Newspaper Page Text
Through A
Glass Darkly
(1 Cor. 13:12)
By Robert M. Alston
Pastor, Cumming United
Methodist Church
Whatever happened to the belief that man is saved by Faith
alone It seems to me that the church has gone to preaching
salvation by Works! L.F., Cherokee County.
You’re right! in that there appears to be a major emphasis
on the social aspects of the Gospel today in many of our churches.
In some situations I am sure that Works for Faith are being
sbusituted as the means of acquiring God’s favor, and of
being accepted by Him in a saving relationship. That it
is not a good thing cannot be doubted; that it is unhealthy,
well, that is another question altogether. (Maybe what we see
happening today just might focus attention on the whole pro
blem, and that would be a healthy thing.) Whenever one att
empts to accumulate credits for himself with God in the way
of good works, he usually discovers that, like the Pharisees
and others, he is worshipping a god of the Law instead ofthe
One True God. Like the Pharisee the sole concern becomes
what one can do to earn God’s respect and graciousness. For
the “good worker” the appearance of interest is outward
with the honest interest located in those chalk marks of ex
cellence with the Almighty. The good works become the law
to which one is slavishly obedient.
Jesus is very emphatic on this subject. Paul spends much
of his time in Romans dealing with this whole matter of sal
vation through faith alone. He says that those who live by
(good works) “will be judged by the law” (Romans2:l2).
“But as for you-you may bear the name of Jew; you rely
upon the law and are proud (boase) of your God; you know his
will; you are aware of moral distinctions because you receive
instructions from the law; you are confident that you are the
one to guide the blind, to enlighten the benighted, to train
the stupid, and to teach the immature, because in the law
you see the very shape of knowledge and truth” (Romans
2:17-21). Paul is saying all of this in ridicule, then he adds
these words, “The true Jew is he who is such inwardly, and
the true circumcision is of the heart, directed not by written
precepts but by the Spirit; such a man receives his commen
dation not from men but from God” (Roman2:29)
Something we must now remember, but too often we tend
to forget for convenicence’s sake and that is: Faith without
Works is dead! It does absolutely no good to come to Jesus
Christ in Faith without immediately going out to thy brother
in need. It is as though one never heard the name of Jesus.
Listen to James: “My brothers , what use is it for a man
to say he has faith when he does nothing to show it? Can that
faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is in rags with
not enough food for the day, and one of you says, ‘Good luck
to you keep yourselves warm ana nave plenty to eat’, but does
nothing to supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?
So with faith; if it does not lead to action, it is in itself a life
less thing" (James 2:14-17).
I think there are a number of reasons why one perceives a
growing interest by innumerable churches in the Social Gos
pel. A few of these reasons might be:
1. reaction to the times when Faith meant only an in
ward experience without equal import being given to the other
half of Faith: Works.
2. -the growth of theconcept of “brother” due to the shr
inking of the planet earth through population growth, trans
portation, and mass media. The Church is effected by this
as much as Government.
3. -a natural osmosis or change in the understanding of
the Gospel as it relates to two thousand years of Christian
(Personal and scholarly) research in the Christian’s primary
source: the Bible.
There is, however, a dnager in our times, and I think you
have raised a legitimate question. The danger is that the
reaction to Personalism (or faith without works) will sub
merge the first side of the coin. Our prayer should be that
the pendulum will soon fall to the middle, right in the heart
of the Gospel!
Safety Tips about
Radiant Heaters
From the Georgia
Safety Council
[Eiv^y'
fUf fUI
r»E3ZEi%
V vwnr J
1. If you use a radiant heater, be
sure to have plenty of ventilation.
An easy way is to raise the window
a few inches. Do not sleep in a
room with a radiant heater burn
ing, it consumes too much oxygen.
DON’T SOCK YOUR LXTRA
CASH IN A SOCK SOCK
IT IN OUR BANK
THE
DAWSON COUNTY
BANK
MEMBER FDIC
t r'J\Y o 479-8406
CHEROKEE CASH & CARRY
BUILDERS SUPPLY
CANTON-CUMMINC HWY., CANTON, GA.
Free Estimates... Free Delivery
CLAUDE PETTIT, JR. J * C . K
4 79-3206 479 4644
Look Up
Lor
In the days of sailing ships, a
young and inexperienced seaman yas
sent aloft in a storm to disentangle
a broken rigging from the mainmast.
In spite of the raging wind, the youngster climbed up swiftly and did
the job. When it was time to descend, he looked down and saw the
vessel tossing and rolling in the ugly sea.
Suddenly his courage left him. He felt dizzy and faint. He called
to mate on the deck below, "I am going to fallj"
The mate, who had spent many years at sea, shouted back above the
storm, "Don't look down, boy. Look up."
The young seaman did as he was told and came down safely. He had
regained his courage when he looked up.
r —*
CUMMING CONVALESCENT
HOME
“ FOR THE FINEST IN NURSING CARE ”
BOX 24 CUMMING, GEORGIA 30130 887-2308
EMSES
Barnett’s
Your largest and most modern supermarket
in this area
304 ATE. HIGHWAY SOUTH
—-as.. .ii ■■ i———
WESTBROOK JEWELERS
“WHERE QUALITY COMES FIRST**
Accutron by Bulova - The world’s most [
accurate watch
117 MAIN STREET, CUMMING, GA. 887-2417
One in every __
200 Americans is
a member of the
U.S. Army Reserve,
BAGWELL & MATHIS TIRE CO.
WITH OUR COMPLIMENTS
107 PIRKLE FERRY ROAD 887-2351
SPUTS • SUNDAES • SHAKES
\ • /
BURGERS - DOGS - FRIES L 887 ' 3240 ~.
PHONE AHEAD FOR MWY QUEEN & BRAZIER
QUICK PICK-UP ASLANT A HWY?
HEARD & WOOD BARGAIN BARN
OUR BARN IS LOADED WITH BARGAINS IN
CLOTHES FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY . . .
ALSO CARPET AND FURNITURE . . .
805 ATLANTA HIGHWAY 887-3721
POLLY’S DRESS SHOP
DRESSES - SKIRTS - BLOUSES
COSTUME JEWELRY - SHOES -
BAGS - BABIES AND CHILDRENS WEAR
123 MAIN STREET CUMMING
GORDON’S
SAYS
GO TO CHURCH
ECONOMY AUTO SUPPLY
We invite you to come in and nmWHBH
browse in our store . . for your HCj||
needs In hunting and fishing siqjp
lies & licenses .. .also lawnmowers, HBiatwa
air conditioners, fans, paint, tires
and automotive parts.
Jack Grimes, Mgr.
6 miles west of Cumming on highway 20 887-3722
FORSYTH FLOOR COVERING
IF IT’S FLOORS YOU NEED . . . CHECK
WITH US . . . .FREE ESTIMATES . . .
CARPET AND INLAID
231 ATLANTA ROAD 887-3741
CUMMING
PIXS INSURANCE
AGENCY, INC.
FIRE- AUTO - LIFE - HOSPITALIZAT’
HOMEOWNERS - J. ROBERT ROBER'
111 COURTHOUSE SQUARE BOX 6*
VfanurruwU of QhoKoudUc
and. (Duiincimn.
TINIST QUALITY GUAM IT* «r MAKBLI STONI
• SANDBLASTING • DtATH DATES CUT • WALLS BUILT
.• PICNIC TABLES B PATIOS OF GRANITE ft MARBLE
J.B. GIBBS MONUMENTAL
S ±L C „° 1887-3171
COMPLETE HOME
FURNISHERS SINCE 1905
DRAKE FURNITURE
COMPANY BUFORD
THE FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS - NOVEMBER 13, 1969
PAGE 14
mLA
The Church is God’s appointed agency in this world
for spreading the knowledge of His love for man and
of His demand for man to respond to that love by
loving his neighbor. Without this grounding in the
love of God, no government or society or way of life
will long persevere and the freedoms which we hold
so dear will inevitably perish. Therefore, even from
a selfish point of view, one should support the Church
for the soke of the welfare of himself and his family.
Beyond that, however, every person should uphold
and participate in the Church because it tells the truth
about man’s life, death and destiny; the truth which
alone will set him free to live as a child of God.
FOODTOWN
CUMMING 887-5129
PAYNE’S ALIGNMENT SERVICE
Wf SPECIALIZE IN
AUTOMOBILE FRONT END r\ I •
WORK and BRAKE SERVICE I 0 ft j ft Q
HAROLD PAYNE, owner
837-9266
FLOWERS FOR ALL OCCASIONS <Sfk> n
“With thoughts too sweet for words, send
flowers from Heard’s ”
MRS. RUBY E. HEARD, OWNER
HEARD’S *
& GIFT SHOP
110 PIRKLE FERRY ROAD ,CUMMING 887-2228
DA-Ji
MOBILE HOMES
ATL. HWY. 887-4372
E.B. COLLETT CONSTRUCTION CO.
COMMERCIAL BUILDING
ATLANTA HIGHWAY 887-5316
§ COMPLETE LINE OF TOYS -
GIFTS - GREETING CARDS
, AND HOUSEHOLD GOODS
....CARL JACKSON, OWNER...
CUMMING, GEORGIA
CUMMING FIVE &
TEN CENT STORE
BALD
ridge
MARINA
BOAT SALES • STORAGE • COMPLETE SERVICE
POST OFFICE BOX 805 • CUMMING. GEORGIA 30130
ATLANTA 522-9297
CUMMING 887 5309