James said, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain” (James 1:26). In the third chapter of James, he gives us a clear picture of the power and danger of an uncontrolled tongue. Any student of the Holy Scriptures should be able to realize the need to watch and control the tongue. We should be aware of the fact that the words we use (and how we use them) will be brought into judgment (Matthew 12:36). Therefore, we should be careful about the words we use, but how about euphemisms? Many Christians use euphemisms for the name of God, and perhaps it is because we simply have not been properly educated about them. However, we need to remember, ignorance in this area is not an excuse. What is a euphemism? Webster states: “the use of a word or phrase that is less expressive or direct but considered less distasteful, less offensive, etc. than another; a word or phrase so substituted” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition, 490). An example of a euphemism would be the word “remains” for the word “corpse.” The Bible often uses euphemisms. For example, Peter said, “…for since the fathers fell asleep…,” which is a euphemism for having died. The question then arises, “Are all euphemisms wrong to use?” If not, which ones are? Moses was given the commandment on Mount Sinai, “Thou shalt not take the name of

Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). With the shedding of his blood, Jesus purchased the church (Acts 20:28). When we, in obedience to the Gospel of Christ, were immersed into the Gospel of Christ, we became God’s children and subject to his will (Galatians 3:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:20). Now what? Is this the end of our responsibilities toward God? Are there any other requirements expected of us? In the scope of our discussion here, we shall consider: 1) What is service and what is involved, 2) The necessity of our service, and 3) An example of service. What is service and what is involved? Webster defines the word “serve” as, “to comply with the commands or demands of.”1 Christianity is a life of service. Someone once well said, “The gospel has facts to believe, and commandments to obey.” There are some who hold to the belief that salvation comes through the grace of God alone. We, however, are not saying that one earns or merits his salvation. Let us notice a few passages concerning the subject of our service. We must begin by pointing out that our service is on an individual basis (Philippians 3:12). We cannot depend on the works of others for our own salvation. The judgment of our souls will depend on our individual deeds done by each person (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians

John wrote, “…we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19). We can look at society around us and know this is true, especially concerning honesty. Many do not have a sense of integrity, let alone to take the time to train and ground their children in such. In the days of old, many agreements were sealed on a man’s handshake and his good name. Those days are long since past. In Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians he wrote, “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” (2 Corinthians 8:21). What does the Bible teach on the subject of honesty? In this discussion, we shall break it down into three sections: (1) honesty in our speech, (2) honesty in our dealings with others, and (3) honesty with ourselves. Honesty in Our Speeches When we speak of honesty in our speeches, we are of course speaking of lying. Lying is defined as, “to speak falsely.” (The New American Webster Dictionary, New York, NY, Penguin Books USA Inc., 1956 p.309.) This is an area that has been neglected in the training in the home. We try to justify ourselves by making lies in degrees. The Bible is quite clear on the teaching of this subject. In the book of Revelation, we find a very well known passage concerning lying. In a list of those who shall have their part in an eternal

Paul wrote: “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). The inspired Word of God provides us with instruction on how we, as God’s children, are to live our lives on a daily basis. One area that we should always remember is that of humility.  In the scope of our discussion, we shall consider, 1) What does it mean to be humble, 2) Some examples of humility, and 3) The consequence of lacking humility. What does it mean to be humble? James wrote, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10). Humility is a state of mind. It is a characteristic that is taught rather than a natural instinct. One word we often hear synonymously with humility is meekness. A proper understanding of the concept of humility is a must in order to make the proper application to our lives. So then, what does it mean to be humble? Webster defines humble as, “(1) not proud or haughty: not arrogant or assertive, (2) reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission.” It is impossible for a person to possess the characteristics of humility and arrogance at the same time. When one obeys the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he is lowered into a watery grave of baptism and rises to