Bible Thoughts

May 17, 2004

The Scribes and the Pharisees elevated themselves above the common folks of the Lord's day. They thought they had knowledge and power that would cause them to be esteemed in the minds of the "lesser" people of Palestine. They carefully guarded their positions and refused anyone who might be a threat to their power over the Hebrews. Their self-righteousness hindered those leaders of the Jews from a willingness to carefully examine the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The opposite of the religious leaders of that day are those who were willing to listen to the Lord and responded to the words of the Master. They "gladly" listened to the words from the Son of God. How eager they were for the words of truth. Christians of today are searching for those who have open hearts as they hear the glad message of Jesus Christ.

Mankind of today is no different from those who lived in the days while Christ was upon the earth. They saw the miracles and they heard the truth from Jesus Christ. Those in religious power did not hasten to find the teachings of the Lord and worship Him as the Savior. Even in our day men search the doctrines and creedbooks of men while failing to search the New Testament. The single source for our salvation in the present is in the Lord's book, not the teachings of fallible men.

Let each of us be as the "common people" while the Lord was upon the earth. Search the scriptures and obey the commands of Christ.

Jehoshaphat was a wise man. He knew the type of life that his ancestor had lived and he sought to live the same kind of life. The example set by David was impressive to one who would be dedicated to Jehovah and His way. The king wanted to be the type of leader that was needed in the Israel of his day. Was Jehoshaphat a perfect man? No, but he had the attitude that would strengthen one who would desire to be as perfect as possible.

Jehoshaphat refused the idolatry so prevalent, at times, in Israel. He "did not seek the Baals." He was of such a mind that he knew that which was made out of wood and stone could possess no life, much less be a god. He took a step forward by removing "the high places and the Asherim from Judah." While many may not bow before a graven image, they can make the ordinary affairs of life into idolatry. Anything that stands between God and the Christian can become such when one accepts the activities of this world over the righteousness taught in the New Testament.

Jehoshaphat "followed the example of his father's David earlier days." The king knew about the righteousness in the beginning days of his reign and wanted to follow in the steps of one who sought to please the Lord.

Jehoshaphat "took great pride in the ways of the Lord." The king dedicated himself to the righteousness that should have been true of all the Hebrews of that day and the days that followed. The word "pride" in the passage is a positive word, not a negative. He wanted to do what the Lord commanded. How different from many of his day and many of our present time. When one loves the "ways of the Lord," he follows what the Lord desires in one's life and worship.

One must realize that this king, like all others, was only human. The failure that is stated in the record was the failure of the people to remove "the high places" and "had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers"(II Chronicles 20:33). What is left undone may cause problems and difficulties in the future.

The world honors its heroes with money and power; the Lord rewards faithfulness as the condition to enter heaven.

Several years ago, this writer purchased several books through a bookstore that produced material of the Christian church. They are somewhat revealing in regard to the history of that emerging denomination. There was a time, however, when those who united to form that body so that the human doctrines professed by the group could be taught and practiced. Under an article in one of the books(year 1891) was "Extreme Church Independence." The author, J. H. Garrison, reflects the positions that eventually resulted in a denomination identified as the Christian church. The words that he used in order to promote the positions of the liberals of that day reflected the approaching apostasy which was identified in the verbiage of the various articles and sermons that were presented. In the words of one who was promoting the activities and teachings that could not be found in the scriptures, it was written:

"We have learned that co-operation in Christian work, so far from being identical with, or a tendency towards ecclesiastical despotism, is the best remedy for, and the only safeguard against, such despotism; that as soon as the churches are turned away from the legitimate work in joining hands to evangelize the world, they are apt to indulge in vain speculations, to elevate human traditions to the place of divine authority, and inaugurate a tyranny of opinionism. Whatever tendency there may be among us to make mere opinions tests of fellowship will not be found, we think, to co-exist with a broad missionary spirit which finds expression in co-operative efforts to evangelize the world. And the reason for this is plain. The evangelistic spirit is also the evangelical or gospel spirit.

The danger among us has always been in the direction of an extreme individualism rather than a tyrannical ecclesiastism."

Note: Out of the above thinking came the division that resulted in the denomination that now exists as the Christian church. One wonders how long it will be before those churches of Christ who have a liberal attitude toward the work and organization of the church, as well as the scriptures, will result in another denomination. Apparently, history does repeat itself.