Beauty vs. Immodesty A woman who strives to be so, is more beautiful to a man than a rainbow, snow capped mountains, or the smile of a little child. An extremely attractive woman, modestly attired, is a feast for his eyes that can be enjoyed with a pure conscience. She is a wonderful creation of God, and her appearance a gift bringing great pleasure to the beholder. The woman described above can wear the same hairdo, makeup and jewelry, changing nothing but her clothing from modest to immodest, and she is immediately cheapened, no longer an exquisite display of God’s handiwork, but now a sexual object and temptation to sin. Men’s eyes are drawn to her even more than before, but instead of gazing in awe at her splendor, they now perceives her body a magnet to their eyes, which, if he is a Christian, will bother his conscience, and if he is a faithful Christian will be overcome by looking elsewhere, anywhere but at her. Is There Any Definite Standard of Modesty? If the only sermons you’ve heard on modesty had the vague message, “Be sure you dress modestly so you don’t make anyone lust,” which of course, doesn’t offend anyone or convict anyone of sin, or if you are a member of a congregation in which those wearing mini skirts and low cut tops are just as likely to be chosen to teach Bible class as the more conservative dressers, then you may be surprised to learn that …

The combined deity/humanity of Jesus is somewhat difficult for our finite minds to comprehend. However, that he was human is an undisputed fact of Scripture (and secular history). He was born of woman (Jeremiah 31:22; Galatians 4:4) in a body of flesh (Hebrews 10:5). The same particular word for “child,” is used to describe both him and his fully human cousin, John (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:66). He was given the male gender (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18; 1 Timothy 2:5). The Scriptures give evidence of his humanitarian and spiritual growth and progress (Luke 2:52). The Bible describes for us many events and thoughts in the life of Jesus that point to his human inclinations: sleeping, eating, attending weddings, shows of emotion, spending time with friends, etc. That being the case, it still makes it little easier to understand how he could be both man and God at the same time. Obviously, Jesus had powers and abilities exceeding that of mere men; but it must be understood such powers were not available for personal satisfaction or desire. For example, during his wilderness trial with Satan, it becomes apparent his ability to exercise the miraculous for personal benefit was a temptation he had to overcome in the flesh (Matthew 4:3-4). He had to face it with his knowledge of and relationship with his heavenly Father. We see he developed this from a sincere devotion to the truths and assurances of God’s Word (Luke 4:16; Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). Have you ever wondered how …

In the minds of many Americans, there are two concepts which always go together. Those concepts constitute the title of our article today. The idea is that if someone is doing something that others consider to be wrong and those who consider that activity to be wrong say so, they are being both judgmental and intolerant. For example, if I were to say that it is an evil thing for adults to have sexual relationships with minor children, there are many people who would say that I am being both judgmental and intolerant. (Incidentally, there are many Americans who would say that and many books have been written extolling the so-called virtues of adults and children having sexual relationships. But that is a subject for later articles.) I would fully grant that if I made the judgment that it is an evil thing for adults to exploit children for sexual purposes that I would be “judgmental.” All of us are judgmental about something even if it is only being judgmental about others being judgmental. Where did we ever get the silly idea that it is wrong to be judgmental? Not from good thinking, we can be assured of that. While I would be being judgmental in the above case, would I be being intolerant? We often sling words around without ever even stopping to try and define what we are talking about! Popular thinking, or lack of it, likes to assert that if a person condemns a thing as being …

What would you think if you heard a preacher say that the Bible taught that husbands should tolerate their wives? Probably your first reaction would be, “That is not what the Bible says! It says, ‘Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it’” (Ephesians 6:25). You would be right. But does the Bible teach that husbands should tolerate their wives? Does the word “love” necessarily include “tolerate,” and therefore when it says, “Love your wives,” it also teaches “Tolerate your wives?” The answer to that is, “Yes.” As we meditate on that, we should consider two things. First, if a word necessarily includes a concept, when the word is used, the concept, which is included, is taught. “Love your enemies” necessarily involves toleration of them. It does not involve condoning or approving their sins or actions against you. Second, we need to understand what toleration involves, and that one may have toleration for a person, but not tolerate certain actions of that person. Toleration has to do with the allowance of beliefs, habits or practices differing from one’s own preference. Should we be tolerant of those in denominations? Of course! This does not mean that we should refuse to teach against them or fail to point out the consequences of their disobedience. It does mean that we should not try to get national or local laws passed forbidding them. We have the right and responsibility to try to get laws passed …

“An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is onhis lips like a burning fire”(Proverbs 16:27). The figures are staggering: At least 3,300+ homes, 30 businesses, and 700 other structures were charred. Financial analysts estimate losses to exceed $2 billion. Thus far, 22 people have perished including one fire fighter, while dozens have been injured. Over 100,000 people were displaced; thousands were without electricity. At one time roughly 15,600 firefighters were on the scene trying to control the conflagration. More than $9 million was spent each day in firefighting efforts. Services included 1,900 fire engines, 203 water trucks, 43 air tankers and 105 helicopters. Some 800,000 acres of land were scorched. The effort stretched over 180 miles in six counties. The destructive force of these fires is difficult to grasp. Even those who have witnessed the actual loss of life and property find it hard to articulate the magnitude and enormity of the devastation. Entire forests and towns have literally been engulfed in flames. In many instances, little is left but glowing embers and white ash. Just think. A single match–barely three-quarters of an inch in length. A thin piece of rigid paper with a small dab of white phosphorus on the end. But watch what happens when that tiny entity is ignited. Notice how that miniscule spark grows into a flicker, and then into a yellow flare. Then consider the ravages of those eleven fires in the Golden State. Remember the toll in terms of human life. Ponder the …

Writing to the Christians in Rome, the apostle Paul made a very thought provoking statement: “…for now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11). It is quite clear that the writer is looking to the time when Christians will have completed all possible preparations for meeting the Lord in judgment to come, whenever that time will be. For this reason he said, “…it is high time to awake out of sleep…” On this basis, he urgently admonished those Christians to “cast off the works of darkness,” “walk properly, as in the day” and “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (vss. 12-14). One thing is certain: if that coming judgment day would be in this second millennium or if God chooses to delay it for ten thousand years (or more), no person, including those of Paul’s day, will have had, generally speaking, more than three score and ten years (maybe fourscore – cf. Psalms 90:10) in which to make the needed preparations. No wonder Paul said, “…it is high time to awake out of sleep…” That is the urgency that presses upon every responsible soul–not that the Lord was expected to come soon, either in the first century, or A.D. 999, or A.D. 1843, or A.D. 1914, or A.D. 1975, or whenever. By prior experience, this writer knows that 80 years seems almost like an eternity when one is young. But, oh, how short the time seems as we near the end of that time period! The …

The Lord God provided abundantly for his children while they were wandering in the wilderness for forty years. In Exodus Chapter 16, we learn that God instructed and informed Moses of the manna that he intended to give the people. And for six days of every week while Israel journeyed in the wilderness, God rained manna from heaven until they came into the promised land (Exodus 16:4, 35). After Israel crossed Jordan, they encamped in Gilgal and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month. The Holy Scriptures clearly state that “the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the produce of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year” (Joshua 5:10-12). Therefore, we know definitely and beyond a shadow of a doubt that manna ceased. No need to speculate about the matter. The Bible informs us that manna ceased when God stopped providing Israel with manna. That should be evident enough for all to understand. And yet, I can’t help but to wonder if years later while Israel dwelt in the land of Canaan that a group of young folk didn’t approach the elders of the people and make some inquiries about this miraculous matter of manna being supplied to the previous generation. You can just about hear them saying something like, “Why, brother, the Lord is the same today as he was yesterday.” Or, brother elder, …

Enoch (2nd century B.C.) wrote of ten heavens (Book of the Secrets of Enoch, 22:1). Jewish rabbis counted seven heavens (Testament of Twelve Patriarchs, Levi 2-3, cited by David Smith, Life and Letters of St. Paul, p. 335). The Bible mentions three: I. “THE HEAVENS” That vast aerial expanse (not a “firmament,” meaning “that which is firm”) above the earth where “the birds fly” and where are the sun, the moon, the stars, “and all their multitude,” Moses called “the heavens” (Genesis 1:17, 20; 2:1). David wrote, “The heavens tell of God’s glory, and the expanse proclaims the works of his hand” (Psalm 19:1). II. “THE HEAVEN OF HEAVENS” As eye-opening and stunning as are the physical heavens, in no way can they be compared to the eternal, the spiritual “heaven of heavens” (Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 68:33; 148:4). The spiritual, eternal heaven is “the dwelling place” of God, called by Jesus “my Father’s house” (1 Kings 8:30; Matthew 6:9; John 14:2). There is his throne (Isaiah 66:1; Acts 7:49), and there are uncountable angels (1 Kings 22:19; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 5:11). Into “heaven itself” Jesus ascended, “far above all the heavens,” to “appear in the presence of God for us” (Ephesians 4:10; Hebrews 9:24). Jesus is preparing places that have been “reserved in heaven” for those who “are kept by the power of God through faith for the salvation ready to be revealed at the last time” (1 Peter 1:4-5). Another Bible name for the “heaven of heavens” …

Solomon of old wrote, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy father have set” (Proverbs 22:28). Landmarks were property markers. It was and is wrong for a person’s property to be encroached upon. Such boundaries are a standing witness to rightful ownership. The same applies to the doctrine of God. In recent years, we have seen many critical doctrinal landmarks being removed by liberal-minded brethren: baptism for the remission of sins, instrumental music in the worship, the uniqueness of the church and now the frequency of the Lord’s supper. Denominations have always moved landmarks in these and other areas of teaching. In the late 1980’s, I worked as a contract chaplain for the Department of Corrections in Georgia. When the regular chaplain died, the “communion was celebrated” during a memorial service. I thought it highly erroneous, but characteristic of people who are untaught in the Scriptures. I never dreamed then that some of our brethren would be doing exactly the same thing. Stream 2000 is a mid-winter weekend event devoted to “worship in praise, prayer, song and small group fellowship” put on by the Golf Course Road Church of Christ in Midland, Texas. On their web page announcing this event they discuss “Communion – Frequency of the Celebration.” They let it be known that when they were planning Stream ’97 they thought it would be fitting to conclude their Saturday’s schedule with “the celebration of Communion.” Many of their members had been to an interdenominational weekend event where they “had …

One of the reasons for studying the Bible is to learn truth and abandon error, but have you noticed the current trend of some brethren “studying” themselves into error? The elders of one congregation announced that they have studied the matter and concluded that there is no New Testament prohibition of instrumental music in the worship, and they decided to adopt it’s use. Another church says that they have studied it and decided that there is no reason to limit taking the Lord’s Supper to Sunday only. They will observe it on another day as well. Yet another group says that after careful study they have decided that they will use women in a “more active” role in their worship services. We must wonder what accounts for this current trend, but one doesn’t have to wonder long when he realizes that when people have a mind to do a thing they can easily “study” themselves into it. Their hermeneutics will give them the license to do whatever they like in religion and the fact that they have “studied” it will give it the appearance of honest investigation. The very reverse of this disturbing trend was seen in the early days of the Restoration Movement when it was not unheard of for entire congregations to study themselves out of sectarianism and into New Testament Christianity! Now we have brethren “studying” themselves out of following the New Testament order (“tradition” as they call it) and following a course back into denominationalism. Go …