Truth Magazine

By Samuel Csonka

A few weeks ago a co-worker asked me, “Exactly who is God?” He said he wanted to put God in his life, but needed some more information about him. So I thought about his question and after a few weeks of study, presented him with the following. (Note: for simplicity, I did not deal separately with the three personages of the Godhead, but as one. That can be addressed later.)

Introduction

In order to find out who God is, the best source of information to consult would be the book that claims to be the Word of God himself. A thorough examination of the Bible should give us plenty of understanding about God.

I. God is “The Creator”

If we look in the Bible, the first time God is mentioned is in the very first verse, Genesis 1:1, which says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” With regard to the Creator, Nehemiah is more specific when he says, “You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all things on it, the seas and all that is in them” (Neh. 9:6). The previous two verses explain how everything came into being. God created them all. And since it was God “who built all things” (Heb. 3:4), including us, we aught to gain a better perspective of our relationship to him. We owe him everything — our very existence  and we should be thankful. Moreover, since we are his creation, we should submit to him and reverence him as a child would its own father. We must remember that we are not and never can be greater than he is, as a vessel is not greater than the potter who made i t.

II. God is “Everlasting”

Since recorded history indicates that God began creation as much as 7000 years ago, one might wonder ii’ he is still alive; and if so, what he is doing or where he is.

With regard to his “life-span,” God has this to say: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Rev. 1:8). This verse indicates that God is not dead, as some may argue, but is very much alive. He was present in the past and will be present in the future. He is an “Eternal God” (Deut. 33:27). He will continue living long after you and I are dead and gone.

What is it that makes God eternal? Why does he not die like we do? The reason is that he is not a man as you and I (Num. 23:19). He has no physical temple which can decay, or mortal body which can be killed. Jesus tells us in John 4:24 that God is a spirit. He is an eternal, everlasting, never-ending being.

III. God is “In Control”

After learning that our Creator is indeed still alive and well after all these years, one might wonder what he is doing. After all, we don’t ever “see” God doing anything. He doesn’t float by and greet us or pass over our towns in plain view to assure us of his presence. And I would be real surprised if he actually spoke to people today as some claim he does.

If we turn to the Bible to see if there is any evidence as to what God might be doing now, we find several passages that give us the answer. In Genesis 14:22, Abraham calls God the “possessor of heaven and earth.” This indicates God’s ownership of his creation. In Daniel 5:21 Nebuchadnezzar learned that “the most high God rules in the kingdom of men and appoints over it whomever he chooses.” So God does not nonchalantly sit back and watch things go. These verses indicate that God is still proactive with respect to our world. God is not only watching over us, but has ultimate control over what happens here. If he chooses to overthrow a nation  he does. If he wishes to save a person from death or disease  he can. So many people are afraid of man’s ability to destroy the earth and every living thing it sustains with nuclear weapons; but if God doesn’t want that to happen  it won’t, for God preserves heaven and earth and all things on it (Neh. 9:6). And think about this: Jesus said of sparrows, “. . . not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will” (Matt. 10:29). The simple fact that God knows this and is aware of the most minute details of his creation should show us that he is in control.

IV. God is “All-Powerful”

As we continue searching the Bible for attributes about God, we find that he is mentioned as being so powerful that no one is able to withstand him (2 Chron. 20:6). In Deuteronomy 32:39, God himself exclaimed, “. . . I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal, nor is there any who can deliver from my hand!” Truly he is all-powerful. He created all things, he sustains all things, and no one was ever able to withstand him or defeat his purposes. He is the “almighty” (Rev. 1:8).

One might wonder why he was called the “most high God” (Gen. 14:22). It was most likely to show his standing with reference to the other “so-called” gods of pagan idolatry. In Deuteronomy 10:17, Moses reminded the Hebrews that “…the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the Great God, mighty and awesome!” King David praised God saying, “You are great 0 Lord God, for there is none like you, nor is there any God besides you according to all that we have heard with our ears” (2 Sam. 7:22). Those people who were honest and sincere knew that the idols of their day were only man-made objects fashioned from base materials (Isa. 44:9-20). And, they realized that God was the only supernatural being that made himself known to mankind.

V. God is “Fearsome”

Throughout the history of the Bible, God has had to lift his hand and wield his power to catch the attention of certain nations and their rulers. They needed a reminder that he was still “All powerful” and in control of things. In many cases those who stood up against God or mocked his Holy name were sent away in shame and despair. And, in some cases, God not only became feared by them, but was praised and adored by them because of his wonderful works. Notice the following:

1. Egypt. When Moses came to free Israel, Pharaoh would not release them. He said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice?” But, after the 10 plagues, Egypt became very familiar with God. Unfortunately for them, that was not enough. God had to destroy the Egyptian army in the Red Sea “that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord” (Exod. 14:14).

2. Ammon, Edom, Moab. In 2 Chronicles we find the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites joining forces to attack Judah. Upon hearing of the approaching invaders, Jehoshaphat with the elders of Judah came to the temple to call upon the Lord. The Lord answered and comforted them by saying, “. . . do not be afraid . . . for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (v. 15). God then caused the enemy armies to become confused and to destroy one another. Verse 29 shows the attitude of those nations after the great slaughter: “And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel.”

3. Philistia. In 1 Samuel 4 the Israelites went out to battle against the Philistines. Israel later brought the ark of the covenant into the camp to help them win. When the Philistines heard of this, they were afraid and said, “God has come into the camp! Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before! …Who will deliver us?” (vv. 7-8) But after pulling themselves together, they slaughtered Israel and captured the ark as God permitted. Soon after, though, they felt the wrath of God when they desecrated the ark. Their idol, Dagon, was shattered in its temple and they were plagued with disease and death. Finally they sent the ark back saying, “let it go back . . . so that it does not kill us and our people” for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there (1 Sam. 5:11).

4. Assyria. In Jonah 3, the Assyrians in Nineveh became distraught when Jonah warned them of the impending doom, unless they repented. The king proclaimed, . . .cry mightily to God; yes, let everyone turn from his evil way . . . who can tell if God will turn and relent .. . so that we may not perish?” (vv. 8-9) They had apparently heard of the Almighty God.

Much later, though, it seems they had forgotten, and needed a reminder. In 2 Kings 19, as King Sennacherib was besieging Jerusalem, he wrote a letter to King Hezekiah saying, “Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you . . . shall you be delivered?” Then Hezekiah prayed to God saying, “. . . save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are the Lord God, you alone” (v. 19). Shortly after, Isaiah told him that his prayers was heard. “And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thou-sand. .. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away” (vv. 35-36). They had received their reminder!

5. Babylon. In Daniel 3, the three Hebrews Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were commanded to bow to Nebuchadnezzar’s gold image or be cast into a fiery furnace. When they did not, Nebuchadnezzar said, “If you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately .. . and who is the god who will deliver you from my hand?” Then they replied, “Our God is able to deliver us.” So, with rage, he commanded them to be thrown into the fire. But, to his astonishment, they were not even singed; and, an angelic figure appeared with them in the midst of the fire. Then he called them out of the fire and exclaimed, “Therefore, I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this” (v. 29).

6. Medo/Persia. In Daniel 6, Daniel had a trap set for him by the other governors and lords of the empire, making it unlawful to pray to anyone but the king. The offenders would be thrown into a den of lions. When Daniel was caught praying to God anyway, the other governors accused him before the king. Even though King Darius did not want to harm Daniel, he could not change the law; so Daniel was thrown to the lions. In the morning, when Daniel was found still alive, Darius, with joy, wrote, “I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and steadfast forever. . . He delivers and rescues, he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions” (vv. 26-27). The other wicked governors and lords were then fed to the lions for breakfast.

VI. God is “Holy”

It was once said of God, “… who is able to stand before this holy Lord God?” (1 Sam. 6:20) God certainly is holy. He is pure, without fault or blame. There is no sin or guile to be found in him. He is not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with him. He hates all workers of iniquity, destroys liars, abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful (Psa. 5:4-6). God does not like it when man is unrighteous and sinful. He hates sin. That is because “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 In. 1:5). And because evil cannot dwell with God, he made a way for sinful man to be reconciled from their sins  by the sacrifice of the pure and sinless Messiah, “who bore our sins . . . on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24).

In Conclusion

Even in the ancient history provided to us by archaeology, we can find references to God that corroborate the Bible. But, there are hundreds of verses in the Bible that help us understand who God is. These are just a few select ones that really hit the spot. From them we see that he truly is the Most High God, the Holy One, the Almighty, the Eternal Father, the Great Creator. He created us and knows what our limitations are and what our purpose is. His inspired Word is the “operators manual” to us  his machine; and we would do well to become familiar with it.

Jesus said in Luke 12:7, “The very hairs of your head are all numbered.” If God knows and sees even the most insignificant things, we had better live and speak and move as if he were walking around behind us every single day! And since God is all-powerful and will judge our deeds when this life is over, we had better be concerned about how we live and where we stand in relation to him; for as Solomon said, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil” (Ecc1.12:13-14).

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: 7 p. 13-14
April 6, 1995

By Johnie Paul Edwards

While all those who preach the gospel of Christ are charged with the same responsibility of preaching the word, there are some things young preachers, especially, need to be. We try to stress these things to our young men in the Preacher Training Program. Perhaps, these things can also be of benefit to other young men who are laboring on behalf of the gospel of Christ. Young preachers need to be:

Someone has said that “enthusiasm is contagious.” If that be the case, then we need a good epidemic! There is no substitute for enthusiasm. The Lord God told Ezekiel of old, “Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot …” (Ezek. 6:11).

Enthusiastic

Paul told the young evangelist Titus that Christ gave himself to redeem a “peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). Philip’s passion for preaching the word can be seen in the fact that he “ran” to teach the man of Ethiopia (Acts 8:30). Young preachers need to learn to be enthusiastic in their preaching.

Friendly

Solomon said, “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24). A lot of congregations build a reputation for being unfriendly. Young preachers need to learn early to shake hands with folks and be friendly with all. The example that you set as a gospel preacher will help others to see the value of being friendly and may help the church to grow.

Neat

There have been many books written about the importance of dressing for success. It would seem that one’s dress says something about his attitude toward his work. While it is not necessary to spend money on expensive clothing, it is important to dress neatly. In the Preacher Training Program we recommend to the young men that they purchase a blue blazer. A blue blazer goes well with lots of things. Further, we stress to the young men that they keep their shoes cleaned and shined. Invest in a shoe care kit. Then use it! Dad has always told the young men to “watch that body odor! Nobody wants to be around a stinking preacher!”

Mannerly

There are some standards for social behavior and it doesn’t hurt to apply these standards. Lots of our young people today have not been taught to be mannerly. Young preachers need to learn early to say “thank you” and be courteous enough to listen to people when they are speaking to you. Good “bed-side manners” are important when visiting the hospital or visiting the sick at home. Dont go to the hospital and tell the sick patient that you had a relative that died with the same disease!

Punctual

Some people are late to everything! I remember a few years ago that a fellow was late to his own funeral. I can’t remember a time when he and his family were on time for the services of the church and sure enough, they wheeled him in fifteen minutes late for his own funeral. It’s important to be on time. If you tell someone that you’ll be there at 7:30, then be there at 7:30!

Tactful

Tact, very simply, has to do with a person knowing how to say a thing properly. Some are so blunt that they scare people away before they ever get their “foot in the door.” It is important for young preachers to have some tact about themselves. Use some wisdom in your speech. Jesus told the Twelve, “I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harm-less as doves” (Matt. 10:16).

Organized

One of the things that we often stress to the young men in the Preacher Training Program is that they get organized and stay organized! We spend quite a bit of time helping these young men with the art of organization. It is important for young preachers to learn to organize their sermons properly and organize their time so they can be productive. You might think of this as “Redeeming the time…” (Eph. 5:16). It is good to make a list of things you need to do, in order of importance, and then, when you accomplish one thing, go on to the next item on your list.

Optimistic

It’s important for young preachers to be optimistic and not “doom, gloom, and boom!” Be optimistic about the congregation you work with. Be optimistic about your work. Remember that your work may involve planting or watering, but God gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:6). Far too many young preachers get discouraged to the point that they want to throw up their hands and quit. Be optimistic and realize the value of doing the Lord’s work.

Able To Take Some Constructive Criticism

It’s not always easy to take criticism, but constructive criticism is for one’s own good. Young preachers need to be ready to receive and accept criticism that is offered by well-meaning members of the Lord’s church. Listen to their criticism, use what you can, and discard the rest.

Humble

Peter exhorted Christians to, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Pet. 5:6). It’s easy for young preachers to be lifted up with pride and have an air or arrogance about themselves. Learn to be “clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (I Pet. 5:5).

Studious

To be studious is to be devoted or given to study. Paul told the young evangelist Timothy to “study to shew thyself approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Young preachers need to be given to Bible reading and Bible study. Your preaching will reflect the amount of time you put into studying God’s word. You don’t have to tell the members of the church that you didn’t have time to study your lesson, they will already know!

Prompt In Paying Your Bills

It’s easy for young preachers and their families to over extend their finances and spend more than they should. Don’t allow yourself to get into a financial pinch. Set yourself a reasonable budget and then stick with it. Be sure to set aside some money each week or each month for savings. There will always be bills that will come up that you did not expect. Don’t try to live like everyone else, just learn, as Paul did, “in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Phil. 4:11). When you make a debt, pay it!

Cautious

Be sure to exercise caution when it comes to the young ladies. We all know of preachers who have ruined their good reputation with the brethren because they could not keep their hands off the ladies. When it becomes necessary to visit with a young sister in the Lord, take someone along with you (perhaps, your wife or one of the men in the congregation). Paul told Timothy to treat “the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity” (I Tim. 5:2). Give no ground to suspicion, no shadow or pretext to those who wish to slander.

Observing

Jesus realized the importance of teaching people to “observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” (Matt. 28:20). Paul told Timothy to “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” (I Tim. 4:16). The young preacher’s first obligation is to take heed unto himself! One must first do and then teach (Ezra 7:10; Ac. 1:1). Don’t play the part of a hypocrite! Remember what Moses told Israel of old, “.. . be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23).

Hopefully, these things will be of some benefit to young men who are just beginning to preach the gospel of Christ. Above all, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2).

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: 7 p. 7-8
April 6, 1995

By Andy Alexander

The local church of Christ is to be overseen by men who meet all of the qualifications given in the New Testament (Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 3:1-7). These men are to rule in the congregation as taught by the Scriptures (Heb. 13:17; Acts 20:28-30). They are to, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof not be constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock” (I Pet. 5:2-3). This job, when properly fulfilled, is tremendous blessing to a local congregation. And congregations who have dedicated men faithfully carrying out this difficult task should be ever thankful to God for this blessing.

The apostle Paul instructed the Thessalonians, “But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another” (1 Thess. 5:12-13). Many of us (members of the local church) do not witness all the effort that is put into overseeing the work; therefore we may fail to fully appreciate their work. For that reason the admonition of the apostle Paul is needed. We need to consider the work that is being done and let the elders know that we are grateful to them for taking the time to study and make decisions that help the congregation grow spiritually.

Too often we are quick to find fault or let it be known that if we were making the decisions we would operate in a different fashion than those men who are currently serving and making decisions. However, if we were in exactly the same position and had access to the same facts the elders had access to, we may very well have made the exact same decision. Let us always think good of the men who lead the local church. They are human and they will make mistakes at times, but rarely, if ever, will the elders of a local congregation knowingly do anything that will hurt the work. If they are qualified, then they surely understand that they will give account to God for their stewardship (Heb. 13:17).

Managers or owners of most businesses will often hear from customers who are dissatisfied with their product or service. Ninety-eight percent of their customers may be completely satisfied and they may never hear a word from them. Silence is one form of approval and most business-men know this to be the case, so it is not too discouraging when no one calls or writes to extol the virtues of their product or service. However, the two percent who are unhappy will most certainly be heard and these can be a grief to a company. Sometimes the fault lies with the purchaser and not the company who manufactured the product, but still the company will hear the complaints.

This same scenario can happen in the local church. The elders may hear from those who are upset about some decision that is made or action that is taken. That is fine; it is part of the work of the overseers and they expect to hear criticism from time to time. In fact, constructive criticism is welcomed because they will always want to serve God and the brethren better. We should never be afraid to approach the elders with some problem or question that we may have.

Like the illustration above, there are many times when everything is going well and things are progressing steadily and we neglect to tell the elders that we appreciate the work they are doing. Not that they have to have us thank them, but it is good to know that people notice. All of us in our jobs or hobbies like to feel appreciated. It lifts our spirits when someone thanks us or commends us for a job well done and it also causes us to want to do a better job. The elders are no different, it is a boost to their spirit when someone lets them know they are appreciated. This is one form of exhortation that we can practice (Heb. 3:13).

Consider the work the elders do for the local congregation and remember this work is in addition to their work as husbands and fathers, providers for the family, and the ordinary activities of life.

They oversee the teaching program, the material and the teachers who will teach. This is an on-going responsibility and one that takes much time. Also included in this is the selection of men who will hold meetings in the future. Suggestions are welcomed from the members, but these suggestions must be checked out and arrangements made for their coming.

The elders usually handle an extra load of correspondence. Men who write and request financial support need to be answered. Questions or comments sometimes arrive in the mail and these deserve their attention, so some of their time will be used in reading and responding to these inquiries.

Individual problems arise from time to time that will require the attention of the elders. Personal visits to erring members sometimes have to be made and many times more than a few visits are required before a problem can be resolved. Sometimes the elders will have to help two brothers work out differences so that peace in the local church can be maintained. Again, this takes time, sometimes much time, and this is being done while the rest of the congregation is going about its ordinary daily activities.

In addition to these activities, the elders are usually called to the hospital or home of a sick brother or sister in Christ for their prayers and/or help in some situation that the sickness has created.

Many elders also teach Bible classes during the year and this adds to their work load. They must find time to study their lesson as any other teacher, but also continue to shepherd the flock in all the ways that we have discussed.

Remember, much of this type of work goes unnoticed by the congregation as a whole. While we are busy attending ball games, watching television, visiting our relatives, fishing, playing golf, or working overtime to bring additional revenue for the house-hold, the elders are quietly giving their time to overseeing the flock. Let us be thankful for the men who are fulfilling this responsibility and let us remember to thank them as well, thus encouraging them to better service for the Lord.

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: 7 p. 9-10
April 6, 1995

By Olen Holderby

“Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life” (Job 9:21). This statement is in the midst of Job’s reply to the speech of Bildad the Shuhite. We must keep in mind Job’ s suffering, and the efforts of his three friends to explain that suffering. Chapter 8 gives Bildad’s speech, while chapters 9-10 record Job’s reply. Job points out the extreme unlikeliness of man’s being able to answer God (9:3), and that no one can really prosper by hardening himself against God (9:4). Then he speaks of the great power and wisdom of God, and of God being able to do what he pleases without man being able to alter his action (9:5ff).

Job considers arguing his case with God; but he is at a loss for arguments with such a wise and powerful opponent. Even if God should hear his concern, Job’s own limitations preclude his knowing how to answer God. Further, he feels that his own mouth would condemn him. However, Job cannot accept responsibility for his suffering condition and, at the same time, be honest with himself. He thinks himself to be innocent, “I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life” (NKJ). What does Job mean by saying, “I despise my life”?

Some have suggested that Job was saying that he despised his past life; while others have said that Job was declaring that his life was not worth striving for with God. Tome, it seems more likely that Job was drawing a contrast between self-importance and the importance of Gods plans for him. Perhaps the NIV is plainer for verse 21, “Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.” If this be accurate, the verse appears to offer some good lessons for us today.

1. We do not argue with God. How well this is taught in the New Testament, “Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, 0 man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?” (Rom. 9:19-20) Whatever God says, on any subject, settles the matter on that subject. Will a man argue with God?

2. The relative insignificance of our life as compared with the plans of God for us. This, too, is well taught in the New Testament, “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal” (John12:25). Luke 14:26, Matthew16:24-25, and Luke 10:16, all reflect very pointedly on this thought. How is it that the creature who receives life from the Mighty God, can argue with the Giver over the use of that life?

Webster defines “despise” as “feel contempt for,” and offers as synonyms: abhor, disdain, scorn, look down, etc. Vine says that it means, “To make of no account, to regard as nothing.” One very important question is in order: In contrast with the plans of God for you, can you say, I despise my own life?

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: 7 p. 6
April 6, 1995