Proverbs 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

Pro 4:15  Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

Solomon says the way to avoid sin is to stay far far away from it: “Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” (Pro 4:15). It means don’t ever go near to it or even look at it.

Curiosity killed the cat. “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat" (Gen3:6).

Was Eve lingering around the forbidden fruit tree? Perhaps she was and Satan took occasion of it and tempted her to sin.

How about king David. He was on the rooftop of his palace. He chanced on a woman bathing. It was purely accidental. He should have walked away. But he stayed on. He couldn’t get his eyes off the woman. It induced lust on him. The end result he committed adultery with her. As we know, one sin led to another and he had to kill her husband to hide his adultery (2 Sam 11:1-27).

Just ask any unmarried girl or woman who has an unwanted pregnancy and she will tell that one thing led to another and they lost control of themselves. They should have just walked away from that compromising situation. But they stayed on in the temptation of their own choice.

Or ask anyone who is in jail because of drug or any other criminal offences. They will tell you that they should not have touched those things in the first place. They should have avoided them and stayed far away from those things.

When you pray that the Lord will not lead you into temptation, have it ever occurred to you that the Lord will never lead you into it but you walk into it on your own freewill? It has never been the case that the Lord has led you into temptation. You knew it was evil but you lingered at it and you led yourself into it. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (Jas 1:13-15).

Instead of lingering at the forbidden fruit, flee: “Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.” God wants us to run away from temptations instead of running into them. God says to flee from temptations: “Flee fornication” (1 Cor 6:8); “Flee from idolatry” (1 Cor 10:14); and “Flee also youthful lusts” (2 Tim 2:22).

To stay on when we know it is sinful is to allow ourselves to be tempted to sin. When one says: “Don’t worry, I know what I am doing,” he does not know what he is doing. He does not know he is playing with fire. And he who plays with fire will get burn. Ask anyone who is now an alcoholic, a smoker, a drug addict, a sex pervert, or a game addict; he would tell you he should not have started it in the first place. He should have avoided those things.

Temptations are everywhere. The issue is whether we want to toy with them or not. Oftentimes, it is the company that we associate with that will determine our path. The scripture warns: “Evil companionships corrupt good morals” (1 Cor 15:33). Therefore, choose friends wisely. Stay far away from those who are wicked and immoral: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psa 1:1).

Corrupt fiends will corrupt our morals. We must not even get near them. We must not follow them or learn their habits. Go instead in wise and right paths: “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Pro 13:20).

As Christians, we are to be holy (1 Pet 1:15-16). Therefore, let us flee temptations and live a life that leads to godliness: “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Tit 2:12).

Jimmy Lau

Winnie

This week I received the latest issue of Preacher Talk, a publication for preachers produced by Cecil May Jr., the Dean Emeritus and Professor, College of Biblical Studies at Faulkner University in Montgomery, AL.  I have always enjoyed and benefited from reading this publication.  But I was especially interested in the contents of this issue because I knew that Bro. May’s wife, Winnie, had passed away only about one month ago.  In light of the loss of his wonderful wife, what would Bro. May write?

I began reading the short articles on page one.  As with every edition of Preacher Talk, I was reminded of some profound biblical teachings, learned some new things, and even laughed at some quips – including a “Winnie-ism.”  Yet, I found myself asking, “But how are you doing, Bro. May?  Tell us what Winnie meant to you.”

Then in my reading I came to the long article on page three and noticed that Bro. May was not the author of the article.  Instead, it was a marvelous tribute to Cecil and Winnie May written by John Dobbs entitled “The Preacher and the Lady.”  John described well what I have admired in this godly Christian couple.  I “amen-ed” John’s last statement in his article: “And I wonder what the next issue of Preacher Talk will look like.  I hope it’s all about Winnie.”

And on the final page of Preacher Talk, it was.

Bro. May wrote about the day that Mrs. Winnie passed.  “The light of my life, the wind beneath my wings, my best friend and constant companion for more than 62 years, was gone.”  “Neither of us dreaded death for ourselves or for the other, but we both prayed not to go through long drawn-out pain or mental incapacity.  God answered our prayers, though I devoutly wish He would have waited a few years longer.  As I write this, it has just been a few weeks, but, oh, how I miss her!”

“God gave me a wife who was truly a helper suited to me for 62 plus wonderful years.  He gave us excellent health for most of those years.  We have been too greatly blessed to complain now.”

Bro. May concluded: “Thank you, God, for giving me Winnie and for the promise of eternal reunion.” *

I add: “Thank you, God, for Cecil and Winnie May.  Together, they have taught with their words and their lives what it means to live the Christian life.  They have influenced countless others to become Christians and to become better Christians.  They have reminded us of the hope that we have in Jesus: the promise of eternal reunion.”

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

That blessed hope is found in Jesus, for He died for our sins so that we might be forgiven of those sins and receive the gift of eternal life (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 6:23).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38).  Then, as we walk in the light of His Word, the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

And, because of Jesus, we can look forward to an eternal reunion with our loved ones in Christ.

Won’t YOU trust and obey Christ so that YOU may share in that blessed hope?

-- David A. Sargent

* Preacher Talk (Vol. 31, No. 3; Summer, 2016).  Cecil May Jr., Editor.  Faulkner University, Montgomery, AL.

David A. Sargent

Fruits of Repentance

When John came baptizing in the wilderness, there were Pharisees and Sadducees who came desiring to be baptized. John called them an “offspring of vipers” (Matt. 3:7), due no doubt to their reputation of hypocrisy and wickedness. It makes no difference how John could so discern their spiritual state; he just did. I want to focus on John’s instructions to these hypocritical religious leaders of the day: “Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance” (Matt. 3:9). It was not enough for these leaders to simply “respond to the invitation,” and then go on living in the same manner as before. In fact, it would appear that John refused to baptize them until they produced such fruits of repentance. There is much to be learned from this incident.

Some years ago I had preached a sermon on repentance, and made the point that repentance involves restitution as far as is humanly possible. Specifically I pointed out that if a man stole a horse from his neighbor, he was required to return that horse. After the sermon one of the members approached me and said that restitution is not essential. He was arguing that if a man repents and prays for forgiveness, then all is forgiven. He used a typical (but flimsy) argument that goes something like this: “Well, if you kill a man, you can’t restore him to life? Or what if you stole the horse and the horse dies? Or what if the owner dies? You can’t restore it to the original owner.” Surprisingly there are a growing number of brethren who have bought into Satan’s lies and are making the same arguments on various issues facing the brotherhood in the last twenty years or so. One area is which this unsound reasoning is being used is in dealing with the issue of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. The argument, in my estimation, is weak at best, and strained in its application. The Biblical teaching seems clear to me: if a man has stolen a horse he must return it; if he has been living in adultery in an unscriptural marriage, he must quit it! Why is that so difficult to understand? Proponents of divorce and remarriage for any cause often advocate that when a person, or persons that have previously been married and divorced come to learn and obey the gospel, that they can, with God’s blessings, remain in the marriage relationship in which they now find themselves. They base their misguided conclusion on a failure to understand the nature of repentance and all that is involved in bringing forth “fruits of repentance.” The Greek word for repentance is not just a call for sorrow. In fact it is “godly sorrow” that produces repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). One of the best definitions of repentance that I have come across was that of Johannes Behm in Kittle Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. I share a portion of what he wrote on the subject. He wrote that repentance is “final and unconditional decision…radical conversion, a transformation of nature...a turning to God in total obedience...It embraces the whole walk of man.” In view of the very meaning of repentance, how can anyone believe that they can simply express sorrow without making a radical change in their life?

What, then, did John mean when he demanded of the Pharisees and Sadducees that they bring forth “fruit worthy of repentance”? Once a person grasps the meaning of repentance, it becomes much easier to identify the “fruit” of the sorrow and change of action associated with repentance. If a person is a thief, “let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need” (Eph. 4:28). Here is a clear example of what it means to bring forth fruit worthy of repentance. Obviously, there is sorrow. This is implied in Paul’s instructions to the Ephesians and inherent in the process of repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). Second, there is cessation of sin: “steal no more.” Third, there is the replacement of evil with that which is good: “but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good.” Right here is one aspect of bringing forth fruit that is worthy of repentance that so many miss. If we genuinely repent we will do all within our power to replace the evil action with something that is good. Is this not the point the Lord makes in the parable of the “unclean spirit” that returns to the house that he had vacated? (Matt. 12:43-45). Failure to replace our sinful past with the new godly man will produce a void that will seek to be filled in some other way. Jesus told His audience that the “evil spirit” would return and the later state would be worse than the first. Fourth, the fruit will be worthy of repentance. The fruit that follows will bear testimony to a man’s changed heart and changed life.

One more note before I close this week’s article. Changing attitudes regarding divorce and remarriage are only one area in which the problem regarding repentance manifests itself. While I would not dare attempt to read a person’s heart, it seems to me that the fruit of repentance is lacking on so many occasions when a person responds to the invitation but manifests no change in life after the ink has dried on the response form and the prayers have been offered. The scenario is common: someone comes forward asking for forgiveness for neglect in attendance, and then they don’t even return on Sunday evening or Wednesday. If they happen to attend the following Sunday morning, and perhaps two or three Sunday mornings that might follow, their gathering with the saints slowly tapers off, until they no longer are found among the assembly of God’s children. After several months they might attend once again, respond to the invitation, and repeat the same scenario. Where are the fruits worthy of repentance?

~~~~~

Why can we not just be saved like the thief on the cross? The command of God which men seek to circumvent when appealing to the salvation of the thief is that of baptism. The theory goes something like this: “The thief was saved without baptism, therefore I can be saved without baptism.” Other examples are used, such as that of the man with the palsy where Jesus said, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee,” without any reference to baptism. There is a universal truth that must not be forgotten when considering the thief on the cross. “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth” (Heb. 9:16-17). I have never received an inheritance from some rich uncle. But I have received a number of gifts from some of my uncles who are still alive. But after an uncle, aunt, grandparent, or friend dies, the ONLY THING that I will receive from them is that which is written in the last will and testament, and that based upon any conditions that are set forth in that will. So long as Jesus was alive He could grant forgiveness to anyone He wanted, and upon whatever conditions He desired. But once our Lord died, the inheritance that is ours to enjoy will be bestowed only upon those stipulated in His last will and testament. And who are they? Those who have entered Christ by obedience to His will in the watery grave of baptism. I find it disturbing that some of our brethren are now advocating that God has it within His power to save anyone He wants to save and who are we to suggest that He cannot, on the judgment day, allow whomsoever He desires, to enter into heaven; even those who have never been baptized for remission of sins. Such is a failure to recognize that God has already told us who will be saved, and no man has the right to change that last will and testament of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not a matter of what God can do, but what He has promised He will do.

by Tom Wacaster