November 29, 2018 Toll free 1-800-803-5201 Vol. 183, No. 47 Informing. Inspiring. Connecting. www.thealabamabaptist.org INSIDE TAB AR Theology 101 — Jesus Christ the Son of David Page 6 IMB photo Taylor Road IMB missionary and physician Larry Pepper examines a young patient at Kigoma Baptist Hospital in Tanzania. For him, offering medi- Baptist Church cal help and sharing the hope of the gospel go hand in hand. Larry and his wife, Sally, are among the hundreds of IMB missionaries to offer service whose work is supported by the prayers of Southern Baptists and their gifts through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. for those grieving during Christmas Page 7 A big task Giving through Lottie Moon Christmas Offering ‘makes all the difference’ arry Pepper has spent His help and leadership. And they’re together to spread the gospel around year’s Week of Prayer include: the past two decades at thankful for partners who give and the world to billions of people who 4How God is using a small the bedside of Africa’s travel to work alongside them. have never heard it. The primary way church in Tennessee to make a big dying souls, patching up “In so many of our partnerships, this is accomplished is through the difference in the work of IMB mis- their wounds and try- it has usually been one missions coalition of Southern Baptist church- sionaries in Asia. Ling to offer them real hope, the kind leader or Bible study teacher who es sending and supporting thousands 4Hispanic churches who are Rainsville-area Baptists organize only Jesus can bring. has caught a vision for what God is of missionaries. crossing cultures and engaging the event to share The task is a big one. And he’s doing here and really grabbed hold world with the gospel. gospel, combat needed a lot of help. That’s why he of it,” Larry Pepper said. “It makes National goal 4A partnership between a Ken- addiction and his wife, Sally, have been grate- all the difference.” One-hundred percent of LMCO tucky church and a Brazil-based ful for a lot of people and churches The Peppers are among the hun- gifts fund IMB missionaries who are team that is reaching Sao Paulo with Page 8 over the years. They’re thankful for dreds of International Mission Board making disciples and multiplying the gospel. the prayer warriors who ask God for (IMB) missionaries whose work is churches among unreached people 4Ukrainian believers who are supported by the prayers of Southern and places. This year’s national planting churches, trained by IMB Baptists and their gifts through the LMCO goal is $160 million. missionaries and supported by a Lottie Moon Christmas Offering The season of giving for interna- North Carolina congregation. (LMCO). tional missions through the LMCO 4The impact made when Ameri- To watch the videos from this week’s Every December since 1888 the begins with the Week of Prayer for can students travel to East Asia to issue, visit our YouTube channel or use the LMCO has empowered Southern International Missions, taking place serve college students alongside HP Reveal app on your phone or tablet and Baptist’s international missions this year Dec. 2–9. IMB workers. hover over the segments marked “AR.” work. The IMB partners with more In addition to the Peppers, mis- 4Refugee ministry that is both than 47,000 churches which work sionary work highlighted during this (See ‘Help,’ page 11) PAGE 2 / THE ALABAMA BAPTIST / NOVEMBER 29, 2018 COMMENT Which Dog Do We Feed? he famous Sioux Indian Chief Sitting trol can make one fit and able to serve others. Bull is quoted as saying, “Inside of me Wrath is defined as an expression of intense T are two dogs. One is mean and evil, and hostile emotions. It is anger unloosed. Both the the other is good. They fight all the time. When Old and New Testament warn against wrath and asked which one wins, I answer the one I feed anger. Psalm 37:8 instructs, “Refrain from anger the most.” and forsake wrath. Fret not yourself; it tends It was that same kind of inward struggle THOUGHTS only to evil.” James 1:20 adds, “For the anger that led to what Christians today call the seven of man does not produce the righteousness of deadly sins. Early Christians found they wres- By Bob Terry God.” tled with attitudes and longings that had to be Patience can mitigate wrath. Romans 12:19 brought under control if they were to be the kind adds, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, of followers of Christ they were called to be and but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is writ- wanted to be. ten, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the It is the same kind of struggle Christians today Pride prevents service while humility permits Lord.’ ” face in determining whether they will embrace service. Lack of exertion vs. diligence Greed is characterized by unneeded excess. the practices and pleasures of modern society or Sloth applies to more than physical laziness. It is defined as an insatiable longing usually for whether they will prioritize biblical standards of It applies to both the mental and spiritual ele- wealth, status, power or food. Hebrews 13:5 personal conduct. ments of life as well. Sloth is a habitual disincli- Historically, the list of deadly sins was longer urges, “Let your conduct be without covetous- nation toward exertion of any kind. Solomon’s than the current seven. But in the sixth century ness, and be content with such things as you counsel to “Go to the ant, you sluggard; con- church leaders debated, combined and reworked have.” The attitude described in Hebrews allows sider its ways and be wise” (Prov. 6:6) is lost on the list to the seven deadly sins listed today — one to invest in others through charity and other the slothful. pride, greed, lust, envy, wrath, gluttony and means. Greed on the other hand focuses on stor- According to the Bible, God does not invite sloth. ing up treasures for one’s us to a life of ease but urges These seven deadly sins became teaching own pleasure. “The tension between us to be diligent in our ser- guides around which the church taught the prin- Lust is about sexuality. vice to Him and to others in ciples of Christian living in an era before the It is also about things like selfishness and His name. printing press made the Scriptures available to money and power. It is an It is impossible to review intense craving for something everyone. selflessness is an the seven deadly sins without Selfishness vs. selflessness to fulfill an emotion. Lust is noticing how they are inter- set against need. The Apostle connected. Gluttony involves Interestingly, each of the deadly sins is the Paul wrote to Timothy, “Flee appropriate issue to raise negative outcome of a battle between selfish- greed and lust. Pride and also youthful lust; but fol- wrath go hand in hand. All ness and selflessness. Will the follower of Christ low righteousness, faith, love “feed” the selfish spirit of indulgence or the self- as we enter the Advent seem to center on the basic [and] peace” (2 Tim. 2:22). tension between selfishness less spirit of service? This is a key question of Lust is all consuming. Self- and selflessness. life. For the early Jewish scholars it was “the” season looking toward control of one’s passions al- It is no wonder early Chris- question. Rebellion against God was character- lows for focus on things such Christmas and the tians wrestled with these is- ized by selfishness, surrender to God by service. as righteousness, faith, love sues or church leaders found Pride was defined by St.Augustine as “love of and peace. the list an effective outline one’s own excellence.” A more common defini- Envy is the desire for celebration of the coming to teach about Christian dis- tion is an exalted view of one’s value, status or something another has or the cipleship. To use the analogy accomplishments. The writer of Proverbs quotes wish that the other did not of the Christ Child.” offered by Chief Sitting Bull, God saying, “I hate pride and arrogance” (Prov. have it. Envy is destructive. the question really is which 8:13). In Proverbs 11:2 the writer adds, “When Proverbs 14:30 says, “envy is rottenness in the of the spirits (dogs) will we feed — selfishness pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with hu- bones.” It is the opposite of kindness, which is or selflessness? mility comes wisdom.” listed as one of the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. One writer said feeding the selfish spirit is 5:22). Envy wants to supersede others. Kindness like trying to feed a hungry ghost. The more wants to help others. you feed it, the more it demands. It can never be satisfied and the process of feeding it will Over indulgence vs. self control ultimately consume the one trying to satisfy its Gluttony is over indulgence. It is over con- demands. sumption of food or drink. Gluttony is about The tension between selfishness and selfless- self, about the moment. Gluttony takes. It can- ness is an appropriate issue to raise as we enter not hear the counsel of 1 Corinthians 6:12 not the Advent season looking toward Christmas to be mastered by anything. Philippians 3:19 and the celebration of the coming of the Christ says of the glutton, “their god is their stomach, Child.