by Stan Mitchell

One of the buzz words heard around religious circles these days is "accountability." Apparently the idea is that a group of Christians get together, and "hold each other accountable" for their actions. They urge each other to study the Bible, pray, stay off the bottle -- whatever it is that the other needs.

I believe that as a church we should be concerned about each other, and that when a brother is falling away we should do what we can to restore him: "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you may also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1).

Paul seems to be saying, "Help your erring brother, but do it with great care, do it humbly, recognizing your own weakness, and only when it is warranted." I would like to remind us that there is another word that should be added to the phrase "accountability." It is the word "personal," forming the phrase "personal accountability."

"So then each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:10).

"For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son --both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die" (Ezekiel 18:4).

It is all too human for us to spot the weakness of others, and all too easy to forget that we each bear an awesome responsibility before God ourselves.

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This evening read Matthew 27:27--50

Jesus Died

Following the story of Jesus convinces us that He can do anything. Such a Man as He can also prevent anything bad from happening to Him, so that we should never read of His death. Then we do. We read how the Jews and the Romans treated Jesus with treachery. Finally, Matthew 27:50 reads,

50 Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit (Mat. 27:50).

We are shocked that the One whom we are convinced is the Son of God, dies. Thinking these things, we are just like His apostles, who at first did not realize that these things were to happen. If Jesus can do anything, why or how did He die? In the end, were men finally able to over power Him? No. Look at our passage again. Jesus yielded up His spirit. He died because He made the decision to die. Men did not take His spirit from Him, but He yielded up His spirit.

Jesus did many wonderful things while on the earth, but the greatest thing He did was to obtain the forgiveness of our sins, which He did not do miraculously, but through the horrifying event of a Roman crucifixion. Jesus wants to forgive you, going to the greatest possible lengths to acquire forgiveness for you. Do you understand that Jesus loves you?

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Leviticus 17 and 18

We Still Cannot Eat Blood

To Israel God said,

10 And whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among you, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people (Lev. 17:10).

In earlier devotionals, I pointed out that Christians do not have all the clean and unclean dietary restrictions of the children of Israel, but the restriction against eating blood is still with us. Acts 15:28, 29 says that Christians are to abstain from blood. Leviticus 17:11, 12 explains why Israel was forbidden from eating blood, because the life of the flesh is in the blood, and that is still true. Therefore, the reason for abstaining remains.

Christians are free to eat, but discernment also goes with freedom.

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100