It is amazing what difference there is between the concept of God and of man as to what constitutes a great memorial. Man looks toward what represents mightiness, powerfulness, exquisiteness, artfulness, etc. Whereas the two great memorials God instituted to memorialize his efforts to rescue mankind from bondage are of such a lowly design that no man, great or small, would ever have thought of or suggested them. The first great memorial was the Passover ordinance that commemorated an event that had no precedent or anything like it to follow. Israel saw the mighty hand of God that was visibly manifested throughout all Egypt in the death of the first born of man and beast–the death stroke that liberated the children of Israel. Therefore, they were instructed to “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; …You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year” (Exodus 13:3-10, NKJV). The Passover memorialized an event so significant that fleshly Israel was never to forget. But as so often is the case with man, Israel’s remembrance waned at times and the significance of that event was corrupted through other devised and/or adopted devotions. In such a time, God had Ezekiel say to them, “Because you did not remember the days of your youth, but agitated Me with all these things, surely I will also recompense your deeds on your own head” (16:43). Very often, the lowly Passover memorial became an established ritual …

The apostle Peter identified himself as a “fellow elder” when he addressed those who, in like manner, were entrusted with the sheepfold of God (1 Peter 5:1-5). How fitting it is that just such an address would be made by the one to whom our Lord said repeatedly, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17). In writing these words, Peter personally acknowledged the gravity of this most essential work in the Lord’s church. From the current text (1 Peter 1:1-5), we wish to address some points of interest that the apostle recorded to benefit the shepherds of all ages. Elders are Exhorted to Shepherd. Peter says, “The elders who are among you I exhort, shepherd the flock of God” (v.1-2a). The concept of shepherding is not new for the Lord’s people. God has always required that those of wisdom, age and character set the example and guide the path of those who would follow him; with what great vehemence he opposes those who fail by apathy and neglect (see: Ezekiel 34:1-6)! Elders are eager to serve: “serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly” (v.2b). Eagerness is a quality fast losing virtue. It seems fewer people are eager to do any “thankless” work. The value of mental diligence and/or physical labor seems less attractive to every generation. An elder is a person who does not have to be prodded or begged to see spiritual needs; he sees them by virtue of his deeply cultivated respect for …

The love of Christ–who can describe it? It supersedes sexual love (eros), and family love (storge), and friendship love (philia). It is what God is: agape (1 John 4:8). It is selfless service, undying concern and unending commitment. It is unconditional, impartial and never failing. It has been called the “in spite of” love. When the love of Christ takes hold of a sinner’s heart, he confers “not with flesh and blood,” but immediately he rushes, even at midnight, to the water of baptism (Acts 16:25-34). On arising from the water, he is never the same again! From that moment, he lives “no longer” for himself, but only for him who died for him (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). He has “crucified” and “buried” his “old” self and is “renewed in the spirit of his mind” (Galatians 5:24; Romans 6:4; Ephesians 4:22-23). He is a “new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Everlastingly grateful, he describes to all who will hear “the excellencies of him who called” him “out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). He exclaims that Jesus “loved me, and gave himself for me,” yet not for him alone, “but for the whole world” (Galatians 2:20; 1 John 2:2). He may be criticized or even spurned by his blood-kin, but what Jesus has done for him means everything. He is grieved, because of mother love, if he has to turn away from mother’s religion, but his decision has been made, and he will not turn back. One man, some …

It is interesting how the Gospel plan of salvation unveils itself throughout the unfolding of the wonderful Book of Romans. Of course, there is much more to be said about the plan; all the books of the New Testament are to have their teachings heeded appropriately, but it is nevertheless good to notice how it unfolds in this particular book. Chapters 1-2–All the ungodly will suffer God’s wrath. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness…” (1:18, emph. mine, AR). All people will experience God’s fair judgment (2:6-10). Chapters 3-4–All are ungodly and need the justification that comes through Christ. (3:10-23, 24-26). Chapter 5–All can benefit from Christ’s reconciling sacrifice. He died for the ungodly (5:8-10). Being justified by his blood, we can be saved from that wrath that would otherwise be toward all impenitent (5:9; cf. 1:18). Chapters 6-7–All must be baptized into Christ (6:3-6). In doing so, one comes into contact with his saving blood by coming into contact with his death. In doing so, one is buried in the waters of baptism as Christ was buried in the earth. In doing so, one is raised to a new life as Christ was raised to a new life. What a fitting act of obedience. It is the turning point wherein one stops serving sin and starts serving righteousness (6:11-13, 16-18). Chapter 8–All can be assured of their salvation, if they are walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh (8:1). The power of Christ to hold onto his …

Most of us who are considered to be reasonably sound and conservative Gospel preachers probably have repeated the motto, “We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent.” Many of us who think we observe the motto do not, but try to do what we think the motto means. The motto means to most of us that we do all we do by the authority of Christ, and do not prohibit what Christ authorizes. The thing I want to emphasize now is that we take care that we do not make our little mottoes into creedal statements and bind them upon persons as God’s Word. We may approach the situation Jesus described in Matthew 23:24, “Ye blind guides, that strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel!” For example, we commonly say about the Lord’s church that it is unscriptural to say “My church” or “Your church” for that implies that the church belongs to us, when it really belongs to Christ. What about “My family” or “Your family?” Does that imply that we own the family, or does everyone understand that that we are merely a part of it? Did you ever speak of “My school” or “My country?” The church is the family of God. Is it unscriptural to speak of it as “Our family” in the same sense that our earthly family is ours? Does “My country” imply that I own the country, or merely that I am a part of it? …

Defining a cult, especially in an article as brief as this one, is not an easy task; nevertheless it can be done. Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary gives several definitions for the word “cult,” but we will concern ourselves only with those pertaining to religion. This source defines the word as follows: “a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.; a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.” When the word “cult” appears in a religious discussion, our minds often go immediately to the “Jim Jones Cult,” which emigrated from the US to South America where all its members summarily committed suicide. We think of the David Koresh cult whose final standoff with the national officials ended in death and destruction for many. These may be extreme examples, but the plain fact of the matter is cults are made up of extremists of some kind. Political ones like the Aryan Nation, etc. engage in terrorist activities. Sometimes, even religious cults will do the same thing, as has been recorded in the history of the Mountain Meadows Massacre in the late 1800s. Cults often venerate (worship) a mere human being, and all their activities, no matter how bizarre, surround him/her in some way. These leaders are sometimes called prophets or prophetesses. They claim that they have a special connection with God in some way or another. Some claim …

That’s the sound that a foghorn makes, and last Wednesday morning we sure could have used one around here. As I went out to crank the truck to warm it up before going to work, I discovered that there was a thick fog, so thick that the windows of the truck were covered with moisture even though it was under the carport. About half way to work, the fog got very thick, you know, the “pea-soup” kind. The road that I was on was dark and had no center stripe. The only reference I had was the edge of the road, which at times was hard to see too. There were a couple of times I got disoriented and found myself veering from one side of the road to the next trying to find the center and there were times that I actually got lost; I didn’t know where I was even though I’d traveled this same road to work for almost twenty years! After services Wednesday night, brother Tony Lewis and I were talking about the fog, and I think he got lost too, so I don’t feel quite so bad. Have you ever been lost? Have you ever found yourself at a point in your life that things were so foggy or cloudy you couldn’t see the way? Last Wednesday night brother Kenneth Jordan brought a wonderful devotional that showed that the Christian is the light of world (Matthew 5:14). And in a world filled with darkness, the …

When I was a kid and really wanted to do something that my folks had already said no to, I would say, “Well everybody else is doing it.” Then I would get that standard reply that all moms and dads learn in parenting school, “If everybody went and jumped in the lake, would you?” It always seemed logical to me that if the majority was doing it then it must be all right. Not so. When it comes to the Lord’s work, we still do this very thing, even though we’re supposed to be grown-up and mature. We make excuses in order to justify either doing or not doing something by comparing ourselves to the majority. We shouldn’t compare our Christian service with others because in the end we’ll only be accountable for what we do as individuals (Romans 14:12). Rather we should use ourselves as a measuring device to see if we stack up. Ask yourself, “If someone patterned his life after mine would that person be saved?” Think about it.

This is a popular doctrine being advocated presently by some brethren who no longer accept scriptural baptism as being the consummating event when a believer is saved from past sins. They do not totally reject baptism but they do teach that while baptism is a command to be obeyed, it is not the ‘event’ at which time a person is saved. They teach that salvation from sin is a ‘process’ throughout life and one cannot say that salvation from past sins comes at a certain ‘event’ on this lifelong ‘journey.’ This false doctrine is clearly taught in the book “The Jesus Proposal,” co-authored by Rubel Shelly and John O. York. Brother Shelly writes that he was baptized when he was twelve years old. He speaks of this act as being “baptismal regeneration.” He then writes, “How much more confused and wrong-headed could a baptismal theology be? How much farther from the truth of Scripture could I have been when I was immersed in that cold water on a hot July night? When I get to heaven, maybe I’ll want to ask God when I was really saved. Was it when I got clear on the Holy Spirit at about twenty-one or two? Was it when I finally grasped the grace-nature of the gospel in my thirties? I suspect he will tell me there was no “moment at which” I was saved-but that he sought and found me through the entire process” (page 130). It is difficult for me to understand …

As I write this article [written several years ago], I am overlooking the beautiful harbor of Singapore. Lying at anchor in that harbor are more than one hundred and fifty ships of different sizes and shapes. As I have sat here from time to time and observed them, it is interesting to watch how each ship faces the tide. If the tide is coming in, they face the ocean; if it is going out, they face the mouth of the Singapore River. However, because they are securely anchored in the harbor they remain in their respective places. They are neither washed aground, nor out to sea by the moving tide. Why? Because their anchor holds them in their place. The writer of the Book of Hebrews had something to say about an anchor. He wrote, “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast…” (Hebrews 6:18-19). Let the storms of life come to tempt us, bringing in their sorrow and doubt, let the false prophet attempt to lead us astray with his great swelling words of false doctrines. Neither will be able to move us who have that anchor both sure and steadfast. It will keep us safely moored. Shall we cast off our moorings and be cast against the rocks …

Martha was excited to finally set foot in the country where her grandparents had lived before immigrating to the U.S. She had traveled by plane, bus, and taxi and now stood in front of the house of a cousin she had never met. She recognized the house from pictures she had seen, and now with the anticipation of meeting someone for the first time, who was both a blood relative and a foreigner, she stepped onto the porch and knocked on the door. There was no answer. She knocked again, but still there was no answer. Martha knew her cousin, Matilda, was expecting her today and would surely return soon, so she sat down on the porch to wait. About half an hour later, she noticed a woman walking down the road toward her. As the woman got nearer, Martha realized that this was not her cousin. This woman was carrying only a plastic bag. Her cousin, Matilda, had given birth only seven days earlier and would be carrying a little baby girl. So, Martha was surprised when the woman stepped out of the road, walked across the small yard, and said in accented English, with a big smile, “You must be Martha.” Martha stood up, looked more closely at the woman, and realized this was the face she had seen in photographs. This was Matilda! Although the two women had never met, they hugged warmly. As happy as Martha was to finally meet Matilda face to face, she was …

What do the letters “WWJD” mean to you? Four pieces of the alphabet? The initials of a prince or a president? No, on both counts. They identify what some have come to refer to as a “movement,” if not a current fad. Of course, as fads these days do, it involves money. For $2.67 you can buy a bracelet and key ring with the initials “WWJD” on them to remind you, in times of “difficult decisions” (temptations) to ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?” Many other more costly items are available. Worthy goal! Who could possibly find fault with such a question? Not me! I am reminded of the book, In His Steps: “What Would Jesus Do?” written by Charles M. Sheldon in 1896. It is the interesting story of a preacher and a church who were presented with the question of “What would Jesus do?” in response to the poor and destitute people of their community. The question is presented, in this book, “What does it mean to follow Jesus?” and to sing, “Where he leads me I will follow, I’ll go with Him, with Him, all the way.” A friend of mine gave me a copy of this book twenty years ago. It challenged him to preach the Gospel over forty-three years ago. I have another suggestion for an appreciation of this question that will not involve the outlay of any money, except the cost of a Bible if you do not have one. Memorize Psalm 119:11, “Your word I …

Imagine that you live in Old Testament times. Imagine too that you and a good friend have been working together in the woods when suddenly a terrible accident occurs. That ax you’ve been swinging over the past several hours splinters apart, flinging its stone head at your friend’s temple. His death is instantaneous. There was no premeditation in the event; it just happened. It was unintentional, but your friend is dead nonetheless. So what do you do? You obviously can’t dial 911 because phones aren’t in existence. Neither can you simply wait around for emergency authorities to arrive on the scene because your life is now in jeopardy. You see, once news of your friend’s untimely death reaches his family’s ears, their goel (pronounced “go-L”) or avenger of blood1 (Numbers 35:19) will be in hot pursuit. It is his duty to hunt you down and kill you (Deuteronomy 19:4-6). Yes, even though your friend’s death was an accident, as long as you are “out in the open,” the goel has the legal right to take your life. That means that either you run or die. You run to any one of six special cities (e.g., Golan, Ramoth, Bezer, Kedesh, Shechem and Hebron, Josh. 20:7-8), which God designated as sanctuary (Exodus 21:12-13). Each of these cities is strategically located so that regardless of where you live in Canaan, you can flee no more than a day’s journey and find respite therein.2 Once you arrive, you present an abbreviated version of your “case” before the elders of …