Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Monday, December 14, 2020
Friday, October 9, 2020
My Church
“My” Church
Jesus told Peter in Matthew 16:18, “Upon this rock, I will build my church.” Ephesians 5:24 says the church is subject to Christ, and in the following verse that Christ gave Himself for the church. Colossians 1:24 refers to the body of Christ as the church. Such verses refer to what we sometimes call the “universal” church, the body of believers who have been “called out” from the world to God, by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The church consists of all the souls who believe in Jesus Christ, on earth and in heaven (Ephesians 3:14,15). Acts 11:2 refers to the church which was at Jerusalem, and Acts 13:1 refers to the church at Antioch; such verses specify members of the universal body of Christ who assemble in a specified location. The church that Christ established, His body, was in Antioch, Jerusalem, and anywhere else where there are believers.
This brings us to another sense in which the word church can be used. Acts 14:23 says elders were ordained in “every church.” In I Corinthians 4:17, Paul speaks of teaching the same doctrine everywhere, in every church. These kinds of verses refer to those “local” churches, believers who assemble in some specified geographic location. Church can refer to the universal body of Christ, as well as to a localized body of believers.
In I Corinthians chapter 14, Paul instructs the Corinthian church on how to have an orderly and edifying assembly. Notice that when
Likewise, in the same chapter, when Paul talks about edifying the church (vv.4,5,12) he is referring to edifying the members, the people, not the place or the activities. In verse 23, he talks about “the whole church [coming] together in one place.” This is what we would refer to as an assembly. The church exists even when it is not assembled. The church was still in Corinth even when the individual members were in their respective homes, at work, or somewhere in the city involved in their day-to-day affairs. When he says the church came together, the members assembled for worship and mutual edification. In verse 28, he talks about keeping silent in the church, that is, keeping silent in the presence of the members during the assembly, not keeping silent in the building.
So, what do we mean when we say, “I am going to church”? Is it like, when we say we are going to fish, we are going fishing? Are we going church-ing? Perhaps statements such as, “I am going to worship” or “we are assembling” would be less ambiguous. Or what do I mean if I extend an invitation and say, “you should come to my church”? Surely, I don’t mean that the church belongs to me, personally. Sometimes, when we invite someone, they say something like, “I already have a church.”
Without presuming we know what everyone means when they use any kind of expression involving church, let us keep in mind to what church ought to refer. There is a universal body of believers in Christ that is His church. But we can also talk about the local church, the body of believers in our area with whom we personally work and assemble. When talking about “your” church, whatever you have in mind, remember that you are talking about the people with whom you associate. When you invite someone “to church” or to “your” church, make sure it is with the understanding that the church (local and universal) belongs to the Lord. When we talk about “our” church doing this or that, we are referring to what we, the people, do and believe in.
When you invite people to “your” church, you are not inviting them to the building or to the service. You are inviting them to meet, assemble, study, worship, to engage with the people. When people visit us at “our” local church, our objective is not to impress them with the building, or anything superficial, but with the people who are the body of Christ. When visitors are among us, we must make every effort to demonstrate the love of Christ, the sincerity of our belief, our desire for the truth of God, and our compassion for the souls of men.
How do you feel about “your” church? Do you associate with a group of people you want others to meet and have a spiritual relationship with? Are you the kind of person who attracts or repulses visitors? We ought to be proud of our local family, and desire to be the kind of people who are sincerely characterized by the love of Christ (John 13:35). We should be able to invite others in saying, “let me show where to contact the love of God and true disciples of Christ. Let me introduce you to these people…”
“These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, that you may know how to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” - I Timothy 3:14,15
Jeremy Koontz
Saturday, March 14, 2020
How to Save a Marriage
How to Save a Marriage
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And while there are times that we can lovingly
suggest ways that our spouse can do things better to our pleasure (and we need
to be ready to actively listen -- which means that we need to carefully
consider making the change suggested -- when our spouses suggest ways that we
can do things better to their pleasure), we need to remember that we didn't
marry ourselves and that different people sometimes do things differently from
the way we would do them. A number of things that have the potential to annoy
us about our spouses need to be quickly forgotten and we need to dwell on
the things that please us about our spouse, not on the things that annoy
us. I know this is sometimes difficult to do, especially when she does something
that REALLY annoys me, but I need to dwell on the positive things. And, I
believe the older men and older women can counsel the couple on dwelling on the
positive about their spouse instead of allowing the negative to destroy the
marriage.
There was a reason that he married his bride and he needs to find
that reason again. Likewise, the wife married her husband because she saw good
things in him. Currently, I am sure that the husband is thinking a number of
negative thoughts relative to his bride and she is thinking negative thoughts
about him. Otherwise it is difficult to see why the marriage has failed. These
thoughts need to be
In addition, I would counsel the couple to consider Paul's words
in Philippians 2 when he perhaps was tactfully intervening in the dispute
between Euodia and Syntyche. This dispute may have been one of the reasons that
Paul wrote the letter as he sprinkles the letter with a number of examples of
humility. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility
of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look
out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have
this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He
existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be
grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made
in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself
by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil.
2:3-8)
I believe this passage speaks loudly to disputes within the
church, even within families. I find most disputes are because one party
demands to be served and the other party refuses to serve them. If both the
husband and wife are Christians, this passage clearly says they are to treat
the other as more important than they are, if not as husband and wife, then as
brother and sister in Christ. Every Christian is to be humble, not to be served
by others, but to serve others. Christians are to put the interests of others
first. So if the husband does not want to do this for his wife, he should be
willing to do it for his sister in Jesus. And if the wife does not want to put
her husband first, she should be willing to do it for her brother in Jesus.
And, I love that Paul uses Jesus as his example, for it takes away
the primary "What if" question: What if he/she doesn't respond to my
putting him/her first and continues to do the things that annoy me? Jesus,
knowing that He would be rejected by the Jews and turned over to the Gentiles,
knowing that He would be crucified by the Gentiles/Romans, submitted Himself to
God's plan, a plan made before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20),
before Adam and Eve's sin, and left the glories of heaven for the travails of,
at very best, a middle-class first-century existence on earth (Joseph was a
"tekton" which is better translated as a skilled craftsman than a
manual-labor carpenter). So when the husband says, "You expect me to serve
this woman knowing she will do this thing that annoys me?" we answer,
"We expect you to follow the example of Jesus who came to earth to
minister to Jews knowing they would reject Him, even to the point of ascribing
His works to demons." And when the wife says, "So you expect me to
serve this man knowing he will hurt me emotionally?" We say, "We
expect you to follow the example of Jesus, who loved Gentiles so much that He
came to earth knowing that they would scourge Him in the Roman half-death and
then crucify Him."
Because I believe that the husband has the greater responsibility
to provide spiritual leadership within the family and, therefore, a greater
responsibility to do what is necessary to keep the family together, I would
take him first to Eph. 5:25-30, 33a and ask him what he thought the passage
meant for him: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the
church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having
cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to
Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such
thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love
their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;
for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as
Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. ...
Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as
himself.”
I would then take the husband to John 13, where Jesus washes the
disciples' feet. This is, at least for me, the most powerful example of humble
service in the Bible. Jesus, through Whom all things were made, gathers up His
clothing, puts a towel on His shoulder, and gets on His knees before each of
His apostles and carefully washes off the mud, animal droppings and who knows
what else was on those Jerusalem streets from their feet. It is impossible to
wash someone's feet without being put in a position of supreme humility. And,
while I don't believe that Jesus calls us to physically wash the feet of
others, it is the principle of leadership humility, servant leadership, that
was behind His washing the disciples' feet, I might even have the husband wash
his wife's feet. Sometimes the act of physically doing something impresses the
lesson in our hearts more than just hearing or talking about it. Further the
good thing about having the husband wash his wife's feet is that she ha s to
submit to him washing her feet, just as Peter had to submit to Jesus washing
his feet. There is humility, many times, in our submitting to the service
others do for us.
And so my brother, my belief is that the husband may be the key.
If you can get the husband to be the true spiritual leader of his wife, humbly
leading her through service to her, truly treating her, and by this I mean in
deeds, not words, as more important than he is, there is a very good chance
that the wife will respond and the marriage will be saved. I strongly believe
that if the husband treats his wife the way Jesus treated the church -- washing
the feet of the disciples, humbling Himself in service, event to death on the
cross -- the woman responds by seeking to serve her husband. I believe this is
the general rule in a mixed marriage, even in a marriage where both are
nonbelievers, but the husband can somehow grasp the concept of spiritual
leadership, and is the tautological rule in Christian marriages. It is
extremely difficult to be a servant leader, but it is the model that Jesus
calls us to, both in the church and in the family. And when we have true
servant leaders, both in t he family at home and the family at church, harmony
always results.
Veto F. Roley via a discussion list
Saturday, March 7, 2020
I Know I Am Saved, Because…
I Know I Am Saved, Because…
The title above offers a sort of “fill in the blanks” opportunity. Different folk express different views on the
evidence of pardon. A popular song a few
years ago contained the line, “It can’t be wrong, if it feels so right … “– and
it doesn’t take much research to know that this is the majority view.
Some answer “I know I am saved because this is the way my parents (or,
other family members) lived, and it’s good enough for me!” Others say “I know I am saved because my
church is so big and so popular that it must be right.”
Probably the answer most often given is “I know I am saved because it
feels so good.” They are resting their
hope for heaven on feelings, and feelings do not support that confidence.
JACOB AND JOSEPH
Feelings are not assurance of salvation. Feelings may be based on lies, or other
things that becloud the truth. A good
example of the problem with feelings is the case of Jacob, and his deceitful
sons. One of Jacob’s sons, Joseph,
was greatly favored by his father, so much so that his brothers
were jealous of him, even hated him (Genesis 37:4, 11). Their hatred led them to plot against him,
which resulted in his being sold to Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver,
then taken to Egypt. Joseph’s envious
brothers dipped his distinctive robe in the blood of a goat and showed it to
their father, saying to him “This we have found; please identify whether it is
your
Why? Because, based on the
information he had, Jacob sincerely
thought, “felt” his son Joseph was dead, “torn to pieces.” His grief was real; “he refused to be
comforted.”
Was Joseph dead? Or, more to the
point, did Jacob FEEL that he was dead?
The record says,”he refused to be comforted.”
To the one who says, “I know I am saved because it feels so good”,
consider Jacob, whose feelings, based on bad evidence, misled him.
THE HOPE OF HEAVEN
Can we have assurance that we have salvation and the hope (desire AND
expectation) of heaven? Yes.
For instance, Romans 8:16, 17 tells us “The Spirit Himself bears
witness with our spirit, that we are children of God, and if children then
heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him
in order that we may also be glorified with Him”.
The Spirit speaks to us, by His revelation in the Scripture. Jesus said “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom
the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your
remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). He did.
As a result of the work of the Holy Spirit, we have the scripture,
breathed out by God, and profitable “that the man of God may be complete … “ (II
Timothy 3:16, 17). The Spirit bears
witness, in the Bible, telling man what
he should do to be saved and how he should live; and man’s spirit responds by
bearing witness that he has complied with that instruction – and thus know
himself to be a child of God, an heir of God and a fellow heir with
Christ. He may therefore know that he is
heaven-bound.
Or again, Peter writes (II Peter
1:5-11) that we should add to our faith virtue, knowledge, self-control,
steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and
love – and after naming two benefits of adding these things to your faith, he
names another benefit in verse 10, “if you practice these qualities you
will never fall “. Do you want
to go to heaven? Then, “do these things”
(ASV) and never fall.
The assurance of salvation is not unconditional; faithful obedience is
required in every case. It is
nonetheless the desire of the Father for all people: the Lord is “not wishing
that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (II Peter 3:9).
You can be sure of your salvation – walk by faith.
Pat
Monday, March 2, 2020
Provoke Not Your Children to Wrath
Provoke Not Your Children to Wrath
In two closely related New Testament verses, fathers are given
these instructions: "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath:
but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians
6:4); "Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be
discouraged" (Colossians 3:21). While much is said and written about the
need for fathers (parents) to properly train their kids in the spiritual realm,
as per Ephesians 6:4b, it seems that much less is taught about the need for
dads to refrain from provoking their children to extreme anger. Without any
claim to have all the answers or all the wisdom that parents need in rearing
their kids, we set forth the following practical observations.
Provoke not your kids to wrath – what it does not mean:
1. It does not mean never do anything that makes your child(ren)
mad. From time to time kids are going to get angry at their parents when they
step in and "put their foot down" on some matter. A three-year old
that picks up a knife may pitch a fit when his mom takes it away, but mom still
needs to take it away, right? If you want to turn a spoiled brat loose on the
world, then just make sure you never do anything to cause him/her to be upset.
2. It does not mean never correct your children. Jesus said,
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten" (Revelation 3:19-21).
Properly administered discipline is not the "provoking" of kids that
the Lord forbids.
3. It does not mean never tell kids that something is off limits
or wrong. The Lord says that those who take part in the "works of the
flesh" will not enter into the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21). When we
restrict our kids from participating in such, they may
4. It does not mean never to force your kids to do something that
they do not want to do. Many kids detest the task of cleaning up their room and
may even get all bent out of shape when they are ordered to do so by their
parents, but forcing a child to clean up his/her room or do some other needed
task is not the "provoking" spoken of in our texts.
5. It does not mean never tell your kids "No, you cannot do
such and such," even though the matter is not sinful in and of itself
(such as buying a new dress or pair of shoes). Kids may throw a tantrum when
their request or demand is not met, but it is not because they have been unduly
provoked by dad or mom. God has given someone the task of making decisions in
the home. And, just who is that? The parents. Children are to obey parents, not
vice versa (Ephesians 6:1).
On the other hand, dads and moms do sometimes unduly provoke their
kids to intense anger. Parents can do this when they:
1. Show partiality/favoritism in the way that they treat their
children. Favoring one child over another, or giving special treatment to one
over the other, can cause anger toward both the parents and the pampered child.
Remember what happened in Jacob’s family when Jacob favored Joseph over his
other sons (Genesis 37).
2. Ask kids for their opinion or suggestions about something, but
never really pay any attention to what the children say and in essence just
disregard it. Parents that ask for their kids’ input into certain matters need
to be honest about the whole thing. If they have no intention of seriously
considering what the kids have to say, they should not ask them for suggestions
in the first place.
3. Compare their kids one with another. This is almost a
guaranteed way to get children angry, and understandably so.
4. Compare their kids with children in other families by saying,
"Why can’t you be more like _______?" Kids want to be treated like
individuals. We need to exhort them to do the right things and give their best
effort in all their activities, but our exhortation needs to be based on Bible
principles, not on comparison with other people.
5. Purposely belittle or ridicule them in front of their peers or
adults. This is a very insensitive act, regardless of whether the one we
belittle is a five-year old or an adult.
6. Call them insulting names. We sometimes say hurtful things that
we don’t even really mean and later regret. Insulting our kids by calling them
insulting or degrading names may cause them to detest us.
7. Try to make all their decisions for them. When our children are
only a few weeks old, or even a couple of years old, parents will naturally be
making decisions about what the kids are going to do in most areas of life.
There comes a time, though, when dad and mom have to back off and let their
kids, with their own distinct personalities and interests, make some decisions
that are important to them. Some dads have provoked teenage kids by trying to
dictate to them where they would go to college, what occupation to pursue, or
even what color of clothes to wear.
8. Do not take interest in the things in which the kids are
interested, such as their hobbies, sports, or school activities. Children feel
hurt when their parents don’t get excited about what excites them. They feel
neglected when their dad and mom don’t make an effort to attend as many of
their activities as possible.
No doubt there are a great number of other ways that
fathers/parents sometimes unduly provoke their kids. Perhaps these practical
illustrations will help more of us to avoid some unnecessary pitfalls in our
efforts to be righteous parents that help guide our kids in the path that leads
to heaven.
Roger D. Campbell
Saturday, February 22, 2020
All I Know is What I Know
All I Know is What I Know
We are often challenged with
questions about matters on which the Bible gives little or no revelation. People often ask us hypothetical questions
and present scenarios of which the Bible says nothing, and then expect us to
have some logical answer to the question.
There are some things about creation and whatever was going on before
creation that the Bible says nothing about.
There are many things about the nature of God and what is going on in
the mind of God for which we have no doctrine or revelation, but skeptics often
demand an answer to those kinds of questions.
If one is not careful, the
believer can allow one unanswered question to hinder his or own faith. A single matter of uncertainty or ambiguity
in scripture can be enough for one to discard the Bible altogether; if no one
The idea is that, if you don’t have all the answers, then the
answers you do have are insufficient.
But when is this principle ever applied?
When one works for a company, they may ask their manager or boss
questions about their pay, questions about why a particular assignment is
necessary, why a company policy has changed, but there are times when no answers
are provided. Sometimes, an employee
doesn’t get a reasonable answer, or even questions company policy and methods,
but just because they don’t get all the answers, they don’t up and quit. Lower level employees are almost always in
the dark about what is going on in the upper levels of corporate operations,
but they know enough to keep doing their job and expect compensation.
We would rather not admit it, but we never know everything about
anything we involve ourselves in.
A person doesn’t know 100% about the mechanisms and physics that allow a
plane to fly, but they know enough to get on the plane. A person doesn’t know everything about
someone they choose to marry, but at some point, they do get married. There is mystery in every decision we make,
every path we choose, but we take the knowledge we have and proceed anyways.
Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to God, but those
things that are revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may
do the works of this law.” The Bible
plainly teaches there are some things that we will not know, that we don’t need
to know. But the things that have been
revealed are revealed for a purpose: that we should know exactly how we and our
generations might best please God. I
Corinthians 2 teaches that God has not left us completely in the dark, and that
He has revealed things we need to know by His Spirit (I Corinthians 2:10).
When it comes to God’s plan of salvation and His will for mankind, all
we know is what has been revealed. If we
are not satisfied with that, we are in danger of endlessly searching, “always
learning but never coming to a knowledge of the truth.” (II Timothy 3:7) Many
have thrown their lives away in such an endless search for answers to every
question, even when, “what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has
shown it to them.” (Romans 1:19)
Questions about death and the afterlife abound. But there is a great deal of mystery there as
well. Let us put our trust in God who
has given us an abundance of proof, a text that perfectly guides us in all
matters of life and death, which teaches us, “it has not yet been revealed what
we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we
shall see Him as He is.” (I John 3:2)
Jeremy Koontz
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Monday, February 17, 2020
What if a Fellow Sins Against You?
What if a Fellow Sins Against You?
Some lessons are hard to learn at any age. I remember quite well a lesson I had to learn at the age of twelve. A friend and I had a “falling out.” Our friendship was suddenly on dangerous ground, and I was frightened. I don’t think I had ever faced a problem like this one. I was told that my friend had said some things about me that were not true. It was not hard for my Dad to see I was troubled, and he asked me about it. When I told him the problem, he immediately told me that I needed to go talk to my friend and settle the issue.
I did not want to. I was afraid we would never be friends again, but Dad insisted, and he was right. I was able to clear the air about my own actions, and my friend explained his. Dad did not “quote scripture” to me, though he could have, but I will never forget that lesson he taught me at the age of twelve.
It is inevitable that people who live in this world will at some point get “crosswise” with each other. Christians can and do sin against other Christians, causing injury, sorrow, even a rupture in their close fellowship in the Lord. What should be done in such cases? Does the Bible tell us what to do and how to do it? Yes, the Bible deals with that subject specifically.
In Matthew 18:15-17 Jesus said:
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every
It is not unusual for big or little disagreements to take place, even sin, among the best of people, but Jesus gave us a way to solve those problems before they become more serious. The solution is so obvious that you would think all of us would see it and would immediately want to work toward solving that misunderstanding, removing the sin that comes between us.
There is one thing, however, that may make it harder to do. The brother or sister against whom sin has been committed must “go and tell him his sin between you and him alone.” No, that’s not an easy thing to do, but it must be done.
It’s possible the brother who sinned against you does not realize he has sinned if you don’t go to him and talk about it.
In another passage, Jesus again confronts the issue of a Christian who has sinned against his/her brother. In Matthew 5:23-24 Jesus addresses how we should handle such incidents:
“Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
Obviously, if something comes between two Christians, both of them are obligated to find a solution. Both the one who has been sinned against and the one who has committed the sin must attempt to restore harmonious relationships as they were before the sin occurred. This is more than a common sense principle, but it is also fundamental to solving the problem. More to the point, it is an imperative, clearly demanded, supported, and stated in the Bible. Let’s do what it says!
Why then do we not do whatever it takes to assure that brethren can be in full harmony again? The main issue is that Jesus said we must “go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.” Someone may not want to confront that person. Is there an alternate way to deal with this issue? Is there an easier way? Only if scripture provides an “easier” way – but it does not.
The way some choose is to tell it to someone else, then let them deal with it. This way would allow me to give someone else the task of solving my problem. The obvious reason some prefer this way “out of a problem” is that it takes me “off the hook.” The pressure is now on someone else. However, this way is not only lazy and cowardly, it violates Jesus’ clear instructions.
That friendship I mentioned at the beginning is still strong after many years, and partly because my father told me the truth, made me do what was best, even though it was not easy.
Christians still “get crosswise” occasionally, but the Bible gives us the way to deal with it.
Carl B Garner
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Cussing
Cussing
Cussing seems to be in these days. They say it in the movies. It's
done on TV. Coaches cuss at their players. Players cuss at the officials.
Parents cuss at their children. Drivers cuss at each other. Patients cuss at
their doctors. Comedians cuss and the audience laughs.
Whenever something bad happens, you can almost expect to hear
someone cuss. Folks cuss at bad golf shots they make. They cuss at all the
bills they have to pay. They cuss and cuss all day long. Some famous people are
known for their cussing. General Patton was a cusser. Coach Bobby Knight is a
real cusser. Although I've never heard it, I suppose some even cuss because of
the preacher.
What are we to make of all of this cussing? Some
just accept it as "that's just the way he is. "What does the Bible
say about "cussing? Cussing is not the language that God wants His
children to use. When you are cussed at, you do not feel better because of it.
You do not consider cussing to be a blessing. People cuss because they are mad.
They don't know what to say, so they cuss. Some cuss to act tough or grown up.
How God Wants Us To Speak…
Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace,
seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to
each person.
Titus 2:8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, in
order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about
us.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your
mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of
the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.
When a servant girl accused Peter of being with Jesus, Peter
denied it and then began to "curse and swear" (Mt. 26:74). Peter did
many things wrong that night, cursing and swearing were part of his problems.
When describing the tongue, James said, "With it
we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in
the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My
brethren, these things ought not to be this way" (James
3:9-10).
God taught ancient Israel not to curse: "You
shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people" (Exodus
22:28). The Psalmist understood this when he wrote, "Set a
guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psalm
141:3).
There are certain things that God's people should not say…
Ephesians 5:4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk
or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
Ephesians 5:12 For it is shameful even to mention what the
disobedient do in secret.
Colossians 3:8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such
things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your
lips.
Much of cussing involves dirty or filthy speech. Christians must
not do that. No exceptions!
Much of cussing is "damning" someone to hell. Only God
can do that, and we should not wish that on any one. Jesus loved all and died
for all. Shouldn't we do the same?
Much of cussing is taking the Lord's name in vain. God is holy and
sacred. His name must be held in honor. There is no other name by which we are
saved (Acts 4:12). We must never misuse the name of the Lord. Whenever we say
"God" or "Lord" we should be thinking of our wonderful
Father and Savior in Heaven. Cussing is a result of stinkin' thinking. Do
better! Talk right!
Roger Shouse
Friday, January 24, 2020
Ignorance is Bliss
Ignorance is Bliss
"Please don't send me anything controversial!" "I
don't want to read any papers put out by brethren!" "If I want
anything from you, I will ask for it!" "Remove me from your email
list!" "Send me only things that are uplifting!" "I don't
want to hear anything about that!" "Delete before reading!"
"You don't want to attend there - those are not your kind of people!"
"We can never have perfect understanding!" "Take me off your
mailing list!" "That preacher is a troublemaker; you don't want to go
hear him!" And on and on as the list seems to grow longer every day! Sadly,
to say, we are being told more clearly every day that "My mind is made
up, please don't confuse me with the facts!" And the saddest and most
frightening part of all is that such statements and attitudes are being openly
expressed by our own brethren!
The subtle arrogance of the apostasy now affecting the church is
that more and more brethren are being convinced that "ignorance is
bliss". And if you are ignorant of what is involved in any issue, then you
don't have to worry about any guilt on the part of your conscience! We are
absolutely so inundated with "y'all be sweet" preaching in churches
today that brethren are being convinced that they can do just about whatever
they like without any guilt or pangs of conscience whatsoever! And so many of
our brethren have long ago quit studying and teaching the Word of God in their
personal lives, that they are almost totally dependent upon what they hear in
the services of the church for their spiritual edification! And when the
leadership and preaching in the church is simply the providing of "what
makes you feel good" and what will entertain you for a few minutes while
you are in attendance, then it is not at all difficult for us to see why so
very little spiritual maturation is taking place! The often heard cry
"that it doesn't really matter" and "we don't want to hear
anything controversial" is clear evidence that there is
Wouldn't it be wise for us to look at what the Word of God has to
say on the subject of ignorance? The apostle reminds us of the condition of
Israel in Romans 10:1-3, "Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication
to God is for them, that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they
have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of
God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject
themselves to the righteousness of God." When one has a knowledge deficit,
his ignorance takes a firm hold on his life and he moves farther and farther
away from any subjection to the righteousness of God.
As an "old timer" who has spent more than fifty years
attempting to preach the gospel, I am persuaded that we have the greatest
deficit of Bible knowledge today than we have ever had during my lifetime. We
have reared generation after generation who have become less and less
interested in spiritual matters over the passing of time. The attitude today
seems to be that we need as little preaching as possible, and what preaching we
"must" have - let's get it over with as quickly as possible! Having
people interested in gospel meetings is rapidly becoming a thing of the past!
Having regular home Bible study is almost a forgotten concept! What our
forefathers called preaching - "shelling the corn all the way down to the
cob" is as scarce as hen's teeth! Preaching which openly names and
condemns evil practices is quickly passing from the scene. Exposing false
doctrines and false teachers among our own brethren is being more and more
looked upon with disdain! It is becoming more obvious every day that brethren
are less and less interested in knowledge - because knowledge brings with it a
sense of guilt for our failures and shortcomings. Knowledge makes us choose
between evil and good. Knowledge makes us aware of God's condemnation of sin in
our lives. It seems that the general attitude we are moving toward is to
embrace the "remain ignorant and stay happy" philosophy of life!
Spiritual growth is the result of a genuine effort on our part to
secure knowledge and to use that knowledge in making application of its
principles in our own life and being busy in teaching that Truth to others.
When we willfully choose to remain in ignorance, then we make ourselves not
only useless to God, but also tremendously dangerous to ourselves and to
others! Please note the thoughts of I Corinthians 3:1-3, "And I, brethren,
could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes
in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear
it: nay, not even now are ye able; for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is
among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the
manner of men?" When we choose ignorance because we want to be able to
live free from guilt, we are clearly showing that we have no interest in the
righteousness of God. When we are willfully ignorant, we magnify both our lack
of faith and our selfish desires to engage in sin without feeling any sense of
remorse, shame, or guilt!
The Word of God demands spiritual growth! God demands that we be
able to discern between good and evil, " For when by reason of the time ye
ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments
of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need
of milk, and not of solid food. For every one that partaketh of milk is without
experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is
for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised
to discern good and evil." Hebrews 5:12-14.
Yes, the "ignorance is bliss" attitude is infecting our
brethren like an epidemic and it is without question a concentrated effort to
avoid the guilt and pangs of conscience which the knowledge of God would bring!
It is an "agenda of deception" on the part of those who are
advocating the soul damning error called "unity in diversity"! If a
lot of folks don't wake up real soon, then it will be very possible that the
Lord's church is going to become a wasteland of false teaching and sinful
practices! It is high time that we stand up and be counted as faithful soldiers
in the battle against these forces of Satan! "What then shall we say to
these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not his own
Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely
give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is
God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died,
yea rather
that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God,
who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness,
or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the
day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these
things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am
persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor
things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39
Dennis
Reed
Friday, January 17, 2020
Are We Killing the “Old Man”?
Are We Killing the “Old Man”?
The Roman letter has at least five propositions, affirmed and
proven by the apostle Paul: (1) Man stands justly condemned for his sins; (2)
Grace, not law, is the remedy; (3) This grace is expressed in the crucified
Christ; (4) It is available on the condition of obedient faith in Christ; and
(5) It is for all, Jew and Gentile alike. Although argued through the first
eleven chapters, and referred to thereafter, these propositions have already
been discussed, and a summation is drawn in the first five chapters. This means
that chapter six, "What shall we say then?" introduces a question
that either was actually propounded, or was thought to be possible in the light
of the foregoing arguments. Note the question carefully, for the comments that
follow are in
answer to that question. "Shall we continue to sin, that grace may abound?" The question is from and for people who have been baptized into Christ, and this too must be remembered as we read further.
answer to that question. "Shall we continue to sin, that grace may abound?" The question is from and for people who have been baptized into Christ, and this too must be remembered as we read further.
Paul's immediate answer is "God forbid," literally,
"may it not be." And when he adds, "We who died to sin, how
shall we live any longer therein?" he is still countering the same people,
in answer to the same question. He is not saying "we who have been
forgiven...." That would be to say we who have received the first benefits
of grace -- a part of the question. He is saying "we who have determined,
who have purposed, never to sin again." The death of sin, is in the intent
of the saint, and precedes the burial soon to be mentioned. When he says we are
baptized into His death, this "death" includes crucifixion, burial,
and resurrection, as he shows (vv. 3-5). He is saying, when we are baptized
into the death of Christ, we must participate in the whole thing -- the death
to sin, the burial (by which guilt of past sins are forgiven, cleansed) and the
resurrection to a
He adds strength to his argument in verse six: "...our old
man was crucified with him." We have crucified, put to death, the
"old man," our former way of life. Since death preceded burial, in
the actual death of Christ and in the figure; this crucifixion is the rejection
of the old way of life that must take place before we are buried and forgiven
of past sins. It refers to genuine repentance, a turning of our back on the way
we once lived. Crucifixion was a painful death, and its use here suggests a
change in life that requires drastic action, a trauma, that only strong-hearted
resolve can accomplish. We make a grievous mistake when we suggest "all he
would have to do is be baptized" -- as if anyone could be crucified as a
sort of casual thing. No, brethren. When we teach the truth about baptism we do
more than say it is a burial, or simply mouth the words, "for remission of
sins." We are asking our neighbor to make a drastic change of allegiance,
to crucify the flesh.
Perhaps we can see the rejection of some sins as a crucifixion.
Drug addicts go through a literal torture in trying to throw the habit. Some
who have tried to stop smoking have known hard days. Alcohol is not easily
given up. But we err in thinking it is easy to overcome a temper; or to throw off
the desire for power, or money. Covetousness is idolatry, and hard to kill. And
perhaps hardest of all is pride or selfishness. Truly putting them to death can
be the tortuous crucifixion Paul has in mind. Paul does not suggest that this
"death" means it is no longer possible to sin, or even to be a slave
to sin. "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body...neither present
your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness" (vv. 12-13). He
is urging us to reconsider our intent and purpose of heart as we entered the
waters of baptism. With our back turned on sin, dead unto sin, we were ready to
be forgiven, and then arise to a new life. He asks us to recall our early
resolve, like asking a troubled couple to remember their wedding vows.
Romans is not the only place figurative language makes this point.
In Colossians 2:11 Paul reminds saints of Christ "in whom ye were also
circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of
the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ" (emphasis mine, rt).
Compare this with Romans 6:6: "that the body of sin might be done
away." Circumcision is figurative here, as crucifixion is in Romans; and
means a painful cutting off of the past life. It is here coupled with baptism.
Or consider 1 Peter 4:1ff where the process is called "suffering."
"Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh (literally, rt), arm ye
yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath
ceased from sin." The footnotes put "unto" sin, rather than
"from" sin; and obviously this is not referring to Christ, who had no
sin. The "he" is one of "ye" who "no longer should
live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of
God" (v. 2f).
Back in Romans, we crucify the old man in genuine repentance, and
then we are buried in baptism "for the remission of sins" or removal
of the guilt of our past life. But this is not all, there is a very positive
side. Christ's death (the whole picture) also included His resurrection. He was
made king following the resurrection; He became our High Priest following the
resurrection; He became our Advocate following the resurrection. Paul puts it
plainly: "For the death that he died, he died unto sin once (for all,
f.n.): but the (in that, f.n.) life that he liveth, he liveth unto God. "
And Paul says, "Even so reckon (consider, rt) ye also yourselves to be
dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus" (vv. 11-12). Paul's
argument would not be complete without the positive side. It is not enough
simply to turn our back on sin, though very important; we must also "live
unto God" a positive life of service. And, how can such an one entertain
the question, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" God
forbid, indeed!
When I consider the marvelous lesson of Romans 6, and then look at
many brethren who claim to have been "baptized into His death," I get
the distinct feeling we are emphasizing the burial, and practically ignoring
the preceding death, and the following resurrection. No wonder some folks say
we are water salvationists. Brethren, these things ought not to be. Let us do
all within our power to bury people who have crucified the past, and who are
determined to "arise to walk in newness of life."
Robert F. Turner, September 18, 1986
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Jesus and the Holy Spirit
Jesus and the Holy Spirit
First, he will convict the world “concerning sin,
because they do not believe in me” (John 16:9). This is a simple proposition: sin, EVERY
sin, is a sin of unbelief. So, when we
read that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23),
we understand that, regardless of their specific transgression (what they did
or failed to do), their sin was unbelief – “they do not believe in me.”
Do you find that hard to swallow? Well, consider a case in point. David and Bathsheba committed adultery, II
Samuel 11. She conceived; she told
David. To make a sordid story short,
when it ended David, a lustful adulterer had added deceit and murder to his
sinful record.
Further,
Jesus said, the Holy Spirit will convict the world “concerning righteousness,
because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer.” (John 16:10). How will the world be convinced that Jesus is
righteous? He asserted that he was
righteous, while ignoring the Law of Moses concerning the Sabbath and more than
that claiming to be God; “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to
kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling
God his own Father¸ making himself equal
with God” (John 5:18, 19). The Jews thought he was a blasphemer, “a servant of
Beelzebub”; but Peter said he was “a man approved of God”. Tenney said “The return of Jesus to the
Father was the ultimate proof that He was the perfect pattern for
righteousness, accepted by the Father” (Merrill C. Tenney, The Gospel of
Belief, p 236).
Then,
Jesus said the Holy Spirit will convict the world “concerning judgment, because
the ruler of the world is judged” (John 16:11).
There is not a lot said about “judgment”, in Scripture. Probably the discussion in Acts 17 on
judgment is the fullest; here, in verses
30 and 31, Paul says “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he
commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which
he will judge the world in righteousness
by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by
raising him from the dead.” The ruler
of this world is judged. The prophecy of
Genesis 3 is remembered here; its fulfillment recorded in Hebrews 2:14-18.
We have an example of the
information of this passage in the preaching of Paul to Felix and Drusilla, in
Acts 24;25. When he reasoned with them
about righteousness and self -control and the coming judgment, Felix was
alarmed and said, Go away for the present.
When I get an opportunity, I will summon you.
We sing, judgment is surely
coming. What we have read in Acts 17
tells us of our responsibility to repent because the judgment day draws
steadily nearer (God has fixed a day in which he will judge, but it is unknown to man); the Judge is known; the standard of judgment
(“in righteousness”) has been revealed.
Are you ready?
Pat
Puff, Puff…
Puff, Puff…
Despite the oversized warnings on cigarette cartoons,
the massive amount of research demonstrating how harmful smoking is to the
human body, and all the deaths related to use of tobacco products, people still
insist on smoking. Marijuana, or “weed”,
is one of the most popular recreational drugs of all time, and one young person
has been heard to quote, “ALL the kids my age do it.” Although that might be an exaggeration, all
the kids who do smoke weed aren’t using it to treat medical conditions! What does the Bible teach about smoking
tobacco or marijuana? Here are two
articles by Dan Shipley and Matthew Dockens that should give a Christian reason
to pass when they are invited to “puff, puff…”
Still Smoking?
As a former smoker, I know how easy it is to ignore
messages from the news media and the pulpit that discourage smoking. It is
difficult for most of us to be objective in considering that which condemns
what we want to practice. As someone as well noted, "Affection is a briber
of the judgment; and it is hard for a man to admit a reason against the thing
he loves, or to confess the force of an argument against an interest."
Convincing Christians to give up tobacco wouldn't be nearly so hard if they
could first be convinced to face the issue objectively and with an open mind.
And yet, of all people, the Christian should recognize the difficulty of
dealing with prejudiced and closed minds. As a follower of Christ, he knows that
personal preferences must be subordinated in seeking to please the Lord. The
smoking Christian owes it to himself and to the Lord to consider the evidence
relative to smoking.
Equally important for the smoking Christian to
consider is the possibility of enslavement to tobacco. To be brought under the
power of a habit is to violate the principle of 1 Cor 6:12. For the smoker who
wants to know, "What about the glutton, the cokeaholic, the
coffeeholic?" The same principle applies equally to them! With Paul, every
Christian must resolve, "...I will not be brought under the power of
any." Rather, "I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage..."
(1 Cor 9:27).
Finally, the Christian smoker must consider the
possibility that smoking may hurt his influence. Shouldn't every Christian be
"an example to them that believe, in word, in manner of life..." (1
Tim 4:12)? Justified or not, many are offended by the smell, the pollution, and
being forced to inhale second-hand smoke. Honestly now----everything
considered, wouldn't it be better if Christians didn't smoke?
Dan S. Shipley
What’s Wrong with
Weed?
Eroding social standards notwithstanding, it remains a
violation of divine will to consume marijuana. Here’s why:
God enjoins sobriety. Repeatedly, it is written, “Be
sober” (I Thessalonians 5:6-8; I Peter 1:13; 5:8). Sobriety is an awareness of
mind which requires, at a minimum, abstinence from mind-altering substances. No
one under the influence of marijuana meets God’s expectations in this matter.
God demands self-control. “The fruit of the Spirit”
includes “self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). And “self-control” is among the
things a Christian must “add to… faith” (II Peter 1:5-6). Deliberately
distorting one’s perception of reality certainly diminishes personal restraint.
God forbids intoxication. “Drunkenness” is among “the
works of the flesh” that result in condemnation (Galatians 5:19-21). It’s
acceptable for “drunkenness” to be among the behaviors of one’s “past
lifetime”, but not among one’s current activities (I Peter 4:3). The injunction
against drunkenness has less to do with substance than effect. Whether one is
drunk on beverage alcohol or high on cannabis, the Lord disapproves.
The consequences of alcoholic intoxication include the
facts that “your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter
perverse things” (Proverbs 23:33). How much more is this true of pot smoking
than wine drinking? Seeing strange things does harm to one’s ability to see
spiritual danger as required by the command to “be vigilant” (I Peter 5:8).
Bryan Matthew Dockens
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