The Jackson Drive

Admonisher

"…able also to admonish one another."(Romans 15:14)

PUBLISHED MONTHLY IN THE INTEREST OF TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BY THE

Jackson Drive Church of Christ

1110 Jackson Dr., Athens, AL 35611

*****************************************************************

Why A Gospel Meeting & What To Expect?

These are reasonable questions and have Bible answers. As a congregation of God's people, we seek to duplicate New Testament Christianity. Just as God gave a pattern for tabernacle worship for Israel (Exodus 25:8,40), He likewise gave the New Testament church a pattern. Apostles of Christ gave instructions, ordinances or "orders" as to how the church is to conduct its affairs (see I Cor. 11:34; 14:37; 16:1; II Thess. 2:15; Tit. 1:5). Divine warnings were given not to tamper with or set aside these instructions (Col. 3:17; II John 9). When people ignore these positive instructions as well as prohibitions it is to their eternal peril.

Therefore, since the New Testament church came together on the first day of the week to break bread or eat the Lord's supper (Acts 20:7; I Cor. 11:23-27), so do we. Since Christians gave as they were prospered on the first day of the week into the treasuries of local churches (I Cor. 16:1-4), so do we. Since Christians during the first century sang psalms, hymns and spiritual songs designed to praise God and teach and admonish each other (I Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16), so do we. Since Christians prayed in public assemblies (Acts 2:42; 12:5; I Cor. 14:15), so do we. Since the New Testament church had assemblies wherein the word of God was taught in an understandable, orderly, and edifying manner (Acts 2:42; I Cor. 14:26-40), so do we.

On the Lord's day (Sunday), the church of Christ meeting on Jackson Drive in Athens, Alabama will engage in all of the above. Since the only day Christians ate the Lord's supper and gave as prospered was the first day of the week (Sunday), that is the only day we will engage in these aspects of worship.

However, as the early church met on other days besides the first day of the week for worship and hearing the word of God taught (I Cor. 14:26-40), we shall do this during our gospel meeting. Therefore, we are following divinely approved examples when we meet together as scheduled.

Why these special meetings? First, the Bible teaches that all accountable people have sinned (Rom. 3:23), that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), and that if we die in our sins we cannot go where Jesus is (John 8:22-24). The gospel is God's remedy for our sins--His power to save us (Rom. 1:16). This is why Jesus said the gospel should be preached to every creature, and whoever believes it and is baptized shall be saved (Mark 16:15,16). Therefore, one reason for these special meetings is to give everyone (since everyone has sinned) several opportunities to hear the gospel and be saved.

Second, the same word of God strengthens spiritually those who have already been saved (Acts 20:32), and fortifies against temptations and false teaching (Ephesians 6:10-18). Since the word of God is able to furnish us everything we need relative to doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (II Tim. 3:16-17), no wonder gospel preachers are instructed to "preach the word" (II Tim. 4:2). Through the preached word Christians are taught the doctrine of Christ, reproved of sin, shown how to correct wrong, and instructed in holy living. This is what genuine gospel preaching involves. It is what God designed to be done (I Cor. 1:21), and what brings the lost to Christ (I Tim. 4:16).

What To Expect? The above! Visitors will not be asked to give money. No effort is made to entertain audiences or draw people through cheap gimmicks. Since entertainment is enjoyable but has nothing to do with the salvation of lost souls, nothing of an entertaining nature is offered. However, that isn't to say such worship assemblies are dull. To the contrary; for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, such assemblies are quite joyful, edifying and "filling" (Matt. 5:6).

Only what is prescribed in the New Testament is done. Eating the Lord's supper, giving as we are prospered, congregational singing, praying, and hearing the word of God preached are what you can expect on Sunday. Monday through Friday we will sing, pray, and hear gospel preaching.

Does following God's way by God's word appeal to you? Your eternal destiny hangs on it. We pray God's blessings on you that you will obey the gospel of Christ and be faithful to Him. You are cordially invited to our gospel meeting. -- Phillip A. Owens

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

[Note: Following is the second of twelve articles on Premillennialism by Hiram Hutto.]

Premillennialism

The Land Promise (2)

In the article immediately preceding this one the importance of the promises that God made to Abraham was pointed out. Basically, these are three: (1) The land of Canaan, Gen. 12:7, later extended to include all the land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, Gen. 15:18; (2) Numerous descendants, Gen. 15:5; and (3) in Abraham's seed all families of the earth would be blessed, Gen. 22:18.

It should be pointed out that in answer to the question Abraham asked, God assured him that the fulfillment of the land promise would not be to Abraham personally. Rather, he would die (Gen. 15:15), and his descendants would receive the land after they had been in bondage in Egypt for 400 years (Gen. 15:13). Thus it was that after 400 years Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt toward the promised land (Ex. 12:40-41; Acts 7:17). Following a 40-year sojourn in the wilderness, the Israelites, under the leadership of Joshua, entered the promised land. Before Joshua died God pointed out that He "gave unto Israel all the land which He sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein"(Joshua 21:43; Neh. 9:8). Later, during the days of Solomon the Bible says "Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt"(I Kings 4:21). Thus it is that God fulfilled the land promise to the descendants of Abraham.

While it is true that God gave to the children of Israel the land that He had promised, it is important to note that though they obtained the land, KEEPING the land was on the condition that they faithfully serve God. There are numerous scriptures that so state. We will give only a few. "And it shall be, if thou shalt forget the Lord thy God and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish" (Deut. 8:19). "When you transgress the covenant of Jehovah your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourself to them: then will the anger of Jehovah be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you"(Joshua 23:16). "If you shall turn away from following me, ye or your children, and not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them…" (I Kings 9:6-7) It is obvious that their keeping the land was conditional on their faithfulness.

Even a casual reading of the Old Testament shows they were not faithful. Please notice these scriptures:

Jeremiah 7:24 - "…they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward."

Jeremiah 25:8-9 - "…thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Because ye have not heard my words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith Jehovah, and I will send unto Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them…"

Jeremiah 32:22-23 - God said that He gave them this land, which He swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey; and they came in, and possessed it; but they did not obey His voice, neither walked in His law; they have done nothing of all that He commanded them to do; therefore He caused all this evil to come upon them.

Scriptures similar to these could be multiplied dozens of times. Thus it is clear that God has fulfilled His land promise to Abraham's descendants. Since they were not faithful they forfeited any claim that may be made that the land belongs to them today.