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| Volume 25 Number 1 January 2023 |
Page 8 |
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| Volume 25 Number 1 January 2023 |
Page 8 |
Mark McWhorter
The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a well-known account in the Bible. A younger son took his inheritance and wasted it. He came to his senses and decided to return to his father. He did not return expecting to be accepted as a son. Instead, he intended to ask his father to make him a slave. At least, he would have something to eat. He had become so poor that he had nothing.
On his return, his father gladly welcomed him. He made a big celebration for his son. He was so happy that his son had returned.
The older son was not happy that his brother had returned. Luke 15:28 says, “He was angry.” This word translates a Greek word that means a long-held anger. This was not just a rush of emotion. This older brother had disliked his brother for a long time. In addition, he had not loved his father properly for a long time either. This anger finally came out on this occasion.
The older brother refused to go into the celebration. The father came out and talked with him. In verse 28, we read, “Therefore his father came out and pleaded [“intreated” KJV] with him.” The word “intreated” is in a tense that means the father asked him over and over. The father knew that this son was lacking love. He knew that this son had an anger problem. Yet, the father continued to plead for his son to make those things right in his life. He wanted to have both sons in the celebration.
God loves you. If you turn from Him, He will still love you. Further, He will continue to intreat you to come to Him and to His other children. Today, God’s children are Christians.
Study your Bible. Love God. Obey Him. If any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.
Arise, O People of God; Let’s
Have an Armed Revolution
Ernest S. Underwood
Our foe is strong and mighty. He is full of lies and deceit. He fully intends to make you into his slave. He will be successful if you do not arm yourself for the fight and then actually engage in the fight.
Sounds sinister, doesn’t it? No, we are not talking about some carnal fight against our government’s representatives, even as wicked and corrupt as they may be. However, as the saying goes, they are “small-fry.” They can do nothing unless it is allowed by the God of Heaven Whom they apparently hate. Just like God used Judas in His plans to carry out the death of Christ for our salvation, so it is altogether possible that He may be using these corrupt and lying people for marking and identifying, for all to see, those who follow their pernicious ways. Also, just as Judas went “to his own place” (Acts 1:25 NKJV), the Scriptures assure us that such traitors also have a place to which they shall go (Matthew 22:11-13). Lest one should say that we are judging, read Revelation 21:8, which says in part, “…and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
The enemy of whom we speak is “that serpent of old who is the Devil and Satan.” Peter warned his readers about him and aptly described him. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He is a spiritual enemy and cannot be fought with carnal weapons. Yet, God’s people, the church of Christ, are not defenseless. In fact, we have extremely potent weapons. Ephesians 6:10-18 lists our weaponry. Here, the apostle Paul wrote:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
Note carefully that one is not only to take up the whole armor of God, but having done so, he is “to stand.”
This ‘standing’ involves fighting “the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). When atheists and infidels in their bluster and foolishness attack our faith, we are not to run and to hide, but we are to challenge them (Psalm 14:1; 53:1). When denominational teachers promote salvation by faith only and other Calvinistic doctrines, we must take up the sword of the Spirit and attack false doctrine. They will not be able or willing to defend them. This applies equally to those who call themselves Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and any other religious organization that cannot prove by the Scriptures their right to exist. We, as spiritual warriors for our King, must go forth to battle with faith and vigor to throw down every false way. When homosexuals claim their way of life is acceptable to God, men of God must rise up and “contend for the faith” against such perversity, realizing always that we must use the armament God has given to us, rather than the opinions and emotions of men.
The chorus of a song by Mrs. C.H. Morris states:
“The fight is on, O Christian soldier, And face to face in stern array,
With armor gleaming, and colors streaming, The right and wrong engage today;
The fight is on, but be not weary, Be strong and in His might hold fast;
If God be for us, His banner o’er us, We’ll sing the victor’s song at last.”