The apostle Paul told Titus to “remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work” (Titus 3:1). Part of the work of a gospel preacher is to remind Christians to do good deeds. There are several reasons why you and I need to be “ready for every good work.”
First, there is always a shortage both of good works and of those who will do them. There are plenty of people doing bad things. We hear such stories on the news every day. Since the fall of man, this world has been characterized by sin and evil (Acts 2:40; Eph. 5:16). The world is always in need of good people who will do good things. This is what God expects from His people. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). We have been redeemed by Christ to be “zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). If we don’t do the good works which God has prepared for us to do, who will? When Jesus looked upon the plight of those who were lost, He said, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:37-38).
Second, if we aren’t ready to do good works, we will miss the opportunity. Think about it. How many times have opportunities passed us by because we were not prepared? Sometimes Christians are heard to say things like, “I just don’t know how,” or, “I never have the opportunity.” What a shame. There are plenty of opportunities to do good deeds; we just have to find them. Sometimes we have to make these opportunities ourselves. Paul looked for opportunities. He asked the Colossians to pray “for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains” (Col. 4:3).
Third, readiness is a state of mind. Sometimes opportunities pass us by because we aren’t looking for them. Christians are to live in a watchful, alert state. “Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thess. 5:6). Paul told Timothy, “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Tim. 2:4). We all have busy lives, but we should never become so distracted that we lose sight of what is important – serving the Lord. We must never let an opportunity to do good pass us by.
“Ready for every good work.” Does that describe us? According to the Bible, it should. Paul’s continued admonition to Titus applies to us today as well: “And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful” (Titus 3:14).
Heath Rogers

Christians are disdained and hated for their strong convictions of faith, radical morality, and different ways of life. In a world of political correctness, it is still socially acceptable to mock and denigrate Christians. When Christians are maligned and mistreated, there is a natural tendency to play the victim card, have self-pity, and say, “Woe is me.” However, playing the victim has two major problems.
Firstly, being the victim will inhibit our growth and work in Christ. Our focus and energy turn inward, no longer focusing outward towards others and upwards towards the prize of the upward call of Jesus. We shrink away from things that cause mistreatment. We are silenced and have a tendency to try to ‘fit in’ and be conformed to this world. We have to stop viewing ourselves as victims and get back to work.
Secondly, we fail to rejoice in our sufferings for Christ. The apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy of suffering for Christ. Paul tells the Colossians that he rejoices in his sufferings for their sake. Jesus praised the church at Smyrna for standing firm in their tribulations. James tells us to rejoice when we meet trials. And here, John tells us not to be surprised. By being the victim, we fail to see the blessings that God has for us in those moments of hardship.
Don’t play the victim. Rejoice and keep up the good work for the kingdom.
by Chadwick Brewer

To dismiss God from our decisions is a most foolish thing to do. The reality of God is the most massive truth we’ll ever encounter, and the most consequential. It is folly to omit this truth from our thinking, as if we expected it to move out of our way.

Some individuals disregard God by adopting the intellectual position that He does not exist. These have thought the matter through and come to the conclusion that there is no God. In their conduct, they may live as if there were a God and may even adhere to a certain spirituality, but their position, at least philosophically, is that a personal God does not exist.

If God does exist, such a denial is obviously unwise. But many of us disregard Him in a way that is no less foolish. We do this when we simply conduct our lives without taking God into serious account. This is a more practical kind of atheism. We pay lip service to a God who “perhaps” exists, but we believe that this God can be safely set aside in the actual conduct of our day-to-day affairs. He has no real impact on our lives. In Psalm 14:1, it is this kind of “fool” who is described. He says “There is no God” not so much by his dubious philosophy, as by his disobedient lifestyle.

There is a sense in which this kind of atheism is more arrogant than any other. In Psalm 10, for example, we are shown how PRESUMPTUOUS it is to disregard God: “The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts” (v.4). “He has said in his heart, ‘I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity’” (v.6). “He has said in his heart, ‘God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see’” (v.11). “He has said in his heart, ‘You will not require an account’” (v.13).

When we live in this manner, we trivialize God in the most blasphemous way. Unlike the atheist who believes there is no God to be dealt with, we believe that we don’t really have to deal with the God who does exist. We think that, for all practical purposes, He can be ignored. But if God is our Creator, our disregard only shows us to be foolish. It does nothing to diminish Him.
by Gary Henry

“Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael said to him, ‘How do you know me?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you’”(John 1:47).

I love this little story. On sight Jesus knows Nathanael, and knows him thoroughly. He knows there is no deceit in him—a description that Nathanael finds so fitting that he immediately asks Jesus how he knows this! Then Jesus astounds him further, saying that he saw him in a moment when he thought he was all alone.

My first impulse is to wonder how Jesus would describe me if he said just one sentence like this to me. Sadly, I don’t think “in whom there is no deceit” would fit me. But what would? How does Jesus think of me?

This passage reminds me of the tremendous biblical truth that God sees right through me. He is not influenced by my facades. He is not impressed with my bluster. He is not fooled by my tendency to blame others for my bad choices. He knows me inside and out. But it also reminds me that that’s not entirely bad! He also sees the good in me—the earnest desire to do right, to really obey, to be sincere, to treat others right. He sees when I try to make right what I’ve done wrong, as much as I can. He sees when I intend things to go well and they don’t. Like Nathanael, he sees things in me that bring him pleasure.

The Hebrew writer tells us, “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account”(Heb 4:13). He sees right through us.

David praises God because “you know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether”(Psa 139:2-4). He knows me completely.

Yet in spite of all God knows about me, he still wants me. He still loves me, and calls to me. He grieves when I spurn him, and rejoices when I come home to him. What a God!
Jacob Hudgins

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain” (1Corinthians 15:10)

The apostle Paul was one who made a difference in the history of the church. As we call to our memory his life as Saul of Tarsus, we see a man who was very zealous. A devout, learned man of the scriptures, who persecuted the early church because of his love for God. In the book of Acts it is recorded “And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul…And Saul was consenting unto his death,” (Acts 7:58 – 8:1).

The Lord must have seen something special in this young man as he came unto Saul while traveling on his way to Damascus with letters in hand to continue his persecution of the church. The vision that Saul encountered that day changed his life forever. Saul obeyed the direction of both the Lord and the disciple of the Lord Ananias, and was baptized in Damascus. In directing Ananias to seek out Saul the Lord told him “for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:10-16). What a turn of events.

Now known as Paul, that same desire to please the Lord was being used for good. Paul did suffer many great things for the Lord’s name but yet never seemed to complain. Paul actually wrote in 2Cor 4:17, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” Light affliction? Paul suffered much and that is illustrated in his own words for us in 11th chapter of his second letter to the Corinthians. Later Paul wrote to the Philippians “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Php 4:11).

For me, some of Paul’s most inspirational words are found in 1Cor 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” It is the by grace of God that each of us have hope. Paul selfproclaimed as the chief sinner was able to see what a gift God’s grace is. It is too precious a gift to let go in vain. As God bestows his grace upon us let it not be in vain. We are all sinners and are in need of this precious gift. Let us follow Paul’s example and labor abundantly to bring glory to God!
Lenny Chapman

Elijah was a man who reached true greatness in the Lord service. He was always ready to go where God would send him (I Kings 18:1; 19:15); to pray whenever prayer was needed (I Kings 17:20, 21; 18:36, 37), and to confront evil whenever confrontation was necessary (I Kings 18:17-24; 21:17-19). He was translated without seeing death, and he, along with Moses, was chosen to appear with the Lord on the mount of transfiguration.

The remarkable thing about Elijah is that he attained this greatness while living in a wicked and hostile environment. Had he lived in Judah during the righteous reign of Hezekiah or Josiah, we might not be surprised at Elijah’s attainments. But he lived instead in Israel during the wicked reign of Ahab. He was subjected to the cruel intents of Jezebel. He was under constant harassment and threat of death. He became so discouraged at one point that he asked to die, but he never denied his God.

In this wicked environment Elijah was able to influence others. The widow of Zarephath was blessed through Elijah (I Kings 17:8-24). The multitudes on Mount Carmel were led to cry. “The Lord, He is God!” through his courageous efforts (I Kings 18:39). Elisha, his successor, must have been greatly influenced by him. And even Ahab was brought to humility on one occasion, clothing himself in sackcloth as a result of Elijah’s rebuke (I Kings 21:27-29). The message of Elijah is clear. You can live a godly life and influence others for good in a wicked and hostile environment.

When one hears the excuses people make today, it is obvious that Elijah’s message is badly needed in this generation. People excuse their failure to teach others the gospel with, “People are so prejudiced around here they just won’t listen”; when the truth is, little effort has been made. If they are approached about their ungodly conduct, they explain that “You just don’t know how terrible the people are that I have to work around every day”. If their children go astray their explanation is, “Our children are faced with pressures that we didn’t have growing up”. Such statements, repeated often enough, become to many a “license” to do wrong and a salve to soothe their troubled consciences.

We must throw aside our excuses and make up our minds to do right. Elijah could serve God in wicked surroundings. And so can we.
– by Bill Hall

Requested by Royce Bell

““The Christian Scriptures are so deep that, even if I studied them to the exclusion of all else, from early childhood to worn-out old age, with ample leisure and untiring zeal, and with greater capacity of mind than I possess, each day I would still discover new riches within them. The fundamental truths necessary for salvation are found with ease in the Scriptures. But even when a person has accepted these truths, and is both God-fearing and righteous in his actions, there are still so many things which lie under a vast veil of mystery. Through reading the Scriptures, we can pierce this veil, and find the deepest wisdom in the words which express these mysteries, and in the mysteries themselves. The oldest, the ablest, and the most ardent student of Scripture, will say at the end of each day: ‘I have finished, and yet my studies have only just begun.’”

—Augustine of Hippo, Letter 137

(Nicholas R. Needham, 2,000 Years of Christ’s Power Vol. 1: The Age of the Early Church Fathers), p291.

An oft-repeated charge against members of the church of Christ is that we seem to think that
we are infallible. Herein we intend to address ourselves to the validity or invalidity of such a
charge with the aim of clearing up any mistaken impressions.

First of all, a fundamental principle upon which our examination must be based is the fact that
NO MAN can truthfully claim infallibility! “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”
(Rom. 3:23). Since sin and infallibility cannot co-exist, we must conclude that all men are fallible
including members of the church of Christ.

Secondly, I have never known of a member of the church who has claimed infallibility. I have
known some few who ACTED as if they were perfect, and perhaps a few who thought they were.
But the point is this: members of the church of Christ do not generally and publicly claim to be
infallible humans.

How then did the charge originate? If we do not claim to be infallible, and in view of our
constant references to such passages as Rom. 3:23, why do people think we claim perfection?

Consider a few possible reasons.
(1) We believe in an infallible Christ. Unlike the modernists, we believe without any doubt
that Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, that He died on the cross for our sins, that He arose from the
dead, and that He now serves us in heaven [as High Priest of God]. We believe what Peter
declared on Pentecost when he said: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that
God hath made this same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). We
are also convinced that He “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
Our Savior is a Perfect One!

(2) We believe in infallible authority. After Jesus was raised from the dead, He declared: “All
authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18). Later the apostle Paul
wrote that God “hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to
the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:21-23). So the
authority upon which our religion is based is infallible. The blind unfounded expressions of
human authority are not approved by a God who gave all authority to His Son.

(3) We believe in only one infallible way to heaven. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and
the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6). Thus it is our blessed belief that
the way of Jesus is the only infallible way to glory. This means that we, with God, must reject the
“many ways to heaven” concept, and do our best to encourage our religious neighbors to do the
same.

No!! Members of the church of Christ are not infallible. But we believe in an infallible Savior
who has by His infallible authority revealed through the New Testament the only infallible way to
heaven. Some of us may fall from that way (1 Cor. 10:12), and we may not always follow the
example of our perfect Savior, but we firmly believe that we “are complete in Him, which is the
head of all principality and power” (Col. 2:10).
– by Warren Berkley

If you are concerned about your character, your conduct, your life and your destiny, THEN BE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). The heart is the mind, and the mind is the center of thoughts. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). A man may not be what he appears to be, but he is what he thinks.

What goes into your mind, then, is extremely important. Be careful about the interests you acquire, the tastes you cultivate, the desires you develop. They shape what goes into your mind. The conversations you listen to, the scenes you observe, the movies you view, the TV programs you tune into, the newspapers, magazines and books you read, the songs by which you are entertained, the jokes you laugh at, the things you are taught all have a part in feeding information into your mind.

You evaluate and monitor all that you hear and see. Your standard for evaluation and your conscience are vital and play their roles. You may seek out or receive what is vulgar or distorted, or you may reject and refuse it. You may pursue and embrace what is wholesome and true, or you may have no interest in it and neglect it. Be cautious, particular and selective about what goes into your mind. If you allow garbage to go in, then garbage will come out in the form of words and deeds.

What goes on in your mind is also extremely important. Be careful about your thoughts, meditations, desires, ambitions, daydreams and fantasies. You determine what goes on in your mind. You are the master of it because you have control over it. It is your own little secret world — except that God knows all about it, and will one day bring it to light when you have to answer for it in the judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Acts 17:30-31; Romans 2:16; II Corinthians 5:10). And sooner or later it will find expression in your life and make itself known.

We cannot be like God without thinking the thoughts of God. We cannot know the thoughts of God apart from the revelation of the things of God in the word of God (I Corinthians 2:11-13). We cannot have the thoughts of God in our hearts apart from reverent study of and meditation upon the word of God, coupled with a sincere desire to do the will of God (John 7:17).
Bill Crews

In James 1:27 Christians are instructed “to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” Unfortunately, some have abused this passage in an attempt to justify the church contributing to human benevolent organizations. An even greater problem is the attitude that has resulted from this practice. How many have dropped a dollar in the collection plate thinking “I have visited those in need,” when they have failed to fulfill the most basic element of “visiting.”

The translation of James’s instruction from the original Greek to English has lost its full meaning and force. When you say today “I’m going to visit,” you usually mean you are going to see someone and chat awhile. But the Greek word “episkeptomai,” translated “visit” in English, means much more. In Greek to “visit” is “to look upon or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes; in order to see how he is, i.e. to visit, go see one: Acts 7:23; 15:36 (Judg. 15:1); the poor and afflicted, Jas. 1:27; the sick, Mt. 25:36, 43 b. Hebraistically, to look upon in order to help or benefit; e.g. to look after, have a care for, provide for” (Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 242).

“Visit” in Greek is related to the Greek word “overseer,” so to “visit” includes “to look upon, care for, exercise oversight.” (W. E. Vine, Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, p. 1213).

There are three elements required by “episkeptomai,” “to visit”:

First, personal contact—going to the needy in person.

Second, personal examination—seeing to their needs.

Third, personal provision—providing for their needs.

The word “visit” occurs ten times in the New Testament and every use demands the three elements of personal contact, examination and provision. Christ’s “visit” was not just to chat awhile or the sending of a representative angel. “The Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace…” “For He has visited and redeemed His people” (Luke 1:78-79, 68). Christ’s visit to men was God’s personal contact and inspection to oversee our great need for salvation from sin and He personally provided the redemption price to meet that need.

Likewise, Jesus emphasized the individual duty of His followers to personally visit the less fortunate, “for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you visited me” (Matt. 25:35-36).

Thus the command to “visit” the less fortunate is intensely personal and practical for each and every Christian. Greek authority Marvin Vincent writes of “visit” in James 1:27, “James strikes a downright blow here at ministry by proxy, or by mere gifts of money. Pure and undefiled religion demands personal contact with the world’s sorrow: to visit the afflicted, and to visit them in their affliction.” (Vincent’s Word Studies, Vol. 1, p. 736).

Those churches which send money to human benevolent organizations cannot find support for their error in James 1:27, by the very definition of “visit.” James is clearly instructing individual Christians to assist those in need—he is teaching pure religion is individual and personal, not institutional and impersonal. Those who give money to the church, for the church to give to a human benevolent organization, are twice removed from truly “visiting” the fatherless and widows in their affliction! Where is the personal going? Where is the personal oversight? Where is the personal assistance? You cannot visit the sick and needy by putting money into a collection plate.
Wayne Greene