“We Won’t Hurt You.”
During
the late 1960’s, when this writer was only a young boy, my family was going
shopping in Evansville, Indiana. Having arrived in
the city, we were traveling one of the local streets. We approached a traffic
light, and therefore began to slow down. Over to one side of our car were
some people who apparently made my parents feel uneasy, so they said, “Lock
your doors”. Having noticed that we all reached about the same time for
our locks, a lady from the car next to us called out in a laughing voice: “We
won’t hurt you…we wouldn’t hurt you for nothing.” We weren’t laughing.
Everyday we are reminded we live in a dangerous world…we can be hurt, even by
those who claim good intentions.
Today, it is quite interesting to find there are
individuals who seemingly feel quite threatened by the Lord’s church. A
lady was heard (or quoted) to warn another who was studying with some of our
brethren: “I’ve heard about those people all my life…you better stay away from
them.” She was uneasy about the association. From a personal
perspective, if the matter wasn’t so sad, it would be laughable. We won’t
hurt you! Friend, give me one example of an individual who came to be in
peril, spiritually, because of their association and involvement in the body of
Jesus Christ with the distinctive doctrines and practices he has given her.
Friend,
you know Jesus won’t hurt you. If Jesus won’t hurt you, neither will
we. Jesus has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Being a Christian, we now wear his name and seek to honor it by being faithful
followers as God’s dear children. Jesus and his church are so closely
connected that we won’t ask anyone to do anything that Jesus doesn’t ask them to
do. We seek to imitate the holy and glorious life Jesus lived by having
his heart and spirit within us. If you don’t fear the real
Jesus, who came down from heaven bringing humanity his Father’s will, there is
no reason to fear those who wear his name in truth.
Friend,
you know Christ’s Apostles won’t hurt you. If the Apostles of Christ
won’t hurt you, neither will we. If the Apostles could come back and
presently walk among us, we could naturally expect they would teach the same
vital, powerful message and preach the same heavenly truths they faithfully
declared during the 1st century A.D. They would not have to
alter those fundamental truths to fit in with today’s culture because they are
universal and timeless. Consider how God’s definition of sin has not
changed, for instance, nor has his model of holiness.
If the Apostles of Christ were here right now in your midst, would you shun
them through fear? “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of
God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the
Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22).
The Apostle Paul writes: “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous
of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only,
but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us” (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8)
If you are not afraid of Christ’s apostles, there is no need to fear the church
which is founded upon the Apostles and prophets with Christ being the chief
corner stone.
Friend,
you know the Bible won’t hurt you. If the Bible won’t hurt you,
neither will we. It is our sole objective to teach only that which is found in
the Holy Scriptures. “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures,
which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in
Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:15-17). It is our desire to
understand/interpret the sense of the Scriptures only in the way God
intended. We seek to avoid inserting ideas and doctrines that passages
were never intended in the mind of God. Peter writes of some who “wrest”
the scriptures “unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16). Friend, there is no eternal
benefit to those who personally abuse the text, nor to those who accept their
fanciful theories and “doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1).
However, the truth of God is a blessing for those whose eyes and ears are open
to receive it: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). In each of the seven letters to the
churches of Asia in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, the
admonition is given, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
If we are “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15), you are advised to run as fast as you
can. Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits” (verse 16). Upon
investigation of the fruit we are bearing for Christ, and finding we are truly
“harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16), “come thou with us and we will do
thee good” (Numbers 10:29). Jesus wants you to walk
with us in the narrow path that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:14). Friend, we will not hurt
you!
Tim Childs
Hillcrest church of Christ
950
S. Fourth St.
Baldwyn, MS 38824
hillcrestchurcho@bellsouth.net