Church of Christ Sermons

The Importance of Words

2010-06-28T20:32:00.000-05:00

by Bill Watkins.

"And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." ( Matthew 12:36,37).

In light of this statement of Jesus, it is apparent that the significance of words can hardly be overstressed. Words not only convey meaning but also play a part in determining our eternal destiny.

Then let us give much though to insure that our words are "fitly spoken." ( Proverbs 25:11).

First of all, it behooves us to speak words that are healthy. Paul's admonition to Titus was, "speak thou the things which befit sound doctrine." ( Titus 2:1).

The words "sound" mean more than accurate. It conveys the idea of healthy or health-giving.

So many detrimental and hurtful things are said in our world. Why not spend your time in spreading abroad healthy, life-giving words.

Secondly, we would do well to speak gracious and graceful words.

"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one." ( Colossians 4:6).

We sometimes seem to pride ourselves in gruffness and seek to justify it by the claim that we are staunch defenders of the faith. Why not just admit that such a spirit is really, basically unloving and unkind, and then, by practice and empathy, develop words and expressions of refinement and elegance.

Let our words be filled with love, so that we may grow spiritually.

"But speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ." ( Ephesians 4:15).

Finally, and above all, speak the words of the good news.

"But even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak." ( 1 Thessalonians 2:4).

More than anything else, men need to hear the good news from God. Be absolutely certain, then that through ourselves, they will not be robbed of the opportunity to hear it.

"If any stumbleth not in the word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also." ( James 3:2).

Is Baptism Essential For Salvation - 2

2010-03-21T14:13:00.003-05:00

By Stephen Kingery.

Baptism is perhaps the most misunderstood and misinterpreted concept in the Bible. There are those who would have us believe that baptism is not necessary for salvation. Others will say that it a good thing to do, and we really ought to, but it is strictly optional. Still others say that baptism is necessary, but only to join the local church.

Not only do Christians disagree on whether baptism is a necessary part of salvation, there is also disagreement as to the form and who should receive it. Some say that infants can, should, or even must be baptized. While others contend that one should be of the age of accountability. There is disagreement as to whether the form of baptism should be by immersion, sprinkling, or pouring.

All the disagreement noted above is purely on the part of mankind. The Scriptures are in full agreement on all these points. If one reads the New Testament he will find no place where more than one form of baptism is used and he will not find a multitude of opinions as to the necessity of baptism for salvation. So, let's see exactly what the Scriptures have to say about the subject of Baptism.

Is baptism necessary for salvation? Well, Jesus commanded it, and the apostles taught and practiced it. Jesus said,

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16)

How much clearer must we have it said by the Lord Himself than this.

He clearly says salvation is dependant upon our being obedient and submitting ourselves to baptism. In another place Jesus told His disciples,

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19,20)

Why would Jesus tell His disciples to baptize if it were not necessary? Don't you think that if the Lord had intended baptism to be optional that He would not have made such a strict command out of it here. And if it were not necessary at all, why would He even mention it here in what we call "The Great Commission."

We saw in the above passage that Jesus commanded His disciples to baptize. We see in the book of Acts that they did just that. We could call Acts the book of conversions, because only in this book do we see actual cases of people being converted to Christian. As a matter of fact, there are eight specific cases of people being converted in the book of Acts.

We believe, and teach, that salvation consists of five acts or actions on the part of the one being converted. These acts are, belief in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God; repentance; confession of one's faith before man; baptism; and faithful living till the end. In the eight occasions of conversions in the book of Acts, baptism is the only one that is specifically mentioned in each and every case. Let's take a look at each case and what is said concerning baptism.

The three thousand at Pentecost:

"Then Peter said to them 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" (Acts 2:38)

The Samaritans:

"But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done." (Acts 8:12,13)

The Eunuch:

"Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, 'See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?' Then Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.' And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him." (Acts 8:36-38)

Saul of Tarsus:

"Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized." (Acts 9:18);

and

"And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16)

Cornelius:

"Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days." (Acts 10:47,48)

Lydia:

"And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, 'If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.' And she constrained us." (Acts 16:15)

The Jailor:

"And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized." (Acts 16:33)

Corinthians:

"Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized." (Acts 18:8)

Again we say, how much clearer must it be for us all to agree that baptism is a necessary part of salvation? There are those who say that faith is all that is necessary. Then why does the book of acts show us that in every case recorded for us to learn from, baptism was practiced?

Who is baptism for? I have a dear friend who is in a brotherhood that teaches and practices infant baptism. Is baptism for infants? Or is baptism only for those who know the significance of the act and what it represents?

Let's consider those things which the Scriptures teach that must precede baptism. First, the person must believe. This is emphasized strongly by Jesus, read again Mark 16:16. Can an infant have faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God? Do you remember what you "believed" when you were just a few months old? How significant are those "beliefs" to you today? Can an infant be taught about God? Can an infant respond to that teaching? We all know the answer to these questions: Of course not! Another act which must precede baptism is repentance. Can an infant repent? Again, the answer is no. And for what sins would the infant be repenting for? Confession of one's faith that Jesus is the Son of God is another act which must precede baptism. It is equally clear that an infant cannot confess to have a faith that they are incapable of having.

So, who should (must) be baptized? If you still don't know the answer to this question, then you should read again the eight accounts of the people being converted in the book of Acts. This time read the full accounts. They are found in the following chapters of Acts: two, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, fifteen, sixteen, and eighteen. However, the answer is one who believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; one who has repented for all the sins he/she has committed and strives to sin no more; and one who is willing to and has confessed his/her faith in Jesus as the Son of God. Only for these people is baptism appropriate, and a meaningful act. Remember, you can fool man most of the time, but you can never fool God!

The form of baptism is also the subject of much false teaching. Here again, the Bible is quite clear as to the form. The Greek word we translate as baptism is "baptizo." It means to dip, immerse or plunge. There is no one who is a serious student of the Word that can deny this fact. If Jesus had intended for the disciples to pour as a method of baptism, He would have used the word "ekcheo." But He didn't! If He had meant for the disciples to sprinkle He would have used the word "rantizo." But He didn't! And if He had intended for the method of baptism to be any and all of these He would have used the words interchangeably. But He didn't! God's word tells us the method of baptism: immersion, and that's all.

What does baptism do? Well, first of all it is a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul tells us this in a beautiful way:

"Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:3,4)

It is also a picture of birth, for Jesus said,

"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)

Baptism is necessary for the remission of sins. In Acts chapter 2 the three thousand that responded to the gospel on that day had said, "What shall we do?" (Acts 2:37b)

"Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)

Brothers and sisters, don't accept false teachings. Go to God's word for yourself and learn what It says about these and other subjects which are important to your salvation. May God be with you in your studies.

All scriptures quoted are from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen Kingery is an author, preacher, teacher and founder of Be Ye Doers Of The Word.
Visit site at http://www.james1-22.org

Are you ready for the judgment?

2009-11-18T17:09:00.001-06:00

By Roy Davison.

God is "the Judge of all the earth" (Genesis 18:25). "The LORD shall judge the peoples" (Psalm 7:8 // Hebrews 10:30). "God shall judge the righteous and the wicked" (Ecclesiastes 3:17). "He has prepared His throne for judgment. He shall judge the world in righteousness, and He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness" (Psalm 9:7,8). "If one man sins against another, God will judge him" (1 Samuel 2:25).

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14).

Judgment is coming. Life is short. All must die. Are we ready? "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

We will be judged by Christ.

He said: "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father" (John 5:22,23).

Because Jesus is both the Son of God and the Son of Man, He has been appointed to judge mankind. Jesus said:

"For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth -- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me" (John 5:26-30).

As Paul said to the men of Athens:

"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17:30,31).

"It is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead" (Acts 10:42 -- See also 2 Timothy 4:1).

The word of Christ will judge us.

Jesus said:

"If anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day" (John 12:47,48).

Paul speaks of "the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel" (Romans 2:16);

he speaks of "the righteous judgment of God, who 'will render to each one according to his deeds': eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness -- indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God" (Romans 2:5-11).

"So then each of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12).

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10).

"And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your sojourning here in fear" (1 Peter 1:17).

How can we get ready for the judgment?

We must know the will of God. We must do the will of God. Our sins must be forgiven through the blood of Christ.

Unfortunately, there are many who do not know the will of God, and yet think they are wise. This mistake was made by Israel many times. The Lord rebuked them:

"Even the stork in the heavens
Knows her appointed times;
And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow
Observe the time of their coming.
But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord.
How can you say, 'We are wise,
And the law of the Lord is with us'?
Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.
The wise men are ashamed,
They are dismayed and taken.
Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord;
So what wisdom do they have?"
(Jeremiah 8:7-9).

People who reject the word of God do not know 'the judgment of the LORD'. The scribes, the religious leaders, were leading the people astray. They had a 'false pen' that worked falsehood! Many people will be lost on the day of judgment because they reject the word of God and listen to religious leaders.

It is only through God's word that we can know His will.

Yet, to know the will of God is not sufficient. We must also do the will of God.

Jesus said:

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall" (Matthew 7:21-27).

We must both know and do the will of God. But what about our sins?

Our sins must be forgiven by the blood of Christ.

Jesus said:

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John 5:24).

Repentance is required. Jesus said:

"Unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). This means that we must be sorry for our sins and must determine to live according to God's will. We must be baptized. Jesus said: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16).

Get ready for the judgment.

"For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17).

Judgment begins with the house of God. We Christians can be thankful that we have escaped from condemnation through forgiveness by the blood of Christ. Yet we may not be complacent. We must seriously study the Scriptures so we can know and do the will of God.

What will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? All who have not yet obeyed the gospel are not ready for the judgment. Their sins still separate them from God. They can be saved from the judgment by believing and obeying the word of Christ.

Are we ready for the judgment?

We must know the will of God. We must do the will of God. Our sins must be forgiven through the blood of Christ. Let's get ready! Let's be ready. Then we can "come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

Hope in a hopeless world

2009-11-10T17:28:00.001-06:00

By David Chadwell

"But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame."1 Peter 3:14-16

In the past we were able to live in the isolation of "nothing bad will happen to me (us)" mindset. "Bad things" happened to others, but not "me" ("us"). "I" am protected! Being a Christian, or an American, or a Southerner, or a "law abiding citizen," or an asset to the community protects "me." "Our security is provided by 'who we are'!"

When we felt a sense of security in the past's "isolation," our worlds were pretty simple. Every family in our neighborhood knew each other. Life was confined to work [always local], home, church, and community. Some even remember when little was locked, sharing was common, and most everyone knew the name of every family in the community. You were not afraid to invite a stranger in your home, pick up a hitchhiker [or be one!], and trust [without questioning] that someone was "down on his luck."

Times have changed! Drugs and alcohol invade all our extended families. Laughable "pranks" were exchanged for deadly incidents of rage, hate, and greed. Businesses open in late night or early morning hours increasingly are robbery targets. Robbery easily escalates to murder. Jobs unexpectedly end. Careers are quickly redirected. A loved one has a life-threatening illness, or loses a job, or faces difficult times, or has his/her "personal world cave in."

Seemingly the world gets smaller daily. American deaths in Iraq are on our morning news programs. Details of a suicide bomber's moment of horror in the Mid-East are on at 5:30 p.m. Europe's natural disasters are our headlines. Our loss of jobs is related to the economies of third world countries. Much of what we consume comes from places we have not visited -- and never intend to!

Our hope is not some imaginary shield built by isolation. It is not based on the false confidence that "bad things" never happen to us. It is not obvious to our circumstances. It is produced by a risen Savior who teaches us that "now" is temporary but "after death" is permanent. We endure "bad things" when they happen to us with the assurance of hope and the patience most are unaccustomed to seeing.

From Christianity's beginning, those who caused suffering were amazed. After the suffering, they asked, "How did you do that?" The Christian patiently, gently, respectfully explained Jesus Christ gave, nurtured, and sustained his/her hope.

Be ready to explain! Without doubt, we will have many opportunities!

Nicodemus, You Must Be Born Again

2009-10-13T21:56:00.004-05:00

By David Chadwell through West Ark Church of Christ

Nicodemus in his fascinating visit with Jesus sought information from the Messiah (John 3:1-15).

Jesus responded to the opportunity by telling him about the essentiality of the new birth. Jesus made a single point: Understanding and participating in the new birth are essential to recognizing and entering God's kingdom.

As a Pharisee, Nicodemus' convictions were founded on these understandings.

One must know the Mosaical law.
One must apply the meaning of the law.
One must clearly practice the laws of purity and proper worship of God.

As a member of the Jerusalem Sanhedrin, Nicodemus was a member of Israel's highest, most prestigious court of 70 prominent leaders recognized as experts in Mosaical law. They protected Israel from false teachers and religious heresy.

Nicodemus came to Jesus in sincerity and honesty. He genuinely believed that Jesus was a teacher sent from God. As an honest observer, he acknowledged the obvious: no person performed Jesus' miracles unless God was with him.

With his background, position of religious leadership and knowledge of Scripture, Nicodemus should have understood the new birth. Amazingly, this learned man could not comprehend that teaching.

All knowledgeable, devout Israelites held two basic understandings.

Anyone born of Jewish parents and circumcised on the eighth day was in covenant relationship with God (Genesis 17:10-14; Exodus 12:48; Leviticus 12:1-4).
Faithful obedience to the Mosaical law was essential for maintaining that covenant relationship with God (Deuteronomy 4:1-8). Circumcision placed one in covenant relationship with God; obedience kept one in covenant relationship with God.

Devout Pharisees defined all aspects of faithfulness in terms of obeying the law. These ultimate legalists applied the law to every area of life. In their conscientious commitment to applying the law, they created applications based on their perception of the law's intent.

The laws of purification were prominent in Pharisaic lifestyle. Purity was the result of ceremonial purity. Purification occurred when one cleansed his body in exact obedience to purification ordinances.

When a woman gave birth, she was unclean for a specified time (Leviticus 12). She could not touch anything sacred or go to the temple. When that time ended, she offered a sacrificial animal at the temple and cleansing occurred.

A person who touched a corpse, a human bone, or a grave was impure for seven days (Numbers 19:11-22). A clean person offered a sacrifice for the unclean person, took the ashes, and mixed those ashes in a single container with water from a flowing stream. The clean person sprinkled the unclean person with that water on the third and seventh day. After the final sprinkling, the unclean person washed his clothes, took a bath and was clean at nightfall. In that process, if the clean person touched the water of impurity, he also was unclean for seven days.

On must understand these teachings and convictions if he is to understand the way Nicodemus thought.

Nicodemus said, "We know you are a teacher sent by God because no one can perform your miracles unless God is with him." Perhaps Nicodemus attempted to lead Jesus into a discussion of his identity. However, Jesus did not wish to discuss His identity.

Jesus replied,

"Nicodemus, I tell you the truth: Unless a person is born anew (born again, born from above) he cannot see the kingdom of God."

To Nicodemus, this was a strange, new condition for entering the anticipated kingdom. His study verified that any circumcised Israelite who kept the law was assured a place in that kingdom. Also, his training taught him to consider religious truths in literal, physical terms. A literal rebirth to become part of a physical kingdom was impossible.

Nicodemus responded, "How can that be possible? Can anyone re-enter his mother's womb and experience a second physical birth?" Nicodemus' legalistic training in literalism controlled his thinking. It never occurred to him to think in terms other than the literal, the physical. He was not being frivolous or foolish! He was giving serious response in the only way he was trained to think!

Jesus answered, "Again, I tell you the truth: If a person is not born of the water and the spirit, he cannot enter God's kingdom. That born of the physical body is physical; that born of the spirit is spirit (spiritual).

"Does the thought of a second birth dumbfound you? Is that idea beyond comprehension? You cannot explain the wind; you cannot see it; but you know it is real because you see its effect. Explaining the new birth or actually seeing the spirit working in the new birth is unnecessary. It really is obvious in the effects of the new birth produced by the working of the spirit."

A confused Nicodemus replied, "I do not see how any of this is possible."

Jesus answered, "You are this nation's teacher, and you do not understand this? I know what I am saying, but you cannot accept it. If you cannot understand things happening on earth, how can you believe heavenly realities if I reveal them?"

An obvious lesson is easily missed. If a person spends his entire life thinking legalistically as he studies Scripture, he will become incapable of seeing or understanding the true spiritual perspective. The spiritual perspective is unnatural and confusing to him.

Legalistic thinking has three focal points.

Definitions: Exactly what is happening? The occurrence must be explainable.
How: How can that happen? A visible cause and effect relationship must be obvious.
What: What actually occurs? What occurs must be demonstrable in clear, visible steps.

Consider the Pharisees' concept of purity. Definition of impurity: The physical body touches something defined by law as impure and becomes unclean. How does that happen? The impurity residing in the impure thing is transferred to one's body by physical contact. What takes place in cleansing? A special purification water destroys the contamination and separates the body from the impurity. A step-by-step, visible procedure cleanses in seven days.

Purification occurred because there were proper definition, proper answers for how and what, and proper, visible procedural steps performed.

Jesus said God's work through the spirit is not that simple. Even under Mosaical law, the power was not in the sacrifice, the water, the ashes, the sprinkling, the clothes washing, or the bath. The power was in God who granted the cleansing through the person's obedient faith, which trusted God's promise.

Tragically, the Pharisee endowed human deeds with divine power. He believed the water, the procedure and feeble human acts contained intrinsic power. Foolishly, he believed the power was generated by doing the right thing.

Jesus challenged Nicodemus to realize such thinking was foolish. Nicodemus did not think about the wind with that restricted thought process. He did not know where it came from, where it went, or why it began and stopped. He certainly could not see it. However, he knew the wind was a fact, a reality that could not be denied. Its existence was not dependent on an analytical, demonstrable cause-and-effect explanation. An element of mystery was beyond explanation, but that element did not make the wind any less real.

In the new birth Jesus was discussing baptism. God's work in baptism contains a great element of mystery. God is working through the blood of Jesus, the power of the Resurrection and His Spirit as He cleanses the person of all evil.

At what moment is the sin destroyed? How does He give spiritual life? How does the person participate in Jesus' Resurrection? We do not know.

It happens! We cannot explain it or see it occur. It occurs because God is active and using His power. No human power makes it happen. The power is not in the water or in the physical washing, but in Jesus' Resurrection (I Peter 3:20, 21). God uses water to implement our salvation, but the water is not responsible for our salvation. Salvation occurs because a faith-filled, penitent conscience reaches out to God and Christ.

Some reject baptism because it contains elements of mystery. Because God's use of the blood and Resurrection power cannot be explained, baptism has no bearing on salvation. Just as the new birth made no sense to Nicodemus, baptism makes no sense to them.

Others place their faith in baptism, not God. Their faith is in the human act, not in God's power working through the act. Thus, their children are baptized at an early age before they are lost, before they are sinners. Have you watched a child lay down a toy to take communion? Also, they pressure a dying, unbaptized loved one to submit to baptism. They stress "doing it" with little or no teaching about Jesus. If the sick adult submits to the act, the act destroys the Christian's concern. In both instances, is there intrinsic power in the water or the act?

Jesus was discussing conversion. To Nicodemus, Jewish birth combined with circumcision, made one a part of God's chosen people. To Nicodemus conversion was a strange, difficult concept. To the person who reduces salvation and godliness to mere rules and regulations, conversion is still a strange, difficult concept.

A Better Path than Pornography

2009-09-14T15:18:00.001-05:00

By David Shannon

The problem of Pornography is ancient, but the modern day method of the internet is fueling the lust, causing more destruction than any California wild fire ever has. Forty-percent of all homes say pornography is a major problem in their home. The convenience of the internet has helped spread it into an epidemic. Its lure is in part to men and women feeling they are anonymous. Often the product is free. More than 25 million Americans a week are viewing pornography online. Twenty-five percent of all internet searches are porn related. With 372 million pornographic pages online the search is never unsuccessful. You may be saying, "Men have a real problem with porn." Yes, about half admit to struggling with looking at porn, but don't forget that women are also fighting this dragon. Almost 30% of viewers online are women. And if you think the problem is with young men, think again, the largest consumer base is men between 35-49 years of age. Perhaps the saddest of all is the average age for an American to see pornography for the first time is eleven-years-old. Children are finding what their mothers, father, and older siblings are addicted to at a young age.

Pornography destroys souls, healthy relationships, and reputations. There is a better path to travel. Solomon informs his son that the Lord ponders the path that we travel ( Proverbs 5:21). No wonder, every path leads to a destination. One who travels the path toward things that are sexually impure are devoid of understanding ( Proverbs 7:7-8). If they realized the destination at the end of the path, they would surely change.

"Do not stray into her paths...all who were slain by her were strong men. Her house is the way to hell, descending to the chambers of death" (Prov 7:25-27).

But how do you change paths? A man once said he was angry at God because he had prayed and prayed asking God to deliver him from pornography and God had not answered his prayer. Take a book and lay it on a table. Begin pushing it to the edge of the table. As you do this begin to pray, "Lord, please do not let this book fall to the floor." Pray over and over as you push the book over the edge. Did it still fall to the floor? The Lord will forgive if we repent, but the Lord will not make you repent (stop viewing pornography). You must decide to change paths. No amount of prayer will change your path! That is a decision you must make. You won't be able to do so alone.

Read the rest of this article at Mt. Juliet website

Growing Up in Christ

2009-07-31T12:03:00.002-05:00

By Joseph Andrasik

We must come to Jesus as a Child.

Our Lord expects everyone who comes to Him to come as if he/she were a child. Whether one is ninety years old or an adolescent who has just realized what sin is, GOD has established the pattern of His plan.

"Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 18:3-4.

A child will always look to his parents for guidance and this is what our Father in heaven expects from His children.

Feeding the new child in Christ.

When an infant is first born, most of its waking time is spent feeding and growing up into a child. Unfortunately many newly born Christians do not recognize that they also have many of the same needs as any newborn infant in the world. The apostle Peter readily reminded Christians how important it was to feed their spiritual life with the Word of GOD.

"As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious" 1 Peter 2:2-3.

Unfortunately many new Christians die spiritually following their baptism into Christ because mature Christians and ministers of the Gospel do not emphasize the importance of a regular spiritual feeding on the Word of GOD. Our Lord Jesus clearly made this distinction as He contrasted the bread of the world with the Word of GOD when He was being tempted in the wilderness.

"But He answered and said, 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'" Matthew 4:4.

The Lord Jesus was the living Word of GOD as proclaimed in the Gospel of John.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God" John 1:1-2.

Later in this same Gospel, Jesus explains that He is the very food of eternal life.

"For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Then they said to Him, Lord, give us this bread always. And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst" John 6: 33-35.

Infants in the very early stages of life need to feed often, even more than an adult. Yet many Christians fail to feed regularly much less daily on the Word of GOD. The spiritual foundation of every Christian is his faith in Jesus Christ. Paul in his letter to the Romans explains from whom our faith comes.

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" Romans 10:17.

Remaining free from sickness.

As in our earthly lives, for a child to grow into adulthood he/she must remain free of sickness and disease. The same principle applies to our spiritual lives. Sin in a Christian's life is just as damaging to our spiritual health as any cancer is to our fleshly bodies. All Christians must continually repent or turn away from sin in their lives. Nothing will destroy a Christian's spiritual life faster than harboring sin in one's life. The Word of GOD often describes the forgiveness of sin as 'healing.'

"Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness -- by whose stripes you were healed" 1 Peter 2:24.

Christians are warned by the writer of the Hebrew letter how easily it is for Christians to become entangled in sin.

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls" Hebrews 12:1-3.

GOD's Word has always explained the need for every Christian to strive to walk as Jesus walked.

"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us" 1 John 1:5-10.

As Christians, if we walk in the light of GOD's Word and if we continue to confess that we are sinners and repent of our sins, we gain GOD's promise that He will continue to cleanse us of our sins. Part of our spiritual strength comes from our Heavenly Father's reassurance of forgiveness as we attempt to walk as Jesus walked.

Children need exercise.

Children have a need to grow up strong physically through constant exercise. The same can be said for a new child in Christ. New Christians must exercise their faith in order to grow spiritually. Jesus compares doing the will of GOD with a man who built his house on a foundation of bedrock in Luke 6: 46-48.

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock."

The house is a Christian's life built on a strong faith in Christ. By putting into practice what he reads and understands as GOD's will as he reads GOD's Word, he exercises his faith in Jesus. The more he reads and then puts the Word into practice, the stronger a Christian's faith grows. In James' letter he explains that GOD will bless those who put His Word into practice.

"Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does" James 1:21-25.

Finally the apostle Peter reassures all Christians that they can make their salvation sure if they practice all the principles of Christian growth.

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble" 2 Peter 1:2-10.

Christians of the churches of Christ may reproduce this Bible tract to advance the Gospel of Christ as long as the content is not changed.

All references are from the New King James version of the Bible.

Published in The Old Paths Archive (http://www.oldpaths.com)

Probably The Hardest Part of Salvation - Repentance

2009-06-29T23:10:00.000-05:00

By David Shannon through Mt Juliet Church of Christ

How many of us have heard folks say, "They just won't be baptized. What can we do to persuade them to be baptized?" These statements seem to overlook the greatest challenge of salvation for most folks. Have you ever seen one who believed in the Lord ( John 8:24), was not ashamed, but willing to confess Him before others, ( Matthew 10:32-22; John 12:42-43) had repented of their sins, ( Luke 13:3, Acts 26:20, 2 Corinthians 7:10) and not be baptized? I'm sure there are exceptions, but the general rule in Acts is that penitent believers asked to be baptized.

Repentance is a change which begins in the mind which changes lives. In Acts 19 the city of Ephesus, the home of the Temple of Diana and capitol of worship to this goddess, was presented with the Gospel of Jesus. For the pagans to become Christians, what changes did "repentance" demand? In verse 19 they brought their books of magic into one pile and burned them. The value was 50,000 pieces of silver. This was a considerably large sum of money. Books were valuable passions and very expensive in those days. Remember Jesus was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver ( Matthew 26:15), which brings their sacrifice of burning their books into perspective. Instead of selling them and advocating false doctrine, the repentance of the Ephesians led them to suffer financial loss. A second sign of their repentance was the fear their actions brought upon Demetrius the silversmith. He was in the business of selling shrines of the goddess Diana. He realized penitent Christians changed their behavior. Their change in behavior would mean they would no longer buy his shrines. The more Christianity spread (the more people repented) the less business he would have! He started a riot, hoping to defeat Christianity. Some are never willing to repent, others give up all!

Jonathan Winchester is a fine young missionary we worked with in El Salvador. He wrote me this note:

"We had some good and sad results. The area where we worked was one of the poorest and most dangerous areas in Ica, Peru. One woman had decided to be baptized, and had changed into the baptismal robe, but then decided she could not. She knew that repentance was necessary. She told us that her only way of providing for her children was to go out and steal people's wallets, and she knew that she was not going to stop."

Should she have been advised to be baptized anyway? What would God say : repent or perish ( Luke 13:3). Folks do not need to be "talked into baptism." What folks need is to be taught the doctrine of Christ and see if they are ready to repent! Penitent believers have always responded by saying, "What hinders me from being baptized?" ( Acts 8:36)

Choose to be a winner - Follow through

2009-05-23T08:09:00.001-05:00

(This is the second part of the article "Choose to be a winner - Participate". The article continues as "Choose to be a winner - Follow through")

By Eugene C. Perry

Follow through!

The challenge is for us, with a view of eternity, to live as Paul lived. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phil.1:21). Faith in eternity gives us strength, peace and courage, because working, playing and living, we know that, come what may, there is a life, infinitely better than what we know now, waiting for us. We thus have "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding," guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil.4:7).

How do we live with this in view? Although he preferred "to be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (II Cor.5:8), Paul had decided (made it his goal) to please the Lord, "whether we are at home in the body or away from it." Anticipating the judgement, he stated, "Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men." Again, although he confidently stated that "to die is gain", and that his desire was to "depart and be with Christ" which is "far better", Paul was ready to continue in the flesh - to do God's will. His hope was that he would "in no way be ashamed" and that "Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death" (Phil.1:20). He was willing to abide, which would mean "fruitful labor" for him and which was "more necessary" for the Christians.

As with Paul, as long as we live, we have a useful purpose in life, we are vessels for God's use. This is not meant to be an unwilling but a voluntary service, "faith expressing itself through love" (Gal.5:6). We love Him and want to please Him who loves us so much that He gave his Son to restore our relationship and is so patient with us.

Realizing the fate of those who fail to decide for God, we persuade men out of love and concern rather than out of duty. Loving our brothers and sisters in Christ, we work for their well-being, especially the eternal well-being resulting from continued faithfulness.

Involved in all of these matters is the necessity of making decisions regarding both the general trend of our lives and the myriad of lesser choices which present themselves to us each day. In Galatians 5, Paul lists the "acts of the sinful nature" which prevent participants from inheriting the kingdom of God, and by way of contrast, "the fruit of the Spirit", which, by implication make it ours. In the next chapter, he used the sowing and reaping analogy to emphasize the same truth.

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life" (Gal.6:7,8).

"By the 'sowing' the apostle appears to be referring to the whole pattern of our thoughts and habits, our life-style, life direction and life-discipline. It includes the company we keep, the friendships we cultivate, the literature we read and the films we watch..., the kind of pursuits with which we occupy our leisure and everything which engrosses our interest, absorbs our energy and dominates our mind... For by these things we are sowing, sowing, sowing all the time; and according to what and where we sow, this shall we reap" (John R. Stott, Baptism and Fullness, pp. 81,82).

These all involve decisions. By sowing to the Spirit we reap eternal life. Stott describes this life as "a deepening fellowship with the living God now (to know whom is eternal life, John 17:3); together with that fullness of fellowship with him which defies imagination and which awaits us in the last day."

Because we have eternity in mind, we set our "minds on things above, not on earthly things." And, "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Col.3:1-4).

"All through the inspired word the prize set before us, the goal to attain, the motivation to service is always eternal life. Not a phenomenon to be feared but a paradise to be desired" (Gary Beauchamp).

If this goal becomes or is unreal or secondary in our thinking, we will tend to make the wrong decisions and consequently fail to glorify God in our lives.

We have been deeply touched by stories or scenes of the emotional welcoming home of POW's or hostages, long separated from their families. This cannot be compared to the reunion with our heavenly Father when we go home. Yet, with many, there remains a dread of this transition instead of it being viewed with anticipation.

We are God's family. He cares for us. We can't lose. In 1990, sister Joan Smith who had patiently endured a valiant but losing 10 year battle with caner, wrote a series of articles for the Women's Page of this paper (The Gospel Herald). She tells in detail of the way she came to look at and face this affliction. During the time of her battle, including operations, chemotherapy, much suffering and the accompanying mental stress, she was a faithful wife and mother and served with dedication and efficiency at Great Lakes Christian College and in the church. She began the series by quoting, "My help comes from the Lord" (Ps.121:2). She explained her positive attitude, and continuing and dedicated service beyond "the call of duty" in the following statement: "I am a survivor. I am not a loser. God is allowing me to stay here a while longer. I can be with my family and still work for Christ. If I don't survive, I am still not a loser. I have a home in heaven waiting for me. Sister Smith has since gone on to that eternal home.

All Christians should think of this life as the journey, the preparation for eternal life. We are sojourning here. Like the faithful of old, we must confess by life and word that we are "aliens and strangers on earth. People who ... show that they are looking for a country of their own ... longing for a better country a heavenly one." God is not ashamed to be the God of such. He "has prepared a city for them" (Heb.11:13-16).

Those who become sick and are in hospital look forward to going home. Sometimes it means going home to the joys of reunion with a loving family; sometimes going home to a loving Father in heaven. In either case, they are winners.

The crown of righteousness is, according to II Timothy 4:8, "to all who have longed for his appearing". We long for his appearing only if we are confidently prepared and in the process of fighting "the good fight", finishing "the race" and keeping "the faith".

As the Jews journeyed from their various villages on their pilgrimages to Jerusalem, trudging on foot through unfamiliar places, they would sing songs of encouragement. As they approached Jerusalem, the men would sing:

"I lift up my eyes to the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of heaven and earth."

The women and children would then reply:

"He will not let your foot slip
He who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep."

Then the men would sing:

"The Lord watches over you
The Lord is your shade at your right hand;"

The women and children would reply:

"The sun will not harm you by day,
Nor the moon by night."

The men would sing:

"The Lord will keep you from all harm -
he will watch over your life:"

Then everyone would join to affirm:

"The Lord will watch over your coming and going
Both now and forevermore" Psalm 121.

As these people "went out" from their familiar villages and "came in" to a city in which things were strange to them, they moved from one world to another. Heartened by the lines, "The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore," they pushed on. Surely, these lines have a similar application for us as we journey to our Holy City.

Having in mind a beautiful view of eternity, let us live each day in anticipation, hope and faith, repeating to ourselves the powerful words of Paul, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Choose to Be a Winner - Participate

2009-05-21T08:07:00.001-05:00

By Eugene C. Perry

Participate

Personal experience and observation show that there are many losers and few winners, even among those who are frequent participants. Take for example raffles, sweepstakes, or even races and other athletic contests. The prizes go to only a few. There may be thousands of entrants, but there are very few winners, sometimes only one.

Like us, you likely receive an abundance of junk mail offering fabulous prizes in various forms of sweepstakes almost every day. We are encouraged to participate, often at little or no cost other than a postage stamp. Although it is claimed that there are winners, such seem to be very rare. The odds are discouraging. Why bother to enter?

Even in the case of races and athletic contests, where formal entry requirements are met and much effort is spent in preparatory practice, the prize goes to the few. In each case, we must decide whether or not to participate, to make the necessary preparations and meet the other required conditions.

There is a race in which we cannot lose and each person is encouraged to make a decision to enter it - a race in which all who complete the course are winners. The Christian life is frequently compared to a contest, a fight or a race, but there is a great difference. Unlike these other contests, in it, all are potential winners.

We face opportunities to make choices or decisions in many areas of life. Some are small and inconsequential whereas others are very important and have profound and far reaching consequences. These are decisions that no one else makes for us. There will be people and circumstances that encourage or discourage the right and beneficial decision, but in the final analysis, we must, personally, decide. If we make the wrong decision we can only blame ourselves. We, and likely others influenced by us, will pay the price in this life and the future life. In contrast, if we make the right decisions, we thank God for the benefits to ourselves and the many others who benefit. This is because God provides the blessings resulting from the right decisions. God is the prize-giver.

Decisions we make in regard to vocation, location, companionships and relationships contribute to us not being losers in respect to the eternal prize. Basic to all of this, of course, is the decision to accept God's gift of salvation in Christ by deciding to obey the terms of the "good news". In doing this, we enter the race, we confess our faith in the divinity of Christ, we acknowledge Him as Lord and we commit ourselves to serve Him.

Having thus become a participant in this race, one must realize that faithfulness and fruitfulness are the expected results. This involves following a spiritual leader while living in a physical body in a material world and making appropriate decisions along the way, We are in the world but not of it. Jesus prayed for his followers saying, "they are still in the world . . . they are not of the world any more than I am not of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth" (John 17:11, 14, 15-17).

Loyalty to this Lord will mean decisions resulting in self-denial, hardship, sacrifice, service and growth into His likeness. We make those decisions because we love our Lord, but also, like Moses of old, because we look ahead to the "reward". "By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the other people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward" (Heb.11:24-26).

The decisions we face regarding resisting temptation, being steadfast in our labour for the Lord (I Cor.15:58), a proper and permanent marriage, responsible parenting and loving and caring relationships with others - all of these should result from our first choice, to enter the "narrow way". Jesus encouraged this decision. He said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate, and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Mt.7:13,14).

An elderly African lady was dying. Friends and loved ones from the entire community had gathered to her home and were quietly comforting one another with prayers, handclasps and tears. Maude had been an inspiration to all who knew her, having raised five children, cared for her neighbours and steadily worked for her church. She would be gravely missed. A handful of her closest family stood now above her bed, whispering all the appropriate epitaphs, when Maude spoke up with her typical wit and wisdom, "Why's everyone cryin'? I'm not lookin' for the undertaker, I'm lookin' for the uppertaker!"

How do we look at death or at the coming of the Lord? Do we have the undertaker or the uppertaker view of death? Are we among those like Paul who "desire to depart and be with Christ" (Phil.1:23); those who "have longed for his appearing" (II Tim.4:8)? Do we welcome this event as Jehovah does, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (Ps.116:15)?

Although many believe in and sometimes talk about eternal life, most people, even Christians, look on the transition to such with fear and uncertainty. Why? In general the pain involved in death does not appear to be that dreadful! Do we fear change? Do we fear the loss of associations and possessions here on the earth? Truly, we have many meaningful and precious relationships and, in our culture, an over-abundance of material possessions, and the security provided by them in a stable society. But how dependable and durable are these things that we can feel and touch? "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Mt.6:19-21).

We must be careful that our treasure is not in the wrong place, if we would be winners. In one place it is secure while in the other it is insecure.

Note the contrasts. "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling ... For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life" (II Cor.5:1,2,4). "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Rom.8:18).

"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Rev.21:3,4).

How real is this better life? Would that we all had the confidence of G. C. Brewer who once said, "Someday you will read in the newspaper that G. C. Brewer is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now."

Understanding the Bible Alike

2009-05-19T20:03:00.001-05:00

By T. Pierce Brown

Those of us who believe that God gave us a revelation that can be understood and obeyed, and that there is no room in it for denominational doctrines and practices, usually answer the question something like this: "We must understand the Bible alike, for if we come up with different views, then one or both of us have not understood it." When the Bible says, "Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins" it is impossible for a person to understand it to mean, "Arise and be baptized because your sins are already washed away." When the Bible says, "Baptism doth also now save you" it is impossible for a person to understand it to mean, "Baptism doth not save you."

These kinds of statements may all be true, but they leave out something that is very important for us to realize. That is, one may understand properly what he does understand about a scripture without understanding all that he might understand. There may be a significant difference in MIS-understanding a scripture and not understanding its meaning or significance as deeply as one might. I do not remember anyone ever writing about this, but I think it significant enough to emphasize.

If you have ever grown any in your comprehension of anything, you can understand something of what I am saying. However, the implications or value of what I am saying may not have occurred to you. It would help us to overcome some arrogance, divisive tendencies and unnecessary bickering if we realized these truths.

Let us give some examples, so we may see more clearly some of the implications of these principles. Take the expression in 1 Peter 3:20-21 which partially reads like this in the ASV, "Eight souls, were saved through water: which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Both of us may understand the truth that baptism saves us, but neither of us may understand some of the things involved in what that statement says. How it saves us, when it saves us, where it saves us and why it saves us are also important. Do you not see that it is possible for us both to understand the truth -- and if we understand it, we understand it alike -- yet not understand it alike in the sense that one of us may understand it more deeply than the other? To say it another way: If we understand the Bible, there can be no contradiction in what we understand, but there can be a growth in understanding, and therefore a difference in what we understand. If one of us claims to understand that baptism saves us, and one claims to understand that baptism has nothing to do with our salvation, one of us is wrong. It is not a matter of understanding differently, but a matter of misunderstanding.

This was suggested to me as I meditated on Ephesians 3:10, "to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God." The word manifold is from the Greek "polupoikilos" which means "many colored." I may not be able to distinguish as well as you the various shades of blue and green in a picture, but that does not mean that either of us has the right to deny that the picture is there.

This suggests some of the things that are wrong with the doctrine of "unity in diversity" which many of our brethren are now upholding. If it only meant that in a forest there are many different kinds of trees, yet they are all trees, or that in the church there are many different kinds of persons, yet all may be Christians, or that we may emphasize different aspects of truth differently because we have different degrees of understanding of those truths, we would have no objection to the doctrine. It is apparent, however, that it is often used to uphold the idea that one person may teach that baptism is sprinkling, another that it is immersion and both be satisfactory. One may teach that the Lord's Supper is to be taken each Lord's day and another that it may be taken whenever we choose, and both equally acceptable. One may teach that only acapella music is authorized of God, and another teach that mechanical instruments are equally pleasing, and both be right. This denominational concept of "unity in diversity" is as old as denominationalism, and is false and dangerous. That a rainbow has diversity of colors, yet there is one rainbow is a kind of "unity in diversity." This is not the kind of "unity in diversity" the denominational world, and some of our brethren are advocating. Those of us who deny the validity of the "unity in diversity" doctrine are not denying that in every congregation there are and must be as many different concepts as there are individuals. What we are denying is that when any of those concepts contradict the scriptures, they are all equally valid.

God's wisdom is manifold (polupoikilos) -- marked with a great variety of colors. You may see one more clearly than I and emphasize it. To that degree, and in that manner, we may understand the Bible differently. If, in emphasizing the green, you teach that there is no yellow, then you do not understand the rainbow, and it is not a matter of understanding it differently. It is a matter of denying reality.

One of our problems is that we may have those who feel that if one emphasizes grace more than we do, he is teaching false doctrine. Or if he goes more deeply into an interpretation of a word or phrase, because he has a deeper understanding of it than we do, he has no right to do it, for we must all understand it alike. The "bottom line" is that if we understand it, we will all understand it alike in the sense that there can be no contradiction in our concepts of it. However, we may all understand it differently if we mean that there are different degrees or depths of our understanding. If you have no deeper understanding of any of God's word than you did last year, you have not grown in the grace and knowledge of God, and should be ashamed. That does not necessarily mean your concept was wrong. It was perhaps simply not as complete or deep as it now is.

Abraham's Justification

2009-05-09T13:07:00.003-05:00

By T. PIERCE BROWN

Neither Paul (Romans 4:2) nor James (James 2:21) were talking about Abraham being saved from his past sins when they talk of his being justified. We have heard it discussed in such a way as to make it sound as if Abraham got forgiveness of his sins by offering Isaac on the altar! The impression may be left that up to that time Abraham was out of fellowship with God--as an alien sinner--and when he offered his son he was justified--forgiven, as a man is forgiven at the point of baptism! This is an erroneous concept. It is similar to using Noah's case to try to prove that Noah would have gone to hell if he had died before the flood. After all, the Bible plainly says that he "prepared an ark to the saving of his house" (Hebrews 11:7). Doesn't Peter plainly tell us "Noah was saved by water, the like figure whereunto baptism saves us" (1 Peter 3:21)? Certainly so, but Noah was not saved from his sins by the ark, nor by the flood, but his physical salvation is a type or figure of our salvation from sins at the point of baptism. We can properly use him as an excellent illustration of the necessity of an OBEDIENT faith. "Thus did Noah, according to all that God commanded him, so did he" (Genesis 6:22).

We may properly conclude that if he had not used gopher wood, or had substituted his will for God's will, he would have been displeasing to God. We may NOT properly conclude that Noah was out of fellowship with God before the ark was built, and the building of the ark, or entering it, or the flood somehow washed his sin away and justified him in the same sense the alien sinner is justified from his past sins at baptism. The point is that each step along the way, Abraham was justified by faith. Note carefully: When all God required Abraham to do was TRUST, then Abraham stood in the right relationship with God (was justified) when he obeyed THAT command and trusted. When God required Abraham to ACT on his faith, his faith could not be reckoned unto him for righteousness until he acted.

In Genesis 15:6 we find, "And he believed in Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness." This does not prove that Abraham was lost until this time, nor does the fact that James 2:23 says, "the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness" mean that God for some reason held Abraham's sins against him until he offered his son, but reckoned him righteous from then on!

The truth of the matter is that at every point where God commanded and Abraham had enough faith to obey, he stood justified--counted to be righteous--in the right relationship with God. There is no difference in the policy stated by the Lord in Exodus 23:7, "I will NOT justify the wicked" and in Romans 4:5 where he "justifies the ungodly." He never did, and does not now justify the ungodly in the practice of their ungodliness. The adulterer, liar and murderer have to quit their wickedness. They are still ungodly until they are forgiven by grace, through their faith in Jesus, as they demonstrate that faith in obedience.

The fact that Genesis 15:6 says, "He believed God and he counted it to him for righteousness," in no wise suggests that he had not believed God before, nor that he was not in every previous or subsequent case "justified" when he thus trusted in God. If we conceive of "justification" as a ONCE-FOR-ALL judicial act in which God takes away our past sins, then we become confused. But if we understand that when God said in Genesis 12:1, "Get thee out" and he in faith obeyed, he was justified (Hebrews 11:8). When God said in Genesis 15:1-5 that he would have a son, and Abraham believed Him, he was justified (Romans 4:3). When he said in Genesis 27:2, "Take now thy son--and offer him for a burnt offering--" and he had enough faith to obey, he was justified (James 1:21). At ANY and every point in his life, he was justified by his faith. Note carefully: When asked to accept a statement, no matter how difficult to believe, he trusted God, he stood approved of God (justified) at that point. When asked to obey a command, and he in faith obeyed that command, he stood approved of God at that point.
The same principle applies to us. We must understand that "justification" does not always refer to an alien sinner getting his sins removed. When Jesus said in Matthew 12:37, "by thy word thou shalt be justified," he did not mean that if somehow the alien sinner says the right words, he will be saved (justified) from his past sins!

Just as in Abraham's case, if God says, "Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins" (Acts 2:38) and a man replies, "I do not intend to do that. I will get remission by praying," he will NOT be justified or get remission of his sins. On the other hand when Simon heard Peter say, "Repent and pray--" (Acts 8:22) if he had said, "No, I must be baptized again," he would not have been justified.

When God asks me to believe that the same Jesus who was crucified and resurrected will come back for His saints, I stand in the right relationship with God (justified) when I trust in His word. When he asks me to partake of the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week as a demonstration of my faith in that, I do NOT stand in the right relationship with God (justified) if I refuse to do it. The fact that I was justified from my sins when I accepted His grace in obedient faith by being baptized for the remission of sins does not mean I stay justified in ANY disobedient act.

There is no comfort in God's word for the man who ASSUMES he can be justified at any point without DOING what God says do. If God says, "Trust and wait," then one must do that. If God says, "Trust and ACT," then one must do that. It has always been so.

Are You a Faithful Christian?

2009-05-03T16:18:00.000-05:00

Kevin Pendergrass asks the question, "Are you a faithful Christian?" then discusses ways a person can know if he or she is a faithful Christian, not according to man's opinion, but according to the word of God.

The thief on the cross

2009-04-30T16:08:00.002-05:00

Ben Bailey from THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST as he discusses "The Thief on the Cross."

Young People Can Do It!

2009-04-15T23:52:00.002-05:00

By T. PIERCE BROWN

On January 20th at the campus of TTU in Cookeville, TN. the Fellowship of Christian Athletes sponsored what they called a debate between Evolutionists and Creationists. I was surprised that I saw no preachers there, only one Christian, that I knew. Almost all the audience seemed to be composed of students. How many were actually Christian in the Bible sense of the term, I do not know, but have an idea there were very few.

However, the thought struck me: If the young people connected with the Lord's church who are attending secular schools throughout the nation had half as much interest in vital themes as those young people who call themselves the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, they could turn the world upside down -- or more strictly speaking, right side up.

The evolutionists made their usual ridiculous claims, many of which were not answered decisively by the panel of creationists. In my judgment, it would be far more effective to have someone like Bert Thompson, Wayne Jackson, Tom Warren or any number of other capable scholars to meet an evolutionist in debate with a clearly defined issue rather than have a panel discussion on the general subject.

In a debate, it would be simple enough to point out the kind of double talk and evasiveness that characterized the evolutionary panel. For example, they tried to equate the theory of evolution with the fact that things and people change. They even made the ridiculous statement that those who believe in creation think all animals and things in the world now are just like they were when they were created. They said that those who believe that God created all things, including mankind, have no evidence, but faith is merely accepting an idea without any supporting evidence.

This ridiculous and false statement was not even challenged by the other panel, although they might have if time had permitted. Even a little child should know that there is much evidence for the belief that an intelligent force had to be the moving cause behind such complex things as a watch, car, universe or man. No scientific evidence or even a smattering of logic can suggest that a computer, house, watch or dictionary evolved or accidentally got there by some explosion. The same is true concerning the world, including mankind.

My purpose in this articles is not so much to point out the silly assumptions and double talk of evolutionists as it is to urge all young people, and all parents and grandparents who have young people in various educational institutions to press for such discussions or debates on campus. A good debater will be able to point out such double talk as: Evolution does not really teach that man evolved from a monkey. It merely teaches that they have a common ancestry. The creations panel did not even touch that obvious attempt to evade the issue. The evolutionists did not even try to show that they had proof that the ancestry of a monkey was something besides a monkey. If the ancestry of a monkey was a more ancient monkey (and no one can properly deny it) and man has a common ancestry, then man's ancestry is a monkey.

Who Owns You?

2009-04-12T15:49:00.000-05:00

By David Chadwell West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR

I hope every person who considers himself or herself a Christian quickly has a ready answer. I hope the answer is a shared answer: “The Lord owns me!”

I grew up in a rural congregation on the western edge of east Tennessee. Several songs frequently were part of our worship. They were sung at least once a month. One (written by Fanny J. Crosby) was, “I am Thine, O Lord.” In my mind, I still can hear us sing the chorus:

“Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.”

It is an affirmation, intent, and awareness. The singer affirms he/she wants the Lord to bring him/her closer. The singer wants to come closer and closer to the Lord. The singer is aware that the crucified, bleeding Jesus is the means of closeness to God.

That is a wonderful affirmation, intent, and awareness. If it is only an inner conviction, it is simple to voice. If it is an inner conviction expressed as the daily focus of one’s life, it is sobering and costly to voice this song.

Perhaps the greater our conviction, the more difficult is our challenge. Jesus draws us nearer through his sacrificial suffering and bleeding. By coming closer to Jesus, we come closer to God. Why does Jesus attract us? He bled for us! How do we come closer to God? The same way Jesus did! As he, we come closer through self-surrender by sacrifice and suffering. That is a hard, serious decision, not a simple, casual decision.

That decision involves many things! It involves different things for different people! For some, it involves rethinking “whom I allow to be my Lord.” For some, it involves a major commitment to repentance, a genuine redirecting of life. For some, it involves allowing “my theology to affect my daily behavior.” For some, it involves relationship issues. For some, it involves letting faith in God be bigger than fear of the past. For some, it involves the determination to endure pain for God.

For all it involves an enormously difficult challenge: the challenge to grow. To grow in what? Understanding, wisdom, purpose, faith, realization of what is eternal. Never will come the moment when we do not seek greater understanding, wisdom, purpose, faith, and realization of the eternal. The issue is not, “Am I comfortable where I am?” The issue is, “Is God pleased with where I am?” Are we constantly willing to grow, to be drawn nearer to the cross and the precious bleeding side?

Matthew 26:39, 42

And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” ... He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.”

Does the Church of Christ Believe It is the Only One Going to Heaven?

2009-03-31T16:14:00.000-05:00

By Steve Hale through Mt Juliet church of Christ

INTRODUCTION

Sometimes, unfortunate misunderstandings prevent great good from being done. One of these is the mispreception that members of churches of Christ believe others must keep their rules to go to heaven.

This tract is written with the writer's fervent hope it will help open doors of opportunity to study about Jesus together. Isaiah said: "Come, now let us reason together, saith the Lord..." (Isaiah 1:18).

Therefore, let us reason about the true source of authority. Let's examine "Does The Church of Christ Believe It Is The Only One Going To Heaven?"

Does the Church Of Christ Believe...

It does not matter what the churches of Christ believe. Whatever these churches believe had better be what the Lord Jesus commands! Peter said: "if any man speaketh, speaking as it were the oracles of God..." (I Peter 4:11).

The church must be subject to Christ and His authority. Paul said: "And he is the head of the body, the church...that in all things he might have the preeminence" (Col 1:18).

There must never be church rules or creeds! One must never be required to satisfy the member of a local church. While some religious groups vote members in, the Bible teaches: "And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved" (Acts 2:47). If the Lord does the adding, no man must ever dare to do the subtracting (III John 9, 10)!

Therefore, whatever churches of Christ believe must be handed down to them by King Jesus in His word (Jn 16:13, 14). We must never render our opinions as if we are God! We must present the Bible as the message of God (Deut. 4:2; 2 Peter 1:21).

Again, the statement: "does the church of Christ believe," indicates the wrong people are being asked! Jesus will judge us all by His word (John 12:48). Jesus, not an elder, preacher, or member, "...is the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).

"It Is The Only One Going To Heaven?"

Who is going to heaven? Must one keep a church's rules to be saved? Must one join a particular denomination to enjoy salvation? Is one denomination better than another?

Perhaps some of the difficulty with these questions is a misunderstanding of terms. The word church comes from the Greek word ekklesia which means "those called out." Remember Acts 2:47: "...And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved."

In other words, those that responded to the gospel message (Acts 2:38, 41) were "called out" of the world and into Christ. They became a part of the church because the church is that body of saved believers.

When one is baptized into Christ, he becomes part of His bride (Ephesians 5:22-33, body (Ephesians 1:22, 23; 4:4), or church (Matthew 16:18). Paul said: "For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body..." (I Corinthians 12:13).

Our Lord never wanted the religious division so prevalent in the world today. He prayed that we might be one (John 17:17, 20-21). It grieves our Lord to see rules of men divide us. Why can't we simply forget the rules of men, open our Bibles, and obey the Lord? When we do, He will add us to His church, not a denomination (Acts 2:47).

There are various scriptural names for this church. "Churches of Christ (Romans 16:16), "Church of God" (I Corinthians 1:1), "pillar and ground of the truth" (I Timothy 3:15), "my church" (Matthew 16:18), "one body" (Ephesians 4:4), "the bride" (Revelation 22:7), and on and on we could go. These are all descriptive names for the same church built by Jesus (Matthew 16:18; I Corinthians 3:11).

Also, this body of believers will obey the Lord without compromising His will (Galatians 1:6-9). People who obey Jesus (Hebrews 5:8, 9) and become His by being called out of the world into the "called out ones" are saved (Galatians 3:26-27).

What Do You Believe?

Long ago, Solomon warned:

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 14:12).

It may sound good, feel good, look good, but is it what Jesus said?

The apostle John gave this acid test: "And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (I John 2:3, 4).

How do you know Jesus? Has some man guided you with creeds, tradition, or extra-biblical "revelations?" Come to know Him the way King Jesus through the apostle John commanded. Let's open our Bibles, and hear right from Jesus ourselves (John 16:13, 14). Let's "reason together."

Conclusion

It does not matter what churches of Christ believe nor any of their members. All that matters is the will of our blessed Lord.

Jesus and His word are always right. In the very words of God Himself at the Mount of Transfiguration:

"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (Matthew 17:5).

Can We Be Perfect?

2009-03-26T13:04:00.000-05:00

BY T. Pierce Brown

The prince of scholarly commentators, J. W. McGarvey, says concerning Matthew 5:48,

"It is, of course, impossible for man to attain to this perfection; yet anything short of it is short of what we ought to be."

Although McGarvey may have forgotten more about the Bible that some of us will ever know, I am forced to take issue with him, and all others who have made similar comments about this passage. The implications of such a conclusion are wrong and dangerous for several reasons.

First, that conclusion disregards the basic meaning of the word "perfect" and the context in which it is commanded. Second, that conclusion teaches that although God commands something, we have the right to conclude that it is too hard, yea, impossible, for us to do and thus, not only have the right to break one of God's commandment, but must do so. This sort of conclusion is the soil from which cynicism, skepticism and frustration grows. If we have the right to say about God's commandments, "They are too hard," surely it takes no Solomon to see a variety of attitudes and responses that automatically follow. "God is unfair" -- impugning the wisdom and righteousness of God. "I can determine which of God's commands I need to obey" -- which makes a god of ourselves and is the basis of most modernistic and denominational foolishness.

Third, that conclusion teaches that although God has commanded us to do something we cannot do, we must forever feel inferior because we cannot do what we ought to do. It is one thing to feel guilty of a sin of which we can repent and quite another to have a guilt complex because of a supposed sin that results from a broken commandment that we cannot keep! An awareness of guilt, leading to repentance and a changed life is a part of God's plan and is proper and healthy. A guilt complex is improper, unhealthy and destructive. If you do not think so, try to repent of disobeying the command, "Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect!"

There are two or three things that need to be understood in dealing with this and other passages that speak of perfection. First, the word "perfect" does not mean that one cannot, has not, or will not sin. The basic meaning of perfect -- telios -- is "full grown, mature, brought to its proper end."

Second, although grammatically speaking, there can not be degrees of perfection, there are different measures of perfection (for want of a better term). This is what I mean: Suppose one has a circle with a radius of one inch. We do not need to say, "a perfect circle," for by definition every circle is perfect -- a closed plain curve every point of which is equidistant from a point in the center. A circle with a two-inch radius is not more perfect, but simply has a different measure. Being bigger does not make it more perfect.

When the Bible says, "Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the church" (Ephesians 5:25), it does not mean, "Love them as much as Christ loved the church." That would be an impossible command to keep! But when a husband loves his wife as Christ loved the church, that is perfect obedience to the command. A circle with an infinite radius (whatever that is) is no more perfect than a circle with a one inch radius. And what we call the infinite love of God for our enemies is no more perfect than the kind of love we can have for our enemies -- which is what God commands. He did not say, "Love your enemy as much as God loves you."

Third, it is possible, according to the Bible use of the term, to be "perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect." It is not possible to be as good as God is, or as loving as God is. But He did not command that. He did not say, "Be as perfect as God is," as if there were degrees of perfection. He said, "Be perfect." Noah was (Genesis 6:9). Some of the Corinthians were (1 Cor. 2:6). Paul and some of the Philippians were (Philippians. 3:15).

Now to the verses under consideration. When a man loves his enemies and does as God says do toward them (Matthew 5:44), he is perfect, as God is perfect. He does not love them as much as God loves them, nor is he required to. This love (agape) is not an emotional response, but is a choice of will. When one is willing to sacrifice what he is and has for the welfare and happiness of his enemies, and so demonstrates that love, he has done what God requires, and regardless of what McGarvey or anyone else says about it, does not need to go through life feeling inferior or guilty because he cannot do what God commanded him to do.

The "bottom line is: We can do what God tells us to do in every situation. We can, in this one, love our enemies as God does, and when we have done that, we have attained the perfection God requires of us in these verses.

The Power of Persistent Prayer

2009-03-12T14:35:00.000-05:00

By Ben Bailey through the Gospel of Christ

“Men ought to pray always, and never lose heart” (Lk. 18:1). In this passage, Jesus teaches us about the power of prayer in our Christian lives. Ask yourself today, “How often do we really use prayer?” Do we see prayer as a powerful tool that is able to help us through this life? Do we use the power of prayer in the everyday struggles that we face? We talk about prayer. And I believe that we really do understand what the Bible says about prayer. But do we really use prayer as God wants us to? If we are going to make it through this life and go to Heaven, and if we are going to defeat the devil and all the fiery darts that he throws at us, we must realize the power of persistent prayer. And we must take advantage of every opportunity serve God, using prayer as a tool to help us do that. Christians must realize exactly how important prayer is in their lives. The text of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 teaches us to “pray without ceasing.” That text does not mean that everything in our life is a prayer. But it does mean that there should never be a time in our lives when we cannot come to the throne of God and ask Him for help. I think of Matthew 14:23. In this context, Jesus had gone away from the multitudes, and had gone up to the mountain by Himself to pray. Jesus realized the importance of prayer in His personal ministry. He realized the power of prayer, for it says in Matthew 26:53 that He could pray and that God would send angels to help Him in His time of need. We need to realize how important prayer is in helping us overcome the difficulties that we face in life. Notice what James said about prayer. In James 5:16, we have these words recorded:

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

The idea of “effective and fervent” carries with it the idea of continual petitioning of the throne of God. That type of prayer, James teaches us, overcomes much in this life. But to really understand the power of prayer, we need to know about some of the prerequisites of prayer. We need to know how to pray. We need to understand what the Bible says about prayer, and that there are conditions that we must meet in order to pray properly. The Bible does teach us that there are certain prerequisites to prayer. There are some things that we need to understand ahead of time if we are going to pray as God wants us to.

For example, not every person can simply stand up to pray and say whatever he wants to say. A person needs to be taught how to pray according to the Scriptures. In Luke 11:1, the disciples of Jesus came to Him with this request: “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples to pray.” Oh, how we today need the same attitude that Jesus’ disciples had. We need to want to learn how to pray according to the Scriptures. We need to learn to pray biblically! We must not pray selfishly, but instead we need to pray as God would have us to pray.

This article is part of a transcript from The Gospel Of Christ. To read the rest of the text please visit this link.

Hope For The Home: A Pure Church

2009-03-12T14:25:00.000-05:00

by Bud Lambert

Without question, the American family is in trouble. With each new generation, there is more uncertainty about how to establish and maintain a healthy, functional, intact family. Because more and more children are growing up in divorced families, children don't have the positive role models that are needed to learn how to build strong, secure, intact, loving homes. Healthy models are needed.

The church is to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth ( Matthew 5:13-16). God has given us, the church, the responsibility to model healthy living to the world. But to accomplish this we must strive to be pure and sanctified from the world:

John 17:15-17: I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

James 1:27: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

James 4:4: Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 John 2:15: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

The only hope for the survival of the family is for the church to remain pure and distinct from the world. Are we doing this?

SHOULD I CHANGE CHURCHES?

2009-02-11T15:27:00.000-06:00

By T. PIERCE BROWN

If most of us who consider ourselves sound, conservative gospel preachers were asked the question, "Do you think I need to change churches?" by a member of some denomination with whom we were studying, probably at least 99% of us would answer with a resounding, "Yes!" The primary problem with that is that about 99% of the time we would not be answering the question he thinks he has asked. In his own mind, he has asked, "Do you mean to tell me that I need to leave my denomination and join yours or some other one?" Deeper in his mind is this thought: "You think that the Church of Christ church is better than any other denomination." If you merely answer his question, "Yes" as a large number of persons who claim membership in the Lord's church would, you have confirmed his opinion. If you found a person living on the street in a pasteboard box or under an overpass, if you wanted them to come into the house where food and warmth was found, would you say to them, "You should change houses?" The very idea that a pasteboard box is in the same category as a house is erroneous. Any time we use language that suggests that any man made institution is in the same category as the Lord's church, we do damage to the gospel truth.

The more nearly correct, although partial, answer would be, "Merely changing churches would not do you any good." Surely anyone who has done any personal evangelism knows that the normal concept of the religious world is that we teach that joining the Church of Christ church is what saves a person. Do you not see that the expression, "You need to change churches" means to most persons that the organization they are in is about the same as the organization they are being asked to join (even if we say "come into"), but we think ours is a little better. It is our strong opinion that thousands who are more or less loosely connected with the Lord's church, some of whom are elders, deacons or preachers, think of the church as "a glorious, blood-bought institution or organization into which a person must come in order to get salvation." Accurately speaking, the church is not an organization, although it should be organized in order to function as God ordained. If I come into your community in which there is no church, and I baptize three persons into Christ, the church is now there, but no organization is there.

I know that I may risk the wrath of some brethren when I write anything contrary to the notion that the Bible emphasis is that a person chose to come into the church in order to be saved. However, for those of us who speak so highly of calling Bible things by Bible names and doing Bible things in Bible ways, it is amazing that more of us do not realize that in New Testament times, no Apostle ever preached to an alien sinner anything about a blood-bought institution into which he must come in order to get salvation. Did Jesus die to save an organization or institution, or did He die to save individuals who were then classified as a part of the body of Christ, the church?

Surely it does not take an especially astute person to see the difference in the concept of the church as a sort of glorified country club in which one should seek membership if he wants to be saved, and the concept of rendering obedience to Christ at which time he is saved and placed in God's record among the other called out ones. Is anyone so naive as to think that when Peter preached on Pentecost any one of the 3000 who obeyed the gospel had any concept at all of trying to do whatever it took to get membership in the church?

There is almost as much difference in the two concepts as there is in night and day. It is our conviction that much of the lethargy we see in church of today is because most of the members think getting membership in the church saved them. They think they got membership in the church by getting baptized. So they assume that they "got saved" merely by being baptized. Of course no gospel preacher ever preached it that way, but many that claim membership in the Lord's church seem to think that getting membership in the church is what saved them. Whether they submitted to Christ as Lord was not at the center of their consciousness. They are told that they have "completed their obedience" and are now part of the family of God. What more could a person want?

This is probably why the idea of "total commitment" so strongly promulgated by the Crossroads philosophy gained so much prominence. They saw that the thousands who would so strongly say, "I am a Church of Christ" had no real commitment to Christ. So they tried to arrange a program that would change that. In the process they made more problems than they solved. But the sad truth is that we are still plagued with the concept that getting membership in the church (however that may be done) is the really important thing. This is why so many say, "Christ, yes; but the church, No." They do not understand that when one is properly baptized into Christ he IS in the church, but simply "changing churches" will not put him there. So we may teach people that if they change churches it will solve their problem and gain salvation for them. When a person by language or action puts the Lord's church, which consists of all the saved persons in the world, in the same category as any human institution, he does a great disservice to the cause of Christ. Even if he thinks of it as a divine institution, into which a person must come in order to get saved, he has perverted the Bible emphasis. I did not "come into the church" in order to get saved, as if there were two steps in the process: First, coming into the church, then the result of that was salvation. Nor was I saved in order to be fit to join some church. I was saved and added to the church at the same time, and our language about the value of "changing churches" may hide that truth, for it usually leaves a person with a denominational concept of the church.

FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE ABIDE

2009-02-09T15:19:00.000-06:00

By T. Pierce Brown

As far back as I can remember I have heard preachers say such things as "It must be admitted that faith and hope will terminate at the coming of Christ. Love is the greatest because it will abide forever." It is my judgment that a deeper study of the question will convince us that the conclusion is incorrect, and based on either faulty logic or faulty exegesis, or both.

I believe the song says, "faith will be lost in heavenly sight," and the idea, no doubt, partly comes from a misuse of 2 Corinthians 5:7,

"For we walk by faith, not by sight (eidos--appearance)."

And Romans 8:24 says,

"But hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopeth for that which he seeth?"

If one takes those scriptures and makes an improper application of them, he involves himself in some ridiculous absurdities. For example, a man may see a new car. Does the expression, "For who hopeth for that which he seeth?" negate the idea that he may yet hope for that car? Surely not!

Let us examine with a little more care whether or not it must be admitted that "faith and hope will terminate at the coming of Christ." It is true that we walk by faith, not by sight. It is true that by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, and we would not need to have faith in the truthfulness of that statement if we had seen it done with our own eyes. It is true that when the Apostles saw the risen Lord, they did not need to have faith in the testimony of another that He was risen. But does that mean that when they SAW him, they no longer had faith in HIM? The very idea is preposterous! The simple fact is that faith in the truthfulness of a proposition and faith in a person are two different things. If a man should say, "I have a book in my hand," and you can see it, you do not need to have faith in the statement. You KNOW it. But that does not mean you have therefore lost faith in the man who made the statement. Furthermore, a man may say, "I have a book in my hand" and you may have faith in the truthfulness of his statement for any number of reasons, but you know him to be a liar, and may have no faith in him at all!

Would anyone be so bold or thoughtless as to say that when the Apostles saw the risen Lord they lost faith in HIM? Or would anyone assume that if they had hoped for His resurrection, they lost ALL HOPE when He was resurrected? Or can you not see that they simply no longer had to believe that He would be raised from the dead, or to entertain THAT hope. When Jesus said to Thomas,

"Reach hither thy finger and see my hands: and reach hither thy hand and put it into my side, and be not faithless but believing" (John 20:7),

do you think Thomas should have replied, "No, Lord, faith has been lost in sight"? He said (v.29) ""Because thou has seen me, thou hast believed." He did NOT say, "Because thou hast seen me, thy faith has disappeared in sight."

The fact that we walk by faith and not by sight simply means that when God says anything, we trustingly rely on HIM, whether or not the thing appears that way. God calls things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17), so our faith is the basis of our actions, nor what appears to us. But this has nothing whatever to do with the strange and non-scriptural idea that "faith will terminate at the coming of Christ." Rather, we shall no doubt have even greater faith in him than ever before. We will simply not have faith in the reality of the proposition that He is coming again. That will have become knowledge.

Does the fact that we hope for ENTRANCE into the eternal reward and receive THAT mean that we lose hope for all eternity? Should there be written above the gates of pearl, "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here?" If a man sees a new car, he may hope for it. When he gets it, he no longer hopes to get it, but does that mean he has lost all hope? Can he hope to drive it, keep it, enjoy it, etc.? 1 Corinthians 13:13 does not teach, nor does any other passage, that faith and hope will terminate with His coming. Faith in the PROPOSITION that He will come will change, and HOPE FOR HIS COMING will be realized, but faith is not necessarily "lost in sight," but may be increased by sight (John 20:29). The MIRACULOUS GIFTS, whether it is faith or anything else, were to cease when that which is perfect came, but that has nothing to do with our proposition today.

Let us define our terms more accurately and sharpen our exposition a little more definitively in order that we may not pervert the truth in ANY fashion. To summarize: When we have reached heaven we will still be able to have faith in God and Christ, but will not have faith in the statement that there is a heaven. It will be knowledge, not faith. We will still be able to hope that we will enjoy the next experience. We will not be able to hope that we will GO to heaven, for that hope will have been realized. Hope for a particular or specific thing may cease without hope itself ceasing. Faith in a particular proposition may cease without faith itself being destroyed.

Why do I Suffer?

2009-02-02T14:23:00.000-06:00

By Joe Andrasik through oldpaths.com

This is a question that is as ancient as man himself. First we must understand that GOD did not desire that we suffer. Suffering came into being because man chose to sin. There was no suffering in the Garden of Eden until man sinned, and Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden.

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned--. Romans 5:12.

Man brought suffering into the world by sinning. Much suffering continues in the world caused by men who sin. Sin has long-lasting consequences.

GOD cares very much for us and does not want anyone to suffer.

Psalm 116:3-5; The pains of death surrounded me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the LORD: O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul! Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yes, our God is merciful.

Man's disobedience caused the loss of GOD's blessings. Our bodies are no longer immortal as Adam and Eve were in the garden before they sinned . Therefore we suffer from disease, sickness and physical death. All are the result of sin. Death literally means separation from GOD. Without being in a right (correct) relationship with GOD, we are no longer deserving of GOD's blessings. All that remains for us is to suffer at the hands of the devil. All suffering is inflicted on us by our enemy the devil.

Without being in a right (correct) relationship with GOD we have no hope at all of restoring GOD's blessings to our lives. When a person becomes a Christian that person can then begin to trust that GOD will answer his prayer.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8.

The Christian who is in a right (correct) relationship with GOD can trust that GOD will return many of the blessings he lost before he became a Christian. This includes hope of eternal life.

Just because we become Christians does not mean all suffering ceases. It does means that we can begin to rely on GOD who will help us with our burdens.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28.

GOD begins to ease our suffering and helps us by carrying our most difficult burdens.

GOD lives in Heaven away from sin and suffering. He wants us to be with Him. He wants us to look beyond this world to Heaven. If there were no suffering in this world, there would be very little desire to go to Heaven and be with GOD.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:3-4.

Suffering therefore helps to remind us that we do not belong on this earth. We belong with GOD our Father. Jesus is preparing a place for every Christian who is willing to obey Him.

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3.

Sometime we suffer because of our sin and GOD disciplines us. This occurs not because GOD desires to inflict pain on us but because He wants us to change our mind and return to Him. He does not want anyone to be lost.

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? Hebrews 12:5-7.

Let us study the life of a very special man in the Old Testament. There was a man named Job who is described in the Book of Job.

Then the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? Job 1:8.

Job was a very righteous man. For most of Job's life he received many countless blessings from GOD. He was about to learn that even the righteous experience suffering.

So Satan answered the LORD and said, Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face! Job 1:9-11.

GOD allowed Job to suffer at the hand's of the devil. Job's suffering was brought on by the devil, not GOD. GOD allowed it to happen but only to achieve a far greater purpose in GOD's plan. We may not fully understand but GOD is able to use our circumstances of suffering and turn them into blessings for us later in our life, as we shall learn from Job's experience. GOD also knew that the outcome of Job's suffering would far outweigh the limited amount of suffering that Job would experience. This is not to minimize the suffering that Job experienced. He lost his entire family except for his wife and was in great pain for months. The book of Job would become an ageless example of the suffering of the righteous, and a source of encouragement for us.

First we must understand that we are not alone in our suffering. GOD experienced the agony of suffering himself in the person of his Son. Jesus came to live and die as the Son of GOD that we might have hope. He experienced hunger in the wilderness for forty days.

And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. But He answered and said, It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:2-4.

He certainly knew what it was to be cold or to experience the heat of summer. He lived as a carpenter's son for over thirty years. He knew what it was like to go without sleep. He was even tempted by sin and had to resist without sinning, to accomplish GOD's greatest sacrifice for us.

Hebrew 4:15; For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus, the Son of GOD, experienced what each of us experience every day to help us with our own suffering.

Perhaps the greatest suffering man will face is the fear of death. Jesus went before us to take away this fear by overcoming death with the hope of a resurrection to eternal life with GOD.

Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,.. Hebrews 5:7-9.

Jesus feared death as we do, but He especially feared death on the cross. He understood what kind of death He would suffer, as He knelt down in the Garden.

Then He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me. He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will. Matthew 26:38-39.

Jesus prayed three times to his Heavenly Father to be spared the death on the cross. This is the death that would satisfy GOD's justice for our sins. We deserved to be on that cross in His place, each of us dying for our own sins. He did not deserve it. Jesus thus became the perfect sacrifice in our place.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, Hebrew 2:9-11.

When we share in suffering as a Christian, GOD sees us as part of His family. We become part of the family of GOD by sharing in Jesus' suffering. This is especially true when we suffer because of our attempts to be like Christ.

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 1 Peter 4:1-2.

Remember! We previously considered the suffering of Job. Job overcame his suffering at the hands of the devil. Let us see the final outcome of Job's faithfulness to GOD.

Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. Job 42:12-13.

Christians can have an even better hope today.
December 1999

All references are from The New King James Version.

Concerns About Baptism

2009-01-29T08:11:00.000-06:00

Many years ago a listener came to me expressing concern. I had just preached and concluded an entire sermon without even mentioning baptism or its relationship to salvation. Such was expected to be a part of or in the conclusion of every sermon. After all, were we not in the Salvation business with Jesus.

There have been changes since that long-ago episode. Now, we sometimes hear expressions of concern if baptism is mentioned "too" frequently. In many churches, members cannot even remember when it was mentioned and would be surprised if it was mentioned, let alone emphasized. When we see people transferring to denominational groups or community churches we should not be surprised. We have made the transition too easy. The difference may not even be noticed and, if it is, it will not likely be consider of much importance.

In this matter, one thing that has been a marvel to me is what must be a deliberate exclusion, by many, of baptism from the things leading to salvation. There are tracts and other printed items that, although entitled, "God’s Plan of Salvation" or something similar, manage to make no mention of baptism. These can only be the product of those who have chosen to leave out what the scriptures repeatedly include.

The reader is challenged to go through the New Testament and make two lists. A list of the scripture references where baptism is stated to be related to salvation, forgiveness, cleansing and church membership (i.e. becoming a part of the body of Christ). And a list of the references where baptism is mentioned but not related to the above. The results will be interesting and should be convincing. Accept this challenge!

Another marvel to me has been the manner in which proponents of salvation prior to and without baptism are quick to call it a work of man and therefore not required because "Jesus did it all" and there is nothing that man must contribute. It is not of works. We must recognize that, although baptism is a re-enactment of the death, burial and resurrection of our Saviour and involves an act of submission on man’s part, it is only truly baptism because of God’s work in our hearts when we are baptized. On man’s part believing, repenting and confessing faith, all of which are usually included, involve more work than is involved in submitting to being immersed in obedience to God’s will.

Again, I marvel to hear well-read Bible scholars when discussing the question of what makes one a Christian declare without hesitation and dogmatically, "It’s not baptism." Does this come from man’s reasoning or God’s teaching? Certainly, salvation does not result from dipping one in water. Yet that it is a vital part of the "Plan of Salvation" cannot honestly be denied by one who reads without prejudice.

Another marvel is that men have been so bold as to change the mode of baptism. What the scriptures frequently call a burial, what is understood to have been the meaning of the word itself, what is admitted to have been the practise of the church for many centuries and what was evidently meant to be a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ has been changed to an act of sprinkling or pouring water. This neither fits the meaning of the word, conforms to the original practise nor presents the intended picture. How dare men do such a thing.

Lastly, these changes and interpretations become even more daring when one considers that baptism’s part in salvation, which men have tended to deemphasize or deny, was a dominant feature of the parting statement/instruction that Jesus made to his closest disciples. His parting wish was that the "good news" of salvation be preached to all the world so that those who believed and submitted in baptism would be saved. (Mk 16:15,16; Mt.28:19)

If anyone doubts this or perhaps thinks it is being misinterpreted or misunderstood by us, the matter is easily clarified by an observance of the apostles as they went about carrying out Jesus’ parting wishes. What did they understand?

Their first efforts are recorded in the second chapter of Acts. Note Peter’s statement, "Repent and be baptized, everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins . . ." (v.38). Surely these people who actually heard Jesus statement and who were led by the Holy Spirit had a better perception of the Lord’s intent than any "scholar" or "interpreter" lacking these benefits and part of a different culture.

The wishes of a departing loved one are usually consider significant and are carefully and respectfully carried out. To ignore them or alter them is to practise shameful disrespect. We are also careful to recognize the intent of the departed. The beneficiary often receives the inheritance upon compliance with conditions. The inheritance that Jesus willed to us is "salvation" and the conditions are faith, repentance, confession and baptism.

Remember that Jesus came to bring salvation. He died, was buried and was resurrected to make this possible. Baptism is a re-enactment of this (Rom.6:3-7, 17, 18). Jesus’ departing words linked baptism with salvation. The apostles, in compliance with these parting words preached and practiced baptism in relation to salvation.

Don’t throw it out. Rather check it out and then carry it out.

Eugene Perry

I Will Build My Church

2009-01-28T09:06:00.000-06:00

By J. C. Bailey

I Will Build My Church

This, my friends, is the statement of the Saviour in Matthew 16:18. In this article we intend to ask, and with the Scriptures answer, certain questions.

God is a God of order, plan and design. In the working of nature, we see this amply demonstrated. "Let everything produce after its kind" was and is a fundamental law. By miracle He created the first oak tree but from that time forward the acorn produces the oak and the oak produces the acorn. The maple produces after its kind, and so with all nature. Man was given dominion (Genesis 1:26). He may produce different varieties within a class, but he cannot set aside God's law of reproduction.

David said, "The heavens declare the glory of God." So perfect is His system that man as he studies can foretell to the very minute when there will be an eclipse.

The God who thus controls the universe also has a fixed purpose in regard to the church. We ask the question and propose to answer it from the New Testament: What is God's purpose in regard to the church?

We shall begin our study in Ephesians 2:11-21. We find under the old law that there was a partition between the Jew and the Gentile. The Israelites were God's chosen people. The Gentiles were strangers, separate from Christ, without God and having no hope. In Christ Jesus we have been made near by His blood. Christ broke down the partition (law of commandments) on the cross, and in one body He proposed to reconcile both (Jew and Gentile) to God. In Ephesians 1:22, 23 we learn that the body of Christ is the church. So God's law is that all men are to be reconciled to Him in the body (church) of Christ. Denominations do not exist in the divine plan of God.

"Mark them that are causing divisions" (Romans 16:17). Christ died for the purpose of reconciling the world in one body (church). Man has set up human institutions. Are you a member of the body of Christ or of a man-made body? Christ purchased the church with His blood. He did not purchase a denomination. Jesus gave himself for the church (Ephesians 5:25). Christ is the head of the church as the husband is the head of the wife (Ephesians 5:23). The church is one body (not many bodies as some teach). There is no scripture that intimates that these various denominations are part of the body of Christ. Quite the reverse is true. These denominational churches are independent bodies (not a part of the body). They are additions to God' plan. Read God's condemnation in II John 9.

The apostles tell us further, the two shall become one flesh, and he said he speaks of Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31, 32). Are you trusting in God's law or do you think that God is going to sanction and endorse spiritual adultery by adding or joining many bodies to Christ? God forbid.

It is God's purpose that through the church the manifold wisdom of God is to be made known. Man regards this command (Ephesians 3:10, 11) with indifference. Are you trusting in God or man? Is it not time that all human dross were removed from our religion and we proclaimed only the wisdom of God? Peter says (I Peter 4:11), "If any man speaketh, speaking as the oracles of God...." When men speak only as the oracles of God, then all human institutions will cease to be and human societies will no longer encumber the work of Christ. The church will shine in all its beauty as the bride of Christ.

The next Scripture we wish to consider bears out much of what we have already adduced.

"Unto him be the glory in the church and in Jesus Christ unto all generations forever and ever. Amen" (Ephesians 3:21).

Are we obeying God's law or are we following man? Are you hoping God will set aside His law and accept your disobedience? Read Hebrews 10:28, 29; Hebrews 2:1- 4.

One more passage as to God's purpose in the church. It is the pillar and ground of the truth (I Timothy 3:15). Pilate asked the question, "What is truth?" but didn't wait for an answer. Jesus said in His prayer to His Father, "Thy word is truth." The church, therefore, is the pillar and ground of the Word of God.

How did Christ build his church? What is the foundation? It was to be a rock. The foundation is Christ (I Corinthians 3:11). The rock is Christ (I Corinthians 3:10). On Pentecost this fact is proclaimed (Acts 2:36). We are added as living stones (I Peter 2:5). Those who believe, repent, and are baptized are added to the body of Christ (see Acts 2:38, 41, 47). Acts 18:8 tells us that the Corinthians heard, believed, and were baptized. They thus are named the church of God (I Corinthians 1:2). We are baptized into one body (I Corinthians 1:13). He cleansed and sanctified (set apart) the church by the washing of water with the word (Ephesians 5:26).

Where are the records? The church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven (Hebrews 12:23). Are your name and mine written there?
Is my name written there
On the page white and fair?
In the book of thy kingdom
Is my name written there?

J. C. Bailey, 1936, Ogema, Saskatchewan

This article was published in the first issue of The Gospel Herald, March 1936.