From: "Collegevue Church of Christ" Subject: The Beacon - Electronic Edition - 5/30/06 Date: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 12:00 PM Please join us for "The Virtual Bible Study" on Thursday evening at 9pm Eastern / 8pm Central time. Go to www.TheVirtualBibleStudy.com and follow the link to hear the live broadcast. You can also check out archives of past programs and information about podcasting. This week, Jim Walsh (preacher for the Locust St. Church of Christ in Mt. Pleasant, TN), will join us to discuss "Why I Left The Catholic Church." _____________________________________________________________ THE BEACON - Electronic Edition - 5/30/06 Revelation 7 & 14 - The 144,000 How should one interpret the use of the numeral 144, 000 in the book of Revelation? According to the Jehovah's Witnesses, the "kingdom" or "the church" will consist ultimately of only 144,000 people who will be in heaven. Supposedly, this "ruling body" will exercise authority over the rest of those receiving eternal life, who will live upon God's glorified earth (Let God Be True, p. 113). The Witnesses appeal to Revelation 7:4ff and 14:1ff as proof for this unorthodox concept. The theory is false for many reasons: 1.. The kingdom/church is frequently represented in the New Testament as existing on earth (cf. Revelation 1:4,6,9). 2.. After the return of Christ, there will be no earth, for it will have been utterly destroyed at the Judgment (Matthew 25:46; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 21:1). 3.. There is but "one hope" (Ephesians 4:4) for the faithful, and it is heaven (1 Peter 1:3,4). Watchtower doctrine argues for two hopes - heaven or earth. 4.. The numeral "thousand" is used more than twenty times in the book of Revelation and not once is it employed literally. The 144,000, mentioned in Revelation 7 and 14, is a symbolic number as evidenced by the following facts. 1.. If it is literal in chapter 7, only Jews would be in heaven (see 7:4ff). The fact that Dan is omitted, Joseph is classified as a "tribe," and Levi is included demonstrates that the description is figurative. Moreover, in addition to the 144,000, there was a "great multitude" there (7:9). 1.. If the numeral is literal in chapter 14, only unmarried men will be in heaven, for the group consisted of virgins who had not been defiled with women(14:4). Note also that they follow the "Lamb" wherever He goes. Is that a literal or figurative lamb? Underline the numerals in these contexts, and beside Revelation 7:4 write: If literal, only Jews in heaven. Beside 14:1 note: If literal, only unmarried men in heaven. - by Wayne Jackson ___________________________________________ A Follow-up on 'Dress Codes' A recent bulletin included an article entitled "Dress Codes." That article made reference to an advertisement for a local bar that included this statement: "Dress code strictly enforced - no tee shirts or torn jeans; 'collared' shirts must be worn". We pointed out how interesting it was that a bar had a "dress code," and speculated that folks would likely conform to it because they wanted to go to that bar. On the other hand, some Christians get upset at the very suggestion that they ought to dress appropriately for public worship assemblies. A friend sent the following response to the article: Consider these points on dressing in the public worship service: - bartenders also want women to dress in a provocative way, but that doesn't prove anything about our worship services - James 2:1ff proves that it is not sin to attend the assembly in "vile raiment" - no NT passage tells us to dress better for the worship assembly than at other places - sometimes I worship God (pray) in the shower - should I put on a tie on to do so? - how do you know that God doesn't like overalls better than a suit? if so, "dressing up" would mean taking off the suit and putting on overalls - how far do you go? should men have to rent a tux to come to services? - when we try to bind man made rules, we dilute the God made rules We replied: You are WAY off on this one, dear friend. The article was only meant to demonstrate that even people of the world recognize that there are modes of dress that are appropriate for some things and not for others. We were attempting to prove that folks would submit to the "bar dress code" because they want to go the bar. That is to say, people will adhere to 'established convention' when it involves something they want to do. On the other hand, some of our brethren get all bothered when it is suggested that there are some types of clothing that simply aren't appropriate in the worship services (not talking about in the shower here!). The article was referencing public assemblies, and especially emphasizing those who take a public role in the conducting of those assemblies. The final paragraph disavows any attempt to "enforce" a "dress code", but does ask people to "think" about the unavoidable statement that appropriate versus inappropriate clothing tends to make. Nobody is trying to "bind man's rules" here. By the way, tuxedoes would also be inappropriate clothing in a typical public worship service, and would be condemned as "immodest" by texts like 1 Timothy 2:9ff. You referenced James 2:1ff: "For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?" This text doesn't even touch the subject addressed in the article. "Goodly" versus "vile" has to do with how much someone spent on his or her clothes, not on the appropriateness of said clothing. You don't have to be rich to dress appropriately. In Matthew 22:11ff, Jesus taught a parable based upon the established and acknowledged truth that there are types of clothes that are not appropriate in certain settings: "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen." This parable is based upon the premise that we were discussing in the article on "Dress Codes." Everyone needs to "think" about the appropriateness of their attire when attending the public worship assemblies. Again, there is no "enforcement" here, only an appeal to "good and honest hearts." - by Greg Gwin ____________________________________________ Trends . . . According to a new poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, the majority of Americans -- 55 percent -- believe homosexuality is a sin. Fifty-nine percent oppose gay marriage -- that's up from 53 percent in a previous survey. And Americans with the highest levels of religious commitment reject gay marriage by a margin of six to one. - via Religion & Ethics Newsweekly Leviticus 20:13 "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination . . ." ______________________________________________ Some quotes worth pondering . . . "He who restrains his anger overcomes his greatest enemy." "If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." "The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise." "It is an unforgivable sin to be unforgiving." "What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly." "I complained I had no shoes till I saw a man that had no feet." ______________________________________________ News from Collegevue . . . May 28, 2006 So glad to see you today! We especially greet all of our visitors. We hope you will come again soon. Baptism: We rejoice to report that Alex Dvorak was baptized into Christ last Sunday evening. Please pray for him as he begins his new life in Christ. Continue to pray for those who are sick, including Buddy Hood, Jane Collins, Alvin Lunn, Tina Overton, Hubert Morrow, Norma Goodman, Alison & Garrett Smith, Kim Futrell, Kris Johnson's mother, and others. Also remember Jennifer Ring's brother in the army in Iraq. The church here is supporting Nestor Sanchez in a preaching trip to Cuba. (Of course, we also support him regularly in his work in Chile.) Pray for Nestor and our brethren in Cuba that much good will be done for God's glory. Use your computer for something good! Listen to "The Virtual Bible Study" on Thursday at 8pm. This week Jim Walsh, who preaches for the Locust Street congregation in Mt. Pleasant, will be our guest. He will discuss "Why I left the Catholic Church." This should be a very interesting study. Tell others!. The Thursday morning class will meet again at 10am. Lesson sheets are on the table in the lobby. Please come! Remember our Vacation Bible School dates: July 10-14. Mark your calendars and make sure to avoid any scheduling conflicts. Figures for the week of 5/21/06: Sunday, Bstudy, 126; AM, 147; PM, 140; Wed., 127; Contrib., $3994 ______________________________________________ "The Beacon - Electronic Edition" is sent out weekly from Columbia, TN, and contains articles and information taken from the most recent "paper" bulletin of the Collegevue Church of Christ. We hope you will use this material in any way you can that will glorify our Father. Please give proper credit to the respective authors. ______________________________________________ Visit our website at: www.Collegevue.com email us at: collegevuecoc@bellsouth.net contact the editor (Greg Gwin) at: greggwin@bellsouth.net