WHAT DID BARNABAS DO THAT WAS SO RIGHT?

William Andrew Dillard

“Barnabas” is a Greek word, but it is spelled the same in Greek and in English. The name means “Son of rest, or consolation” according to Greek lexicons. Biblically, it is the name of a Levite, native of Cyprus, who was a distinguished Christian teacher, missionary companion, and colleague of the apostle Paul.
Since his name appears in the New Testament some twenty-nine times, the question naturally arises, “What did Barnabas do that was so right?” Think with me!
Barnabas contributed heavily to the need of the saints in Jerusalem immediately following Pentecost, Acts 4:36-37. This is the first mention of his name, but far from the last.
Barnabas was first to receive Saul as a changed man after the Damascus Road experience. He brought him to the apostles, being quick to recognize the work of God in the life of another. Acts 9:26-28.
Barnabas answered the call to help the newly formed church at Antioch. He realized the enormity of the task and immediately went to Tarsus to enlist the help of Saul. He and Saul taught much in the church at Antioch for an entire year. Then he, with Saul, carried relief for the suffering saints in Jerusalem. Afterward, he answered with Saul, the call to carry the gospel to regions beyond.
Barnabas preached the Word in Cyprus, and Galatia. He suffered persecution with Saul in Derbe and Lystra.
In spite of considerable dissention between himself and Saul, who had now come to be known as Paul, over the weakness and failure of John Mark, he teamed up with Mark and went on preaching the gospel in regions beyond, not letting a strong difference of opinion become a stumbling block to his God-called ministry.
Barnabas is last mentioned in Colossians 4:10 as a relative to Mark who though once rejected by Paul was encouraged to be received and used of the saints.
In short, Barnabas lived an admirable life of dedicated service to God, and to his fellow men. And that is so right!
As it was with him, so it is with many modern day disciples. The obstacles, the persecution, and the fleshly desire for one’s own comfort zone will be there, and exert themselves more than once. But the gospel burns a fire in the bones, and the grace of God that is sufficient for every man comes to the forefront. We love God because He first loved us. He took our place on the cross, and opened wide heaven’s gates for us. We must tell it, and that is so right!

THE DASH — THE SUM OF EARTHLY LIFE

ABApologetics.org

By: W.A. Dillard

An immigrant, not privileged to formal education signed her name Le—a. After three wrong guesses the immigration officer asked her to pronounce her name. She replied in haltering English, “Tha dash not silent. It be LeDASHa!”
Perhaps this story brings a chuckle to those who hear it, but there is a great truth to be gleaned from it. The dash really is not silent! How many times have you casually strolled through a cemetery? As you read the tombstones, you always saw two dates. The first one was the date of birth of the individual interred there. The second date was the date of death. In between those two dates is a dash. That dash represents all the years that particular individual lived on earth and interacted with others. What about all those years? What happened in the dash? Was that person loved and loving? Did he or she trust in Christ Jesus as their personal Savior? Did they serve Him with the force of their life? Were they a blessing to others, ready for that last date to arrive?
The inscriptions on the stone may identify the entombed person as a unique individual, separated from all others, but it is the dash that contains the multifaceted story of a life that was known among us. That dash represents joy, love, responsibility, opportunity, and all other things sandwiched between two important dates: the beginning and the end. What are we writing into the “dash” of our own unique dates? Wisdom bids us to hasten to do the things that are good, the things that we would. For as surely as you have a birthday, you also have a death-day. But these are not the things people will remember you for, and they are not the things that are important in heaven’s record. It is the dash, friends. The dash is not silent, it is the sum of earthly life!

I Can, W.A. Dillard

HEBREW HONEYCOMB THE BOOKS OF LIFE

 

William Andrew Dillard

 

 

The plural “books” is purposefully used in the title of this article even though the references in the scriptures are singular. The reason for the plural term is simple. There is more than one book referred to as “The Book of Life.”
Linguistic difficulties often surround terms due to commonly assigned meanings rather than precise definitions. So, what does the term “life” mean? Surely it is not restricted to conscious existence as most would say, because everyone will exist in consciousness somewhere for all eternity. This truism then causes the Bible student to rethink meanings, and in this instance life obviously refers to quality of conscious existence: while a most undesirable quality of conscious existence is referred to as “death”.
think with me about this!
At one point, Moses interceded for the Hebrew people in their wilderness wanderings to the degree that if God would not spare them, then his request was to be left out of God’s book. Exodus 32:32. Certainly, he was not requesting the loss of salvation, or of an eternity in hell, but the reward of his place in the annals of God’s recorded word.
Paul entreated others for help on behalf of those who labored with him in the gospel ministry whose names were in the book of life, Phil. 4:3. This is doubtless the same as the book of life in which God’s people were written, and promised their names would not be blotted out of it if they persevered in the faith to be overcomers. Moreover, this same book of life may be altered regarding one’s final status and station according to Revelation 22:19. Additionally, men are sternly warned that the altering of Revelation would result in their part being taken from the book of life. Again, this is not an assignment to hell, but it is definite loss of reward and status for eternity.
Additionally, there is the Lamb’s Book of Life which is the recording of all who have trusted in the Lord from the casting down of the perfect order that initially reigned in the Garden of Eden. It is the roll of all who have been born from above throughout human history. Rev. 13:8.
Furthermore, Job said his record was on high, 16:19. So is the record of everyone. Furthermore, at the final judgment, Rev. 20:12, the books will be opened plus, another book called the book of life, and the dead at the great white throne judgment were judged by what was written there, according to their works. Then, in Revelation 20:15 the Lamb’s book of life comes into play with all whose names are not written there being cast into the lake of fire.
Jesus said to His disciples as they returned from the limited commission, rejoicing that even the devils were subject to them in His name, “. . .Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20. Now that is where you want your name written, in heaven, in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and in the book of life-works that qualifies those so written for rich reward.