Criticism is something with which we all must learn to live. Irrational critics who are determined to leave “no turn unstoned” (yes, you read that right) can always find fault and criticize. Jesus Himself was a victim of critics. He was criticized because of His family background (Matthew 13:54-57). He was criticized regarding His home community (Luke 1:46). He was criticized for His association with sinners (Matthew 9:11). He was criticized for doing good on the Sabbath day (Mark 2:23-28). Jesus warned His disciples that criticism would be inescapable (Luke 17:1; John 16:1-3; Matthew 5:10-12). Generally, a “loud attempt to excuse helps those who accuse.” If truth has been slandered, constructive rebuttal to “clear the air” may be necessary and wise. Note a few biblical examples of this, and please look up the passage and read all the context. Brethren, we can always emerge from unjust criticism victoriously. Here is how. Criticism will come and go as we live for the Lord. Jesus endured criticism and shame, and He died for us. What are we willing to do for Him? Is there ever a time when criticism requires a firm rebuttal? Yes indeed.

All of the attributes of God are so important to the development of Christian character. It is necessary that as Christians we understand or have a working knowledge of the justice and righteousness of God. “Just” originally meant straight in a physical sense, while in a moral sense it referred to right. A thing is right when it is as it should be. Willmington says, “Righteousness can be defined as moral equity. Justice is the illustration of this moral equity. In righteousness, God reveals His love for holiness. In justice, God reveals His hatred for sin.” Lanier says, “That justice and righteousness, in God’s dealings with men, are simply manifestations of the holiness of God.” Burder says, “By the justice of God we understand that universal rectitude of His nature, whereby, in His government of the world, He does all things with perfect righteousness, giving to everyone his due.” Watson defines justice as follows, “Justice, in its principle, is holiness, and is often expressed by the term ‘righteousness’; but when it relates to matters of government, the universal rectitude of the divine nature shows itself in regard to what is right, and in opposition to wrong, which cannot be warped or altered in any degree.” With these definitions in mind, let us understand that the Bible speaks of three kinds of justice. First, there is “legislative justice,” sometimes called “mandatory holiness.” This is what determines man’s duty and binds upon him the performance of it. It also defines the rewards

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). We find our faith challenged on a number of occasions as we go through life. Such is certainly the case in the process of growing up. Some become so unsettled by the problems that are raised that they begin to have doubts as to the correctness of their faith in Christ. During these difficult times of uncertainty and perplexity, we may wonder what we can do, and this is especially a concern for young people. First, do not for a moment think that you are the first person who faced doubt. Such has happened in the lives of countless believers, but their faithfulness to God shows us that attacks do not have to destroy one’s faith (1 Corinthians 15:58). Second, do not think because you have doubts that you are a wicked person. It is often the case that some doubts originate in the lower levels of moral living, but there are many perplexities that do not originate there. This prayer will help: “Lord, we believe, help thou our unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Third, do not think that your case is hopeless and that you will never settle your doubt. Be patient and give yourself some time to study the problem. Fourth, do not throw overboard all you believe just because at the present time you are unsettled on this point or that point. Don’t give up.

In the September 28, 1992 edition of Time magazine, there is an excellent article entitled, “The Glue of Life,” written by Dick Thompson (62-63). The article is about cell structure adhesiveness. Thompson says: If living cells didn’t have a fondness for sticking together, we would all be colorful gobs of jelly oozing all over the floor. Fortunately, cells hold to a basic biological premise that stickiness is desirable for form and essential for function. They violate this premise at our peril. When cells become either too sticky or too slippery, arteries can get clogged, cancer cells can skate around the body, and inflammation can turn subversive. Researchers have long believed that if they could somehow manipulate stickiness, they would have a formidable new set of tools for healing. After reading the whole article, I thought how marvelously made the human body really is. Sins of all kind, have no doubt, brought defection to the physical body, for God did not make it that way. What He made was good. “And God saw every thing that he made, and behold, it was very good…“ (Genesis 1:30). I thought also of the unity of the spiritual body, the church. “And he is the head of the body, the church…” (Colossians 1:18). There is a “stickiness” that must continually permeate it, if it is to maintain its “form” and “function” as the Bible teaches. Jesus prayed, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through the word; that

Marriage is not a human arrangement, but it is ordained of God (Genesis 2:18, 24; Hebrews 13:4). It is an obligation to faithfulness, not only to each other, but also to God. It is more than a legal contract. It is a partnership with each other and with God. Marriage is a union of a man and a woman in need of one another. One of the reasons that marriage is in crisis today is because many have lost this sense of being needed. The crisis in marriage can be seen in that one out of four marriages is broken by divorce. In fact, more divorces are granted in the United States each year than the rest of the world combined. Of the three remaining, desertion takes its painful toll. Of the two that stay together, many are emotionally shattered and functionally do not work. One out of the four is happily married. Since the odds are against a successful marriage, it is to our advantage to watch for symptoms of troubled marriages. Some symptoms are (1) loss of interest in family members and family activities, (2) loss of interest in caring for the house and personal property, (3) a sense of “drifting apart,” (4) chronic and unresolved conflicts, (5) lower than usual achievement levels, (6) poor interpersonal relations at home and other places, (7) defensiveness and overprotection, (8) marked changes in behavior, (9) undue suspicion of the other’s behavior, (10) low level of control over emotions, (11) chronic depression,

In a recent edition of Time magazine, there was an excellent article entitled, “Science, God and Man.” Basically, it was written from an agnostic point of view and gives the reader some insight into that mind set. I hope you will read all of the article in Time, because space will only permit me to make a few observations. The author raised the question, “New discoveries in physics, cosmology, and biology make the universe more explainable, as well as more amazing. Does this undermine religious faith—or reinforce it?” In response to the question, true science has always enhanced one’s faith in the God of Heaven and in the Bible. One thing this writer has learned over the years is not to get too excited over new-found knowledge coming from the scientific community, because it will change next year. However, Beloved, such is not the case with the Bible. It is absolute truth (John 8:32; 17:17). It is the truth that does not change (Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Proverbs 30:6). The Bible teaches that God is the Creator of all things. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The best commentary on Genesis 1:1 is Exodus 20:11, which reads, “For in the six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Nehemiah taught the same as Moses. “Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made

Paul said, “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits” (Romans 12:16). Humility is enjoined on God’s people: (1) Israel, Micah 6:8; (2) At social gatherings, Luke 14:10; (3) To those who would be great, Luke 22:26; (4) To those who would think soberly, Romans 12:3; (5) To be lifted up, James 4:10; (6) To be clothed with it, 1 Peter 5:5. Let us first note what humility is not. It is not a certain tone of the voice. It is not merely acting sympathetically. Some would lead us to believe they are deeply touched when really they have little or no concern (John 12:1-6). Others believe that when they give “big gifts” to brotherhood projects, they manifest their humility. There are some in the church so “humble” they are proud of it (Matthew 6:16)! Many of the quarrels and brotherhood problems over the years have been caused by the “humble” among us. Note the spirit of false teachers. To hear them tell it, they are the humblest fellows on earth. Second, what is it to be humble? Vine says, “It primarily signifies low-lying. It is used always in a good sense in the New Testament, metaphorically, to denote: (a) of low degree, brought low, Lk. 1:52; Rom 12:16; (b) humble in spirit, Matt. 11:29; 2 Cor. 10:1.” The word “abase” in the New Testament is akin to humility. Webster says, “A state

To have friends a person must give of themselves. Compliments will not get and retain friends. The wise man said, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” When hard times come, we find our true friends. Emerson defined a friend as “a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him I may think aloud.” Someone else has said: A friend is one who needs us and one whom we need. Around us may be many whose companionship we enjoy, but were they suddenly to drop out of their places, there would be no soreness, no sense of deprivation, no lack of comfort. We do not need them; neither do they need us. A friend is one to whom we cling, though many leagues of space separate us. Though days pass with no sight of their face or word from their pen, we know our friend loves us and that when we meet again we will be on the same old terms: we shall begin where we left off. A friend is one in whom we can confide. The secret chambers of our soul open to their touch on the latch. To have and hold friends we must (1) Be friendly (Proverbs 18:24), (2) Be helpful in times of trouble (Proverbs 17:17), (3) Learn to associate with all classes of people (Philippians 2:3), (4) Be unselfish (Philippians 2:4), (5) Be tolerant (Colossians 3:13), (6) Be honest, sincere, truthful (Romans 13:13) and (7) Be stable (James

When some individuals read of destructive events in the Bible, it is easy for them to draw wrong conclusions if they do not have a working knowledge of the nature of God. The Bible teaches that God never does anything without a morally justified reason. Our God is never out of control as charged by some, but He always does things consistent with His nature, which is holy, just and righteous. The truth as found in the Word of God is far more important than any man’s attitude toward it; it is more important than nations or individuals. The following are some of the cases concerning wrong conclusions often drawn by some people when they call the ethics of God into question: (1) The account of Rahab the harlot (Joshua 2:1-24). (2) The destruction of the Canaanites (Deuteronomy 20:13-18). (3) The family of Achan (Joshua 7:21). (4) The biblical doctrine of Hell (Matthew 25:46). (5) The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:4-29). We shall address only in this article the question: Was God Justified in His Extermination of the Canaanites? Before examining this question, let us remember the principle set forth in 2 Chronicles 19:7, “…for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God…” Since there is no iniquity with God, there must be a rational explanation as to His orders that caused the death of many people, some of them being even innocent women and children. The Destruction of the Canaanites Those who call into question the

What do we mean by the holiness of God? Holiness is defined as, “that essential rectitude of God’s nature, whereby He takes infinite delight and pleasure in that which is pure and holy; and hates, with a perfect hatred, everything which is morally evil” (Village Sermons, Bruder, 322). Conner says: The original meaning of the term translated holiness in the Old Testament seems to be impossible now to determine. The emphasis seems to have been on the idea of transcendence, the separateness of God. It was that quality in God which separated or distinguished Him from things finite and created. This idea of transcendence or separateness from the world the term never lost. And since the term signified that in God which marked His separateness from the world, the term came to be synonymous with deity… The idea of holiness, then, seems to be closely akin to the idea of absoluteness as ascribed to God. (Revelation and God, Conner, 243) Thiessen in commenting on God’s holiness states: …absolutely separate from and exalted above all His creatures, and that He is equally separate from moral evil and sin. In the first sense His holiness is not really an attribute that is coordinate with the other attributes, but is rather coextensive with them all. It denotes the perfection of God in all that He is. In the second sense it is viewed as the eternal conformity of His being and His will. In God we have purity of being before purity of

Someone has said, “The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have and being able to lose all desire for things beyond your reach.” Benjamin Franklin said, “Contentment makes poor men rich; discontentment rich men poor.” Inspiration urges, “…Be content with such things as ye have…” These statements are easy to read, but how do we translate this advice into action? Try these suggestions. First, do not overestimate material possessions! Things of this world are very deceptive and uncertain (1 Timothy 6:17). Many conclude that material abundance is the abundant life. That is a false conclusion. Jesus said, “…A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15). Our affluent age is prime proof of this truth. Perhaps no similar amount of space in the world can claim more combined wealth than Beverly Hills, California. Has prosperity provided contentment for its residents? It has been said that Beverly Hills claims 193 psychiatrists. That is one for every 200 citizens! Remember, do not get “carried away” with material possessions. Second, do not fret over what you do not have! In 1 Kings 21, Ahab pouted and threw himself across his bed, turned his face to the wall and acted like a spoiled child! What was wrong? He wanted a certain vineyard belonging to Naboth. He wanted something he did not have. Many are content with their property until they focus envious eyes on a choice possession of another. A teenager is happy

There is no doubt that some women in the Lord’s church could serve and do a much better job in the eldership and pulpit than some of the men now occupying those positions! However, it is not a question of talent and ability; it is a question of authority. We have in our midst today some feminists who have been caught up with movements in denominationalism, thinking that leadership roles in the church of Christ are for them. They seemingly have overlooked the central question concerning their desires. Does the Bible teach that women can serve as elders and preachers in the New Testament church? The answer is no it does not (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Those who reject Bible teaching on this or any other scriptural matter hold to a doctrine of doubt, a creed of compromise and brotherhood politics! It is indeed sad when some preachers and elders among us today are afraid to teach the truth on this pressing issue for the fear of raising the scorn of a few feminists in the church (2 Timothy 4:1-5). In 1 Timothy 2:12, Paul discussed the question of women’s teaching. He said, “But I suffer [permit] not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” Over the man modifies both infinitives, to teach and to usurp. She cannot teach over the man; she cannot usurp authority over the man. Let me illustrate the point this way. A policeman is placed at a bridge needing repair. He informs a motorist, “I do not allow

“Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak the high priest; and be strong all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work, for I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts” (Haggai 2:4). Here God, through the prophet, commanded His people to be strong and to work. The background of Haggai’s work can be seen in the Book of Ezra. In the Book of Ezra, we have an account of the laying of the foundation of the second temple in Jerusalem. Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, which had been torn down by Nebuchadnezzar. Eagerness and enthusiasm characterized this group as they cleared away the debris and set up the foundation of God’s house. Their zeal was soon cooled, however, by the hostility of the Samaritans (Ezra 4:25; Nehemiah 4:1-8). Due to a decree from Artaxerxes (a proper name or possible title for several kings of Persia), work on the Temple stopped, and nothing was accomplished for some 16 years! Served with this prohibition, the Jews not only yielded to it, but several years afterward, when the violence of opposition abated, they continued to be very indifferent to the work of rebuilding the Temple. The Jews had no spirit or courage to set about it again, but they seemed glad that they had an excuse to be idle. In these troublesome times, God raised up the

Man’s greatest goal in life should be acquiring a knowledge of God. This was to be a great achievement of Israel (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). Indeed, man has the ability to know God (Romans 1:18-32), and he can even know of His everlasting power and divinity (Romans 1:18-20). One of the many individual, infinite attributes of the divine, personal God we serve as Christians is His omniscience. By definition, omniscient means “having infinite knowledge; knowing all things.” Strong, in his Systematic Studies, wrote, “By which we mean God’s perfect and eternal knowledge of all things which are objects of knowledge, whether they are actual or possible, past, present, or future.” A.W. Tozer in his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, penned: God perfectly knows Himself and, being the source and author of all things, it follows that He knows all that can be known. And this He knows instantly and with a fullness of perfection that includes every possible item of knowledge concerning everything that exists or could have existed anywhere in the universe at any time in the past or that may exist in the centuries or ages yet unborn. God knows instantly and effortlessly all matter and all matters, all mind and every mind, all spirit and all spirits, all beings and every being, all creaturehood and all creatures, every plurality and all pluralities, and every law, all relations, all causes, all thoughts, all mysteries, all enigmas, all feeling, all desires, every unuttered secret, all thrones and dominions, all personalities, all things

The Hebrew writer said, “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us…” (Hebrews 12:1). Our journey to eternity is encompassed with many obstacles. The burden of excess baggage (weight) will only hinder us on our journeys, and it may lead to a failure on our part to complete a successful race. Too often we are like the man who drowned in the sea because he refused to remove from his waist the money belt full of gold that weighted him down. From our everyday lives we can see the danger of excess baggage. How often have we seen on television or read in the newspaper where individuals lost their lives because they refused to release objects that caused their deaths? How many have died in burning buildings because they tried to save wealth accumulated over the years? Someone has well said, “Things in the saddle are riding mankind.” How much excess baggage are you carrying? To the Christian, this world and what it contains is not our final resting place or possession. Yet, often the excess baggage we accumulate hinders us in our pilgrimage and confuses our priorities. The charge is as clear today as when spoken by the Hebrew writer. Their sin was unbelief. Is it possible that we suffer from the same problem? Or, is it pride, vanity, worldliness, an ungovernable temper, corrupt imagination or some improper and unholy attachment? Whatever it may be, we must lay it aside. Brethren, our

It was reported on a segment of the CBS News that an unbelievable amount of wife beating occurred. Every 15 seconds in America, a wife is beaten by her husband. Friend, any man who would strike a woman is a coward! The January 18, 1994 edition of Time magazine had an article entitled, “Till Death Do Us Part.” It was about women who, after years of abuse, kill their husbands. Take for instance, Rita Collins, whose husband was a military recruiter. She reported he said to her, “You are old, fat, crazy and have no friends, and I will take care of you.” His care included “threats with a knife, punches, a kick to the stomach that caused a hemorrhage.” She said, “He’d slam me up against doors. He gave me a black eye, bruises. Winter and summer, I’d go to work like a Puritan, with long sleeves.” Mr. Collins must have hated himself very much to have treated his wife with such brutality. The articles says, “She tried to get out. She filed for divorce, got a restraining order, filed an assault and battery charge against him, forced him from the house they had bought with a large chunk of her money when they retired to Florida. Yet still, she says, he came night after night banging on doors trying to break the locks.” She says she remembers her husband’s face, the glassy eyes and a knife in his hands. “To this day I don’t remember pulling the trigger.” Rita Collins

Temptation is a common problem to us all. To be tempted is not sin, but to yield to or to be overcome by such is to miss the mark – sin. Williams James wrote, “No man has matriculated in the university of life until he has been well tempted.” When temptation comes, we must make a decision concerning it. Only from the Word of God can we find the answer and strength to respond to it in the negative. Paul says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand up against the wiles of the devil.” In the context of Ephesians 5:21-6:9, there apparently was the temptation for wives not to submit themselves to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22), children not to obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1) and servants to rebel against their masters (Ephesians 6:5). The temptation may have been great for some husbands not to love their wives as they should (Ephesians 5:25), for parents who mistreated and provoked their children to wrath (Ephesians 6:4) and for masters to threaten their servants (Ephesians 6:9). Paul recognized the problems in the above relationships and showed them how they could overcome such. Put on the whole armor of God! Let me suggest, Friend, that it is not any different for us today. In all of our relationships, both in and out of the church, there are many temptations, and we, too, must put on the whole armor of God. We must arm ourselves against temptation

Webster’s Dictionary gives the following definition of Christmas: “Christ’s Mass. An annual church festival, kept on December 25 in memory of the birth of Christ, celebrated generally by special gifts, greetings, etc.” Around the world, religious people observe the “Christmas Holy Day.” Serious New Testament Christians are concerned to know if this religious observance is approved by the Bible. We look in vain in the Bible for any mention of Christmas, or any celebration of the birth of Christ by the early church. We find instead of any annual religious festival to celebrate the birth of Christ, an emphasis upon His life, His teachings and His sacrificial death. Neither the Scriptures nor the early centuries of church history indicate that the apostles celebrated Christ’s birth. There is no doubt that many of our present-day Christmas-New Year customs have little relevance to biblical Christianity. As a matter of fact, such things as the commercialism, the drunkenness, the highway deaths and the general letdown in morals that have come to be associated with the so-called “holiday season” obviously have no basis in New Testament Christianity whatsoever. December 25 was designated by the decree of Liberious, bishop of the church in Rome, in A.D. 354. The date was widely and hotly disputed by others. Days in nearly every month were set forth for the birth of Jesus Christ. Why was December 25 selected over others? “The Western Church ordered the feast to be celebrated on this day of the Mithraic rites of the birth

The Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5-7 was addressed to the disciples. “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth, and taught them saying…” (Matthew 5:1-2). The main divisions of Chapter 6 are: (1) on what the human mind should be set (6:1), (2) almsgiving (6:2-4), (3) how disciples should pray (6:5-8), (4) the model of what prayer should be (6:9-15), (5) fasting (6:16-18), (6) care about riches (6:19-24) and (7) the care about necessities of life (6:25-34). The Lord in this sermon not only taught what was not to be done, but He also taught what was to be done! Prayer is so important that Jesus gave instruction as to how it should be done. Jesus did not use flowery and mysterious language. He used only the simplest of words. He did not teach men to pray so as to impress other men with their learning. Rather, the model prayer is the very essence of simplicity. As part of the model prayer, Jesus taught His disciples to pray “Thy kingdom come.” Before the day of Pentecost, the followers of Jesus prayed, “Thy kingdom come.” Since the kingdom (the church) has been established, Christians are no longer to ask for what is already a reality (Matthew 16:18-19; Colossians 1:13; Mark 9:1). The preacher in the rural countryside in one of the oldest congregations in the area had the audience repeat all of the model prayer. J.W. McGarvey was correct when

In the early part of the 19th century, preachers of different denominations went into the frontier settlements to teach the Bible. Since there were no established religious bodies in many of those communities, an invitation was given to everyone to attend and partake of the Lord’s Supper (Communion). Usually, only those who were members of the preacher’s faith would attend. These preachers wondered why people were so divided that they could not sit down together at the Lord’s Table and partake. They found that each religious order professed belief in the Bible. They all claimed to be Christians, but they were divided (Luke 11:17). It was not the Bible that divided them. They found that their religious names, organizations, doctrines and traditions were the root of their division. They determined to re-study the Bible and eliminate from their preaching and practice all things that could not be authorized by the Word of God. They determined to be just Christians, members of the body of Christ. This has been and still is the plea of the churches of Christ. Is it possible to be a member of the body or church that Jesus promised to build? “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter [pebble] and upon this rock [mass of rock] I will build my church; and the gates of hell [hades] shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Is it only a pipe dream to think that it is possible for people living in our century to

Those who ruled Israel during the period between Joshua and Samuel were called “judges” (Acts 13:20). Thus, the name for the book derives from those judges. During this period, the rulers of the people were not merely civil magistrates who administered justice and adjudicated disputes. Primarily, they were deliverers, endued with power from God and were called upon to govern the people in difficult times. The days were difficult because the children of God had foes, not only within the land, but without as well, namely, the Moabites, the Midianites, the Amorites and the Philistines. During the time between the death of Joshua and the rise of Samuel, the children of Israel were to take possession of the land allotted them by driving out the Canaanites and establishing a nation to be governed by God (Joshua 13:8-22; Numbers 32). However, they grew weary of the task and often adopted friendly terms with their enemies, the Canaanites, and sometimes they adopted their idols. God would, then, punish His people by giving them over to their enemies. When His people repented, the Lord raised up judges who delivered the people from oppression. However, no sooner was a judge dead than the people apostatized again. During this time Israel had no political capital. Shiloh, which was established as the religious center in the days of Joshua (Joshua 18:1), continued as such into the days of Eli (1 Samuel 1:3). There was no central place where a judge had the “oversight.” Their work most

Recently, there appeared in a newspaper an article written by a civil engineering student from Virginia Tech entitled, “The Wrath of God?” The man laid claim in the article to the goodness found in the Bible, but then spoke of its contradictions. He wants it both ways. He wants the “compassion (Luke 6:31), forgiveness (Proverbs 25:21-23) and inner peace (Psalm 23),” which he refers to as “great writings,” and in the same breath he tried to justify homosexuality. Beloved, he cannot have it both ways! The Law of Excluded Middle says that every precisely stated proposition is either true or false. Homosexuality is either right or wrong; there’s no middle ground! The Bible precisely states its inspiration. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction; for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If the Bible is inspired of God – and it is, then there are no contradictions in it! The Bible condemns homosexuality. However, the writer of the article wrote, “We are desperately seeking answers, and many, looking toward the Bible, have chosen to use it as justification for the condemnation of homosexuals.” In the context, he was saying that the Bible should not be used in such a way, and then later, he penned, “The claim that the Bible condemns homosexuality is literally true.” “However, it is possible, using the Bible, to literally justify widely varying

Bugle is defined as, “To sound or summon by or as if by a bugle call.” It should be one of the chief characteristics of a soldier to eagerly respond to the call of duty. Many battles have been won or lost by heeding or not heeding the warning summons to the bugle call of duty. Every Christian on a daily basis finds himself or herself engaged in a battle with the world and its influence. To win, we must continually fight the good fight of faith. The victory we seek can come only through duty fulfilled and responsibilities met. The summons of Christ should be heard and responded to in a positive way by all members of the Lord’s church. The duty of many should not be the task of few. The call of duty is not always easy, but God never promised it would be. He has said He would be with us while doing His will (Matthew 28:20). In the Old Testament, Joshua’s last charge was calling the children of Israel to duty. After discussing with them the manifold blessings of God in the conquest of the Promised Land, he said, “…choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15-24). Elijah summoned Israel to duty. “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word” (1 Kings 18:21). Seemingly,

In Proverbs 22:28, the wise man said, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” In the Old Testament, a landmark was an object used to mark the boundary of a field. Landmarks were frequently movable objects such as a stone or a post. Since a cunning and unscrupulous individual could take advantage of his neighbor by shifting the location of such boundary marks, thus robbing him of part of his means of support, such removal of landmarks was prohibited by the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 19:14; 27:17). The Hebrews denounced such an act as sinful (Proverbs 22:28; 23:10). It was considered equal to theft (Job 24:2). Hosea proclaimed God’s judgment against Israel for removing the boundaries (Hosea 5:10). I was reminded again of the importance of this great biblical principle while reviewing the Greater Greensboro Open, an annual golf tournament played in that city. It seems Chip Beck inadvertently removed an out of bounds stake in order to get a better stance to hit his golf ball. Rule 13-2 says a player is to be penalized for such an act. So, at the end of the round that day, Beck had to assess himself a two-stroke penalty when signing his scorecard. His failure to do so would have led to his disqualification. It is good to see that men still recognize absolute rules and the value of keeping them. It is shameful that some of our own brethren are having trouble seeing and following the absoluteness of

“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). There are many things to which we give honor in this life, our parents, country, friends and associates, etc., but nothing is to receive the honor due the church for which Jesus died. The Bible says, “But seek ye first the kingdom [church] of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). The church of the Bible is incomparably greater than all human institutions, sectarian or fraternal. This is so because God is its Author. “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:10-11). This is so because Christ is its Builder. “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). This is so because Christ is its Head. “And he is the head of the body, the church who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18). This is so because Christ is its Savior. “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the

The word “autonomy” is defined as, “right of self-government; a self-governing state; an independent body.” In the first century, each congregation of God’s people constituted an independent body. It was independent of every other congregation. Elders did not parcel out power like pearls. There was not tyranny or threats of one church over another. All recognized their individual right of existence. The church in Rome or Jerusalem had no authority in extending their tentacles of power over other self-governing bodies in other communities. Men outside a given congregation had no right to exercise authority and power within another congregation (Titus 1:5-9; 1 Timothy 3:1-7). It is most important, brethren, that all understand that elders and deacons in one church have no authority to exercise despotic rule or any other kind of rule over the elders and deacons of another congregation. Such is also true of a congregation without elders and deacons (Acts 20:17-38; 14:23). In the first century, each congregation was free and independent, under the teachings of Christ and the apostles, to govern itself, carry out its own work and manage its own business (Acts 14:23; 1 Peter 5:1-3). Nowhere does the Bible authorize a group of elders and preachers representing several congregations to meet and dictate policy and demands to another congregation. Such action smacks of ecclesiasticism and is going beyond what is written (2 John 9-11). Such saintly façade masks the worst form of evil! The New Testament teaches no system of church government larger or smaller

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

When the Son of God came into the world, it was suffering from spiritual malnutrition. Men were trying to feed their spirit on the husks of human philosophy, traditions and legalistic observances of the Law of Moses. All of these had failed. In the midst of man’s moral and spiritual bankruptcy, Jesus announced, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). The life of which Jesus spoke was eternal life, but His grace in providing the abundant life manifests itself in this life as well in many ways. Christ is the Water of Life (John 4:10). He is the Bread of Life (John 6:33-35). He is the True Vine, through which the branches (disciples) derive their nourishment (John 15:1). The Text The teachings of Christ, the Good Shepherd, lead to life because they are true. The doctrine of false shepherds leads to death, because it neither comes from nor can lead to God Who is the fountain of life. The life given by the Son of God consists of all good things. The Mosaic Dispensation provided little, even in the promised land, compared to the blessings and privileges possessed by those in the Lord’s church. Because Christ is the Author of life, He is called the life. “In him was life: and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). He is also called the eternal life. “…this is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20). From

It is beyond question that Christ is the Savior of my life. “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior; To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 1:3-4). Just as Christ is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8), so is this promise made to me and to all men who receive new life through Christ. This is an unshakable truth, spoken by the God of truth, the one and only true God that cannot lie. To every member of the New Testament church, Christ gives grace, mercy and peace. Why? He is our Savior! Why Is He My Savior? (1) He came to earth for that purpose (Luke 2:11; 19:10; John 3:17; Acts 5:31; 1 Timothy 1:15; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 4:14). (2) He became our substitution (Psalm 69:9; Isaiah 53:5; Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 2:9). (3) He came to bear the sins of all men (Isaiah 53:12: Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 3:5). (4) He is our Mediator with the Father (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; 12:24; 1 John 2:1). (5) He is absolutely indispensable as our Savior, for He is our only Intercessor (Isaiah 59:16). (6) He is the true bread of life (John