Living Sacrifice

QUESTION: “What does it mean to be a ‘living sacrifice,’ according to what Paul says in Romans 12:1?” ANSWER: Living under the Law of Moses, the worshiper brought a living animal to be killed; it was a dead sacrifice (Leviticus 1:2). However, under the Law of Christ, Christians are living sacrifices, able to serve the Lord and glorify Him each day (cf. 1 Peter 2:5, 9-10). Two men in the Bible illustrate what it means to be a living sacrifice – Isaac and Jesus Christ. Isaac was young when he went with his father Abraham to Mount Moriah and there was offered as a sacrifice (Genesis 22). Isaac was willing to die so that he and his father might be obedient to the Lord. He did not die, however, because God’s purpose was to test Abraham’s faith and love, not to take his son (Genesis 22:11-18). When Isaac was unbound and taken from the altar, it was like a resurrection from the dead (cf. Hebrews 11:17-19). Isaac was from that moment on a living sacrifice. However, Jesus Christ actually died and arose from the dead. There was no substitute provided for Him as there was for Isaac, because He was the substitute (2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24). When He came forth from the tomb, He still bore on His body the marks of the nails and spear (John 20:27). He became a living sacrifice, and He remains a living sacrifice in glory today (Hebrews 12:2; 7:25). His sacrifice for …

Racism

QUESTION: “What attitude should the Christian have toward racism?” ANSWER: Christianity was born into a world filled with racial prejudice. It occurred many times, but the most obvious was the attitude of the Jews toward the Gentiles. Godliness abhors any assumed racial superiority! The Bible provides us with an “equalization factor” found in Romans 3:9-12, 23, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” This biblical principle is true regardless of race. The element of sin in our lives cuts across economic, racial and intellectual boundaries. Christ brought equality, the basis of which is obedience, not skin coloration! Christ has broken down the wall between us (Ephesians 2:14-16), drawing mankind into one body by His death on the cross (Acts 17:26). God is no “respecter of persons,” but He examines man on the basis of his righteousness (Acts 10:34-35). God makes no distinction on the basis of race and forbids the same in us. In fact, He made a connection between every human being at creation, as proclaimed in Acts 17:26, “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.” James taught, “Hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons” (2:1). In v. 9, he labeled discrimination as sin! The blood of Christ is contacted in baptism, wherein all barriers are destroyed, being made one in Christ (Galatians 3:26-28). Peter violated this principle and was reprimanded by Paul (Galatians 2:11). Observe how Jesus responded to …

Acts 2:38

QUESTION: Will you please explain what is meant by Peter’s statement in Acts 2:38? ANSWER: Acts 2:38 is Peter’s response to an audience of Jews whose rejection of their Messiah had put them into a lost state and who thus needed salvation (vs. 22-24). Their question to Peter (v.37) was “What shall we do?” That is, what shall we do to be saved? Peter named two things they must do: repent and be baptized. He also listed two things they would receive as a result: forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This verse specifically says that baptism is “for the forgiveness of sins.” Forgiveness (or remission) is equivalent to justification; it is the cancellation of all guilt by the power of the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7; Acts 22:16; Revelation 1:5). A key word in this verse is “for,” which translates the Greek preposition eis. This word signifies purpose, intention or result. In other words, Peter said to be baptized for the purpose of bringing about the forgiveness of sins. It is used exactly the same way in Matthew 26:28. Acts 2:38 also says that those who are baptized “will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” This is that which Jesus promised in John 7:37-39; the direct result of this gift is the new birth promised in John 3:3-5. The Spirit’s presence raises the spiritually dead sinner to a state of spiritual life (Romans 6:4). Thus, Acts 2:38 makes the meaning of baptism crystal clear. It is the …

Do the Evil Spirits Mentioned During Jesus’ Time Exist Now?

The evil spirits were subject only to Jesus and His appointed apostles! Brother Kenneth Jones, writing on this subject stated, “God allowed people to be possessed by demons to demonstrate Christ’s complete power over all the forces of evil.” The casting out of demons identify what this was. Matthew 4:23-24 show that evil spirit or demon possession was something distinguished from medical or psychiatric conditions in the New Testament. Further close studies of the Scriptures reveal some startling facts! Demon possession came on the scene suddenly in the time of Christ, but it is nowhere again mentioned after the Book of Acts, and it is only mentioned twice in Acts – and both times confirming the Word and establishing the divine power in the apostles. In Acts 16:16-18, a certain damsel was possessed with the spirit of divination and was being used by her masters. The apostle Paul commanded the spirit to come out. It did, and the masters were so upset that Paul and Silas were sent to prison where they converted the jailer to Christ. The second passage is Acts 19:13-16. In that account, certain Jews ordered an evil spirit out of a man. It is noteworthy that the spirit spoke and stated, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye?” The evil spirit did not leave, but influenced the man to attack those Jews, and they fled from the house naked and wounded. According to brother Jones, “The day in which a fountain would …

How Can I Resist Temptation?

James wrote in James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” In Matthew 4, Jesus was tempted by the devil with every temptation he could throw at Him. In verse 11 it says the devil left Him. I believe that Satan preys on the weak in faith. First Peter 5:8 reads, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” James wrote in James 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” It only makes sense to conclude that the devil works in those who are weak in the faith; they present the least resistance. He left Jesus because of His great faith and His determination and dedication to His Father. The same holds true for us. If we deny self and take up our cross and follow Jesus as He instructed, that doesn’t leave us much time to follow Satan. Paul said in Ephesians 6:10-11, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” So, to get back to the question, “How can I resist temptation?” Remember, God’s written Word is the most powerful tool you have. Use it not only for …

To Whom Do the Ten Commandments Apply?

There has been a great deal of interest in the Bible’s Ten Commandments recently. Some have stated that all but one of them is applicable to modern mankind. Others have become very upset because governments have taken a stand on having them removed from government buildings. A close study of Exodus and Leviticus, however, reveals that they never were applicable to anyone but Israelites, and that much more than the 10 were involved. Time after time in these two books reference is made to the commandments in them being made to and for Israel. Gentiles are not being considered, except in certain cases where such would be dwelling among the Israelites. These commandments belong strictly to what is often considered the Old Testament, which was a guide for Israel until Christ ushered in His New Testament, which applies to everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. (See Galatians 3:17-29.) Too often, modern man has failed to truly study the Bible, and thus, he has concluded that every command given to Israel is just as binding today as it was when delivered by Moses directly from God concerning Israel’s destiny. One needs to ask certain questions, though. Among the first to be asked is, “To whom was the passage addressed?” God answered this over and over in Leviticus. To take the passage out of that context is to make it a pretext (i.e., a lie), and to teach it in that way is to lead people away from the basic teaching and place …

The What, Who and Why of Baptism

For a number of years, the subject of baptism has been and continues to be a serious question among religious people. Baptism has been written on and debated over for many years. The religious world will remain divided over this question until the same source of authority is studied and accepted as the final voice in the matter. What does the Bible say concerning the What, Who and Why of baptism? The English word “baptism” is not really a translation. It is a transliteration—that is, the English spelling of the original Greek word, which literally means, “immerse” (Thayer 94-95). There is no way that “sprinkle” or “pour” can be substituted for “immersion” or “immerse” in the New Testament. Try it in the following passages. (1) Colossians 2:12: baptism is a burial and a resurrection; sprinkle or pour will not fit, but immersion will! “Having been buried with him in immersion…” (2) Romans 6:4. (3) Acts 22:16. (4) Acts 8:36-39. Only immersion will fit. Baptism in the New Testament is an immersion, a burial. Who should be baptized is such a popular question in the religious world because of infant baptism. Can anyone be baptized, or is it for believers only? What does the Bible say? (1) Matthew 28:19: people are to be taught. (2) Romans 10:17: only teaching makes believers. (3) Mark 16:16: only believers are to be baptized. (4) Acts 2:38; Luke 13:3, 5: men are to repent or perish. Who should be baptized? The Bible answers: the penitent believer and no one …

Yes, We Are Open on Sundays

My family and I recently took a day trip to Amish Country here in Ohio. It was a nice and relaxing day in which we went sightseeing, shopping and tasting the free samples of cheese. While there I picked up some of the local advertisements, looking for the good deals and coupons for my wife. I noticed while skimming several of the ads that some of the stores made a special note that they were open on Sundays. This is due to the fact that most of the Amish and Mennonite people close their stores and shops for Sunday worship. I did think it was interesting that I did not see any church of Christ or other religious group for that matter have an ad in the papers, reminding the locals and visitors to their community that they too were open on Sundays for worship. Now it maybe just understood that Sunday is the Lord’s Day and Christians worship on this day, or maybe there was an ad that I did not see advertising the church’s assembly and times of meeting on Sunday. Regardless, what a great reminder it would have been to see an ad in the paper reminding that the churches of Christ are open on Sundays. That Sundays are not just a “day off” where we look for something to do, but it is a very special day of worshiping God. The first day of the week is a day where we as Christians come together (Acts …

Design or Accident?

When it comes down to it, this universe was either planned by intelligence, or it is completely accidental. As you contemplate the choices, here are a few things to consider. One last question: how many “accidents” will you admit to until you realize that these are no accidents at all, but designs? [Editor’s Note: The created universe is evidence of something (Romans 1:20). Is it evidence for design or accident? The Designer also provided written revelation—the Bible, especially the New Testament for all people living today. ~ Louis Rushmore]

Biblical Balance

Christians must: Contend for the faith, but not be contentious.Be prepared to fight the battle, but seek peace.Never compromise, but always love.Hate the sin, but love the sinner. “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again” (Romans 11:22-23 NKJV). Biblical balance is not between good and evil, false doctrine and true doctrine, error and truth, or manmade philosophy and biblical truth. Biblical balance is between “goodness” and “severity.” It is proclaiming the “whole council of God.” Biblical balance provides a well-rounded spiritual diet. Riding a “hobby horse,” no matter how important or true the point of argument may be, is not biblical balance. One person only speaks of love and grace, with no emphasis on obedience at all; another does nothing but attack false doctrine that is affecting the church; another only preaches on how to become a Christian; another emphasizes man’s need to obey with little or no emphasis on the grace of God. The truth is that all of these topics should be preached. Any one of them is true, but is not enough by itself. There is a story that has been around a long time about a young preacher who came to work at a congregation, and every sermon he preached …

Alcohol Always Lied to Me

I drank for courage and woke up night after night horrified. I drank for sophistication and became crude. I drank to find peace and ignited a war within myself. I drank to be friendly and became argumentative and nasty. I drank to be sexy and turned people off. I drank so that I could relate to others and I babbled. I drank to put down loneliness and found myself retreating more and more into my shell. I drank to relax and woke up tense. I drank to be entertaining and became an obnoxious clown. I drank to live more fully and contemplated suicide. I drank for adventure and discovered disaster. I drank to be more honest and insulted my friends. I drank to quiet my nerves and woke up with hangover jangles. I drank to feel better and ended up sick and throwing up. I drank to have fun and passed out in the middle of the party. I drank to pep myself up and ended up exhausted. I drank to feel successful (a big shot) but ended up a failure. I drank for security and became afraid of my shadow. I drank to feel better about myself and ended up hating me. I drank to prove I could handle alcohol and ended up knowing it controlled me. A friend said to me “But surely, now that you’ve been sober for a while, it would take a lot of alcohol to put you back in that condition.” “Just one drink,” …

A Gospel Preacher Is…

Above all, a Gospel preacher is a simple Christian. He has neither titles nor a special suit to wear. Every day, he fights many of the same battles with Satan that other Christians fight. He gets sick on Sunday. He can be exhausted on Wednesday evening. He even visits the sick, when needed. A preacher is also a proclaimer of God’s Word. He tells the old, old story of Jesus and His love. The story may be tarnished and pitted to some, but it is as fresh as rain in the desert to him. He loves to plant God’s Word in men’s hearts. He is extremely careful in what and how he preaches. Occasionally, he sees the most thrilling thing of all — the seed sprouts and bears fruit. The Gospel preacher is an exhorter of the brethren. He tries to show them the straight and narrow way that leads to eternal life. Along the way, he encourages many, and may even snatch a few from the fire. In so doing, he constantly returns to the freshness of God’s Word to encourage himself and to stimulate others. A preacher is a defender of God’s Truth. In some way, he must have a steel hand inside a velvet glove. He must be like Jeremiah the prophet by being a defending wall to his people. It may often be a lonely position, but he must realize that he is never alone. A preacher must be a rebuker of false teachers and doctrines. …

Decent or Unprincipled

Viktor Emil Frankl (1905-1997) was a Holocaust survivor. He wrote about his experiences in Nazi concentration camps. Via online Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, I noticed the following quote “Viktor Frankl often said that even within the narrow boundaries of the concentration camps he found only two races of men to exist: decent and unprincipled ones.” An interesting observation, “only two races of men exist: decent or unprincipled.” The word “decent” is defined in part as “characterized by conformity to recognized standards of propriety or morality. Meeting accepted standards.” “Unprincipled” is defined in part as “lacking principles or moral scruples; unscrupulous: unprincipled behavior.” (The Free Dictionary Online by Farlex) I am reminded of a movie I saw many years ago, titled “HUD” (1966). Paul Newman had the leading role, playing a selfish, cocky, unscrupulous, crude, amoral, hedonistic, irresponsible and hard drinking rat. Hud’s father, Homer, played by the distinguish actor Melvyn Douglas, was a very decent man and a complete opposite of his son, Hud. In a memorable climatic scene, Homer criticized Hud’s living philosophy saying, “…You’re an unprincipled man, Hud. You don’t value nothing…You don’t respect nothing…You live just for yourself. And that makes you not fit to live with.” The character, Hud, had absolutely no redeeming qualities. Sadly, the character portrayed by Paul Newman is not just a fictitious movie personality; such people are all around us. Decent people are appreciated and much desired in any society. They can be trusted and are law-abiding citizens governed under civilized laws. …

God the Sower

In Bible times, many fields were sown with grain during the planting season. A person would walk through the field with a sack over one shoulder. He would take handfuls of seed and throw seed out around him as he walked through the field. The soil in Palestine is very rocky. At times it is nothing but rocks. Sometimes rocks are cleared from an area so that planting can be done in good soil. People literally made paths as they walked through the fields. There were no sidewalks, so people tended to follow the path that others had taken to walk through the fields. This ground became hard along these paths. These were known as the waysides. Then, of course, there was the very good soil. The seed that fell on the stony ground could start to grow, but it could not really make a root system. Thus, when the sun beat down, it withered and died. The seed that fell on the side could not begin to grow. The birds ate it up before it could begin to grow. This is because the seed was out in the open where it could be seen by the birds. The seed that fell on the good ground was able to take root and grow. In Matthew 13, Jesus told the Parable of the Sower. In the parable, God is the Sower and individuals are the ground. The difference between real ground and real persons is that persons make a choice as …

Chastening the Son

The so called children raising experts all say that spanking or disciplining a child is wrong. “Let the child have his way, let him do as he pleases, let him make his own decisions,” they say. A lot of parents have followed such foolish advice and have lost their children to the immorality and sensuality of the world. Many parents today bemoan the fact that their children are so indifferent and unconcerned about their souls. Parents, you should give heed to the Word of God, rather than to infidel psychologists. Listen to God’s voice: “Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction” (Proverbs 19:18). This passage taken in the negative simply says if you refuse to chasten your child, you aid in his destruction. “But,” says someone, “I love him too much to give stern discipline.” Really? Read what the writer of the Book of Hebrews says on the subject (12:5-11), and please read it now. After doing so, ask yourself, “Do I really love my child?”

The Shining

In 1980, a horror film called The Shining was produced and offered to audiences across the world. It had to do with ghosts or spirits who were disturbing mortals that were occupying a hotel. The Shining was the supposed manifestation of occult power in the film, and of course, all of it was the fanciful invention of writers and producers. Yet, a real true shining is described in God’s Word. God promised to shine on man and in turn demanded a shining from man. In Isaiah God issued His promise for that shining and called on His people to shine His light to others. “The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” says the Lord. “As for me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendant’s descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.” Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah59:20-60:3) God, the Redeemer, promised to come and make a covenant with those who turned …

Master, Master

Jesus was a worker. We do not find Him idling away the hours He spent on earth. Those He chose to be apostles were industrious men. They tackled their tasks with fervor and energy. Christ calls us to be workers. He does not have time for shirkers. He explained that it is not the talkers but the doers He will reward at the Judgment. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). If there is any truth He emphasized, it is this: “To the work, to the work, we are servants of God” (as the songwriter put it), or as Jesus Himself said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). Choose Your Employer A long time ago, a man named Joshua said, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15). The Lord pictured the church as a man hiring laborers for his vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). He continuously looked for new workers, and he hired as many as he …

The Measure of Devotion

Following the July 1-3, 1863 Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War, a section of the battlefield was designated as a cemetery for the soldiers slain in the battle. A ceremony was planned for November 19, 1863 for the “Consecration of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg.” Edward Everett was selected to give the chief oration. President Abraham Lincoln was invited to formally dedicate the site. The organizational committee expressed to President Lincoln: “It is the desire that, after the Oration, you, as Chief Executive of the nation, formally set apart these grounds to their sacred use by a few appropriate remarks.” These “few appropriate remarks” – the Gettysburg Address – that Lincoln would share on that historic occasion have come to be regarded as one of the greatest speeches in American history. In just over two minutes, Lincoln “examined the founding principles of the United States in the context of the Civil War, and he memorialized the sacrifices of those who gave their lives at Gettysburg and extolled virtues for the listeners (and the nation) to ensure the survival of America’s representative democracy (Wikipedia). Although the President was asked to dedicate the ground for the cemetery, he concluded his address with a challenge to the living: It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here …

Portraits of Jesus

Have you ever seen a picture of Jesus? Some people have a framed picture that is supposed to be of Him. Many of these depict Jesus as pale-skinned and frail-looking, neither of which would be accurate. We have no Bible record of specifically how He looked, except that physically “he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:3). However, it is as if God commissioned four portraits to be painted of His Son. The artist was the Holy Spirit, and words paint the picture. The first four books of the New Testament each give a picture of the life of Jesus. Matthew wrote initially to a Jewish readership. His picture paints Jesus as King. In Chapter 2, the earthly king Herod felt threatened by the birth of this King, and he ordered the infant males in Bethlehem to be slaughtered. In Chapter 13, a series of parables tell about Jesus’ kingdom. In Chapter 16, we learn that the terms “church” and “kingdom” are used interchangeably (vv.18-19). Chapter 21 tells of the King Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on the back of a lowly beast of burden. In Chapter 27, we see Him humiliated and mockingly called “King of the Jews!” (v. 29). Mark’s portrait was intended to impress upon Romans that Jesus was a Servant. His followers had questions about greatness (9:33-35), so He emphasized servitude. This portrait shows Jesus serving others. “For the Son of man also came not to …

A Young Servant Girl

We read in 2 Kings Chapter Five about the biblical account of the healing of Naaman, a captain in the Syrian army. This man was a mighty man of valor who was plagued with leprosy. When we study this passage of Scripture, we concentrate on the miraculous healing of Naaman. We emphasize the importance of following God’s instructions. We see the fallacy of pride and the arrogance and the anger that goes hand in hand with pride. However, in this study, I want us to consider verses two and three, “And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, ‘If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.’” The Hebrew word for “maid” in this passage can mean a child from infancy to adolescence. This young girl was old enough to serve as a maid to Naaman’s wife, but she was not a young adult. Please consider the following ideas gleaned from this young, Hebrew slave. She listened to the instruction of her parents. This youthful maiden was blessed with parents who taught her the about the one true God – the God of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 4:39). Her parents took to heart the teachings of Moses in Deuteronomy 6:6-9. They must have used every waking moment to instill a love for God in her. She carried …

Let’s Suppose God Began Today to…

There was an article written some years ago, and the first line stated, “Just suppose that the Lord should begin next Sunday to make the people as sick as they say they are on Sunday and Wednesday.” The focus of this article will have a slightly different slant. Let’s just suppose that God began today to keep a record of our sins in thought, word and deed. It would not matter to Him how many times we genuinely asked His forgiveness. What a horrifying position to become aware of—our sins mounting by the second—and held against us for life! Unlimited forgiveness is available to the penitent through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Without Him, our sin debt exceeds all of our power, desire or ability to rescind. However, our forgiveness is predicated on our willingness to continually forgive those that sin against us. Jesus taught His disciples to pray as He responded to their request in Luke 11:1-13. Praying for forgiveness and extending it to others was part of that teaching. Verse 4 says, “And forgives us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” Let’s just suppose that God began today to treat us the way we sometimes treat others. Could we, would we take that kind of treatment from anybody? Would we be planning our retaliation? The world’s attitude is one of getting even, looking out for number one and stepping on others to get what you want. The way of the Lord is diametrically …

Solo Scriptura

The phrase sola scriptura is from the Latin: sola having the idea of “alone,” “ground,” “base,” and the word scriptura meaning “writings”—referring to the Scriptures. Sola scriptura means that Scripture alone is authoritative for the faith and practice of the Christian. The Bible is complete, authoritative and true. Paul stated: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Here is the bottom line: FIRST, Scripture is inspired. Here, Paul told us the source of Scripture. It comes from God (literally, it is God-breathed), and in its autographs it displays His perfection, being inerrant and absolutely reliable. No one can deny the greatness of the Bible; it is completely unique among all books ever written. The Bible is unique in its: Continuity: It was written over 1,600 years; over 60 generations; by more than 40 authors; on 3 different continents; in different circumstances, places and times; in different moods; in 3 languages and concerning scores of controversial subjects, but it speaks with one united voice. Circulation: It is the most published and popular book ever written—far and away; anything else is a distant, distant second. Translation: It was the first book translated, and the Bible has been translated into more languages than any other book in existence. Survival: It has survived the ravages of time, manual transcription, persecution and criticism. Honesty: It deals with the sins and failures of its heroes in a way unknown to …

A Matter of Perspective

We live in a society that has become increasing hostile to the values in which Christians believe, to which they hold and by which they live. Laws have been enacted in some states that are designed to limit the expression of Christian thought to church buildings, prohibiting even the reading of certain passages of Scripture in public that some would construe as controversial. The problem is exacerbated by those who wear the name Christian but who do not have a clue what it means to be a Christian and to live as a Christian. This is the legacy of the influence of secularism that permeates so much of life. How do we respond to such an attitude? We remain consistent to our calling as Christians. Paul reminded Timothy to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2), whether in season or out, whether popular or not. Why? Because only the Word of God reveals His truth about salvation, about the life those who have salvation in Christ are called to live. Only the Word of God is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12), able to penetrate to the innermost part of our being and help mold us in His image. Only the Gospel is God’s power to salvation (Romans 1:16), and only by teaching and living the truth, a lifestyle consistent with the message of the Gospel, will we have an impact on others. “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evil doers, they may …

I will Never Help Anyone Again!

Have you ever been disappointed in someone? Have you ever realized too late that you have been taken advantage of? Have you ever helped someone and never received even a “thank you” in return? I’m sure most, if not all of us, can answer yes to at least one of those questions. The tendency is for us to become coldhearted and declare, “I will never be in that situation again!” Most of us would also feel that we are perfectly right to have such an attitude after the way we have been treated. While the above attitude is certainly understandable, it is not necessarily what God would have us to do. Remember that Jesus could also answer yes to all the above questions, many times over, yet His reaction was quite different from ours. In Luke 17:11-17, Jesus came upon ten lepers. They lived a miserable existence, and they earnestly pled for mercy from Jesus. He extended mercy, healed them and told them to show themselves to the priest. Somewhere along the way, they were healed, but only one returned to thank Jesus for such a wonderful blessing. Luke emphasized that this one was a Samaritan, one that most Jews would look upon with great disfavor. In verse 17, Jesus asked a pointed question, which may indicate the sadness in his heart, “Where are the nine?” Yes, Jesus was disappointed many times over, especially by the Jewish leaders, but he never quit showing kindness. What about ourselves? Have we ever …

God Uses Trouble

Paul, knowing the importance of continued teaching and encouragement, approached Barnabas about visiting the brethren in all the cities in which they had previously preached. Barnabas strongly desired to take his cousin (Colossians 4:10 NKJV, ASV, NIV, ESV), John Mark, on the journey. Paul did not want to go with the man who had left them at Perga (Acts 15:36-38; 13:13). Paul and Barnabas were so firm in their opinions, even to the point of being provoked to anger, that they had to separate. God used the disagreement between these two great men of faith to produce two teams to go preach the Gospel. Barnabas went with John Mark to Cyprus, his homeland (Acts 15:39; 4:36). Paul took Silas, one of the leading men among the brethren at Jerusalem (Acts 15:22). They went through Syria and Cilicia to southern Galatia, strengthening the churches along the way (Acts 15:40-41). “The one redeeming note in this otherwise unhappy and regrettable episode is that neither party to the dispute permitted it to hinder the work of God” (James Burton Coffman, Commentary on Acts 305). Paul later referred to Barnabas as a good example of one who worked to support himself while preaching. He also described John Mark as one who was useful in ministry (1 Corinthians 9:6; 2 Timothy 4:11). Disagreements between brethren can be the devil’s tool to bring good works to a standstill. The Christian who allows some painful incident to become his/her excuse for sitting on the stool of do-nothing gives Satan the victory. …

Search the Scriptures

Jesus, in an attempt to teach the unbelieving Jews of His day, declared, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). Sadly, many of the Jews who encountered Jesus had no idea who He really was. Had they been real students of God’s Word, they would have recognized the Son of God and obeyed Him. It is quite obvious that they were destroyed due to their lack of real Bible knowledge (cf. Isaiah 5:13; Hosea 4:6). A lack of Bible knowledge is dangerous, not just for the Jews of old, but for us as well. Searching the Scriptures is done for varying reasons. Some search the Scriptures to try to find errors in God’s Word. Others search the Scriptures to merely win an argument at work. Still others search the Scriptures to find an answer to some problem that they are facing. While it is true that searching the Scriptures should be a part of the Christian’s life, what is the proper motive for such? Why search the Scriptures? Firstly, search the Scriptures for God’s approval. Paul reminded his son in the faith to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 emp. added). The goal of any Bible study is to seek God’s approval. Searching, knowing and applying God’s Word enables one to shun temptation and stop sin from taking hold …

Broken Things

Given the lack of quality in today’s toys and with three children, I find myself often discarding broken toys and other items. When a toy, or most any other item for that fact, breaks, it is usually of little or no value. Broken things are simply garbage in most cases. However, God has the awesome ability to use broken things, which would be rendered garbage to us, and use them to accomplish His will. Consider: God used broken pitchers to defeat Israel’s enemies. After decreasing the size of Gideon’s army to a mere 300 men (Judges 7:2-7), Gideon gave instructions as to how Midian would be defeated. Interestingly, this defeat involved breaking the pitchers that they were carrying (Judges 7:19), which allowed their lights to be shown brightly. A broken pitcher is of little value to humanity, but when God is behind it, it makes the victory possible! Sometimes our “vessels” need broken to show that the light within can shine (Matthew 5:13-16). “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). God used a broken heart to bring a man back to himself. After King David committed adultery, deception and murder, he continued living like nothing ever happened (cf. 2 Samuel 12). After Nathan’s bold sermon (2 Samuel 12:1-7), David’s heart was broken (2 Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51). That broken heart was a penitent display of David’s remorse for his sins. God can …

Road Map to Heaven or Detour to Hell

Text: Matt. 7:21-23 Thesis: To contrast the biblical plan of salvation for the Christian Age with humanly devised plans of salvation, urging then, that souls opt for the true, biblical plan of salvation that will take them to heaven—instead of to hell. Songs: “Heaven Holds All to Me,” “An Empty Mansion,” “Heaven Will Surely Be Worth I All,” “Above the Bright Blue,” “Lead Me Gently Home, Father,” “Home Over There,” “Sweet By and By” Introduction: Body: Conclusion: Invitation:

Understanding How God Communicates with Mankind, Today!

God communicates with mankind today through direct statements, examples and implications recorded upon the pages of the New Testament. There are only three basic avenues of verbal communication: commands or direct statements, approved examples and implications from which one is obligated to infer precisely what is implied—no more and no less. The New Testament is the only applicable covenant today—not the Old Testament (in which are Patriarchy and Judaism) and not what might be the case in eternity (e.g., heaven). What may be applicable eternally in heaven is immaterial to contemporary conduct. The Old Testament has been replaced with the New Testament (Romans 7:6-7; 2 Corinthians 3:6-11; Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14). For instance, the New Testament, rather than instructions to Adam and Eve or Noah or Moses, is applicable today. Without a valid biblical interpretation, there is no way to comprehend divine revelation. The basic principle of interpersonal communication is innate—we are born with it! The young child who pleads with a parent for or against something will often go to great lengths, including citing the example of or the implied approval of an action based on what Mommy and Daddy do. Therefore, saying “Don’t do as I do, but do as I say!” simply does not work, especially in childrearing. Fundamental biblical interpretation is no more difficult than conversation (communication) between children. There is no essential difference between the study of the Scriptures and the study of any other subject. Basic biblical instructions in the New Testament for salvation, Christian worship and Christian service are …