All posts by Nate Bibens

The Walls of Jericho and the Tooth Fairy

Bible Reading

At first I was surprised and befuddled by his sarcastic comment. But then, as I thought about it for a few moments longer, I started getting upset (even mad), so finally I just switched the station, even saying out loud to myself, “I am not going to listen to this fellow anymore!” The comment that so irritated me was made by a disc jockey on a radio station I was listening to as I was headed home after a meeting I had held in Missouri. I neither remember the name of the station nor the name of the disc jockey -neither are important I suppose. At any rate, it was one of those oldies stations and the disc jockeys only comments thus far had been about the songs he played – at least until the sarcastic comment I am referring to.

All of a sudden, out of the clear blue, he stated that he had heard recently that archaeologists have uncovered the ancient city of Jericho and that they found no evidence that the walls fell down flat as the Book of Joshua declares. Not only that, but the archaeologists found no evidence that the city was burned with fire as the Book of Joshua further declares. After mentioning all that he exclaimed sarcastically, “Oh how sad! Next they’ll be telling us there is no tooth fairy!”

At first, I say again, I was startled and puzzled by his comment, but then I started fuming at his ignorance and sarcasm and switched to another station. I do not know where the young man got his information or why he felt he needed to share it with his listeners but I do wonder why he took such delight in comparing the destruction of the walls of Jericho to the tooth fairy. Really, of course, I know why. Men do not want to believe the Bible is truly a record inspired of God and they take devilish delight in any so called evidence that contradicts the Biblical record.

What about archaeology and the walls of Jericho? Is there no evidence that the waits fell down and the city was burned just like the Book of Joshua says? In his book, The Bible As History, Werner Keller describes the archaeological expedition in 1930 led by Professor John Garstang. Garstang noted every detail with utmost precision and graphically described the violence by which the ancient walls of Jericho fell. The diggings showed that there were two parallel walls; the inner wall was especially massive, being twelve feet thick. The outer wall or fortification was a six foot brick wall about twenty five to thirty feet high. Houses (like the house of Rahab the harlot) were built on top and connected the two walls.

Professor Garstang described clear traces of a tremendous fire and the space between the two walls was filled with rubble, blackened bricks, charred wood, and ashes. Along the walls the houses had been burned to the ground and their roofs crashed on top of them. The most remarkable of Garstang’s discoveries, however, had to do with how the two walls had fallen. The stones of the outer wall had fallen outward and downhill, but the inner wall had fallen the opposite direction – inward. According to Garstang, these observations could lead to only one conclusion: that an earthquake must have shattered the city.

Here is the way the Bible, describes it. “So the people shouted when the priests blew on the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shout with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein . . .” (Joshua 6:20,21,24).

The account in the Book of Joshua and the archaeological evidence uncovered by professor Garstang are in perfect harmony. Where then did that young fellow on the radio get his information. Well, I looked in some of the more modern bible handbooks and dictionaries and some of them cite the work of another archaeologist, Kathleen Kenyon as conflicting with and even contradicting the work of Professor Garstang and other early archaeologists who worked at Jericho.

Holman‘s Bible Dictionary, for instance, does not even mention Garstang’s expedition or his observations. According to the article in Holman, Kenyon used radio carbon dating and concluded that the walls had fallen a thousand or more years before the conquest of the land by the Israelites. Her studies determined that Jericho was not a great walled city but a small settlement when Joshua and the Israelites invaded Canaan After reading that article I started feeling a bit more sorry for the young disc jockey (as well as others who rely on half truths) because he had not seen all the facts. Then I found an excellent article in the back of a Thompson Chain Reference Bible on the various archaeological studies that had been done at Jericho by a Dr. O. Fredreick Owen.

Dr. Owen states that Professor Garstang dated the fall of Jericho at about 1400 BC, which corresponds to the biblical record. He then notes that when Miss Kenyon did her work in the 1950’s she was asked, by some who had been dissatisfied with Garstang’s conclusions, her opinion about the fallen walls. She advised them that Garstang had been mistaken and that the inner wall belonged to the Early Bronze Age – around 2300 BC. At once the news went out over the wires that Garstang had wrongly identified the walls of Jericho. “The walls,” the report said, “were a full 1000 years earlier than Garstang had dated them. The fallen walls found by Garstang are now known to be a millennium too early to be associated with Joshua’s attack.” The report readily found prominent place in the news, in learned journals, and in books almost everywhere.

Let me pause for a moment and restate the question I asked with regard to the young disc jockey on the radio. Why do men, even learned men, take such a delight in accepting and publishing so readily any information that they feel contradicts the Bible? Obviously, to accept the Bible record as true would demand an obligation to submit to the laws and precepts set down in the Bible. Men are determined to avoid at all costs subservience to the Lord and his revealed word, and therefore any scant shred of information that even slightly appears to cast doubt on the veracity of the Bible is greeted with – may I say it again – devilish delight.

But wait a minute! According to Dr. Owen, Miss Kenyon had only indicated, in her response to her questioners, the time when Jericho’s massive twelve foot inner wall was constructed. In other words, the inner wall may have in deed been built hundreds of years before the outer wall, but both were standing when Joshua came. After a later excavation Miss Kenyon found evidence that a city was standing when Joshua’s army came and her dates coincide with Professor Garstang’s dates.

After reading all these articles (and I claim to be no expert in archaeology or archaeological jargon) it appears that there is some variance in opinion and interpretation by the various archaeologists with regard to the dates for the construction and even the ruin of the great walls of Jericho. What is certain is that there were two massive walls with houses on top that fell down flat and then were destroyed by fire. And that, after all, is precisely what the biblical record states. I know this much – the more they dig, the more the Bible record is authenticated. On the same trip I noted at the beginning of this article (before that disc jockey stirred me up), I heard Paul Harvey comment that archaeologists uncovered some tablets that mention the Canaanite city of Hazor. Up until this discovery no record of the city of Hazor, outside the Bible, existed and of course many skeptics pointed to that and other cities likewise not confirmed by archaeology as evidence the Bible account was inaccurate.

Well, keep on digging! All the evidence of archaeology, as well as all other scientific evidence of any merit, substantiates to any honest inquirer the veracity and accuracy of the Bible record. The more men learn, in archaeology as in all other fields, the more their opinions change, but the Bible never changes. When we stand on the biblical record we are standing on a rock that is safe and sure. “But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” (I Peter 1:25)

 

Article by: Jerry Dickinson

Order in the Universe

Bible Reading

A major evidence of divine creation is the presence of design and order that implies a designer. This is so with houses, watches, and cars. Why can we not see the same regarding our universe? The Bible states this fact as an evidence of God’s existence (Psa. 19:1-2; 139:14; 1 Cor. 12:18; Heb. 3:4; Rom. 1:18-20; Isa. 40).

Numerous examples can be cited of design as seen in our world. Space does not allow us to detail more than a few in various categories. For more examples, several sources are of special interest. John Clayton published Dandy Designs (1984) and Dandy Designs: Volume 2 (1991) which are filled with examples of design in our world. In his book Genes, Genesis, and Evolution, John W. Klotz gives numerous examples of design in chapter 12, “Problems for the Evolutionist”. Evolution and Christian Faith by Bolton David Heiser has a section on “Teleology” which is also very helpful in this area of study. The examples given in this article are taken mainly from these sources.

Order in the Animate World

Bees: In winter, bees cluster in the hive and begin a vibratory motion in their muscles which generates enough heat to keep the hive and its cold-blooded occupants from freezing. In hot weather they gather outside the hive and fan air into the hive with vigorous wing beating. When a bee returns to the hive from a successful pollen trip, according to Dr. Karl Von Frisch, they put a little nectar from the plant on as many other bees as are needed to harvest the flower. The exploring bee then “dances” for about 30 seconds in front of the selected bees, indicating to them where the flower is. At the conclusion of this dance the selected bees exit, flying straight to the supplying flower.

Even the sexual aspect of the bee’s existence is unique. There are three sexes of bees. The queen and the drone bees are the male and female, and have no function other than the reproductive one. The worker bees are neither queens nor drones. They are different in appearance and in functions. This is genetically determined and is inherent in the eggs of the queen. The worker bee hatches out of an unfertilized egg, while the queen and drones hatch out of fertilized eggs in a normal manner. This sort of “virgin birth” is also beyond a trial and error explanation. How many “experiments” that would influence these kind of things could a hive of bees survive? How did the first bees collect nectar, reproduce three classes, fold their wings, cool and heat their hive if they are merely mutated flies or some other form? It would seem that the intelligence that created and designed the first bee built into the genetic code of that insect the traits that the insect would need to survive. Isn’t it more reasonable to explain this fantastic design by God than blind hope that somehow a chance hypothesis might work?

Symbiotic Relationships
A symbiotic relationship is one in which two organisms mutually benefit each other to the point where they are dependent upon one another for survival. Bees and flowering plants are an example of a symbiotic relationship. The plant needs the bee to pollinate other plants and allow reproduction to occur. The bee gets its nourishment from the plant, so both organisms profit from the relationship. The question that arises here is how such an arrangement comes to be. The classical evolutionary explanation is that originally the organisms involved did not need each other, but became dependent on one another over time. But how do we explain relationships where the existence of the species are totally dependent on one another? The yucca plant of our Southwestern deserts is pollinated only by the yucca moth. But the yucca moth larvae are totally dependent upon the yucca moth pollen as their sole food source to reach maturity. How did this develop over time when neither species could have existed without the other?

The March, 1980, issue of Natural History Magazine details a symbiotic relationship between the narrow-mouthed toad (Gastrophryne olivecea) and the tarantula (Dugesiella hentzi). The toad lives in the same furrow as the tarantula and yet is not attacked or bothered by the tarantula in any way. The toad also does not eat the baby tarantulas when they are born even though they resemble very closely the ants which are the toad’s primary food source. When a snake or some other predator tries to eat the toad he will scurry under the tarantula who wards off any and all enemies that might threaten the toad. We see the advantage to the toad of this arrangement, but the advantage to the tarantula is not immediately apparent. Study has, however, shown that the worst enemy the tarantula has is the fire ant, which not only will eat the eggs of the tarantula but will also eat the baby tarantula immediately after they hatch. The favorite food of the narrow-mouthed toad is the fire ant. By preserving and protecting the toad the tarantula assures the survival of her eggs and young. Trying to explain this relationship by chance, it seems to the author, requires much more faith than accepting God’s design of this relationship.

Human Body
Consider the order of the human body. We still cannot match the human eye for vision even using the very latest technology and allowing for many times the space occupied by the eye. As we behold the order of the heart, lungs, brain, eyes, ears, muscles, bone structure, chemical processes or thousands of other systems, we must marvel at the order in each system down to the smallest detail. When we consider that all of those systems exist within each human being, it increases our sense of awe. As researchers delve more deeply into the human body, they are increasingly amazed at its complexity. The project aimed at mapping the human genes has presented a picture of the formerly unimagined order which exists within every cell of our body. Are they all the product of mere chance? What are the odds of that happening? When we consider the human body, we must echo the psalmist in saying to God, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well” (Psa. 139:14).

Single-Use Muscle
There is a muscle in the human heart which only functions once at birth, but is necessary for us to survive the change from life within the womb to life outside the womb. It causes the child coming from the womb to send blood to his own lungs for oxygenation rather than seeking such from the mother as is done throughout embryonic development. How did that evolve when it had to be there for any human to survive birth?

Our Skin
Have you ever considered what an incredible thing the human skin is? A farmer’s hands can be like sandpaper, but his abdomen will be made of pliable white folds. Your legs have skin bonded tightly to a muscle layer. The skin on your elbow is like the neck of a cat — able to be lifted loosely in folds. If one were to take a microscope and examine the skin of our scalp, lip, heel, stomach and finger, it would appear that different species were being examined. Your skin weighs only about nine pounds. There is no organ like it. It flexes, folds, crinkles around joints and regenerates itself if it is damaged. When we blush, the vessels which supply blood to the skin suddenly rush 50 times more blood than usual to the skin. (Imagine a water pump that could do this in a matter of seconds.) Our skin radiates our emotions, cools us, protects us, beautifies us, insulates us and serves as a receptor for all kinds of stimuli.

Genes & DNA
With the advances in understanding fundamentals about life from the human genome project, it is hard to believe that anyone could seriously believe that life developed by mere chance. The cells in the human body number into the trillions. Each cell has genes filled with DNA which is coded with information concerning every aspect of our physical being. It is estimated that a translation into English of the DNA codes found in one cell of the human body would fill a thousand volume encyclopedia set. A brief look at an article dealing with the complexity and order of this code suggests there must be a code-maker behind the process.

Order in the Inanimate World

Our solar system is an example of fantastic order. We can measure the time of the earth’s rotation around the sun with precision and depend upon that as a constant. The same is true regarding the movement of stars, planets, comets and other heavenly bodies. That precision allows us to predict an eclipse of the sun or moon, the return of a comet, a meteor shower, or any number of other events long in advance with accuracy down to the second. What are the chances of this all falling into place by mere coincidence following a massive explosion?

Rotation & Orbit of Earth
The rotation of the earth around the sun and the earth’s rotation on its axis is exactly right to sustain life. If our planet rotated on its axis a little slower, temperatures in the day would be too hot and during the nights too cold to sustain life. If that rotation were faster, we would have equally grave problems. The speed of the earth’s rotation on its axis is just right to maintain the proper temperature and aid in several factors necessary to sustain life. Then there is the orbit of the earth around the sun to consider. If we were just a little farther from the sun, the earth would be too cold to sustain life. If we were closer, it would be too hot. Besides these things, there is the exacting balance which exists in the gravitational pull and magnetic fields of the earth as a result of these factors. What are the odds of such exact balances being the result of a huge explosion?

Our Atmosphere
Our air is just the right density to burn up the 10,000 plus meteors that strike the Earth every year. It is also dense enough to scatter the cosmic rays and X-rays of the Sun so that we are protected from this dangerous radiation. It is just thin enough to allow light to penetrate to give plants the ability to grow, and to keep the proper gases near the surface of the Earth for all living things to use. It is also at this point that the composition chemically of the Earth’s atmosphere comes into the picture. Our air has enough carbon dioxide to produce what is called “The Greenhouse Effect”. This gas allows the rays of the Sun to reach the Earth, but does not allow the heat produced by these rays to be re-radiated back into space. This traps the heat just as the glass in your car does, making your car unbearable hot in the summer. We have just enough of this gas to keep us warm, but not so much to overheat us. To top off all this, God has placed a layer of a gas called ozone high in our atmosphere. This layer of gas is capable of absorbing ultraviolet exposure to the sun. Without it, we would be essentially cooked.

Arrangement of the Land
It is well known by virtually everyone that dark colored objects absorb heat better than light colored ones. Most of the land mass on the Earth is located in the northern hemisphere. This means that the southern hemisphere is mostly surfaced with water and ice–light colored materials. Why is this important? During the summer in the United States, the Earth is at its greatest distance from the Sun. During the summer in the southern hemisphere (which is our winter, north of the equator), the Earth is closest to the Sun. If most of the land mass with its dark color was located in the southern hemisphere, too much heat and light would be absorbed and that hemisphere would overheat. Because the southern hemisphere is mostly water, very little heat (percentage wise) is absorbed, and what is absorbed is contained in the water, thus enabling it to warm the colder places on the Earth in either hemisphere. Since the dark land surface in the northern hemisphere is pointed toward the Sun in our summer, maximum absorption occurs, thus compensating for our greater distance from the Sun. Indeed we see an amazing system, which provides so beautifully for the needs of life upon the Earth. This is just one of a myriad of design features we see in the Earth’s construction and arrangement in space. Any one of these we might justifiably attribute to chance, but when we realize the interdependence of all these features we cannot in academic honesty attribute them to accident. They clearly show design by a wise designer.

 

Article by: Harry Osborne

Are You a Goat?

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If you were to be called an “old goat” by someone, would you take that as a compliment or an insult? While I can’t think of a circumstance where it would be complimentary, this is especially true from a Biblical standpoint! If there is one animal in God’s great and glorious creation that we don’t want to be compared to, especially in the Day of Judgment, it is a goat. It must be admitted that there are some good things that can be said about the goat as an animal. Did you know that globally, for example, more people drink goats’ milk than any other type of dairy product? Throughout the world goats play an important role in some people’s diet and economy. However, the Lord chose to use goats as a representation of those who are lost.

When Jesus comes again to judge the world in righteousness, there is a great separation that will take place at that time: “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left” (Matt. 25:31-33). This is serious business because those on the left hand (the goats) will be condemned to a place of “everlasting fire” (verse 41), while those on the right hand (the sheep) will receive “life eternal” (verse 46). The implication is that we make the choice in life to either follow Christ or refuse His invitation to discipleship. After all, Jesus gave the following explanation: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Spiritually speaking, here is the basic difference between sheep and goats– the sheep follow the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:11), while the goats go their own rebellious way.

STUBBORNNESS

It is a beautiful analogy that Christ used in comparing His followers to sheep, pointing us to certain traits that help us to understand what true discipleship is. But why are the lost compared to goats? Surely the Lord wants us to understand that we must not possess the same characteristics that make this animal a perfect representation of lost souls. First, the goat is a stubborn creature that will butt heads with just about anything . . . a gate, the side of a car, a bull, and even with humans. Since this is what they love to do best, goats sometimes stand on their hind legs and then come down with great force to butt each other. Do you know why they don’t knock each other out? It’s because they are hardheaded, so much so that they’d rather butt heads than anything else.

This is a perfect description of man’s rebellion against God. Please observe how Jeremiah described it in his day: “O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return” (Jer.5:3). Sin always involves defiance of God’s authority (1 John 3:4). Therefore, when we refuse to repent or in some cases won’t even admit that we have sinned (Rom. 3:23), we are taking our stand with the “goats.” Frederick II, an 18th century king of Prussia, once went on an inspection tour of a Berlin prison where all the inmates protested their unjust imprisonment. No matter the crime they were charged with, everyone declared, “I am innocent. I didn’t do it!” But the king finally asked of a man who was standing in the corner, “Why are you here?” The reply was, “Armed robbery, your Majesty.” The royal visitor probed a little deeper, “Were you guilty?” The prisoner admitted, “Yes, indeed, your Majesty.” Frederick II then turned to the guards and commanded, “Release this man at once! I will not have him kept in this prison where he will corrupt all of these fine, innocent people who occupy it.”

Surely the King of kings has the right to demand that we humble ourselves before Him, as we seek the forgiveness of sins by the terms of His gospel (Rom. 1:16). Spiritually speaking, here is the difference between the sheep and the goats! The sheep look to the “Good Shepherd” for guidance, while the goats feel self-sufficient. As Jesus declared in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” This statement implies that if one does not have a strong desire for salvation, he will never see the need to enter into Christ’s “sheepfold” (John 10:1).

STUBBORN DELINQUENTS

It could be argued, I suppose, that the goat is a more capable animal than the sheep. In fact, goats are probably the most independent of all grazing, foraging livestock. The problem is that they are so independent that it is difficult to keep them within enclosures. That’s the reason why they will keep you busy repairing fences, breaking out at all hours of the day and night and going where they’re not supposed to. Please read how one young man described his experience with this animal: “Ok . . . It all started when I got my summer job as a corral assistant at a summer camp. I got to take care of animals, chickens, ducks, cats, rabbits, a miniature horse, and twenty goats. Now, goats aren’t the easiest creatures on earth to control, and with twenty of them, they can destroy pretty much anything they put their mind to. Well, one day one of the ‘head’ goats broke the fence in the back of the corral that conveniently looks over a five-foot cliff, which goes out to a four-foot ledge that extends to a twenty-foot drop down to the beach. Well, it lead six other goats off the cliff with it, down onto the ledge. So, my friend had to crawl down unto the ledge and literally throw the goats up to me.” What a harrowing experience that must have been!

While sheep may be helpless creatures that sometimes get randomly lost, they do not deliberately run away from the shepherd. An escaped goat, however, will stare at you while you talk softly to it, then it will turn its head side to side and run like crazy in the opposite direction. No wonder the Lord had a preference for sheep! Spiritually speaking, we must be like sheep who realize their need for the shepherd’s care and are like submissive children (John 10:2-4). Do we see the need to “abide in Christ” (John 15:4) or do we feel the need to strike out on our own and declare our independence? Are we like those who don’t abide in the “doctrine of Christ” (2 John 9) or are we doing our best to “keep the ordinances” as delivered by inspired men (1 Cor. 11:2). We need to respect the boundaries of God’s word and “learn not to go beyond the things which are written” (1 Cor. 4:6/ASV).

AT THE WRONG THINGS

Goats will eat just about anything! Sometimes people will put a goat in the yard, hoping that it will eat the weeds or keep the grass down, but that often turns out to be a mistake. If the animal gets loose, it will become a disaster area, as it goes about eating flowers, shrubs, small trees, etc. It might even gnaw on the siding of the house. It just isn’t too particular about what it eats.

This is a major difference between Christ’s sheep and the goats. We feed in His pasture and listen to His voice (John 10:27). We desire the milk of God’s word that we might grow thereby (1 Pet. 2:2). While goats aren’t happy with “sound doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:3) and feed their souls on just about anything the world has to offer, we hear His voice and we follow Him. After all, nothing else is satisfying to our souls!  Remember the warning of the Good Shepherd: “Take heed what ye hear” (Mark 4:24).

Article by: Billy Dickinson

 

The Apostle’s Doctrine

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Acts 2 :40-42

One of the leading characteristics of the early church was that they continued “steadfastly” in the apostles’ doctrine.  That is, when the apostles taught, they listened, learned, and followed the instruction.  This brings to mind that the word of God that we find revealed in the New Testament was first taught and understood, and begs the question, how? How is it that apostles taught and learned the will of God?  Please consider these few observations.

 Command

First, we note that they taught by revealing commandments that God expected to be followed.  2 Thessalonians 3:12, “Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.”  There are some things that the Lord requires of us that are not optional.  They are revealed to us as commands, instruction in which God simply says do or don’t do.    Paul pointed out the test for any man who claimed to be led of the Spirit was acknowledging Paul’s teaching as commands of God. (1Corinthians 14:37)

 Example

The apostles also taught by example.  Sometimes the easiest and best way to teach is by illustrative example.  They show us how to please God.  Notice, 1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”  These particular examples were of sinful conduct.  They warn us about behavior that is contrary to God’s will.  On the other hand there are examples that show proper or righteous living. Philippians 3:17 reads, “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.”  Paul presented a portrait of Christian conduct that would lead others aright.  Watch how this works for us today, Jesus instituted communion telling us how to observe it.  He goes on to say, “this do in remembrance of me”.  Yet we are left not knowing when or how often to commune, until we read Acts 20:7, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.”  Here we find an example of when to commune.  This illustrates when and how often to obey the commandment of God.  That, my friends, is the reason they taught by examples.

 Implication

As well, the apostles taught and learned the word of God by implication.  There are things that are implied in the scripture that require necessary inference.  Notice Peter’s vision in Acts 10:9-16, there the Lord made this statement “What God hath cleansed that call not thou common.”  Having shown Peter this array of animals to eat the Lord teaches him an important lesson.  Immediately then, Peter comes down from the roof and finds a group of men who have been sent to find him for Cornelius. Peter selects a group of Jewish brethren to go with him and they set off for Caesarea.  When he arrives the Bible says in Acts 10:28 “And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Peter had correctly inferred from the Lord’s words that he was to go to the Gentiles.  Now was the time for them to receive the gospel.  We learn some of the greatest and most meaningful lessons of the Bible by necessary inference. For instance we know the God loves each one of us personally, yet that is taught by implication.  John 3:16 reads “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  No one individual is named, it does not say God loves Bruce Roebuck, yet that is implied.

You see command, example, and necessary inference are not manmade tools for interpreting the Bible; they are heaven inspired means by which the apostles both learned and taught the will of God.  While philosophic writings lend themselves to subjectivity and judicial documents demand interpretation;, the Bible was revealed to give man instruction in righteous living (1Timothy 3:16-17) and prepare him for eternity.

Article by: Bruce Roebuck

The Genealogy of Sin and Death

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If we are having a problem with sin dominating our lives, that means that we are actually having a problem with temptation.  Indeed, before sin is ever committed, we are first beguiled and lured by our passions that give birth to sin.  James makes that clear in his epistle: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (Jas. 1:13-15).  As Guy N. Woods observed, James presents in these verses one of the most remarkable pictures of sin in the Scriptures.

IDENTIFYING THE ISSUE

We must begin by understanding that the word “temptation” is used in two senses in the Bible: (1) In the sense of proving, trying, or putting to a test— God does sometimes test our faith and loyalty to Him as in the case of Abraham (Gen. 22:1).  (2) In the sense of enticing to do evil— God does not tempt any man in this sense and neither can He be tempted to sin.  As James deals with the subject in this sense, he lets us know that all such temptation is from the devil.  After all, he is identified in the Scriptures as “the tempter” (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5).  Here is where we need to sharpen our sensitivities!  Satan is the culprit behind the fall of man and who provides us with the opportunities to sin.  He is the one who stirs up our passions and desires and who encourages us to transgress God’s will.

When I visited congregations in Malawi several years ago, I used an illustration repeatedly that always received a good response from my audiences.  I once heard Bill Davis say that African brethren love animal stories, so here was the tale I related: One time a man was walking in the snow on a wintry day and he came across a snake frozen in the ice and almost dead.  It was a poisonous reptile, but it was also a beautiful specimen with bright, orange skin.  The man was moved with compassion for the creature and he decided to take it home and nurse it back to health.  In time the snake became his “pet” and he learned to love it.  One day, for no apparent reason, the snake buried its fangs into the man’s left arm and pumped venom into his body.  As he was dying, the man cried, “Why have you done this to me?  I took you into my home and nursed you back to health.  You have returned my kindness by biting me and now I am going to die.”  To that the snake replied, “S-s-shut up you s-s-silly man.  You knew I was a s-s-snake when you took me in.”  So it is with the devil!  If we compromise with the devil and don’t recognize him for whom he is, “that old serpent” (Rev. 20:2) will gain advantage over us that will lead to our destruction.

THE PROCESS

Satan is such a smooth operator that he can run us through the process of temptation before we fully comprehend what has taken place.  Do we recognize temptation for what it is?  Do we really understand what temptation is all about?  James breaks it down for us in great detail, explaining that we are tempted when we are “drawn away” of our own lust.  Yes, it begins with an evil passion, or desire, to do what is forbidden.  That desire is what Satan uses to lure us astray.  Vine gives this explanation: “To draw away, or lure forth, is used metaphorically in Jas. 1:14, of being drawn away by lust.  As in hunting or fishing the game is lured from its haunt, so man’s lust allures him from the safety of self-restraint.”

Once our lust is stirred up, then we are “enticed.”  This is actually a fishing term, literally meaning “to lure by a bait.”  It is the same word used in 2 Pet. 2:14 where Peter writes of “beguiling” unstable souls.  What great visual symbolism James is using for our edification!  A fisherman wants to pull in a fish by hooking it, but first he has to disguise the hook by giving the fish a reason to bite.  That’s why he chooses some kind of bait that will lure the hungry fish into his trap.  Likewise, Satan “baits” us with an opportunity to sin by making it appear to be attractive and pleasurable!

WHEN SIN IS FINISHED

A key to resisting temptation is to understand what is really happening beneath the surface and to see sin in its true light.  James strips sin of its alluring power: “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”  While Satan would have us to view sin as pleasurable and desirable, James assures us that sin and death go together.  Someone has said that this is the LSD of the Bible– lust, sin and death.  MacKnight says, “And sin being brought forth, it immediately acts and is nourished by frequent repetition, till at length it gains such strength, that in its turn it begets death, which destroys the sinner.  This is the true genealogy of sin and death.  Lust is the mother of sin, and sin is the mother of death, and the sinner is the parent of both.”

YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION

How can we find the strength and help to overcome temptation?  One of the keys is to get our minds off of the present moment and to focus on the eternal.  A fleeting moment of self-indulgence or self-gratification is certainly not worth jeopardizing our souls over!  Let us be like Moses who was able to see the big picture.  How did he have the commitment and good judgment to resist the temptations associated with the power and riches of ancient Egypt?  Heb. 11:24-26 provides the answer: “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches that the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.”

As the old hymn says, “Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;  Each victory will help you some other to win.  Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue.  Look ever to Jesus: He’ll carry you through.  Ask the Savior to help you, comfort, strengthen, and keep you; He is willing to aid you– He will carry you through.”  Amen!

Article written by: Billy D. Dickinson

Let Marriage be Honored by Everyone

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“Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”  (Hebrews 13:4)  Paul’s great and universal declaration about marriage is hardly considered great today, and certainly not universally.  In fact, it would be more correct today to say that marriage is honorable among some, but fornicators and adulterers are also to be honored and celebrated.  Such is the pitiable state of our culture.  Really, according to many translations, Paul is making an imperative declaration, regardless of how the culture regards marriage.  In other words, we are exhorted and commanded to hold marriage in the highest esteem.  Note the following renderings.

“Let marriage be honored by all…”  (Twentieth Century New Testament)
“Marriage, in every way, must be held in honor…” (Knox)
“Let marriage be held in honor by all…” (American Standard Version)

We have a sacred obligation to preserve, defend, and protect the honorable estate of marriage, especially in a culture and climate that is desecrating this holy institution which God himself established and sanctified.  Jesus forever defined marriage when he declared, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”  (Matthew 19:4-6)   Note that according to Jesus marriage is between a man and a woman, God joins them together, and there should be no separation.  Marriage is for life – they are no more two but one.  If we honor Jesus, we must honor His description of marriage.

We live in times when marriage is under relentless attack.  How can we maintain the honor of marriage?  How can we sustain our own marriages in this decadent age? The Apostle Paul gives the ingredients for a successful and honorable marriage in Ephesians 5:22-33.  “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.”  Just as a Christian woman submits to Jesus by humbly following the Lord’s leading, she is to follow the lead of her husband.  “For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church.”  A Christian wife does not want to be the head of the family; she willingly accepts the role God has given to her to follow the lead of her husband.  Many women boast about being liberated from men and from God’s divine order, but not Christian women.  Godly women honor God, and marriage, by honoring their husbands.

Now, when Paul declares that the husband is the head of his wife, and the wife is to submit, he is certainly not saying that the man is to be a dictator and the woman has no rights whatever.  In fact, in verse 21 of Ephesians 5 Paul teaches we all are to “submit to one another in the fear of God.”  If a husband fears God he better treat his wife with the greatest respect and honor.  Peter echoes the words of Paul in I Peter 3:5,6 by telling wives to be submissive to their husbands, reminding them that Sarah even called Abraham lord.  But then Peter adds a word of warning in verse 7.  “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.”  Remember, Peter says, the husband and wife are in this thing called “life” together.  It is not all about you, husband.  Be understanding and considerate of your wife – honor her!  If the husband does not honor his wife his prayers may be hindered, a terrifying prospect indeed.

We know Paul is not giving the husband license to be a dictator over his wife because right after he declares the husband to be the head of the wife he writes, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her.”  Continuing he says, “So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.”  He concludes these remarkable exhortations with a grand summary of the marriage relationship as God desires it.  “Nevertheless, let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”  I affirm without the possibility of contradiction that if that one statement were adhered to in every marriage there would be no more divorces.  Happy husbands, wives, children, and homes would be the result, not to mention a better society and world.

Based upon these wonderful principles in Ephesians 5 let me make some more specific suggestions.

  1. Wives, show and verbalize respect for your husbands. Men need and want respect, especially from their wives.  Do not demean him in public (or private for that matter) by constantly disagreeing with his decisions or pronouncements.  I have heard women talk about how foolish and foolhardy their husbands are in front of others.  Not only is that contemptuous and unwise; it is wrong.  If you have a problem with a decisions of your husband take it up in private in the spirit of love, but do not shame your man in public.   As a Christian wife, you are commanded to show respect for your husband.
  2. Husbands, do not belittle your wives in public either. Remember, Paul says you are to love your wife as you love yourself. You would never belittle or make fun of yourself before others, would you?   You would not embarrass yourself in front of others on purpose, as I have seen some men do to their wives, and then laugh about it.  Well, you are commanded to love your wife as you love yourself.  Do not do that to her either!  When you dishonor her, you dishonor yourself, and more seriously you dishonor the Lord.
  3. Fight fairly! Make every fight a fair fight.  Now, I am not talking about a physical fight, or what we used to call in Texas, “a knockdown drag out!”  I am talking about an argument, or if someone prefers a more polite term, a discussion.   I believe that some marriages would benefit from some healthy fighting, or if you please discussions.  What happens too often is one spouse or the other has a grievance but instead of getting it out in the open, holds it in until it festers into an open sore that is all but impossible to heal.  A good lancing of the grievance before it festers would help stave off a fatal infection.  In other words, get the problem on the table and work it over!  Focus your emotions, however, on the grievance and problem, and not on your spouse.  That is what I mean by fight fairly.  Never, in the middle of an argument, say, “You are just like your mother!”, or, “You are just as worthless as your father!”  That is not fair, and though it may make you feel better, and cause considerable pain to your spouse, it will not solve the issue.  Now you have made matters overwhelming worse.  Also, if you are not faring too well in the discussion do not resort to out of bounds blows such as, “Just like twenty five years ago!”  You promised to forgive and forget.  Now you wound your spouse by bringing up the past.  That is not fair.  Again I say, focus on the problem and not on your spouse.  You are commanded to love your husband or your wife, and it is a sin to vent your anger and bitterness on your mate.  You dishonor yourself, your marriage vows, and your Lord who joined you together as one.  Fight fairly!
  4. Forgive. No one is perfect, not even you.  When you misspeak, forget an important date, or show a lack of sensitivity and good sense you expect your spouse to be forgiving.  Your husband or wife forgave you the last time you messed up so you need to remember and forgive too.  Someone has said that love is blind, but marriage is an eye opener.  If you go into marriage thinking that you are going to find perfection you are going to get your eyes opened.  Again, I say no one is perfect, not even you!
  5. Let your husband or wife know you love him or her, in words, as well as actions. Certainly, you should show by your actions that you love your spouse, but I really want to emphasize the importance of saying the words, “I love you!”  For some reason men more so than women have a problem with this.  Your wife, and your husband too for that matter, will never tire of hearing the words, “I love you!”  I was in a meeting one time and made that statement and after services a woman walked up with her husband at her side.  She said, “My husband has never told me he loves me in all the years we have been married.”  I asked how long they had been married and she replied that they had been married over forty years.  I looked at the man and asked why he never told her he loved her and his reply was, “She knows I love her.”  I answered, “Maybe so, but she wants to hear you say the words.”  Do you know he would not say it, even after some of the other members of the church came up and joined in the conversation.  They urged him, “Go on and tell her you love her.”  He did not do it.  I guess really, for some reason, he could not get the words out.  Surely, as he said, after forty years she knew he loved her but she wanted, and needed, to hear the words.  Always let your spouse know that you still love them.  You need to verbalize it.  “Honey, I love you.  More than my mother and father.  More than my job.  More than my car, or my boat, or my motorcycle.  I love you more than anything or anybody in this world.”  Paul avers in I Corinthians 13 that lover never fails, and a marriage based upon and sustained by the kind of love he describes there will never fail.

Article written by: Jerry Dickinson

A Changeless Gospel

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As the inspired writer of the book of Hebrews first set down and began writing the great letter to the early Hebrew Christians, a lot of thoughts must have passed through his mind.  He was living in a day and time when many changes were occurring.  Great civil, political and religious unrest was witnessed on every side.  Although the Jewish system was still in existence, it was very plain that it was quickly drawing to an end.  Change and unrest was in the air, and everything pointed to a swift upheaval or overthrow.  The early church herself was taking a beating from every side, persecuted both by the Romans as well as the Jews.  Things looked very bleak for those who had only recently accepted the truth taught unto them by the Lord’s apostles.  The Hebrew letter was penned unto these troubled Christians both as a letter of edification and a letter to bolster their confidence in the stand they were making.  Imagine what the words found in Heb. 13:8 must have meant to each and every one of these Christians.  The inspired writer simply stated “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Everything they had ever known seemed to be changing and nothing seemed to be sure unto any of them.  What a great burst of sunshine and assurance for them to realize there was something that was changeless and certain in their troubled world.  A solid rock upon which they could build and thus weather the storm that raged around them.

We should take great comfort in these words.  We also live in a day and age when nothing is truly regarded as being holy and sacred.  Things that were once accepted by all as truth, are now being questioned by even many of those in the religious world around us.  Great unrest and agitation is seen as men no longer feel that certain truths of God’s word are needed today.  These truths no longer fit in with society and thus truth is being forced into a new mold rather than society changing to fit the truth.  We cannot afford to allow ourselves to get caught up in the ever changing currents of society.  We must recognize that even though laws of our country may be passed that violate the word of God, though even many in the “Christian” realm are willing to lay aside the truth, we cannot be of the number that gets caught up in these changes and swept along with the current.  Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.  His thoughts have not changed.  His words have not changed.  The truth he taught and delivered to his apostles changes not.  Even in the midst of an ever changing world continually seeking to reinvent itself and its moral and religious views, we must stand with Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life.  A wise man once said “Those are weaklings who know the truth and uphold it as long as it suits their purpose, then abandon it.”  I wholeheartedly agree with this statement and am saddened to say that it bears a perfect reflection of what we see, not just in society, but in the church or among those who claim to be Christians.  So many churches today are laying aside certain truths that have been upheld for centuries simply because they no longer suit their purpose or their ideals.  We want to look at a few of these issues in light of the truth that never changes.

First of all, we want to at a certain moral issue that seems to dominate our airways today and was recently endorsed in major fashion by Hollywood.  An issue that has been debated throughout time but recently has become an extremely hot topic for all celebrities and politically minded individuals.  Not only has it affected society and the entertainment industry, but even many churches have played turncoat and have begun to endorse it from their pulpits.  Some churches who have earthly headquarters have even been forced by their heads, their tribunals, or counsels, to change their way of thinking about this issue.  Others have met and argued for hours, leaving with great confusion and open division as some call openly for a major change in their way of thinking while others continue to argue that the truth changes not.  This subject that is so hotly debated is that of homosexuality.

 Homosexuality; a manifest sin of the flesh

We are not left in doubt as to what Jesus Christ thinks about this “lifestyle.”  The Bible is certainly not silent about the matter as some like to think and teach.  In speaking for his Father, Jesus showed unto all mankind the parties involved in a proper marriage.  These teachings are found in Matthew 19:1-9.  Jesus begins his defense of marriage by pointing out how God made man in the beginning “male and female.”  He said unto them “For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and they twain shall be one flesh.”  Notice, God created man, saw that he was alone, and then created woman as a helper suitable for man as a mate for life.  The original plan was for father and mother to be one flesh.  There is no room for two fathers, two mothers, two males, or two females.  God’s plan according to Jesus does not allow such unions.

But not only did he speak of what constitutes a legitimate marriage, in delivering his words to his apostles, he also moved them to speak and write about this “lifestyle” in unmistakable terms.  In Galatians 5:19-21 Paul gives us a list of manifest sins of the flesh.  Not just issues or lifestyles, but sins of the flesh.  Fornication is listed as one of these sins and it is defined as illicit sexual intercourse.  All lexicographers of which I am familiar include within their definition of this term, adultery, incest, prostitution, and yes homosexuality.  There is no doubt concerning the Bible’s position on homosexuality.  It is a manifest sin of the flesh of which Paul would go on to add, “they which do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

If that isn’t enough, consider the teachings of Paul to the early church in Rome as found in Romans 1:26-32.  Paul spells this sin out in as plain a fashion as possible.  In vs. 26-27 he shucks the issue right down to the cob.  “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.”  These people, due to this shameful sin of the flesh, were given up or over by God.  They were no longer God’s people!  He gave them over to a reprobate mind to do things which are not convenient and are sinful.  Yes, the Bible is emphatic on this issue, such sins are not to be allowed among the faithful and they will never be endorsed by any group who actually has allegiance with Christ.

All over our great nation there are heads of churches meeting together debating this issue.  Many have already begun to endorse homosexuality.  But they are able to take the issue a step further.  Due to their position of authority they also are able to force their “parishioners” to accept their ruling on the matter.  I am thankful to say that the church of Christ doesn’t have to worry about some head in some foreign state telling us to accept such a blatant sin.  Our headquarters are in heaven and our marching orders are delivered by Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.

Women Teachers

But there are other doctrinal issues that have been treated with the same lack of respect, endorsed publicly and forced upon people within these organizations.  We see this with the subject of women teachers.  Years ago all agreed upon this subject, but men refused to remain content in light of our “liberated” society.  The Bible certainly hasn’t changed its teaching on this subject.  In 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 we learn that women are to remain silent within the church.  Paul goes on to add “for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church.”  In 1 Timothy 2:11-15 Paul tells the young evangelist Timothy to “let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.”  He goes on to add “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”  The point of these verses and others is very simple.  Women have their own realm in which they can teach.  They are not allowed to teach publicly nor in the assemblies of the church.  Yet I know of churches that have been forced to accept women preachers though many of these churches are not in agreement with what their “heads” have ruled on the matter.  They recognize the truth of these words, but due to their affiliation, they have been forced to accept a “changed gospel.”

Plan of Salvation

We see this with the Bible plan of salvation.  Man has come along and changed the very core doctrine of the New Testament process of conversion.  All types of different thoughts and ideas have been introduced by these heads of churches.  Rather than simply listening to Jesus and his words as they were spoken by the apostles and recorded for all to see, men are determined to save themselves through some new scheme.  But what was needed in the first century is needed today as well.  We must not throw out or change the gospel plan of salvation just because people don’t like it anymore.  We need to preach the gospel boldly, recognizing that the plan of salvation as delivered by the disciples of our Lord is as changeless as Christ himself.  What did Jesus and his apostles teach?  One must believe, John 8:24; Heb. 11:6. One must repent, Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30.  One must confess Jesus, Mt. 10:32-33; Acts 8:36-38.  One must then be baptized, Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 8:36; Gal. 3:27; etc…  Has anything changed that we need to be aware of that would change these requirements?  Absolutely not!  Man is still the same, he has not changed, “ all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23) for which “the wages is death” (Rom. 6:23).  Satan is still the same, using his wiles to try and convince men to refuse the Lord.  Christ and his word hasn’t changed thus the gospel has no need of revision today.  The Ethiopian eunuch went on his way rejoicing which shows to us the power of God’s word and obedience to it.

Paul warned the early church of a time when apostasy would reign supreme, a time when they would be carried about with divers and strange doctrines.  If this is not what we are witnessing today, what would it take to constitute such rebellion?  The Bible states plainly, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.  Be not carried about with divers (various) and strange doctrines…”

Article written by: Cecil Smith

 

Savoring the Things of God

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In a stinging rebuke Jesus tells Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” (Mt. 16:23). How can this be? We know Peter was a very bold and courageous disciple. He has just been commended by Jesus for his confession (Mt. 16:16-19).  Yet he is now being reprimanded by the Lord for having his mind on things of men instead of “the things that be of God.” Peter’s failure on this occasion is not savoring the things of God.

The Greek word translated “savour” is defined by Thayer as, “to direct one’s mind to a thing, to seek or strive for.” Thayer adds, “…to be intent on promoting what God wills (specifically his saving purposes), and what pleases men.” Peter’s problem? He is focusing on pleasing men instead of God. As a friend and follower of Jesus, it is not pleasing to Peter to contemplate his Lord’s persecution and death. Peter does not yet comprehend the Lord’s design in these events.

Notice the immediate context, “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” (Mt. 16:21). Jesus is trying to explain to his disciples the importance of the events about to transpire. Peter is very concerned for a close friend and companion and he vows, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee” (v. 22). Peter was not about to let somebody take the life of Jesus. In his hasty action of rebuking the Lord he missed a very critical element of the Lord’s teaching: “…and be raised again the third day.”

The greatest of all historical events center on the cross of Christ. The death and resurrection of Jesus are focal points in Christian doctrine. Without the death, burial and resurrection of Christ what is there? Without the gospel there is no hope, freedom, liberation and life; a tragic state of affairs. Life and all it entails would be meaningless. In this passage, Jesus is simply teaching His disciples about what lay ahead—the events that would bring into reality the glorious gospel of redemption.

It would be wrong to assert that Peter was not spiritually minded. However, from time to time he took his eye off the goal. He missed some key things. Sometimes we fall into the same trap. We can be guilty of not savoring the things of God. We must resolve to always savor the things of God. As we begin a new year let us notice a few things of God we should be savoring.

 The Gospel of Christ

The gospel is powerful and life changing. Jesus commissioned his disciples to, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mk. 16:15). Paul declares in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…” Paul also mentions the gospel of salvation the Corinthians received through his preaching and were to stand in:

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain (1 Cor. 15:1-2).

The world contains nothing more precious than Jesus and His glorious gospel. Heaven, eternity and things that fade not away can only be purchased with the precious blood of Christ. Gold, silver and the currency of this world will eventually burn up. It is at the second coming of Christ we see the true value of money versus the blood of Christ. Knowing the great treasure we have found it is our duty to share it with those we have contact with. Sharing the gospel is something we can all do, yet we often find it difficult. Is it not interesting we have the time to enjoy our favorite hobbies and television shows yet not the time to share the good news with a neighbor?

 The Word of God

The Word of God provides the means by which we provide evidence of our love for our Savior. Jesus says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). The Word shares with us commands to obey and the wonderful blessing of promises made. Most of the people I know assert their love for Jesus yet fail to prove that devotion by obedience. To show your appreciation and dedication to Christ you simply follow His instructions. It is not that difficult of a task yet many are among those mentioned in Matthew 7:21-23:

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. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

What a heartbreaking situation when one claims Jesus is their Lord, only to hear, “depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Hebrews 4:12 informs us, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” James tells us to look, “into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein…” (Jas. 1:25). When one’s actions are done in harmony with the Word, a blessing will be found.

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to read the morning paper, news items on the internet, magazines which come in the mail, and the latest best selling novel? Why, then, is it so hard to ready just a few chapters out of our Bibles each day? We easily read a 500 page novel in a week, yet struggle to read through the Bible in a year. Let us savor the Word of God.

 The Church

The church and her importance have rapidly escaped us. Consider the number of people who once filled the pews but are no longer there. The church was purchased by Christ, He gave Himself for her (Acts 20:28, Eph. 5:25). Jesus was willing to give all for the church and we should reflect His attitude.

The church is the means by which we understand God’s wisdom. Ephesians 3:10, “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.” Attending the services of the church is edifying and spiritually strengthening. We come away with a deeper knowledge and better understanding of God’s will.

It is unfortunate the lack of respect shown the church in our times. We have little time to attend services and gospel meetings. It is difficult to show up on time and be enthused. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to attend a ballgame, a concert, or go to the mall one hundred miles away, yet so hard to make midweek services? Let us savor the opportunity to attend the services of the church and respect her like the Lord desires.

Article written by: Brad Shockley