MARCH 2000 MAY 2000 THE READING ROOM HOME
(Kent Heaton)
Riding through the suburban neighborhood, the scenes were all too familiar. Each house stands behind a manicured lawn with paved drives and an assortment of ornaments gave each house a striking view. These are homes familiar to thousands of people as they have been seen countless times through television and movies. Then the tall buildings of New York City appear with their brownstone faces and marble relief. People mill about the streets with busy activity from place to place. But this is not a real world but a fantasy world of make-believe.
Turning the corner the facade gave way to wooden frames bearing the image of reality. Beyond the windows and brick walls was a world of nothing. There were no living rooms behind the doors nor people living here as it was all set up to look real from one side. The carpets on the floor were painted on to give a textured look. The sets were created to give an impression of real life but none of them were real.
Life itself is merely a facade of what men think is real. All around us we see the world and busy ourselves with the needs of life. We hurry through each day trying to gain a new day and a more time to fill our lives with the emptiness of our pursuits. Fame is sought and gained and there is no satisfaction. Wealth is the goal of millions and when millions are gained life still is empty. The pursuit of pleasure fills our minds and while we attain its momentary enjoyment, it never last. Knowledge is bounded up in our minds as we seek all the mysteries of this world and this too is vanity.
The wise of man of the Old Scriptures describes the pursuit of life and what is found in its gain. The conclusion Solomon reaches after seeking fame, fortune, knowledge and pleasure is that life is about so much more. All these things are merely an outward appearing of that which is a fantasy world of make-believe. Life is not about those things we see around us nor is it the gain of everything in the world. Life filled with these pursuits will come to an end and then what?
"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"
(Mark 8:36) The value of a man is not found in the world about him but the world within in. Solomon reached the conclusion that the "whole of man was to fear God and keep His commandments." (Ecclesiastes 12:13) This is the reality of all things in life. You can live in the finest house on the finest street with the finest car and the greatest bank account - but when you step behind the facade of life you see that it is held up with wooden frames of men's dreams.To often we live in a Disney World where everything is make-believe and fun with little grasp on what is on the other side. Solomon again reminds us:
"For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:14) Life is about making plans for the life that is to come.As children of God we live in a world that is not our home. Our home and our country of which we belong is beyond this world of make-believe. Paul tells us in Philippians 3:20,
"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." Earlier he had said, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." (1:21-23)Disney World, Universal Studios and places such as that are fun - for a short time. They are not the real world. Life is an enjoyable adventure - for a short time. This life is not what living is all about. Life is about living in that eternal home with God! Are you ready?
Can The Unscripturally Divorced Date?
(Kent Heaton)
Hebrews 13:4 establishes the view God has of marriage:
"Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge." The relationship of a man and woman is sacred to God as found in Malachi 2:16 - "For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce." Men have disregarded the law of God concerning the union of a man and a woman declaring their own laws and establishing their own ways.The honor of marriage will never change in the eyes of the Lord and even though men seek to follow their own ways, judgment will declare His way to be true. Fornication and adultery is not accepted in God's eye as it destroys the tenets of the bond of holy marriage. The needs and desires of men to seek their own pleasures set aside the purity of God's law. Divorce is something that God declares that He hates.
The apostle Paul used the law of marriage as an example of the binding of law in Romans 7:2-3,
"For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man." The binding of marriage is for life. Even in the face of divorce where no cause before God is accepted as just, the man and woman are bound to one another for life.If divorce is for a cause other than that given by the Lord (Matthew 19), the man and woman are still bound to one another in the eyes of God. As they are bound to one another by the law of marriage, they can have no relations with any other person. Can a married man "date" a woman who is not his wife or can a woman "date" a man who is not her husband? Can a man who is divorced (without scriptural cause) "date" a woman and be pleasing to God? Can the same be said of the woman in that case? No man nor woman can have "relations" (sexual or not) with any other as they are bound to someone else. God condemns such as He would condemn those who are still bound together in marriage of dating anyone else.
Those who find themselves living with the consequences of a failed marriage must abide by the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 19:11-12,
"But He said to them, 'All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."Men have made a mockery of God's law when they disregard this fundamental element of the law of marriage. Exalting themselves above the law of God and becoming their own law, they choose to live as they please, setting aside the commandments of the Lord. The example of disobedience brings shame and reproach upon the name of Jesus Christ and the blood He shed upon the cross. All of this to fulfill their own needs and disregard the law of God.
Psalm 119:89 says,
"Forever, O LORD, your word is settled in heaven." The futility of men to set aside the word of God will be found in the final day. There will be no excuses and no reasoning of why or what for. The law of marriage will be held high in honor as it is established in the mind of God. Until men choose to serve the Lord and Him alone, vain attempts to set aside the law of God will continue. He who is able to accept it, let him accept the word of God as law. There is no hope in anything else.(Kent Heaton)
Noah is one of the most vivid examples of faith found in scripture. Through the grace of God, he was warned of the impending flood and what he needed to do to be saved of its destruction. God instructed Noah to build an ark and Noah did exactly as God told him to do. Because he was a righteous man, Noah built the ark to the exact specifications given by God. Noah followed the pattern and found salvation in the word of God.
The example of Noah should bear witness to men today of the importance of following the pattern set forth in God's word. There may have been a lot of ways to build the ark concerning its size, type of wood and internal compartments, but unless Noah followed the pattern, no salvation would have been possible. The faith of Noah is found in Genesis 6:22 -
"Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did." The religious world of our day seems to follow their own pattern even in the face of plain Bible teaching.One such example came across my desk recently from a "singles" magazine put out by the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. A statement is found from Kenneth Hughey that says, "Sometimes the best men available to serve as deacons are singles." There is a lot to be said of the value of those who are single and what a wonderful contribution the unmarried can bring to the work of the Lord. However, there are some areas that singles cannot function in. Let us see what the word of God says about deacons. 1 Timothy 3:8-13:
"Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."The qualities of a man that is to be a deacon is clearly outlined in this passage. The characteristics are that of reverence, watchfulness of speech, sober, humble, pure, blameless and - married! Even the wives of deacons have qualities listed that are just as important. While single men have much to offer they can never serve as deacons. Contrary to the teaching of the Mormon church, elders are not single men either (see 1 Timothy 3:1-7).
Those who have the leadership role of the church are married men (elders). Those men who serve in the work of deacons are also married men. The wives of these men must be of a certain character as shown in the text. See also Titus 1:5-9. Men have long changed the design and structure of the church. We must not allow them to continue to profane God's word.
How easy it is to change the words of God to accommodate the desires of men today. If Noah had decided to build the ark out of anything but gopher wood - the ark would have sunk. Does it make a difference that deacons must be married men? As much difference as gopher wood is to cherry wood. Let God be true and His word stand in its simple teaching. Do not allow men to dissuade you to believe what is not true. 1 Peter 4:11 -
"If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God." Are you a deacon as found in God's word or in the doctrines of men? It will make a difference one day.Let The Lower Lights Be Burning
(Kent Heaton)
The rocky shores of time have long received the battered souls lost in the storm of sin. As men have traveled the sea of life and found themselves tossed about by the cunning craftiness of the evil one, the Creator of heaven and earth raised up a light to shine upon all mankind.
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:4,5)Through the darkness of sin, the Son of God shines bright to guide men to the safety of the harbor. The light probes the blackness of the night and the storm does not extinguish its power. As men seek to gain safety in the harbor, the storm increases to a violent surge of temptation and trial and doubt. The light shines even brighter to show the way to peace and eternal life. The lighthouse will bring men to the shore but much more work must be done.
As the storm increases with the ever present shore drawing near, those lost in the waves cannot see the harbor. Then, through the darkness and wind swept waves towering over them, lights appear along the shore. The way comes more clear as the lower lights are burning to guide the struggling seaman to the place of safety. The lower lights are important to direct the lost to the harbor and bring them safely in. With the sight of the lower lights, those lost in sin know they are nearing the shore and salvation. Hearts lift high with the expectation of security in the harbor of God. Another soul is saved as they have responded to the Son of God, aided by the lower lights guiding them to peace.
Romans 10:14,15 declares,
"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"The song written by P. P. Bliss portrays the storms common to Lake Erie as sailors caught in a violent storm, looked for the lighthouse and especially the lower lights to be burning. From those thoughts he penned a song about our need to shine as
"lights in the world." (Philippians 2:15) The mercy of God has been shed abroad to all men through Jesus Christ. Those lost in sin are looking for those lights along the shore that will help guide them to safety. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp-stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."We are the lower lights that need to be burning in our words, our actions, our thoughts - our example of the light that is within us. Jesus further explains this in Matthew 6:22,23:
"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" So many people in the world are lost in the storms of sin. Our light or our example may determine whether they find the safety of Jesus Christ. If we are full of darkness, we cannot be a light to those around us. The lower lights of our faith in Jesus Christ must shine brightly across the wave.At the persecution of Saul, "lower lights" went everywhere preaching the word. (Acts 8) Hebrews 11 is the hall of faith of "lower lights" burning bright. Peter exhorted the "lower lights" to present a good example in 1 Peter 2:11,12. We are the lower lights and if our light has gone out, how great is the darkness we leave. Those struggling to come to Christ will not see our light. On the other hand, building our light as bright as we can will lead many to Christ.
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