by J. Randal Matheny

"Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God" (Romans 15:7, NASB).

"Just as I am." Christ accepts me just as I am, in order to make me what he wants me to be.

Just as I am, with all my hangups, problems, neuroses, and unresolved issues. And sins. Especially with all my sins.

After acceptance comes transformation, not before. "Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve."

Christ never ignores, excuses, or overlooks my sins and all the rest of my ugliness. Never. But he takes me in, just as I am.

"Thy love unknown Has broken every barrier down." I am afraid, unsure, halting, uncertain. But his open arms assure me that when I take the first step, he will accept me.

"Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone." Slowly he peels away the hardness, the scabs, the layers of hurt and resentment, the knots of pain and anger. He pours off the dregs of my darkness.

I am still in process. The sculpted image of God stands yet incomplete.

Wherever I am in this process, Christ still accepts me.

And as frustrated, discouraged, tired, as I may be with my progress or lack of it, Christ still accepts me.

And bids me accept myself, where I am, with the warts and wrinkles and worry lines. With the scars and cuts and bruises. Spots and all.

This is me. Much of it from long ago, still lingering, still limping, still aching. Just as I am.

"O Lamb of God, I come, I come!"

by Phil Sanders

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16).

Today is the best day you have to do a kindness, to lift up a broken-hearted friend, to study God’s Word, to pray, or to tell a friend about the Lord. Today is the best day, because it is really the only day you have. Tomorrow is gone, and tomorrow is but a presumption.

John Mason (1706-1773) said, “As every thread of gold is valuable, so is every minute of time.” Moments keep coming but, once passed, cannot be reclaimed or redone. This is why making every moment’s record be for good rather than ill is so important. We truly do trade a piece of lives for the moments we live.

The philosopher Nietzsche believed that “God is dead.” What he meant is that God no longer lived in the lives of people. Nietzsche himself had been a seminary student but had been tempted by prostitutes. Contracting a social disease, which ate at his body and his mind, Nietzsche wrote ceaselessly of life without God. He died a madman.

When people cast God out of their lives, they also cast out the very reason for their existence. They end up without hope and without purpose. They may leave a mark, as Nietzsche did; but it will be a harmful mark, leading to despondency and hopelessness.

The days are indeed evil, even when God is in our lives. That is why a close, loving relationship with the Lord is so needed.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Prov. 9:10). The most foolish thing we can do is to “despise wisdom and instruction” (1:7). If we are to live wise and productive lives, the first thing we must do is to come to know the Holy One. The world is dark and evil, because it does not know Him. Life, love, joy, hope, peace, wisdom, and grace all find their source in God.

Today is the best day you have to serve God and to serve others. Why not make the most of your time by letting God in your life and letting His love work through you. That is truly making the most of your time and is the only thing that lasts beyond this life. All else will be forgotten.

by Kevin Cauley

We've all used conditional sentences in language. Perhaps the greatest use (abuse) of the conditional is in regard to rearing children, "If you touch that, then you'll regret it!" (Ah, the joys of parenthood.) But we also use conditional sentences in every day conversation and business. "If the third quarter profits are up, then we will remove the hiring freeze."

Conditional sentences come in many varieties. Sometimes we use conditionals when we want to assume something to be true for the sake of argument. "If, as you say, the rent is due on the 15th, then I will pay it." Sometimes we use conditionals to indicate probability. "If it rains on Friday, then I will not be able to play golf." Sometimes we use conditionals to indicate counterfactual situations. "If you were a gentleman, then you would have opened the door for your date."

We find conditional sentences in the New Testament as well. Linguists have categorized these conditional sentences into five classes. A class one conditional sentence is a sentence that assumes the truth of the condition for the sake of argument.¹ This conditional is composed of the word "EI" (if) with the indicative mood in the first half of the conditional, and with any mood or tense being used in the conclusive half of the condition. (Linguists call the conditional part of the sentence [the part with 'if'] the protasis, and the main clause the apodosis.)

Some have stated in the past that "EI" in the first class conditional may be translated "since." But this isn't the case. More properly, we should consider the conditional clause that which is assumed true for the sake of discussion or that which is assumed true because someone believes it to be true (either the speaker or the one with whom one is having the conversation). While it is the case that the indicative mood is the mood of fact, it is the mood of fact only insomuch as some individual believes his statement to be fact. It isn't always necessarily the case that the speaker is stating facts, though he believes them to so be. Hence, when seeing the first class conditional used, we may readily accept that someone believes the condition to be true, though it may not actually be.

One such example is found in Matthew 12:26-28. Jesus says in verse 27, "And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out?" This statement is, in fact, a first class conditional sentence. Does that mean that it is true that Jesus casts out demons by Beelzebub? No. But it does mean that Jesus assumed that to be true for the sake of argument in this context, namely, because the Pharisees believed that to be true. Verses 26 and 28 also contain examples of first class conditional sentences because someone believed those things to be true as well.

Matthew 17:4 is another fine example. Peter says, "It is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." Peter uses the first class conditional, assuming that it would be the Lord's will that these tabernacles be made. It was, in fact, Peter's belief that this would be the Lord's will. But it really wasn't the Lord's will.

Lord willing, we shall take up the discussion of the remaining four classes of conditional statements in the weeks to come. For the present, however, I shall be taking a short break from writing my column as we are expecting our third child next week. I look forward to sharing more from my studies of Greek, after a short hiatus. Thanks for reading.

1. See Wallace's discussion in Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Zondervan 1996) pp. 690-694. The first class conditional is fraught with some controversy on how it is to be handled, but I believe that Wallace does a good job in pointing out the fallacies of the "traditional" view that "if" may be translated "since" in some passages. In fact, Wallace states, "We will argue that the first class condition should never be translated since."

by Michael E. Brooks

"Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go" (Joshua 1:7).

When trekking to remote villages in the mountains of Nepal I often go ahead of my Nepali companions and guides. At some point however I always come to a crossing of or fork in the path(s). Sometimes I guess as to the correct route and go on, only to usually be called back to take the other way. It always amazes me however how easily even those Nepalis who have never traveled this way before can determine the proper path. On one early trip a young boy of eleven or twelve would often lead and invariably he would take the right turn, although he had never been in that particular area before.

One develops a feel for direction and a sense of the proper route. Experienced drivers in our country can often predict a turn or route from the general direction indicated, the appearance of the roads, or even subtle differences in road surface and quality. If a wrong turn is taken the mistake is frequently "felt" within only a few miles.

This principle also works in the spiritual realm. Most people want to "do right." They desire consistency of faith and virtue. Yet temptation is strong and sin is frequent. As Paul said, "The good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice" (Romans 7:19). As we often paraphrase it, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).

The answer to this dilemma is found in God’s command to Joshua: "Observe to do all the law which Moses my servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left."

There is a correct path which we must travel. It is defined by the commands of the law of God. If we continue in that path, never deviating from it, we will prosper. If we leave that path we will fail. Jesus endorsed this principal with these words:

"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).

Those who seek the will of God soon develop a feel and a preference for the right path. We learn quickly the kinds of things God approves and the kinds of things which are temptations from Satan. God’s path looks different, feels different, and points in a different direction. To those accustomed to it, no other route holds the promises of the "strait and narrow path that leads to life" (Matthew 7:14).

Do not turn to the right or to the left. Observe and do the commands of God, and you shall prosper.

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:14-15

In this encouragement from the Apostle Paul to the young evangelist three points can help us as we consider our work in the church.

First, notice the importance of childhood training. Timothy’s spiritual instruction began with childhood. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of training children in the faith from the earliest years. The teaching which occurs in our Bible classes, at special events such as church camp or Vacation Bible School, and - most importantly - in our homes is a vital aspect of the Lord’s work.

Second, not only did Timothy receive instruction from his youth, but Paul tells us the content of this instruction. Timothy had been trained in Scripture. We must be careful never to dilute our message with other things. The Bible must remain central in our work as God’s people.

Third, the result which came from this training was salvation. As we teach children, teenagers and adults the ultimate goal of our instruction is the salvation of their souls.

Keeping these things in mind provides a perspective on the work of the church which can keep us in balance. While there are many good things we can do in the Lord’s service, we must not neglect our central mission of teaching the gospel.

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