by Greg Tidwell

A bitter dispute has engulfed Cosmology, the scientific study of the universe. The universe, baffling the scientists, gives every indication of having been planned. In particular, looking at life on earth, it appears that the world in which we live was made for us.

To make sense of these apparent facts, some scientists have embraced the "anthropic principle." This theory holds that life in general, and human beings in particular, are more than accidental byproducts of time and chance. The anthropic principle puts forward that the universe is designed with us in mind.

Keeping God Out

This line of thinking is not welcome by all researchers. Dr. David Gross, recently addressing "The Future of Cosmology" conference at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, warned his compatriots not to embrace an approach that opens the door to religion. Such a path, he claimed, is "dangerous."

Most nonbelievers treat religion with a passive tolerance. They view the faith of others as quaint superstition –- eccentric, perhaps, but not dangerous. Reflective atheists, however, those who have seriously considered their position, are a different story.

A Faith that Matters

Atheistic scholars, men of the caliber of Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, or Bertrand Russell, are often quite militant in attacking faith. Perhaps these misguided intellectuals can help Christians refocus our attention to a central truth: belief in God matters in every area of life.

Dr. Gross rails against the athropic principle because it opens the door to belief in God, a belief Gross holds to be dangerous. Gross, in actively opposing belief, highlights the truth that belief does matter in scientific study.

Those of us accepting the existence of God as the foundation of all truth should be equally passionate in our position. Belief in God matters in academic work, just as it matters in all of life.

Editor's note: More information on this conference can be found here.

by Greg Tidwell

How can I know I am saved? In answer to this question, some have looked to themselves, seeking to earn or deserve salvation. This is legalism, and it is wrong.

Salvation is by the grace of God. As we sing in the old hymn: "Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe." There is nothing I can add to the work done for me by Christ. As the apostle wrote: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Eph. 2:8,9).

Grace, however, is conditional. Not everyone will be saved, but only those who accept God's free gift through repentance and faith, as expressed in the good confession, in baptism, and in the faithful life which begins with baptism's new birth.

The Community Church movement, however, cheapens grace by teaching a gospel devoid of penitent faith. Using "grace" as a catch-phrase, they dismiss any call to obedience as "legalism".

Perhaps no holy word has been more desecrated in the current apostasy than the word "grace". Sometimes I hear people complain that the Community Church teaches too much about grace. This, however, is not possible. As we sometimes sing:

"could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made; were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade; to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry, nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky."

The problem is never that truth is taught too much, but rather that what is taught is not true. God's grace, in Scripture, means forgiveness of error. In the Community Church movement, grace has come to mean acceptance or indifference towards error.

While the Community Church confesses Christ with its lips, its heart is far from him. For healing to come, hearts must be changed. There must be both repentance and the fruit appropriate for a penitent heart.

The Bible is a book of grace, revealing our Lord as the loving husband who buys back the unfaithful wife. This is the power of the restoration principle: not that we are perfect, but that we aspire to the perfect standard. If we are faithful in the small things, God's grace will permit us to be faithful in much.

The Community Church Movement, however, does not stress repentance, but rather acceptance as a response to grace. This emphasis comes through clearly in the hallmark question of the Community Church Movement: "Is that a salvation issue?" Implicitly, this question consigns most, if not all, doctrinal and moral matters into the dustbin of irrelevance.

Selective obedience is the greatest legalism threatening the church today. Rather than believing God's objective way of salvation, the Community Church movement has presumed to decide for themselves who is saved and who is lost. Setting themselves up to decide which commandments are required and which are optional, they set themselves up to play God. The way of faith accepts God's right to command without question. The concept of selective obedience springs from a lack of faith.

In contrast to this infidelity, the Bible shows clearly that repentance is a salvation issue. A Christian, bought and paid for by the blood of Christ, is not free to indulge in selective obedience. If it is the will of God that I sing to him without instrumental accompaniment, for example, I disobey God's will in this matter at the risk of my soul. Every aspect of our obedience to God is a salvation issue, not only the things which are culturally convenient, but (more importantly) those aspects of obedience which cause us to deny ourselves.

None of us is perfect. We are not perfect in our doctrinal understanding, so we continue to study the Scriptures. We are not perfect in our attitudes nor in our actions, so we continue to repent and to rely on God's mercy. We are sorry we have failed in our service to God. Loving the Lord, we want to please him in every way.

The Restoration ideal is simply applied repentance, recognizing that God's way is right and must be followed in all things. Such obedience is not legalism. It is humble service before a gracious God.

by Greg Tidwell

Peter Robinson, in his recent book "How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life", highlights Reagan's character as an influence on those around the President, thus defining public policy during his administration.

A speech writer for President Reagan, Robinson gives an insider's perspective on Reagan's achievements. Interestingly, he credits Reagan's religious faith with the President's ability to forgive faults in other people. This attitude enabled Reagan to mobilize a diverse and talented team to achieve great things.

A Practice of Humility

For Christians, it is hardly surprising that faith produces a forgiving attitude. "Remembering what God has done for us, in forgiving our transgressions," the apostle enjoins, "we must forgive others" (Eph. 4:32).

Reflecting on the greatness of God naturally cultivates an attitude of humility which, in turn, leads a believer to be more forgiving of other's failures. Grudges are, by nature, an extension of pride. Forgiveness, in contrast, is a practice of humility.

True Greatness

Christians, likewise, are not surprised to see humility, which springs from faith, producing amazing accomplishments. When someone looks beyond himself, he is able to become a better person. It is a profound spiritual truth that real greatness comes through humble service. As Jesus told the disciples, "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all" (Mark 9:35).

These principles, which Robinson ascribes to President Reagan, actually come from Scripture, embodied in the life and teachings of the Savior. However great a President may be, all men pale in comparison to the example of humble service rendered by the Son of God.

The Lord's church, instructed by this divine example, should lift our eyes beyond ourselves. Seeking His glory, we should achieve great things in His name.

by Greg A. Tidwell

Nehemiah, in the course of his work of restoration, noted that the men of Judah had married Philistine women and the offspring of this union spoke "the language of Ashdod." (Nehemiah 13:23ff) Over the years, this expression has become a proverb. To "speak the language of Ashdod" is to betray mixed influences.

Joined to the World

Just as the men of Judah mixed themselves with foreign women, the denominations around us have, in varying degrees, mixed the Christian message with the ways of the world.

An evidence of this mixture is the continuing shift away from the biblical view concerning the marriage and sexuality. Divorce, until recently greatly restricted by religious people, has become acceptable. Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Methodists all offer "dissolution services," celebrations of divorce which mirror the traditional marriage service. Likewise, the major Protestant denominations are in various stages of accepting homosexual unions as legitimate.

The Community Church Heresy

Churches of Christ are not immune to the same tendency. We, also, "speak the language of Ashdod" as the Community Church heresy leads into ever more accommodation with the world.

Consider the verbal shell game used to justify unscriptural practices. Female leadership and instrumental music, for example, are put forward in gatherings called "praise services" or "concerts" preparing the way for these innovations to enter the regular worship of the church.

Likewise the "language of Ashdod" is heard in the dissimulation put forward by Community Church leaders regarding the way of salvation. Baptism is described in glowing terms, perhaps even as "central," or "vital." And yet these same leaders will describe unbaptized persons as "Christians," pointing to good works as conclusive prove of the Holy Spirit's indwelling.

In contrast to accommodation, God calls His church to purity. Our speech and our actions must present the integrity of an uncompromised faith. We cannot be united with the world and remain faithful to Christ. We must not yield to the seducing tones of Ashdod.

by Greg A. Tidwell

Once we received a flyer promoting a youth event at a nearby congregation. While some of the speakers were unfamiliar, nothing seemed wrong. Later, however, a friend called to ask if I had seen the unedited flyer. It turned out the unfamiliar speakers were from denominational churches, and identified as such by handouts circulated in-house at the host congregation.

When I called to ask why we received an edited version, the preacher who mailed out the flyer was blunt in his reason. He knew if they fully identified the speakers, our congregation would not promote the event.

The Whole Truth

Duplicity, while appalling, has grown common among our fellowship. Integrity, in contrast, was central to the work of the church the apostle Paul commended to a young evangelist:

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. (Titus 2:7-8)

But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. (2 Cor. 4:2)

Nothing but the Truth

We must ask ourselves: are we permitting shady practices and ominous teachings to hide in dark corners of our fellowship? Not only must we keep ourselves honest, we must be forthright in asking honest questions of others and in demanding honest answers.

Some problems facing the church spring directly from a cover-up of error; many more spring from a passive complicity in not exposing the problem.

"Sunlight," Justice Louis Brandeis once observed, "is the best disinfectant."