By Michael E. Brooks

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).

Our team had been in Parimaribo, Suriname for only a day or so when we saw the headlines in the newspaper, "Jaguar escapes from local zoo." Since Parimaribo is not a very large city, some of us were understandably concerned about the possibility of a confrontation with the animal. When we mentioned this to local people, their reaction was a casual dismissal. One said, "Don't worry, it will turn up." In fact it did, inside a house, making a meal of the family dog.

A few years ago I read an interview with a prominent humanist. This agnostic was asked about the possibility of life after death. The response was another casual dismissal. "Let the future take care of itself; if there is life after death we will deal with it then."

Common to both these situations is the undeniable fact that if one waits until the beast "turns up" every advantage is given to the beast. Do you really want to walk into a dark house where a hungry jaguar is waiting? In the same way, if Biblical teaching of eternity, judgment and responsibility is true, then should we wait until we verify that truth after death before we attempt to prepare? We cannot; it will simply be too late.

I am reminded of Peter's description of Satan as a roaming predator. He is real, he is "out there" and he is looking for us. Peter's command is that we be ever watchful and prepared. Don't be taken by surprise. What pertinent and appropriate advice. No human is equipped to take on a lion unprepared or unarmed. We need all the warning we can get. In our confrontations with the "powers of darkness" we are even more overmatched. We must be prepared, and we must have help. The New Testament is filled with exhortations and instructions designed to help us survive such encounters. Some representative verses are:

"Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good" (Rom. 12:9b).

"Abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thes. 5:22).

"Pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Lk. 22:40).

"But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness" (1 Tim. 5:11).

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you" (Phil. 4:8-9).

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58).

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary" (Galatians 6:9).

Preparation to confront Satan is of two kinds. First there is the defensive watch. Don't let him surprise you. Be aware and alert at all times. When he appears, run! Avoid danger, flee from danger, watch for danger. These are sensible and necessary precautions. But they are not all of our preparation.

The second kind of preparation is offensive in nature. It consists of learning and doing God's will and of being continuously busy in good works. In sports there is a truism, "the best defense is a good offense." In Cricket, as long as your team is batting, the other team cannot score. Similarly in soccer, if your team is controlling the ball on the opponent's end of the field, they cannot put it in your net. So it is in spiritual matters. Idleness gives Satan great advantage. No victim is easier to attack that one which is asleep. However, when we are actively involved in doing God's will and in maintaining close relations with him, Satan has no opportunity to harm us. Danger is real, but we can survive and triumph if we remain alert and if we remain in service to Almighty God.

by Greg Tidwell

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well (James 2:8).

In a style reminiscent of the Sermon on the Mount and of the Old Testament wisdom literature, the Epistle of James distills great practical truths into plain and straightforward statements.

The principle quoted from the Law of Moses "love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18), is denoted as "the royal law". Some modern theorists have attempted to use this primacy of love to set aside other commands recorded in Scripture.

The rule of love stands above the other commandments, however, not in the sense of setting the others aside but in the sense of encompassing the other commandments. As the apostle Paul explains:

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:8-10).

The Bible provides many commands to explain and clarify what sort of life we ought to live in response to the love of God. These commands are not in contrast to the way of love, they are the embodiment of God's love directing our lives.

Much trendy religion paints the Christian message in terms of self-indulgent gratification. Nothing could be further from the truth. Love, as commanded in Scripture, is always self-denying, never self-affirming. Love is described in terms of what the one who loves must not do. The way of love is the way of the cross - a focus on serving others, not on being served.

Below is a list of books available, in formats such as html, MS Word, or pdf, that can be either read or downloaded free online.

Some of the authors are from various religious backgrounds, but their works are of interest from a textual or Bíblical standpoint. They are noted with an asterisk (*).

If you have a suggestion for an online book, please email us at forthrightmag fastmail fm .

An Analysis of Certain Features of Discourse in the NT Book of I Corinthians -- by Bruce Terry (1993).

A Brief Commentary on the Book of Mark -- by Carl W. Conrad* (2004). [No comments on 16:9-20.]

Catholicism Against Itself -- by O. C. Lambert, vol. I, abridged. (Star Bible, 1963.)

Evangelism Handbook of NT Christianity -- by Phil Sanders (Self-published). In PDF or MSWord format.

Introducing the Church of Christ -- by various authors (Star Bible, 1981).

Online Textual Commentary on the Greek Gospels -- by Wieland Willker* (Jan. 2004). [Deals with textual variations of the four gospels.]

Resurrection and Exaltation of Jesus Christ, The -- by Joel Stephen Williams. (World Literature Publications.)

Revelation Commentary -- by Manly Luscombe. (Self-published.)

Sermons on the Cross -- by Joel Stephen Williams. (World Literature Publications, 1987.)

Special Hermeneutics for Preachers -- by Dr. Phil Sanders. Course material for the Nashville School of Preaching and Biblical Studies. (You must register and then join the Forthright group -- this is not the email subscription.) MS and PDF formats available.

What is Christianity? -- by Joel Stephen Williams. (Kerygma Books, 1997.)

Why I am a Member of the Church of Christ -- by Bill Cantrell. Sunday school material, consulted Leroy Brownlow's book of similar name.

by Tim Hall

When he was discovered, he was barely recognizable. Those who had known him in better days were shocked at his present appearance. He once was strong, well-groomed, cocky and the picture of command. Now, however, he looked like the homeless man he was. He was filthy, his hair was matted, his beard long and unkempt, and he acted almost incoherently. Could this be the man they had once feared?

By the way, we're not describing last week's capture of Saddam Hussein – though we could be. Instead, we're elaborating on the information found in Daniel 4:28-33 regarding King Nebuchadnezzar. Ironically, Nebuchadnezzar reigned in the same land as Saddam. The great city of Babylon was located only about fifty miles south of present-day Baghdad. Both rulers were feared by their subjects, and both boasted of great things. In time, however, both were brought down from their lofty perches (though Nebuchadnezzar heeded his warning and repented).

Isaiah 14 contains "a proverb against the king of Babylon" (v. 4) that well describes the fate of Nebuchadnezzar, Saddam Hussein, and any others who exalt themselves against the will of Almighty God. Consider these lines: "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; . . . I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit" (Isaiah 14:12-15).

In a sermon on the day Saddam Hussein's capture came to light, Proverbs 29:23 was noted: "A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor." Pride is perhaps man's greatest stumbling block. Humility is our greatest need. We have again witnessed a dramatic illustration of the truth God has long tried to teach.

Doubtless there will be others to rise up and sit on Nebuchadnezzar's throne of arrogance. They, too, will be cast down in due time. Those who are wise, however, will consider these examples and learn.

by Mike Benson

Alvin Straight was a seventy-three-old resident of Laurens, Iowa. One day, Alvin learned that his older brother, some seven years his senior, had suffered a debilitating stroke. As you might expect, he wanted to visit his brother and see about his welfare.

But Alvin had a transportation problem of sorts. You see, he lived in Laurens, Iowa while his brother lived in Blue River, Wisconsin - which was several hundred miles away. And he couldn't just jump in his car and drive to Wisconsin because the state wouldn't issue him a driver's license due to his poor eye-sight. In addition, he had a certain phobia about traveling by other conventional means such as a bus, a plane, or a train.

But now that didn't stop him. You might say Alvin devised a new means of extended travel. In 1994, he climbed aboard his 1966 John Deere tractor lawn mower...and drove it all the way to Wisconsin to see his sick brother.

Dear reader, barriers can't stop devotion. Real love finds a way (Ex. 2:1ff; Ruth 1:3ff; 1 Sam. 20:1ff; Esth. 2:5ff). Think about it.