The
Harvester
AUGUST 2003 No. 212
[Editor’s
Note: This article previously appeared in the August 1981 issue of The
Lifeline.]
Definition:
Reincarnation is the belief that the souls of the dead successively return to
the earth in new forms or bodies, as human or animals.
In
recent news articles, I have noticed a number of well known people of our time
who claim that they have lived in other times both in human and animal forms.
This is a basic doctrine of Mohammedanism.
The
time is ripe when someone may start a new denomination with this unscriptural
doctrine as a basis. You may think that this doctrine is too ridiculous to
consider. Alexander Campbell felt the same way in his day about the Mormon
doctrine. He said that Mormonism is too ridiculous to consider; yet, Mormonism
has grown rapidly.
The
Bible never speaks of reincarnation; therefore, there can be no faith in it. “So
then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”(Rom.
In
Ecclesiastes 9:3-10, Solomon emphasized that now in this life (not in other
lives) is the time to labour for a reward. This aspect of man’s relationship to
God has not changed since Solomon’s day. “Rejoice, O young man, in thy
youth, and let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the
ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for
all these things God shall bring thee into judgment.”(Eccl. 11:9) “Who
will render to every man according to his deeds.”(Rom. 2:6) “Be not
deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also
reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he
that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”(Gal.
6:7-8) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that
everyone may receive the things done in his body <not bodies> according
to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”(2 Cor. 5:10) “The
imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth;”(Gen. 8:21) But if the
doctrine of reincarnation is true, man is evil at birth because he has lived
before.
God
permitted Moses and Elias to appear on earth again (Matt. 17:1-5), but not as
other people. That appearance was only temporary and for the purpose of
teaching a lesson to show the Apostles that they, as well as we today, should
hear what Christ teaches. In Luke 16:19-31, the account of the beggar and the
rich man tells of the death and destination of two men: one went to Abraham’s
bosom, the other to torment. Neither one of them was reincarnated.
Therefore
do not be deceived; search the scriptures to see if the things being taught are
true. Paul wrote, “Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good.”(1 Thess.
5:21) Make your calling and election sure by obeying the whole Gospel of
Christ, the power of God unto salvation.
JOE YOUNG
Have
we formed the wrong opinion about the duties and the importance of the sisters
in the Church? Do you feel that if you are a female Christian that your only
duty is to attend worship services? Do female Christians have duties to
perform? Are there things women are forbidden to do? As we answer these
questions, we will learn that sisters are to be workers for Christ and do have
duties to perform.
Yes,
I do think we have formed the wrong opinion. We act like all the work is to be
done by the male members. Let’s look at some examples of important women in the
Bible. Aquila and his wife, Priscilla, taught Apollos the way of God more
perfect (this was done in private, not in worship services). “And he began
to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard,
they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”(Acts
18:26) Paul said, “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus.”(Rom.
16:3) Tabitha was a woman full of good works.
“Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by
interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and
almsdeeds which she did.”(Acts 9:36)
The
female Christian is not less important than the male in the sight of God. God
is no respecter of persons. “For
there is no respect of persons with God.”(Rom. 2:11)
What
are some of the works that sisters can do? It is the duty of every Christian,
male and female, to study God’s word. “Study
to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.”(2 Tim. 2:15) The aged women are to
teach the young women. “The aged
women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false
accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good thing; That they may teach
the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to
be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God be not blasphemed.”(Tit. 2:3-5) God made woman to help man. “And the Lord God said, It is not good
that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken
from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.”(Gen. 2:18 &
22)
A
sister can help her husband with the teaching and correction of the children.
Mothers usually spend more time with the children or maybe the father isn’t a
Christian. “And ye fathers, provoke
not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of
the Lord.” (Eph. 6:4) “He that
spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”(Prov.
13:24)
The
sisters can do such work as the cleaning of the building, yard work and
preparing the Lord’s supper. The more
work you do, the stronger you will become as a Christian.
There
are things that women are forbidden by God to do and should always be in
obedience to God. Women are not to
teach. “Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp
authority over the man, but to be in silence.”(2 Tim. 2:11-12) Women are to be silent in the churches. “Let your women keep silence in the
churches: for it is under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask
their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”(I
Cor. 14:34-35)
As
you can see, all Christians, male and female, are to be workers for the
Lord. Study the Bible and be an active
member and you will grow and become a stronger Christian.
Submitted by
Loraine Howell
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES
1.
Who was
the apostle to the Gentiles?
2.
The
first judgment the Lord showed Amos in chapter 7 was locusts. What was the
second?
3.
When the
Jews brought Christ to Pilate, why didn’t they go into the palace?
4.
What did
Jeremiah tell God that he could not do because he was a child?
5.
What
purpose did the veil serve in the tabernacle?
ANSWERS NEXT MONTH . . .
and
remember last month’s questions?
1.
About what city is it prophesied that it will be rebuilt from the Tower of
Hananel to the Corner Gate? JERUSALEM
(Jer. 31:38)
2.
From what did Jesus feed the multitudes, after John the Baptist’s death? FIVE LOAVES OF BREAD AND TWO FISH (Matt.
14:17)
3.What
happens to a house divided against itself?
IT WILL FALL (Luke 11:17)
4.According
to Psalm 115, what will happen to those who make and trust in idols? THEY WILL BECOME LIKE THEM (Psa. 115:8)
5.What
did Rahab the harlot hide the spies among?
STALKS OF FLAX (Josh 1:6)
GOSPEL MEETINGS
DATES PLACE
& TIME SPEAKER
August New Bethel Church David Burnham
1 - 3 Cullman, AL (Ragland, AL)
(Fr-Su) 7:00 evenings & James McDonald
August Antioch Church Ronnie Scott
1 - 3 Douglasville, GA (Bloomington, IN)
August Mount Carmel Rd. Church Harry Cobb
3 – 10 near Alvaton, GA (Wedowee, AL)
(Su-Su) (studies in Daniel and Revelation)
August Owens Rd. Church James McDonald
4 - 8 Prattville, AL (Woodbury, TN)
August Rainsville, AL Wilbur Bass
8 - 10 (Auburn, AL)
August Durango, CO Wilbur Bass
17 – 22 (Auburn, AL)
August Valley, AL Harry Cobb
22 – 24 (Wedowee, AL)
August Verona, KY James McDonald
25 – 29 (Woodbury, TN)
August Willow Oaks Church James McDonald
30 – 31 Willow Springs, KY (Woodbury, TN)
THE HARVESTER is a monthly
publication intended to encourage all men everywhere to become laborers into
God’s harvest (Luke 10:2). This paper is mailed free of charge to anyone who
wishes to receive it. Please submit name, address, and all correspondence to:
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Phone: (256) 449-9221
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