 12:1, "Get thee out" and he in faith obeyed, he was justified (Hebrews 11:8). When God said in Genesis 15:1-5 that he would have a son, and Abraham believed Him, he was justified (Romans 4:3). When he said in Genesis 27:2, "Take now thy son--and offer him for a burnt offering--" and he had enough faith to obey, he was justified (James 1:21). At ANY and every point in his life, he was justified by his faith. Note carefully: When asked to accept a statement, no matter how difficult to believe, he trusted God, he stood approved of God (justified) at that point. When asked to obey a command, and he in faith obeyed that command, he stood approved of God at that point.
The same principle applies to us. We must understand that "justification" does not always refer to an alien sinner getting his sins removed. When Jesus said in Matthew 12:37, "by thy word thou shalt be justified," he did not mean that if somehow the alien sinner says the right words, he will be saved (justified) from his past sins!

Just as in Abraham's case, if God says, "Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins" (Acts 2:38) and a man replies, "I do not intend to do that. I will get remission by praying," he will NOT be justified or get remission of his sins. On the other hand when Simon heard Peter say, "Repent and pray--" (Acts 8:22) if he had said, "No, I must be baptized again," he would not have been justified.

When God asks me to believe that the same Jesus who was crucified and resurrected will come back for His saints, I stand in the right relationship with God (justified) when I trust in His word. When he asks me to partake of the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week as a demonstration of my faith in that, I do NOT stand in the right relationship with God (justified) if I refuse to do it. The fact that I was justified from my sins when I accepted His grace in obedient faith by being baptized for the remission of sins does not mean I stay justified in ANY disobedient act.

There is no comfort in God's word for the man who ASSUMES he can be justified at any point without DOING what God says do. If God says, "Trust and wait," then one must do that. If God says, "Trust and ACT," then one must do that. It has always been so.

Kevin Pendergrass asks the question, "Are you a faithful Christian?" then discusses ways a person can know if he or she is a faithful Christian, not according to man's opinion, but according to the word of God.