The apostle John saw Jesus in the flesh face to face and what he witnessed in his participation with the Lord’s earthly ministry changed him forever.  In 1 John 1:1-4, John writes:

 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

 

Personal knowledge of Jesus Christ had given the apostle John joy and he wished to impart that knowledge and joy to others.

While John by inspiration wrote letters which form a good portion of the New Testament, there were many things he wanted to express to his fellow Christians face to face.  Second John is a brief letter including this statement near the end explaining its brevity, “Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full” (2 John 12).  Third John is even shorter and ends with these words, “But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name” (3 John 14).

Obviously, there is something to seeing others face to face, being physically present with them, and calling them by name.  Anyone who has gone through a lengthy automated phone system (where pressing a number just leads to another automated message) quickly feels a strong desire to speak to an actual person.  Technology that allows us to communicate with others all around the world has also made us more mobile; thus, good friends often move away from each other.  Ironically social media that is intended to connect people seems to promote less authentic, surface relationships that can leave individuals feeling lonely.

The need for Christians to “come together” (1 Cor. 11:17, 18, 20, 33, 34; 14:23, 26) in one physical location to worship God and commune with Him and one another in the Lord’s Supper is still very real even in the 21^st century.  We are affected by who comes in the assembly (James 2:2-3).  We can be encouraged by the presence of others or discouraged by their absence.  Thus, we must still make every effort to provoke one another to love and good works, not by forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, but by encouraging one another (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Look at the influence Jesus had on the world by being present with those whom He came across in His earthly life.  Read the Gospel accounts and be impressed with the effect Jesus had on those in His presence.  Are you present with those who are around you or is your mind and attention elsewhere?  Are you present when we come together and worship?  Tremendous good can be done if we learn to show the love of God to others face to face

All accountable people have sins. 1 John 1:8 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”. One preacher said, “You cannot spell “sin” without the “I,” and where is the “I”? It is smack dab in the middle of the word. The wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23. What Shall We Do With Our Sins?

One person says, “‘I’ll forget I have any, so maybe they won’t really exist.” You may forget about (or try to forget) your sins, but God doesn’t. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 25:7, “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.” He knew his sins would be remembered by God.

Another person says, “I’ll run away from sin.” But where will you run? Psalms 139:7-8 teaches, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there”. This is comforting to those that love him. That they will never be where they may not find their God. Yet this is a fearful thought to those that disobey Him. That, as much as they may wish it and try as they might, they can never find a place where there is not a holy God!

Someone else says, “I’ll blame my sin on others.” God had commanded that Adam and Eve were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Genesis 2:17, 3:1-3. They sinned when they disobeyed God, Genesis 3:6. Adam in effect blames God because He was the one who gave her to him. Adam blames the woman, the woman blames the serpent. How well did that work? See Genesis 3:22-24

Another person says, “I’ll cover up my sins.” You cannot hide your sins, God knows everything because “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good”, Proverbs 15:3. This statement is a terror to the sinful and great encouragement to the faithful. Christ told the church at Smyrna, “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:9-10.

Some people say that they’ll get rid of their sin tomorrow or at a more convenient time when they put off obeying God’s will. God says we must do it NOW. 2 Corinthians 6:2 teaches, “…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

We should plan for eternity, not tomorrow like the rich fool did in Luke 12:16ff. We should not say “Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee” like Felix did in Acts 24:25. As far as we know this “convenient season” never came for him.

Dear friend, don’t try to ignore, run away from, pass the blame, try to hide, or put off dealing with your sin. Obey the Gospel today. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God, Repent of a life of sin, Confess the name of Christ, be Baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, and live your life in obedience to Christ. Do it today. You will never regret it.

-Jerry D. Sturgill

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” Lamentations 3:21-24

As God’s children, our hope is in Him who is faithful, merciful, and unchanging. The world views the word hope in the sense of an uncertain wish. Luke 23:8 says of Herod when Pilate sent Jesus to him to be tried, “he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.” Similarly, Felix kept Paul imprisoned because, “he hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him” (Acts 24:26). But these are exceptions to the way the Bible uses the term hope.
The Christian’s hope is far from an uncertain wish. It is a firm expectation of the good God will do coupled with a desire to experience it. Christian hope is based on the love of God. Romans 5:5 says, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” There is confidence in the Christian’s hope.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead gives Christians a living hope (1 Peter 1:3). The Christian is one who has been united with the Lord’s death through baptism and has been raised to walk in newness of life. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:4-5). The resurrection of Jesus from the dead means Christians can have confidence that they will be raised when the Lord returns. It is not just wishing, but “knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:14).
This hope helps us to keep our minds on things above, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20-21). It therefore motivates us to remain pure as children of God so that we will be ready for His coming. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3). Hope also anchors our souls through the storms of life (Hebrews 6:18-19). Instead of trials dashing our hopes, our confident expectation becomes stronger when we cling to God through it all. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Romans 8:24-25).
As Christians, we must remember how important it is to keep hope alive among us. God has given us the evidence that should make us confident in the glories in store for us in heaven. It is only when we take our minds off this and focus on the world that hope dies in our hearts.

-Mark Day

“Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number” (Jeremiah 2:32).  A bride on her wedding day would never forget her makeup or her dress.  She is looking in the mirror all day making sure she is perfect for her wedding.  For a bride to go up the aisle and realize she had not changed into her dress would be unthinkable.  Yet, this sort of incredible occurrence happened in the spiritual realm with the nation of Judah that was in spiritual decline during the days of Jeremiah.  God says He had been forgotten.  How could they do such a thing?

God remembered the honeymoon He had with His nation (Jeremiah 2:2-3).  The people followed Him out into the wilderness before they were ever given the blessings of the land they now inhabited.  Much like a young couple that is so much in love that it doesn’t matter if they don’t have money, they have each other, so God’s relationship was with His people.  It seems odd for God to condescend to this imagery of a young couple in love to illustrate His relationship to His people.  It is an image that does not evoke a concept of God’s supreme majesty.  But it does bring to our minds an image of what our sin does to God.  Divorce is such a painful experience.  There are many that have gone through such an experience.  There are many that have been close friends to those who have gone through such turmoil and can only imagine what it is like.  Those who have experienced a spouse being unfaithful to them know what it is like to open themselves up to someone in marriage and make themselves vulnerable only for their spouse to walk out on them.  This is the pain we cause God when we sin.  When we put other efforts, people, or things in His place, whatever it may be, we betray Him who wants to be our one, true love.

None of the replacements we have for God make us complete.  Just as Judah had false gods that could not deliver them, people today try to make themselves complete with things that can never make them complete.  You see God is the ornaments and the attire of the bride (Jeremiah 2:32).  Even though no bride is flawless, somehow every bride is perfect on her wedding day.  Jesus Christ gave Himself for the church, His bride (Ephesians 5:23-25).  He came to earth and died for the church, “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:26-27). Jesus is God; He was already perfect before the world ever began (John 1:1-3; 17:24).  He did not come to the world because He had any sin or defect (Matthew 3:14-15; John 8:46).  The reason He came to live as a man on earth and die for us was to make us perfect.  Through baptism, “the washing of water,” we come in contact with this cleansing blood that can make us pure white before God (Ephesians 5:26; cf. Revelation 1:5; 7:14).  When we’re baptized we put on Christ Jesus just as bride puts on her dress (Galatians 3:27).  Each day we must continue to put Him on by pursuing Him instead of sin (Romans 13:14). Have you forgotten your dress that makes you complete?  Don’t walk out on Jesus for something else that can never make you complete.

 

-Mark Day

To the church of Corinth, the inspired apostle Paul explained, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).  The sorrow of the world does not lead to a changed attitude toward sin.  It is a grief over the predicaments in which sin leads. Feeling sorry for oneself leads to a sinful selfishness not a cessation of sin.

Cain murdered his brother, but the only sorrow he expressed in the Biblical account is a lament over how great his punishment was, how miserable his life as a vagabond would be, and how vengeful people would seek to murder him (Genesis 4:13-14).  Esau was upset over the loss of his birthright and blessing; however, it was because he was a profane person—treating that which was to be highly regarded as if it were nothing—that he agreed to sell his birthright  (Hebrews 12:16-17).  His feeling sorry for himself led him to comfort himself by plotting to murder Jacob (Genesis 27:42).  Judas wanted to return the money he made in betraying Christ, but his sorrow led him to hang himself instead of seeking Christ’s forgiveness (Matthew 27:3-5; cf. John 17:12).

The repentance of Peter stands in stark contrast to the case of Judas.  Peter wept bitterly (Luke 22:62).  His sorrow led him to do as Jesus prayed: turn to the Lord and strengthen his brethren (Luke 22:32).  This is the proper sadness: godly sorrow that leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10).  This sorrow leads to a vastly different outcome than the sorrow of the world.  The contrast between the two is seen vividly in those who were “pricked in their heart” in Acts 2:37 and those “cut to the heart” in Acts 7:54.  The former felt guilt and were moved to obey Peter’s command to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38, 41).  The latter felt bad, but lashed out at Stephen, stoning him (Acts 7:57-59).

Godly sorrow is necessary to our salvation.  It brings us to the point where we determine to change our attitude and practice in regard to sin.  If we did not have godly sorrow, our hearts would be callused.  We would be “past feeling” (Ephesians 4:19) and having our “conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:2).  Be broken up over your sins.  Let the guilt you experience move you to repentance, lest you become cold-hearted and unable to respond to God’s mercy.  “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

-Mark Day