Noteworthy News (Current events in the light of Scripture)

Poll: Most think Clinton can survive scandal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More than half of those polled in a New York Post survey think President Clinton should consider leaving office if he lied in his grand jury testimony, but almost as many think he can put the White House scandal behind him, the newspaper reported Thursday.

The survey, taken Tuesday, showed 57.7 percent believed the president could go on to govern effectively and 54.9 percent approved of his job performance, the paper said.

But 46.8 percent said they thought Clinton lied when he denied urging others to lie under oath in a cover-up about his relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Another 38.3 percent said they believed him.

Almost half said they thought Clinton should consider leaving office if he lied under oath in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case and 65.1 percent thought Clinton should consider leaving office if he lied in his grand jury testimony this week about Lewinsky.

The poll was taken of 989 likely voters nationwide the day after Clinton's televised address admitting he had a relationship with Lewinsky. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.3 percent.

Rulers And Integrity - Joe R. Price

He said his answers to the Paula Jones grand jury were “legally accurate.” He said he takes responsibility for an “inappropriate” relationship with Monica Lewinsky. He said he regrets his actions. He said he misled his wife and us (a.k.a., lying) because of his own embarrassment and because of the political efforts of the independent counsel and others to invade his private life.

But, where was the apology? Where was the godly sorry for lying to his wife and the American people? Instead of contrition we heard a combative Bill Clinton “take responsibility.” His admission leaves us empty inside. Truth is now being defined in terms of legal accuracy. Misleading people for personal and political reasons seems justified - until you are caught and cannot deny it any longer! Bill Clinton is nothing if not reflective of our nation’s moral decline (which the polls seem to suggest).

Here are some things the Bible says about those who rule other men:

1. Rule with reverence: He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God. (2 Sam. 23:3)

2. Rule with righteousness: It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness: For a throne is established by righteousness. (Prov. 16:12)

3. Rule with truth: Mercy and truth preserve the king.... (Prov. 20:28)

4. Rule with wisdom: Now therefore, be wise, O you kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. (Psa. 2:10)

Bill Clinton mirrors the moral lapses of our society. “Legal accuracy” is not a substitute for honesty and integrity. Was he telling us the truth this time? If so, then he lied to us and the Paula Jones grand jury. And this is “doing a good job” as president?! More than half of America thinks so!

 Welcome Visitors! 

Young men’s training class today at 5:00PM.

Gospel meeting - Welcome Tom & Pauline Roberts!

Flyers are still available to invite folks to come.

Congratulations to N’Kole & Chris Holp on the birth

of Whitnie Kristine (9 lb. 1 oz.)!

The sick: Beulah Walker, Rick Haith, Mavis Fair,

N’Kole Holp, Gary Bass, Branden Haith

Out of town: Keith Alsobrook; Dan Head

Assignments: August 23, 1998

Announcements: Ed DeWispeleare

Opening Prayer: Ed DeWis. / Clarence G.

Closing Prayer: Morris Bass / Terry Haith

Song Leader: Rick Holt / Rusty McGrew

Scripture Reading: Ray Hollister / Jason Holt

Lord’s Supper: Dan H. / Sam H. / Jeremy P.

Building Cleanup: Haith & Holden

T HE SPIRIT’S SWORD

“And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17)

The Northside church of Christ

Meeting at the North Bellingham Grange Hall  5201 Northwest Road  Bellingham, WA

Visit our Web Site on the Internet: http:// www.davisinet.com/northsidecofc

Volume II, No. 27 August 23, 1998

The Northside church of Christ

invites you to a

G O S P E L M E E T I N G

August 23-28, 1998

Guest Speaker: Tom Roberts

Meeting at the North Bellingham Grange Hall

5201 Northwest DR  Bellingham, WA 98227

Sunday: 9:30 & 10:30AM; 6:00PM Monday - Friday: 7:00PM

Bring your Bible and learn of Christ with us!

CONFRONTING ERROR WITH THE GOSPEL

Joe R. Price

We must always maintain a supreme confidence in the gospel of Christ to confront and overcome sin, error and faithlessness (Eph. 6:10-17). The same was true when the apostles went everywhere preaching (Mk. 16:20). Consider the following comments on Acts 17:16-34, where the gospel of Christ confronted human philosophy. The points made are excellent, and continue to be relevant for us today.

"Vers. 16-34.--The cross of Christ in the metropolis of art and philosophy. There is a singular interest in this first encounter of the gospel with the art and philosophy of Athens, and it is instructive to note the attitude taken by the great preacher in the encounter. Whether St. Paul had artistic taste we have no means of knowing. But probably, as a devout Jew, seeing that sculpture was so largely employed in the images of the gods and the deified emperors, his eye would not have been trained to look with pleasure even upon the master-pieces of Grecian art. In like manner Greek architecture was mainly devoted to glorify the temples of the gods. The Parthenon at Athens, the temple of Diana at Ephesus....were indeed materially beautiful, but that material beauty was eclipsed by the moral deformity of their consecration to idolatry, to imposture, and to falsehood. The devout eye of the apostle would therefore be more shocked by the dishonour done to God, and the injury to the moral nature of man, than gratified by mere beauty of form, or architectural grandeur and grace. Hence, as far as we learn from the inspired narrative, the dominant effect upon his mind of the sight of the unrivalled statues and temples of Athens was grief and indignation at their homage to idolatry, rather than admiration of the artistic genius which produced them. In like manner he found himself face to face with philosophy. He was treading the courts of the academy where Plato had taught; he was in the city where Socrates had lived and died; there Aristotle had both learnt and taught; there the successors both of Zeno and Epicurus were still inculcating the tenets of their respective schools. What was to be the attitude of an evangelist in the presence of these august representa­tives of human intellect? In what language was the apostle of Jesus Christ to address himself to them? In that of apology? In that of compromise? in that of conscious inferior­ity? or as if the possessors of so much wisdom had nothing to learn from him? Or, on the other hand, was he to speak the language of scorn and indignation - was he to shut his eyes to all that might be true and noble in the sentiments of these men, and to put them on a level with the vilest of mankind, because they were ignorant of the great truths of revelation? The actual conduct of St. Paul was as modest as it was wise, and as dauntless as it was modest. Looking around him at the altars of the gods, he seized upon the one favourable aspect of them - their witness to a worshipful spirit in the people towards the Unseen. Gathering from Greek literature a true description of the relation of man to the living God, he proceeded with wonderful simplicity and force to enunciate those truths of natural religion which an untainted reason perceives and approves. And then, rising to those higher truths which are the domain of revelation, he preached, as he had done before in the Agora, Jesus and the resurrec­tion. He bid them repent of their sins done in ignorance; he told them of the coming of the day of judgment; he spoke to them of the awful Judge, and of his unerring righteousness. There was no faltering in his speech, no watering down of the severi­ty of the gospel, no wincing at the subtle wits or the pretentious wisdom of those who heard him. He spoke as a man who knew that he had the truth of God, and that that truth would prevail. And such should ever be the attitude of the Christian teacher before the powers of the world. Humble, charitable, confident, and firm; owning all that is good and beautiful and true in the world around him, but always feeling, and acting as if he felt, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is better and truer and more beautiful than all; valuing true wisdom, and prizing the great gift of reason as the brightest jewel of our human nature; yet always remembering that in our fallen state reason could bring no remedy for sin nor cast a light upon the world to come; but that the only Name whereby we may be saved is the Name of Jesus, and that he alone has abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Pulpit Commentary, Acts, A. C. Hervey, XVIII:II:64)

Our use of the gospel must follow Paul's example. We need not nor should we apologize for the truth. The gospel is not an inferior message. We must not water it down to make it more acceptable, nor compromise its sacred truths for the sake of peace (Jude 3; 2 Cor. 11:3-4; Eph. 4:3). Truth is trium­phant over the reasoning of human philosophy and wisdom (1 Cor. 1:18-25; Col. 2:8). Truth is precious, for it brings us into the salvation which God's grace extends to us in the Son (Acts 20:24, 32). Never be ashamed of the gospel (Rom. 1:16-17; 2 Tim. 1:8)!

Quotation on Conversion to God.......

Since you have forsaken the world and turned wholly to God, you are symbolically dead in the eyes of men; therefore, let your heart be dead to all earthly affections and concerns, and wholly devoted to our Lord Jesus Christ. For you must be well aware that if we make an outward show of conversion to God without giving Him our hearts, it is only a shadow and presence of virtue, and no true conversion. Any man or woman who neglects to maintain inward vigilance, and only makes an outward show of holiness in dress, speech, and behavior, is a wretched creature. For they watch the doings of other people and criticize their faults, imagining themselves to be something when in reality they are nothing. In this way they deceive themselves. Be careful to avoid this, and devote yourself inwardly to His likeness by humility, charity, and other spiritual virtues. In this way you will be truly

converted to God.

... Walter Hilton, The Scale of Perfection