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Volume 24 Number 7 July 2022	Page 4

Bible Doctrines All
Christians Can Believe,
Teach and Practice
with the Same Mind and
with the same Judgment

David Myers

(adapted from Hugh Fulford)

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (1 Corinthians 1:10 NKJV)

Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6)

Read the passages cited below, study them in their context and see if any have been misused in any way. Follow the example of the Bereans in Acts 17:11 as “…they… searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

1. Christ established His church, purchasing it with His blood (Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25-27).
2. The church is the spiritual body of Christ, and there is but one body. Therefore, there is only one true church (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4).
3. Each local church is autonomous, overseen or shepherded by a plurality of spiritually mature men known in Scripture as elders, pastors or bishops (Acts 14:23, Philippians 1:2; Titus 1:5).
4. Elders must meet the qualifications set forth in Scripture for these functions (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9).
5. It is a sin to deliberately forsake the assembly of God’s people for worship and spiritual edification (Hebrews 10:24-25).
6. We must worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:24; Matthew 15:7-9).
7. We are to sing and make melody in our hearts to the Lord in our worship, and there is no authority to use instrumental music in the worship of the church (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 13:15).
8. The Lord’s Supper is to be observed on the first day of the week, and every week has a first day (Acts 20:7).
9. We are to give on the first day of the week to the Lord as we have been prospered (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).
10. The world – with its secular, humanistic, postmodern and “everything is relative” or “anything goes” attitude – is damning to the souls of people (1 John 2:15-17; James 4:4; Colossians 2:8).
11. We are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
12. We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord (Romans 12:1-2).
13. We are to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world (Titus 2:11-14).
14. The practice of homosexuality is sinful (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
15. Transgenderism is sinful (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4-5; Deuteronomy 22:5).
16. Living together in a sexual relationship outside of marriage is sinful (Hebrews 13:4).
17. Christ will come again (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; 2 Peter 3:10-13).
18. All mankind will stand before God in a day of Final Judgment (Matthew 25:31-33; Hebrews 9:27; Acts 17:30-31; Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
19. The redeemed will live with the Lord in Heaven through all eternity (Matthew 25:46; 2 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
20. The wicked and disobedient will spend eternity in Hell (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 21:8; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 2:5-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Revelation 21:18).
21. A child of God can fall away from the Lord, become unfaithful and be eternally lost (Proverbs 16:18; 1 Corinthians 10:12; Hebrews 3:12; 2 Peter 2:12-22).

These doctrinal points neither represent all of Bible doctrine nor do they comprise a creed apart from the Bible. Rather, these numbered points illustrate fundamental biblical doctrine over which their can be no misunderstanding and on which Bible believers can believe, teach and practice with the same mind and the same judgment.

Independence Day

Paul Marty

As another Independence Day rolls around, it is time to reflect on exactly what that means. In the realm of spiritual things, it means that God gave us certain freedoms. He gave mankind the freedom to choose whom he will serve, freedom of how to serve and so forth.

One of the most near and dear freedoms that we have in this land is the freedom to worship God without persecution. Let us remember not to take that freedom for granted. People died so that we might have this dear freedom, and Christ died to save our immortal souls.

Does it matter to us that Jesus left Heaven and came here to live as one of us? Does it matter to us that He lived a perfect, sinless life here? Does it matter to us that Jesus sacrificed Himself for us on the cross so that we could have this independence and freedom from the slavery to sin?

“Yes” to all of the above; they matter. The real question, then, is “How much does it matter?” Does it matter enough to put Jesus Christ first in our lives (Matthew 6:33), to study His Word (2 Timothy 2:15), to pray always (1 Thessalonians 5:17), to take the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), to give on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1-2) and to walk in the light (1 John 1:7)?

Does it matter enough to be faithful to death (Revelation 2:10)? Let’s challenge ourselves to think, to talk and to live in a way that shows full appreciation for the freedom we have in Christ.