From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue May 1 06:11:30 2007 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 1 May 2007 07:11:30 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) DO WE HATE SIN OR PLAY WITH IT? Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. DO WE HATE SIN OR PLAY WITH IT? Parents who truly love a newborn child hate and avoid any- thing which harms that child. Environments of disease and sickness are avoided. People who have contagious diseases are not welcomed guests. This is as it should be, and most understand this is for the good of the child. That same hatred for anything that harms physically shou- ld also apply to anything that harms spiritually -- sin. David said, "Through Thy precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way" (Psa. 119:104). A similar statement later is, "Therefore I esteem all Thy precepts concerning all things to be right; And I hate every false way" (vs. 128). Moses anticipated Israel's entrance into Canaan"s idolat- rous culture and warned, "The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the Lord your God. Do not bring a detestabel thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction" (Deut. 7:25,26). Abhor and detest are good synonyem for hate, and such was to be Israel's feelings toward the idolatrous trappings of Canaan. However, Israel's toying (dealing with something lightly or without vigor or purpose) with idolatry later led Joshua to say that Israel could not "serve Jehovah" as long as these remain- ed (Jos. 24:19). He was right. Following his death, Israel "for- sook Jehovah, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth" (Jdgs. 2: 13). This led to a downward spiral ending eventually in their destruction as a nation. Lest anyone think that God has "softened" His Old Testa- ment view of sin, Jesus Himself said, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matt. 18:6). It is difficult to imagine how execution by drowning at sea is "better" than anything. However, Jesus said tht such was "better" because one who leads another to sin has the ultimate destiny of hell that is much "worse"! Paul old Ephesian Christians, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of im- purity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking," since God's wrath will come on such (Eph. 5: 3-6, NIV). Clearly, Christians are to abhor and detest sins common to our society to the degree that there is not "even a hint" of them around us. Love for God and a desire to go to heaven should form a hatred for sin and avoidance of everything that would lead one to hell. Since this is true... 1. Never Intentionally Sin Even Once: -- One's conscience can become "seared" (1 Tim. 4:2) and insensitive to the terrible- ness of it. Something by which one was "bothered" earlier becomes, as lying does, a little easier every time it's done. Sin is "deceitful" (Heb. 3:13). It promises what it cannot ful- fill, costs more than expected, and will keep one longer than intended. No wonder Paul said to "exhort one another daily... so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Once yu deliberately violate your conscience and intentional- ly sin, the road to hell becomes easier. 2. Hate Sin Enough That Even If Doing Right, Nothing Will Appear To Be Wrong: -- The influence of sin is so terrible that we should not only do right, but also do nothing that looks wrong! Paul knew questions might arise concerning any misallocation of the monetary gift Gentile churches were collecting for Jerusalem saints. To avoid raising any quest- ions of impropriety, Paul had several men accompany him and the gift. "We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men" (2 Cor. 8:20,21). Perception of wrong even to the world should be a concern to Christians. I have known faithful brethren who would never be alone in a house with another woman who was not his wife or relat- ive. This illustrates the principle above. However, some have never been taught or have forgotten this principle. In last month's Truth Magazine, Connie Adams had this to say even about preachers misbehaving. "And what shall we say about purity toward the sisters? The cause of Christ suffers from those who preach the truth about purity while living immorally. Out of "counsell- ing" sessions in the preacher's study affairs have develop- ed, flirtations have matured into inflamed passion, marria- ge vows have been violated, and then a trail of lies invent- ed to cover such betrayals of trust. When these come to light, families are shattered, children bewildered, confiden- ce is lost, the weak are made to stumble, and only the judg- ment will reveal the number of lost souls in the wake of such deeds." If I had a car problem, needed help, and a bar were close by, and other help a half-mile or so away, I would walk! Even if one didn't drink in the bar, his appearance going into, time spent inside, and coming out would give anyone who saw him justifiable questions. Someone may say, "That's judging" Yes, but why do people go to bars? Not to make calls but to drink liquor. Your presence, even if you were doing right, leads to wrong assumptions. Influence is important, especial- ly on the world (Matt. 5:13-16), and we are to live so as to in- fluence everyone to live righteously, not ungodly lives. We are to "be careful to do what is right in the eyes of every- body" (Rom. 12:17), and "give no occasion of stumbling, eith- er to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God" (1 Cor. 10: 32). It's sinful to drink (1 Pet. 4:3). It is likewise wrong to sit around socializing at a place where such is done. One should not only not drink, but also never give anyone a reason to be- lieve that he does. We are to "flee fornication" (1 Cor. 6:18), which means avoid putting ourselves in a position where fornication is easy, such as when an unmarried and eligible man and wom- an live together and alone in a house. Christians should live so as not only to avoid fornication, but also avoid appearing to others that such occurs. Loving and hating anything generally comes by learning more about that thing; why it is lovable or detestable. The more we know of God's character, His Word, the more we will view sin from His point of view, and the more we will grow to hate it, not flirt with it. God's Will, found in His Word, defin- es what sin is (1 Jno. 3:4), and is our shield against it. "Thy Word have I laid up in my heart, That I might not sin against Thee" (Psa. 119:11). Let us hate sin and not play with it, and love righteousness and be serious about it. --- Phillip Owens in The Elgin Hills Examiner, Vol. 2, No's 3,4, March/April 2007. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070501/a6873c68/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue May 1 06:11:20 2007 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Tue, 1 May 2007 07:11:20 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Tuesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my files: WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING We have a lot of people who look tous as examples, but we should never forget about our children, who are the close- st ones to which we are an example. Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). From today onward, think what happens when you are not looking. To help you, consider what happens from the stand- point of a child: When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a pray- er, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to someone who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what God has given us. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you hand- led your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I have to be responsible when I grow up. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be. When you though I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and fruitful Chris- tian when I grow up. Eph. 5:8 says, "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." We can never forget the smallest ones among us whho see our influ- ence. Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, church member, teacher, or friend) influences the life of a child. How will you influence one today? ------ Kyle Campbell in Truth Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 4, April 2007. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070501/a9f675de/attachment-0001.html From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Tue May 1 11:49:35 2007 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Tue, 1 May 2007 12:49:35 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] Renewed In Spirit / New Material Available! Message-ID: Greetings! We hope that May has found you well. We are pleased to announce that there is new material available at Renewed in Spirit (www.renewedinspirit.org). Please visit the website, register or login, and participate in the discussions! ----------------------------------------------------- Editorial Balancing Work and Leisure Brent Moody I always enjoy the last few weeks of the year. Everyone seems to be more light-hearted and joyous. Deadlines are often pushed back until after the first of the year. It is like a reward for the hard work completed during the previous months. We are able to escape our monotonous daily routines just long enough to remember the joy of having a normal schedule. The break is refreshing, energizing, and much needed, especially considering the busy schedules most of us keep throughout the rest of the year. Please visit renewedinspirit.org to read more! ----------------------------------------------------- Judging Righteous Judgment Ethan R. Longhenry As Christians we often have difficulties in regards to particular matters and whether they are sin or not. There are many things that most will admit present difficulties, but the Bible may not spell out whether it is to be considered sin or no. When it comes to these matters, there are some who approach some matters of sin not explicitly revealed in the Scriptures as if it were explicitly revealed in the Scriptures, and there are others who approach matters of sin not explicitly revealed in the Scriptures as somehow less sin or matters concerning which we have no right to condemn as sin. Please visit renewedinspirit.org to read more! ----------------------------------------------------- The Old Cat Came Back; She Just Couldn't Stay Away Bobby Cohoon Cora is famous for spending most of the day hidden. So, walking through the house and not seeing her s no big deal. Of course, like most cats she comes out for attention, when she wants attention. Or at times she will make an appearance to terrorize the dogs. Though she is much smaller than they she holds seniority as the matriarch of the animal kingdom in our house. She never though, misses a meal. Usually she is "Johnny on the spot" at the first and slightest sound of her food being opened. But, this night she did not. After calling her several times I made a quick inspection of the house and Cora was no where to be found. We looked under beds, under couches, under everything that she could get under and a few things she could not. We searched high and low. The dogs did not help in looking; they just stood around waiting for their food. It was agreed that somehow Cora had slipped out an opened door (though she has not been out in many years). At 12 midnight I was in the neighborhood trying to figure how to call a cat quiet enough not to wake the neighbors, yet loud enough for the cat to hear it. For a pampered cat, we knew she had stepped into a hostile world. A world where her in house seniority would not help against neighborhood dogs or whatever else might be roving in the quiet stillness of the pitch black night. Around one a.m. she turned up in the house. I grabbed her and hugged her (while I dried a few tears) as the dogs looked on as in disbelief that I would be happy to have her back. I fed her. We thought she was a goner, but the cat came back she just couldn't stay away! Please visit renewedinspirit.org to read more! ----------------------------------------------------- For the ladies... Going to the Source Miriam Juckett A few weeks ago I got a call from the elders at my congregation. They were very concerned about some things that they had heard concerning me, and wanted to hear my side of the story. The situation was really quite frustrating: one of the ladies at church had some questions about something I was doing. She talked to a friend, who talked to an elder's wife, who talked to her husband, who got the entirely wrong idea and called the other elders in, all very concerned about what I was allegedly doing. The problem is that the entire chain of discussion was based on some simple misunderstandings, which could have easily been easily cleared up by the initial person simply coming to me and asking me a question or two. Is it not amazing how quickly things evolve as they move away from the source? One of the elder's wives who was present at the aforementioned meeting thoughtfully stated, "Miriam, what you have described just now is entirely different than the picture we had about this before we talked." She was right: by the time the story had been received by the elders, it not longer resembled what was really happening! Has this ever happened to you? Please visit renewedinspirit.org to read more! Proverbs 31: An Analysis of the Virtuous Wife, Part 9 Brooke Williams She perceiveth that her merchandise is profitable: Her lamp goeth not out by night (Proverbs 31:18). It is nice to feel useful. So often, our work revolves around the invisible things. No one notices all the clean dishes in the cupboards, just the few remaining dirty ones in the sink. You can vacuum the floor, and it just looks the way it should-nothing spectacular, simply fulfilling expectations. Keeping the household running smoothly is no small task. But when we do our job well and cheerfully, we make it look almost effortless. The worthy woman knows that, even if no one else takes notice of her work, good work is its own reward. Please visit renewedinspirit.org to read more! ----------------------------------------------------- We thank you again for your interest, and hope you find the material profitable. If you do, tell a friend! ELDV Ethan R. Longhenry / editor at renewedinspirit.org Editor, Renewed in Spirit an interactive online spiritual publication http://www.renewedinspirit.org From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed May 2 06:18:27 2007 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 2 May 2007 07:18:27 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) GOD'S PERFECTION Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Wednesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article that recently came my way: GOD'S PERFECTION Almighty God, the true and living God, is perfect in all things. There is no flaw in His character or His work. It is this perfection that enables us to submit wholly to Him, to put our trust in Him, and to be fully confident that all things are well when we are under His loving care and authority. Let us give careful thought to five areas of His activity which illustra- te His perfection in ways that we can understand and that have a profound impact upon our being and our lives: First, God is perfect as the Builder of all things: -- "He who built all things is God" (Heb. 3:4). The perfection of the unive- rse is His witness. All that He made was good (Gen. 1:31). The precision of the movements of various bodies in the uni- verse is beyond the skill of men to calculate, and this is the basis of our concept and measurement of time. The perfectly adapted forms of life make us stand in awe and wonder (Psa. 8:1-9) -- from the great whales to the ladybird beetle and the hardy penquin, we marvel at the perfecton of God's work. The plan of redemption and the perfection of the kingdom are perfectly suited to the needs of mankind. God built the chur- ch in such fashion that there should be no lack, no schism in it (1 Cor. 12:18,24). Its King is perfect (Heb. 2:10; 5:9). Second, the love of God is perfectly exercised in His pro- visions for our physical and spiritual needs: -- (Jas. 1:17; Rom. 5:8; Jno. 15:13; 3:16). His grace and mercy reflect His love toward His creatures (Ti. 2:11; Eph. 2:5-10). His longsuff-ering toward humanity is made possible by His love (2 Pet. 3: 9,15; 1 Pet. 3:20; Rom. 9:22; 1 Tim. 1:16). His love produces the chastening that delivers the souls of the children of God (Heb. 12:4-11), and it sets forth the pattern by which our love for Him and for our fellows is formed (Eph. 3:19; Jno. 13:34, 35; 1 Jno. 4:9-11). Third, God's perfect righteousness stands as our guide to righteousness: -- (Matt. 6:22; 2 Tim. 3:16; Psa. 145:17; Ti. 2: 11-14; Psa. 119:172). He has always dealt righteously with humanity. His righteous deeds are the light of men's lives (Jno. 1:4,9; Eph. 5:8). His scepter is a scepter of righteous- ness (Heb. 1:8). His righteousness is everlasting (Psa. 119: 142). Fourth, in God's righteousness, He has provided a per- fect law which, through the blood of Jesus Christ, cleanses obedient people from their sins: -- (Jas. 1:25; Rom. 6:17,18; 1 Pet. 1:22; Heb. 10:9-31). The perfection of this law or coven- ant is in its provision for forgiveness, which one could not obtain under the Law of Moses, but can obtain now because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ -- a perfect sacrifice (Heb. 8:6- 13; complete, furnishing the man of God completely unto every good work, thus making us complete in Him 2 Tim. 3: 16,17; Col. 2:10; 4:12). Fifth, God's perfectness is seen in His judgment: -- He al- ways judges righteously (1 Pet. 2:23). In the final day, He will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ (Acts 17:30, 31; Rom. 2:2-11). "All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to Whom we msut give account" (Heb. 4:13). For this reason there will be no miscarriage of justice before His throne. His judgment is always according to truth -- His per- fect truth. No one can find occasion to challenge or disagree with His decisions, and no one can escape the condemnation of the wicked in the Judgment if he is unprepared to meet God. There will be no ACLU, no slick and cunning lawyers to defer judgment, and no courts of appeal to overturn the final verdict. God's judgment is perfect and timely. Let us think on these things and live in such a way that we can rejoice in the perfection of God. ----- Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070502/a194a5b3/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed May 2 06:18:36 2007 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Wed, 2 May 2007 07:18:36 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) BIBLICAL ARITHMETIC Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. BIBLICAL ARITHMETIC Way back when, in a one-room schoolhouse, I was taught, among other things, arithmetic. We learned to add, subtract, multiphy and divide. Those things were the basics. In this lesson we will focus our attention on the basics of biblical arithmetic. Addition: -- Man is warned of God toward the beginning, the middle and the end of the Bible not to add unto His Word: "Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you..." (Deut. 4:2). "Add thou not unto His Words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar" (Prov. 30:6). At the end of the Bible we read concerning the book of Revelation, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book" (Rev. 22:18). It is a contemptible thing to go beyond what God has com- manded. Instrumental music found its way into the worship of the church by adding to the Word of God. There is no New Testament authority for it. We could say the same thing about choirs, Saturday night observance of the Lord's Supper, church kitchens and gymnasiums, elders overseeing the work of several churches, divorce and remarriage for about any cause and women leading prayer in the public wor- ship. Let God be true, but every man a liar (Rom. 3:4). On the other had, there are some good, profitable things we must add to our Christian life. Peter wrote that we should give diligence to add to our faith virtue, knowledge, self-con- trol, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. He continues by saying if we do these things we shall never fall (2 Pet. 1:5-11). Subtraction: -- God said: "Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it" (Deut. 4:2, NIV). We read again in Revelation that if "any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy that God shall take his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things written in this book" (Rev. 22:19). Many in so-called Christendom have subtracted he Lord's Supper from weekly observance and observe it quarterly or semi-annually. The first century church observed the Lord's Supper every first day of the week (Acts 20:7). They have tak- en away the eldership of a local church (Acts 14:23; 20:17) and replaced it with a one-man pastor. Baptism has been sub- tracted from the conditions of salvation for an alien sinner (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38) and works have been taken away from faith, making faith dead (Jas. 2:26). Multiplication: -- After the birth of New Testament Christianity there was phenomenal growth of the church. We read: "And the Word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly" (Acts 6:7). The apostles had filled Jerusalem with the doctrine of Christ (Acts 5:28). They ceased not to teach and preach daily Jesus Christ in the tem- ple and from house to house (Acts 5:42). The disciples went forth and sowed the seed of the kingdom and saw a great harvest as a result (Acts 9:31; 11:19-21). Brethren, some of us need to get away from just church house religion and plant the seed into the hearts of lost men and women. Most of our preaching and teaching is for our- selves, week after week and month after month. We need to put "go" back into the GO-SPEL. We need ot outreach for the un-reached, both congregationally and individually. Division: -- Paul wrote: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). Many fail to make a distinct- ion between the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testa- ment (Covenant) was a law for the nation of Israel, the Jews, while the New Testament (Covenant) is a universal law for us all, both Jew and Gentile. We don't learn how to be saved or worship God by going back to the Law of Moses, the Old Cov- enant. We learn these things from the New Covenant, the law of Christ (Col. 2;14; Gal. 3:24,25; 6:2; Heb. 10:9). Let us right- ly divide or handle aright the Testaments. Then there are those who fail to rightly divide when they make fleshly Israel God's chosen people today, even though Jesus said the kingdom of God would be take from them and given to another nation (Matt. 21:43). That nation is now spiritual Israel, the church (Gal. 6:16). This same crowd makes a distinction between the church and the kingdom, thereby making the church an accident. And one more thing; some brethren seem to get a little mixed-up and think that division means we ought to divide the church (Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 1:10-12). On that point Paul said, "Let there be no divisions among you..." (1 Cor. 1:10). ----- Weldon Warnock in Biblical Insights, Vol. 6, No. 11, Nov. 2006. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070502/1ef52a52/attachment-0001.html From dmartinbtbq at comcast.net Wed May 2 08:36:50 2007 From: dmartinbtbq at comcast.net (Don Martin) Date: Wed, 2 May 2007 07:36:50 -0600 Subject: [Biblemat] Bible Truths and Bible Questions update notice Message-ID: <003101c78cbe$f633e720$6501a8c0@533034B8A6DF4D9> Don Martin with our update notification: Our new material to www.bibletruths.net is, "A Study of Sorrow" (see excerpt below). "...We should be interested in what the Bible says on every subject. The Bible is not just another book, it rather originated with God (2 Tim. 3: 16, 17). Therefore, the teaching of the Bible and all it says relative to every conceivable subject is truly accurate and factual. By "sorrow," we have reference to, "Distress caused by loss, affliction, disappointment, etc.; grief, sadness, or regret: (Random House College Dictionary). I might suggest at the outset of this study, that the Bible presents sorrow in a very challenging way. Consider Paul's statement: "10: As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things" (2 Cor. 6). Biblical sorrow is such that both sorrow and rejoicing can simultaneously be experienced on the part of the Christian. Sorrow as experienced by many in the world usually controls, removes, and precludes such emotions as rejoicing. The Christian has a hope that is static and looks beyond the momentary happenings of this life (Heb. 6: 19). Sorrow can be debilitating, unjustified, caused by sin, and even justified, I submit...." The New Featured Question for www.biblequestions.org is, "What is apostasy?" (Below.) We encourage you to make use of all our study materials and tell others of our sites. Question: What is apostasy? Answer: "Apostasy" is from the Greek apostasia. Apostasia is defined as, "A defection, revolt.. to forsake" (W.E. Vine). The New Testament prophesied and gave detail identification relative to apostasy (I Tim. 4:1-3, 2 Thes. 2:1-9, Acts 20:28-30). The original apostasy was to begin within the eldership. Paul said to the elders. "Also of your ownselves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:17-30). This falling away initially involved a perversion of authority and power. Elders of bishops began to assume authority which did not belong to them. ". little by little they (bishops, dm) made high pretentious, and maintained that power was given them by Christ himself to dictate rules of faith and conduct the people" (Ecclesiastical History, vol. 1, pgs. 116, 117, by Mosheim). Mosheim points out that from a select group of bishops who had more power that other bishops, a single man was selected to exact total power. "Hence came the Patriarchs, and ultimately the Prince of Patriarchs, the Roman Pontiff" (ibid). Paul's description to the Thessalonians. Paul explained that there was to be "a falling away" (apostasia, 2 Thes. 2:3). Paul identifies a particular man who would characterize this apostasy (vs. 3). He describes him as sinfully elevated, ". he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (vs. 4). Worship would be associated with this man (vs. 4). There would also be "lying wonders" (false miracles, vs. 9). Some of the teaching would by, "Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats." (I Tim. 4:1). Beloved, before the falling away there was truth (Eph. 4:1-6). Cordially, Don Martin dmartinbtbq at comcast.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask and receive a Bible answer http://www.biblequestions.org Simply click on the URL to visit these sites. You may print out the material for teaching purposes, see the copyright provision on the home page of Bible Truths. From tedwards at onemain.com Wed May 2 11:31:02 2007 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards at onemain.com) Date: Wed, 02 May 2007 11:31:02 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 4/29/07 Message-ID: <46387676.26743.BB4D56@localhost> ____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ April 29, 2007 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) I Am Resolved (Dennis C. Abernathy) 2) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- I Am Resolved by Dennis C. Abernathy Webster defines "resolve" as: "to determine or decide; to settle, or settle on; to form a purpose or resolution; to determine after reflection; as, to resolve on a better course of life." He defines "resolution" as follows: "act of, or quality of mind admitting or productive of, resolving or determining; resoluteness, firmness; also, that which is resolved upon or decided upon; settled determination." In other words, to make resolution, or to resolve to do a thing is to decide or determine in your own mind a course of action you shall pursue. In the parable of the unjust steward in Luke 16, the word "resolve" is found in verse 14 and there it "presses the definiteness of the steward's realization, and his consequent determination of his course of action. God himself resolved to do certain things. In Acts 2:23, we read: "This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross." Hence, it was God's determined or pre-determined plan for Jesus to die by the hands of wicked men on a cross. So, God made a determination (resolution or resolve), and he made it ahead of time. Let us notice briefly some resolutions which we need to make and which will be helpful to us in our service to God. But remember, that we must be determined in our own mind. We run into serious trouble when our resolutions collide with our old set habits. I. I Resolve To Watch What I Say With My Mouth Psalms 17:3 says, "I have resolved that my mouth will not sin." We ought to pray with David: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer" (Psa. 19:14). And further: "Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; Keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psa. 141:3). We need to determine right now, that we will watch what we say. How easy it is to sin with our mouth. Therefore, we ought to "put away perversity from our mouth and keep corrupt talk far from our lips" (Prov. 4:24). Sometimes we speak in haste, saying the wrong thing without thinking. "Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words. . . . Do not let your mouth lead you into sin" (Eccl. 5:2-3,6). We need to realize that what comes out of our mouths reflects that which is in our hearts (Mk. 7:20-23). Therefore, it behooves each of us to exercise care not to be guilty of filthy talk, gossip, backbiting, grumbling, slander and talebearing. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Eph. 4:29). If we would just take this precept to heart, the Lord's church, as well as society, would be the better for it. Last of all on this point, brethren, let us resolve or determine not to praise God with our mouths and forget him in our practice. "These people draw near (honor) Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:8-9). Long ago, the prophet Ezekiel condemned this popular practice. "My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain . . . for they hear your words but do not put them into practice" (Ezek. 33:31-32). Let each of us determine to watch what he says. What a better person we will be in the Lord's service and what a greater influence we will have among our fellow men. II. I Resolve Not To Defile Myself "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself" (Dan. 1:8). Defile means "to make filthy, or to befoul; to tarnish, as reputation; to dishonor." I am reminded of the following passages: "Since we have these promises dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates (filthiness) body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God" (2 Cor. 7:1-2). "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you" (Jas. 1:21). We defile ourselves, tarnish our reputations, and bring dishonor on the Lord and his church when we give ourselves over to the works of the flesh (see Gal. 5:19-21). The same apostle said the following in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." I want to emphasize the phrase: "Do not be deceived." In our day and age, many are deceived into thinking that they can commit these sins and be teachers and preachers and God will usher them right into heaven. But Paul said "and that is what some of you were," not "what some of you are"! One could not be washed, sanctified, and justified from his defilement and continue to commit such acts. Let us resolve not to defile ourselves, but to keep ourselves pure and holy even as our Lord did before us. III. I Resolve To Preach Christ To A Lost World As Paul proclaimed the testimony of God, he said: "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2). Like Paul, we need to determine now that we will preach Christ (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:15). "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord" (2 Cor. 4:5). Many have the idea that to preach Christ is to preach only the facts about him and not his doctrine or teaching. But preaching Christ is the same as preaching the word or the gospel. This is made clear in Acts 8:4-5: "Therefore, those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip, went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them." Philip preached the same thing those who were scattered preached! In verse 35 of the same chapter, it says, "Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him." You cannot preach Jesus independent of the Word! Also we note that, involved in "preaching Jesus," was preaching water baptism. Since Philip was doing the preaching on this occasion, it stands to reason that he introduced the matter of baptism, because the Ethiopian asked about being baptized as soon as they came to sufficient water. Preaching Jesus, a part of which, is preaching water baptism, is preaching salvation to lost souls. This is true because Jesus died to save lost souls, shedding his precious blood on a Roman cross, and we contact that blood in baptism (Rom. 6:3-4). Also, it was Jesus himself who commanded baptism in order to be saved (Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 24:46-47; Acts 2:5,38). The only way the church will grow numerically or spiritually is for you and me to get busy preaching Christ. People will not come to our buildings unless we first go to them! The Lord said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel." He didn't say "build a building and sit down and wait for the people to come to you that you may then preach to them." Let each of us resolve now to "preach the word" (2 Tim. 4:2). IV. I Resolve To Forget The Past And Press On Toward Heaven " . . . forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God, in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:13-14). Dear reader, we must not dwell on the past. We must put it behind and move on in our service to God. I don't mean that we are just to forget sin -- no, we must correct sin. But we can't allow the past to hold up our progress for the Lord. It is so easy to allow church problems of the past to hinder us in our service in the Lord's work. They can warp our concept of faithful brethren and make us bitter and cynical, if we will allow it. Personal sin can hold us up. We need always to repent when we sin, asking God's forgiveness, and then move on in his service. Perhaps we have received mistreatment from brethren. Will we allow such to cloud our thinking and hinder us from faithfulness to him? Eric Liddell was a strong favorite to win the 400 yard dash at the 1923 Triangular International. However, 15 yards after the start, he lay sprawled across the track infield, the victim of a tripping accident. Undaunted, "The Flying Scot" picked himself up and resumed his race. With the finish line drawing near, Eric Liddell drew upon his utmost reserves. As the stunned crowd watched, he crossed the tape three yards ahead of his nearest competitor, the man who had tripped him. In many ways the Christian life is like a foot race. We sometimes encounter adverse track conditions. Competitors may occasionally jostle us as we run. At times we might even trip and fall. No doubt, all of us have probably stumbled a time or two along the way. We have said something we should not have said; we have failed to do things we know we should have and could have done. Instead of heading toward the goal, we find ourselves flat on our face! Brethren, this will happen. It happened to the best of God's servants. But, when it does, what will we do? Do we stay down? Do we bemoan our situation, or do we get up, like Eric Liddell and double our efforts? If you have fallen down in the past, get up and dust yourself off and get back into the race. Forget the failures of the past -- God does -- if you will repent and confess them (1 Jn. 1:7,9). -- Via Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 4, pp. 107-108, February 15, 1990 ____________________________________________________ -2- News & Notes We want to continue praying for Sheila Watts, due to her back-pain, that she can be healed without having to undergo surgery. ____________________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards at onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________ From donmcclain at sbcglobal.net Wed May 2 15:49:59 2007 From: donmcclain at sbcglobal.net (Don Mcclain) Date: Wed, 2 May 2007 15:49:59 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] Debate on Baptism & Eternal Security Uploaded To Our Website Message-ID: <009c01c78cfb$7a5f3bd0$0201a8c0@DESKTOP> Don McClain here . . . The recent debate between Bruce Reeves and two professors, Steve Raines and Ron Mitchell at Central Baptist College in Conway Arkansas has been uploaded to our website!! http://w65stchurchofchrist.org/Debates/Reeves_Raines_Mitchell/Reeves_Raines_Mitchell_Debate.htm Auditorium on the campus of Central Baptist College 1501 College Ave Conway, AR 72034 Propositions: Monday April 23 - Resolved: ?The scriptures teach that the alien sinner is forgiven of his past sins by faith only, before and without water baptism? ? (Affirm: Steve Raines; Deny: Bruce Reeves) Tuesday April 24 - Resolved: ?The scriptures teach that water baptism is essential in order for the alien sinner to obtain the forgiveness of his past sins.? (Affirm: Bruce Reeves; Deny: Steve Raines) Thursday April 26 - Resolved: ?The scriptures teach that it is possible for a Christian, i.e., one who has been cleansed by the blood of Christ, to so sin as to be eternally lost.? ? (Affirm: Bruce Reeves; Deny: Ron Mitchell) Friday April 27 - Resolved: ?The scriptures teach that it is impossible for a Christian, i.e., one who has been cleansed by the blood of Christ, to so sin as to be eternally lost.? - (Affirm: Ron Mitchell; Deny: Bruce Reeves) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also check out other debates on our site http://w65stchurchofchrist.org/Debates/Debate_Page.htm "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained." --George Washington Don McClain 65th Street church of Christ 7115 West 65th Street Little Rock AR 72219 donmcclain at sbcglobal.net http://w65stchurchofchrist.org/Home_page.htm AIM: tel: mobile: Skype ID: SkypeIn #: 501-568-1062 501-749-6928 Add me to your address book... Want a signature like this? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070502/86b82791/attachment.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu May 3 04:16:47 2007 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 05:16:47 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) QUESTION AND ANSWER Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Thursday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is a question and answer that recently came my way: QUESTION AND ANSWER QUESTION: -- Does the Bible tell us to assemble for worship? ANSWER: -- I heard a taped lesson teaching the very idea that one does not have to assemble to worship. It is amazing how some people, even brethren, can take a simple principle of truth and distort it to the point that they teach positions altogether foreign to the New Testament. Though it is possible and desirable to think that the person making such a statement was not expressing himself clearly or had not fully thought about the idea, he asserted that our only reason for gathering together is to edify one another. In view of New Testament teaching, I must label this notion as totally lacking in approval from the Lord. I would even challenge any proponent of this notion to cite a passage where the Lord tells Christians to assemble to edify others. I also insist that the Bible teaches this practice in other authoritative ways, such as approved example and necessary conclusion. I would never minimize the importance of our seeking to edify one another in our gatherings, because this purpose is a legitimate one according to the Scriptures. For instance, in our singing we should teach and admonish each other in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16); in our prayers we who lead those prayers ought to bear in mind the audience and express ideas that represent the desires or needs of all gathered, while expressing the prayer in words that all can hear and understand (1 Cor. 14:14-17). The num- erous uses of "edify" in 1 Cor. 14 show us that we must con- sider others (the horizontal dimension) in all that we do in these gatherings. On the other hand one must try to miss it to fail to see the virtical dimension of our assembling with the saints. When we eat the supper of the Lord on the first day of the week, we remember Christ (1 Cor. 11:25,29). Prayer is an expression of praise and adoration to God (1 Cor. 14:16,17). Singing gives occasion to make melody in our hearts to God and to express favor (grace) in our hearts to the Lord. The reading or teaching of the Lord's Word, even when delivered by the gift of prophecy, also served to generate praise and thanksgiving to God in those understanding the message (1 Cor. 14:24,25). Surely these portraits of NT assembly worship mean something! If we are not careful in our Bible study and determination to practice the Father's will, we will so fix our efforts on one objective as to rule the Lord out of our efforts. Let us learn the lesson that we must take into account all that the New Testament says about this matter. ------ Bobby Graham in Truth Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 4, April 2007. (How can one not see that the example of Paul and his travelling companions waiting nearly a week in order to meet with the saints of Troas as they met together to worship God, leaves an inspired example for us to meet to do the same? Acts 20:6,7. Also, we have the command found in Heb. 10:19- 29, where we are told to encourage one another to gather for worship and to not forsake the assembling for that purpose. JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070503/ced55f40/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu May 3 04:16:55 2007 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 05:16:55 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) THEY CAN'T BE SNATCHED FROM HIS HAND Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. THEY CAN'T BE SNATCHED FROM HIS HAND Speaking of Himself as the good Shepherd, Jesus declar- ed that no man could snatch His sheep from His hand (Jno. 10:28). To assure His listeners of this truth, He said, "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one" (Jno. 10:29,30). How secure are the Lord's sheep? To understand the security promised the sheep, we must understand what is meant by "snatch." The term means to seize or to carry off by force. It is the word Jesus used to describe the action of a man entering a house, tying up its owner, adn then spoiling or robbing the owner of his goods (Matt. 12:29). On one occasion, we are told Jesus perceived some would come and "take Him by force" to make Him king, so He departed to the mountain alone (Jno. 6:15). The pass- age under consideration means none can overpower God and take the Lord's sheep by force. Why? God is "greater than all" (Jno. 10:29; 1 Jno. 4:4). While none can take the Lord's sheep from Him by force, there are other means by which one may separate himself from God. Perhaps we can illustrate our point this way: Jesus said not one could take His life...(Jno. 10:18). While "take" is a different word than "snatch," here the meaning is much the same. Jesus was saying no one had the power to force Him to give up His life or the power to take it by force. Jesus made this plain in the garden when His enemies came to arrest Him. He said He could call down legions of angels. However, the fact that Jesus said none could take His life did not mean that Jesus ould not die. Having said no one could take His life, He went on to say, "But I lay it down of Myself" (Jno. 10:18). What people could not do by force, Jesus could and did surrender, voluntarily. Thus, while none can pluck one from the hand of God by force, one can separate himself from God. (He does this by his own sin, Isa. 59:1,2 JWS). Satan cannot "snatch" one from the hand of the Lord, but he is allowed to tempt us, and we can yield ourselves to him. Becoming a disciple of the Lord does not take away our free will, and God does not force us to remain faithful. James, writing to Christians, said: "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted of evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone (to do evil). But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (Jas. 1:13-15). Jesus said His sheep hear His voice and follow Him (Jno. 10:27). Surely all who continue to listen to His voice and foll- ow H8m are "safe in His arms." But, what happens if one stops listening to His voice or ceases to follow Jesus? Sheep do sometimes go astray on their own. We rejoice to know that none can snatch, or take us by force, from the Lord. However, we must not think this means we cannot fall from grace or apostatize. Paul warned, "let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12) Only by continuing to hear the voice of Jesus and following Him can we know we have eternal life. ----- Harold Hancock in Biblical Insights, Vol. 6, No. 11, Nov. 2006. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070503/7b5bc8b0/attachment.html From kthomas at ntslink.net Thu May 3 10:45:56 2007 From: kthomas at ntslink.net (kenneth Thomas) Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 10:45:56 -0500 (Central Daylight Time) Subject: [Biblemat] Poem, I Love You Lord Jesus Message-ID: <463A03B4.000003.01684@KENSCOMPUTER> I Love You Lord Jesus By Kenneth E. Thomas I love you Lord Jesus, I really do You did for me what I could not do You made a way for sin to be removed Without you Jesus what would I do? By Your death and Your resurrection You gave the gospel Your divine plan You "tasted of death for every man" Belief and obedience can save a man. Yet only a "few" will accept and obey This You have said in a simple way "Belief plus be baptized =saved" Why not obey Jesus Christ today? (Mt. 7:13-23; Rom. 5:6-9; Mk. 6:15-16). Kenneth E. Thomas Pekin church of Christ 1451 Valle Vista Blvd. Pekin, IL 61554 1 (309) 347-3582 - Office 1 (309) 347-5645 - Home -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070503/a28141c5/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 251 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070503/a28141c5/attachment-0003.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 289 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070503/a28141c5/attachment-0004.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 16287 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070503/a28141c5/attachment-0005.gif From onealpha2 at mchsi.com Thu May 3 13:42:05 2007 From: onealpha2 at mchsi.com (Artloeber) Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 13:42:05 -0500 (Central Daylight Time) Subject: [Biblemat] A letter to a Mormon president Message-ID: <463A2CFC.000009.02172@YOUR-D2DEF5F568> Hi ye all I don't know if you encounter many Mormons, but if you do here are some questions you could asked them. I received this e-mail a long time ago and just found it again. Art Loeber Davenport, IA A letter to the Mormon President requesting a name to be removed DANIEL EVANS dano at open.org (Please feel free to write) Nov. 15, 1993 Ezra Taft Benson, President The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Dear President Benson: This letter is to inform you that I wish to be removed permanently from membership in, and the rolls of, the Mormon Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). I request that this be done immediately. This is not an action that I take lightly, but it is something I do gladly, as I have found great joy, peace and freedom in my Lord Jesus Christ. I wish the members of the Mormon church well, and will always think of them as fine, upstanding, and loving people. I was an earnest and faithful Mormon for many years. I got married in the Temple, believed in the Church wholeheartedly, and sacrificed for it. The following are a few of my reasons for leaving the Mormon Church. I know they will not be easy for you to read, but please try to do so with an open mind. I am concerned about discrepancies between what the Church teaches, and the teachings of the Bible. The Mormon church teaches that there are many Gods. The Bible teaches that there is one only. Joseph Smith taught "that God the Father of Jesus Christ had a Father," and that "you may suppose that He had a Father also." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith) Orson Pratt said, If we should take a million worlds like this and number their particles, we should find that there are more Gods than there are particles of matter in those worlds." (Journal of Discourses, vol.2, page 345) The Bible teaches throughout it's pages of there being only one God. Even the Book of Mormon teaches monotheism: "And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is a true and living God? And Amulek said: Yea there is a true and living God. Now, Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God? And he answered, No." Alma 11:26-30 "...I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end." 3 Nephi 9:18 "so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD and there is no other." Isaiah 45:6 " ...I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me." Isaiah 46:9 "...Is there any God beside me? Yea, there is no God; I know not any." Isaiah 44:8 "Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein..." Nehemiah 9:6 The God who made the universe says he is LORD alone. I believe he leaves no room for doubt. If God had a father wouldn't he know of him? If there really were other Gods why is there no mention of them in the Book of Mormon or the Bible? The message God sends time and time again is that he is the only God. The Mormon Church teaches heretically that man can become a God, and that God was once a man. Joseph Smith taught, "First God himself who sits enthroned in yonder heavens, is a man like unto one of yourselves, that is the great secret.... I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined that God was God from all eternity.... God himself; the Father of us all dwelt on an earth the same as Jesus Christ himself did,... You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves;...No man can learn you more than what I have told you." This teaching is one of the root evils of Mormonism. Think about it- isn't this very idea, that man can work his way up to being a God, a major tenant of humanism and new age belief? Think about it again- where is the first place in the Bible that one finds the idea of a man becoming like God? It was whispered by the serpent to Eve; saying eat of the apple and "...ye shall be as gods..."(Genesis 3:5) This was not whispered as a good thing, but as an enticement by the father of lies himself! The Bible does not teach about a changing God who once was a man, once died, and once sinned. It does not teach that a man can become a God. It teaches exactly the opposite. Again the Book of Mormon is in agreement: "For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity." Moroni 8:18 "For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting,. " Moroni 7:22 "Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the gospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if so, he does not understand them. For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing? Mormon 9:8,9 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 "(God has)...no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17 " ...I am God, and not man..." Hosea 11:9 "Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." Isaiah 44:6 "God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind..." Numbers 23:19 "O LORD are you not from everlasting?..." Habakkuk 1:12 "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." Psalms 90:2 "I the LORD do not change..." Malachi 3:6 "Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD...before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me." Isaiah 43:10 This is clearly the first and last God. We have not "imagined" that God was God from all eternity, the Bible says so definitively. The Bible leaves no room for other "Gods" to be formed. It emphatically states throughout its pages that God has always existed as God and has never changed. How could the Bible have made it more clear? God is God alone, and there never were, nor will there ever be any others. Also see Mosiah 3:5, Alma 11:39, Psalms 41:13, 93:2, 103:17, Proverbs 8:23, Revelation 1:8. It is important to note that when you study one of these passages in Hebrew, the case is made even more unambiguous. In Isaiah 43:10 for example, the word used for God is El meaning " mighty one". Once this is understood, it is obvious that the scripture is not talking about idols per Se, but about Gods. Thus read the scripture would say: "... Before me there were no 'mighty ones' formed, neither shall there be after me." The Mormon church does not understand grace, faith or salvation, and in fact teaches doctrine turned 180 degrees from the Biblical truth. The Mormon church teaches that " There are sins that men commit for which they cannot receive forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come...(Sermon by Brigham Young given Sept. 21, 1856, Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp.53-54) It teaches a works oriented salvation that "puts the cart before the horse" in its approach. It denies the power of Christ and exalts the pride of man. I learned as a Mormon to try to "make myself perfect". I learned that I needed to follow a laundry list of do's and don'ts. I believed that I needed to follow a highly organized system of men placed between me and my maker to obtain God's forgiveness or work within his authority. I learned that these men had control in my life, and that when one of them in authority spoke I was to take it as having come from the mouth of the LORD. When my ears were open enough for me to really understand the New Testament I understood that you had lied to me. Men are sinners- born into it- and cannot make themselves perfect. The Bible teaches that men are accepted by Christ in their sins, that he loves them, and takes them how they are. It teaches that this is a result of faith in him. It says that though their nature still remains sinful, Christ changes them from the inside as a result of faith, but not as a result of their works. The Bible teaches that Christ's infinite atonement covers all sin of all men who believe in him. It teaches that the Old Testament order of having to have an intermediary between man and God is done away with, and that Christ is the only way to God. All through the New Testament the pattern of faith preceding an unwarranted action is set. Jesus never says anything like, "you've done very well in your keeping of the word of wisdom - therefore I'll heal you." But he frequently says things like, Take heart, daughter...your faith has healed you." (Matthew 9:22) When a woman who "was a sinner" came to see Jesus, and washed his feet with her tears, he did not say, "That's a good start, now go and undo all the sins you've committed, clean up your life, clean up your thoughts, do some worthy work and when you are finished come back to me and I'll appoint some people to see about forgiving you." No, he very simply said, "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." You see, she was already forgiven. Nothing she could do could earn it, and she didn't have to; Jesus gave it to her freely because of her faith. Can't you see how simple and beautiful this is? Jesus has done this for me also and I weep when I think of it because I am so very grateful I plead with you to let him take you just as you are too. Please see Matthew 8:10-13, 9:2, 9:29 and 15:28. The Bible teaches plainly that we are saved by grace through faith. It teaches that no one will be saved by their good works. Truly, faith that produces no good works is a dead faith, but when there is a real faith it produces its work as a result of Christ and the changes he makes in the believer. The Bible is definitive in its argument for faith as being the ingredient for salvation: "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:20-24 "THEREFORE BEING justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1 "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works..." Romans 9:30- 32 "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" Galatians 2:21 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 It fits well within Mormonism's humanistic model that they have put the emphasis on becoming perfect. After all, they have put the emphasis on becoming a God. When we seek goodness through our works we try to say to Christ, "I know you couldn't pay the whole debt - here let me pay it too." We deny his power to accept us as what we are. We say, "hands off- I can change myself into what you ( I ) want." But the fact is that HE makes the changes in us through faith. The Bible teaches the simple truth on this matter: When we believe in Christ he sets us free. When God looks upon us in judgment he sees only an imperfect man, but one saved by faith in Jesus Christ. Please see Acts 15:8-11, 26:18, Romans 1:5, 4:1-10, 4:14-16, 5:7-9, 10:4, 10:9, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Galatians 2:15-16, 3:22-25, Philippians 3:7-9 Titus 2:11-12 The Book of Mormon is a largely plagiarized document with no historical, anthropological, ar archaeological basis in reality. The Mormon church claims that the Nephites had the Old Testament books which were written prior to the time they left Jerusalem (around 600 B.C.). Therefore it comes as no surprise that the Book of Mormon contains many quotations taken right from the Old Testament (over 18 chapters of Isaiah alone). What is surprising is that many of these passages were quoted word for word from the King James version of the Bible. What is more surprising still is that the Book of Mormon authors were able to quote from books written after 600 B.C. Let's think about this: How could Joseph Smith have translated exact word for word quotes from "reformed Egyptian" into King James style English? Why would these match word for word with the King James translation of the Bible which itself had been translated from Hebrew and Greek? The King James translators who unfortunately lacked the "Urim and Thummim" did very well to produce the exact translation Joseph Smith did! The Book of Mormon contains many examples of stories and ideas lifted from the Bible (see Alma 19 and John 11). The Book of Mormon proves itself a forgery when it quotes from King James version New Testament verses word for word: "...to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life..." 2 Nephi 9:39 "... to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life... Romans 8:6 "...O wretched man that I am..." 2 Nephi 4:17 "O wretched man that I am..." Romans 7:24 "...steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works..." Mosiah 5:15 "...steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work..." 1 Corinthians 15:58 "...seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." Moroni 7:45 "...seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." 1 Corinthians 13:5-7 There are many more examples of plagiarism in the Book of Mormon. One study found over four hundred. Remember, these are New Testament scriptures that the Nephites did not have. How could they have gotten into the Book of Mormon word for word? Not only does the Book of Mormon use the exact same wording (even unusual wording like "stinketh" found in Alma 19:5 and John 11:39) as the New Testament, but it frequently uses it in exactly the same order! Mark Twain, in his book Roughing It remarked that the Book of Mormon seems to be merely a prosy detail of imaginary history, with the Old Testament for a model; followed by a tedious plagiarism of the New Testament " I think he hit the nail right on the head. The Book of Mormon condemns itself. The Book of Mormon purports to be the record of ancient Jews who came to the new world. This being the case, where in its text is there evidence of Jewish religion and tradition such as Passover, Circumcision, any of the Jewish festivals, etc.? These things were very important to the people of that time and are mentioned frequently in the Bible. Why not in the Book of Mormon? Also, why would these Israelites have written their record in Egyptian? Lehi had lived all his life in the city of Jerusalem, where they only spoke the Hebrew language. The Jews hated the Egyptians, and even if he could have written in their language (highly unlikely) he certainly wouldn't have; The Jews were known to have an unusual love for their mother tongue. Also, is there any biological evidence connecting the American Indians with the Jews? There is none. In fact the genetic evidence suggests quite the opposite. When a city, a sight of battle, person's name, or even a type of coin is written about in the Bible, there is archaeological evidence to support it. I have seen coins mentioned in the Bible with my own eyes, right here in Salem, Oregon. When the Bible talks of the city of Jericho - there is evidence to support that it existed; namely Jericho itself! The Bible states that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and an inscription has been found with the name of Pontius Pilate in theater excavations at Caesarea. There are mountains of physical evidence to support biblical archaeology. Why is this not the case with the Book of Mormon? The Book of Mormon talks about names and places. It contains the story of entire civilizations, and their cities, their battles, their leaders names, their religion, even the value and names of some of their coins. In all this mass of civilization, where is even one single piece of anthropological evidence to support the claims of the Book of Mormon? There are no coins. There are no inscriptions of leaders names. There is no evidence of the huge battles mentioned in its text. There isn't even evidence of the cities mentioned in The Book of Mormon! Where are Zarahemla and Bountiful? There is plenty of anthropological evidence of the civilizations that really were present during Book of Mormon times. Unfortunately, none of this evidence even suggests a Christian civilization present in America. Many Mormon anthropologists have dedicated their lives to finding Book of Mormon archaeology, and the Mormon church has financed many expeditions and much research to prove its case. Still, there remains not one piece of evidence in support of the Book of Mormon. Why not? Because it simply is not there. The Mormon Church's history, doctrine, and even scriptures have been changed many times to suit the present needs of its leadership. There have been many deliberate changes in the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, History of the Church, etc. The Church has made a deliberate effort to distort its own history, and keep its members in the dark. As a Mormon I learned about Joseph Smith's martyrdom. I learned that he went to his death "like a lamb to the slaughter." I was taught that he went humbly and without resistance just as Jesus did. Can you imagine what a shock it was to me to learn that he had in fact died in a gunfight, doing his level best to kill his attackers? The following accounts from the History of the Church are given of Joseph Smith's death: Immediately there was a little rustling at the outer door of the jail, and a cry of surrender, and also a discharge of three or four firearms followed instantly...Joseph sprang to his coat for his six-shooter, Hyrum for his single barrel.... When Hyrum fell, Joseph exclaimed, "Oh dear, brother Hyrum!" and opening the door a few inches he discharged his six shooter in the stairway (as stated before) , two or three barrels of which missed fire. (History of the Church, vol. 6, pp. 617- 18) John Taylor, who was to become the third president of the Church, added his testimony concerning Joseph Smith's death: He, however, instantly arose, and with a firm, quick step, and a determined expression of countenance, approached the door, and pulling the six-shooter left by Brother Whellock from his pocket, opened the door slightly, and snapped the pistol six successive times; only three of the barrels, however, were discharged. I afterwards understood that two or three were wounded by these discharges, two of whom, I am informed died. (History of the Church, vol. 7, pp.102-3) This was not the Joseph Smith you had taught me about. He did not go like Jesus Christ, "who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered he threatened not..." (1 Peter 2:23) No, Joseph Smith went out shooting. Why don't you teach the truth about this? I learned as a Mormon that while the Bible was not reliable because it had been changed, (with later study I learned it was indeed reliable) the Book of Mormon was reliable and, "the most correct of any book on earth." Why then has it been changed over three thousand times? Many of these changes are grammatical, or spelling errors, but this book was supposed to have been translated directly by the power of God. I remember the missionaries asking me how a boy could have written such a book without mistakes, without to help of God. Well, the first editions of the Book of Mormon are chock full of mistakes! All one has to do to prove it to themselves is compare. My wife Stacey, was surprised when she looked up 2 Nephi 30:6 in a copy of The Book of Mormon that her grandmother had given her, and then in a newer copy of mine, and found that it had been changed. There is no footnote to explain why, no asterisk, or anything else. At the time of this change the church had been embarrassed by their teaching that the Indians who received the Gospel would turn white! Stacey's edition reads, "...and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a white and a delightsome people." My edition reads, "...save they shall be a pure and delightsome people." This is just a recent change. There are other important doctrinal changes in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. For more information see The Changing World of Mormonism by Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Moody Press, Chicago. Where are those good old doctrines of the early Mormon Church like Blood atonement, and the Adam-God doctrine? How come they aren't taught with the zeal that the "prophets" had for them? As a Mormon I knew nothing about things like Blood atonement. You taught me that a prophet would never lead his people astray. That God would prohibit it. Well, lets look at what the Prophet" Brigham Young taught: There are sins that men commit for which they cannot receive forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come, and if they had their eyes open to their true condition, they would be perfectly willing to have their blood spilt upon the ground, that the smoke thereof might ascend to heaven as an offering for their sins; and the smoking incense would atone for their sins. . (Sermon by Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp.53-54; also published in the Desseret News, Oct. 1, 1856, p.235 ) J.M. Grant, a member of the first presidency under Brigham Young, followed up on this idea: ...there are men and women that I would advise to go to the President immediately, and ask him to appoint a committee to attend to their case; and then let a place be selected, and let that committee shed their blood. (Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp.49-50) Brigham young proposed this situation in which Blood atonement might occur. As you read it think to yourself if it in any way relates to the Savior of love and compassion written about in the Bible. The "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" Savior. The Savior who is powerful enough to save all men from all sin, and paid the ultimate price to do so for you. (1 John 1:7-9) Let me suppose a case. Suppose you found your brother in bed with your wife, and put a javelin through both of them, you would be justified, and they would atone for their sins, and be received into the kingdom of God. I would at once do so in such a case; and under such circumstances, I have no wife whom I love so well that I would not put a javelin through her heart, and I would do it with clean hands... There is not a man or woman, who violates the covenants made with their God, that will not be required to pay the debt. The blood of Christ will never wipe that out, your own blood must atone for it... (Journal of Discourses, vol. 3, p.247) Is this true? If we are to atone for our own sins, then Jesus died for nothing! What is our blood worth to God? What good does it do for our salvation? If it is true, then why isn't the Mormon church teaching and practicing "God's doctrine" of blood atonement today? No, the Bible totally repudiates this heretical teaching of blood atonement, and Brigham Young led his people astray. One need only read it to find out. Brigham Young also taught that, "When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this world. He is MICHAEL, the Arch-angel, the ANCIENT OF DAYS! about whom holy men have written and spoken - HE is our Father and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, pp. 50-51) Brigham Young reaffirmed this doctrine and taught it many times. It is even found in the journals of the Mormons of that time. If this "Prophet" didn't lead people astray, then why does the church teach that this is a false doctrine today? There are those who believe, or say they believe, that Adam is our father and our God,... The devil keeps this heresy alive... It is contrary to the plan of salvation...and anyone who has received the temple endowment and who yet believes the Adam-God theory does not deserve to be saved." (Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, talk given at the BYU Marriot Center on June 1, 1980) Okay, who's lying? The "Prophets" and "Apostles" of Brigham Young's time, or the "Prophets" and "Apostles" of today? I was married to Stacey in the Seattle, Washington temple on May 3, 1984. I attended that temple with the belief that I would be instructed in sacred and ancient ceremonies, right from the Lord himself. As was expected of me, I obediently promised to slit my throat etc., rather than reveal the secrets of the temple. I was very surprised to learn in 1989 from a Mormon who wanted me to "come back to the temple, because I would like it better now" that the Lord had changed his mind yet again, and redone his sacred temple ceremony. Even as a Mormon who did not yet understand that the temple ceremony is really a Masonic ceremony copied word for word, I knew that something was wrong! Why would God just suddenly change his mind about his own "sacred ceremony", eliminating the "penalties" and other sacred portions? Maybe God is rather a "politically correct" God. When confronted with opposition on the issue of polygamy, he simply changes his stance on it When confronted with Civil Rights he ignores his "prophet" who said, "If there was one drop of Negro blood" a black man could never hold the Priesthood, and caves in under the pressure. When people like me are made uncomfortable with the temples' bloody oaths, God just rewrites the program. How convenient for the leadership of the Mormon Church to have such a changeable, malleable, saleable God. The God of the Bible is a much different God. He doesn't change his mind. He doesn't change. I hope you get to know him. (John 17:3) In closing I wish to tell you my greatest reason for leaving the Mormon Church. It is in finding Jesus Christ. He also found me. He pulled me toward him and made me ready to listen. I tell you, reader of this letter, that he will do the same for you. I pray this for you. It will be my great joy to bring his message to all the people (including Mormons) I can. The Gospel is simply that Christ lived, was crucified for each and every one of every man s sins, and was resurrected on the third day. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Galatians 1:8-9) Those who take away from this Gospel; who mock Christ's suffering on the cross by saying that it was not sufficient for all men and all sin; and those who would add to this Gospel legalism, secret (not sacred) ceremonies and signs as condition for salvation are terribly wrong. They are making a literally hellish mistake. Jesus is my hope and my joy. I love him with all my heart, and am glad to let him make of my life what he wants. This is the truth, and I leave it with you in His name. Thank you, Dan Evans dano at open.org Back to Recovery from Mormonism -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070503/7298bb37/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 1431 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070503/7298bb37/attachment-0001.jpe -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 36179 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070503/7298bb37/attachment-0001.gif From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Thu May 3 19:25:54 2007 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 20:25:54 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> Why Israel Failed: They Trusted in Their Status Message-ID: http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/index.html Why Israel Failed: They Trusted in Their Status I. Introduction A. Recognition of Israel's failure 1. Israel in the flesh, overall, a failure 2. They did not keep their obligation in the covenant 3. God first punished them, exiled them, and then entirely destroyed their religious system in 70CE (cf. Matthew 24:1-36) 4. Parable of the Vineyard shows what happens (Matthew 21:33-44, Mark 12:1-11)-- original occupants (Israel) removed, new inhabitants (Christians) enter 5. Failure of Israel due to many reasons together-- perhaps a few failures could be endured, but the combination caused downfall 6. Nevertheless, we can learn from each instance of failure B. 1 Corinthians 10:6 1. Failure of Israel is designed to be a lesson for us 2. We must learn so that we may not fall into the same temptations! C. Many failures can be listed 1. In the wilderness, Egypt never left them 2. When conquering the land, they did not fully conquer 3. They did what was right in their own eyes 4. They rejected God's form of government 5. They adapted God's commands 6. They conformed to the other nations 7. They never fully reformed themselves E. Let us continue to examine failures of Israel II. "Children of Abraham" A. Luke 3:8 B. Another failure of Israel throughout its history was its trust that since they were God's chosen people that somehow that meant that they could do more as they pleased 1. The mentality seemed to be that since they were God's people they were holy, and their actions were holy 2. Their status came not from obedience as much as that they were children of Abraham, or of a tribe of Israel C. John 8:31-59 1. Protracted discussion between Jesus and some "believing" Israelites 2. Jesus asserts that they are not Abraham's children or the children of the Father in truth, but the children of the devil (vv. 37-38, 42-44) 3. The Jews do not appreciate this in the least; this, with His declaration of being God, leads to them intending to stone Him (vv. 57-59) D. Romans 2 1. When demonstrating how all men are in sin and need redemption (Romans 1-3), Paul establishes how the Jews are in sin 2. vv. 1-11: men to be judged on the basis of their deeds, not status; no partiality with God 3. vv. 12-16: those under the Law to be judged by it; Gentiles who did not have the law but followed it a Law unto themselves 4. vv. 17-24: specific condemnation of the Jew for professing the Law without actually doing it; God's name blasphemed on account of them 5. vv. 25-29: matters of circumcision/uncircumcision: circumcision as matter of the heart, not flesh! E. These New Testament examples attest to the constant problem of the Jews: professing God, trusting in lineage, but not being substantively obedient! III. Old Testament Examples A. This can be seen in the OT in many places also B. Numbers 16: Korah's rebellion 1. While Israel was in the wilderness, some men rose up against Moses 2. Internal logic very interesting in verse 3: holiness of the people manifest in the LORD's presence among them 3. Since the LORD was among them, they must be holy; since Moses and Aaron chided the people for their faithlessness, they had "gone too far" 4. vv. 22-32: the earth swallows up the instigators and their houses 5. vv. 47-50: plague sent out by the LORD 6. It is manifest, then, that Korah's logic was inherently flawed, and it cost him and thousands of Israelites their lives! C. Jeremiah 7: the Temple of the LORD 1. The people of Judah were confident that God would never allow Jerusalem to be destroyed because His house-- the Temple-- was there 2. They trusted in that deceptive thought (v. 4) 3. Their presence was only guaranteed if they were faithful (vv. 3, 5) 4. If not, God would destroy the place and its people (vv. 13-34) 5. God did indeed have Jerusalem and the Temple destroyed and the people exiled (2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 36) 6. They trusted in the wrong things! D. These are some of many examples that show how Israel trusted in the wrong things! IV. Obedience and Birth A. We have seen, then, how Israel went terribly wrong in presuming that simple status or birth or being God's people was sufficient for God B. Things have not changed today! C. We cannot expect status, birth, or simply claiming to be God's people will be enough for us to be saved! 1. Yes, it is important for us to be baptized and enter into Christ (Romans 6:3-7, Galatians 3:27) 2. ...but we cannot expect that just because we have been baptized into Christ beforehand, that such is sufficient to guarantee our salvation! 3. We know the many Scriptures that show "once saved, always saved" is not right (Hebrews 3:12-14, Hebrews 6:4-6, 2 Peter 2:20-22, etc.); do we apply them to ourselves? 4. Do we somehow think that baptism gives us a free ticket into Heaven no matter what? We ought not! 5. Neither, however, will anyone be saved just because their parents or grandparents were good Christians 6. Habakkuk 2:4-- the righteous must live by his faith! 7. Nor can we expect that since we have some level of status that such means we will be saved! 8. We might be Christians for many years, or have served in some position-- well and good, but God shows no partiality (Romans 2:11) 9. We will stand or fall based upon what we have done (Romans 2:5-10)! D. The Bible demonstrates that obedience-- being Christ's disciples on earth and doing His will-- is the guarantee of salvation 1. 1 John 2:1-6 2. Matthew 25:14-30: consider the fate of the "one talent" servant! 3. Luke 8:5-18: consider the thorny soil and what can be taken away! 4. Matthew 13:47-50 5. Matthew 7:21-23, Luke 13:25-30: many people who have every reason in their own minds to expect to make it to Heaven will not! E. Part of obedience, of course, involves being baptized and other such things, but being obedient means more than being baptized! 1. Such is where Israel stumbled 2. Yes, they needed to be Abraham's descendants; yes, they received the peculiar blessing of being the people of the One True God 3. That, however, was not enough-- they had to be God's obedient people also, and they failed in that! 4. We, therefore, must certainly become part of God's people...but then we must act in ways that God desires for His people! IV. Conclusion A. We have seen how Israel failed in trusting in status 1. They thought that it was good enough to be children of Abraham, engaging in the basic concepts of Israelite identity, and that God would save them for it 2. God-- and Jesus-- showed otherwise B. Let us not stumble by the same example! 1. It is not enough to get baptized and to warm a pew 2. We must also get busy in God's Kingdom and be His servants! C. Let us do all we can to be found to be God's humble disciples-- not mere professors or pew-warmers! D. Invitation/songbook Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio (http://www.norwalkchurch.org) Website: http://www.deusvitae.com AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ#: 28317056 MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae at hotmail.com Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus Subscribe to Good News for Norwalk! goodnewsfornorwalk-subscribe at norwalkchurch.org From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri May 4 05:50:39 2007 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 06:50:39 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE CHALLENGE OF WORLDLINESS Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. THE CHALLENGE OF WORLDLINESS On the night before the cross, Jesus prayed for His discip- les, "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one" (Jno. 17: 15). This passage points to a conflict that is very personal and very real. Satan, the evil one and your principal adversa- ry, seeks to destroy you (1 Pet. 5:8). The challenge that this passage places before you and me is that of living in this sin- ful world without yielding to the siren song of temptation and becoming like the world. Before defining what it means to be worldly, consider the force of the language used in Scripture as we are warned against its deadly power. Paul admonished, "do not be con- formed to the world" (Rom. 12:2) and John said, "do not love the world" (1 Jno. 2:15). These and many other like warnings would be superfluous if the threat of being conformed to this world was not real and dangerous. There is no need to warn us against a love of the world unless we have a propensity to let our affections for the things of this world to seduce us from God. James warned, "...that friendship with the world is hostility toward God" and that, "whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (Jas. 4:4) That is strong language! God, therefore, calls us to sanctification and holiness. The apostle Paul encourages us to, "...present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification" (Rom. 6:19). Peter, referring to Lev. 11:44, commanded, "but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy'" (1 Pet. 1:15,16). God wants you to be different in your attitude (Matt. 16:25,26; Lk. 12:15), your actions (1 Pet. 4:1-6; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1), your associations (1 Cor. 15:33), your aspirations (Col. 3:2), your attire (1 Tim. 2:9), and your articu- lations (Eph. 4:29). The message is unmistakable; God wants His people to be different from the world! What then is the world from which we are to be so differ- ent? What does it mean to be worldly? The word world (Gr. kosmos) and its usages are both interesting and informative. First, W.E. Vine says that the word world primarily means "order, arrangement, ornament, adornment." It is used in this way to describe a woman's dress in 1 Pet. 3:3 (adorn). Seco- nd, somewhere in time and probably owing to the order and arrangement that men could observe around them, the word began to be used to describe this terrestrial orb upon which we live (Acts 17;24). Third, the word is sometimes used meta- phorically in Scripture to describe men who live on the earth, particularly the realm of unregenerate men who need the sav- ing blood of Jesus Christ (Jno. 3:16). Fourth, Strong's Enhan- ced Lexicon says that the word world is sometimes used to describe "world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly. The whole circle of earthly goods, endowments, riches, advantag- es, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleet- ing, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ." It is this latter use of the word that needs more attention. A man is worldly when he possesses the disposition of heart to emphasize the things of the world over the things of the spirit. We often associate worldliness with things like immorality, immodesty, gambling, social drinking, dancing, profanity, vulgarity, etc. These things are manifestations of worldliness but the disease is far worse than any one of its symptoms. Worldliness is fundamentally a dispostion of heart; a leaning toward this world and the things in it above things that are higher and spiritual in their nature. It is mind- ing earthly things instead of heavenly things (Phil. 3:18-20). Seeking other things above the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33). It is being more concerned about outward appearance than inward character (1 Pet. 3:3,4). It is when viewed at this level that I see worldliness as a cancer eating at the heart of the body of Christ, particularly in the opulent country in which we live. This heart problem simply must be overcome (1 Jno. 5:4). Jesus said, "...I am not of this world" (Jno. 17:16) and "My kingdom is not of this world..." (Jno. 18:36). He "gave Him- self for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age" (Gal. 1:4). The love of this world and the love of God are incompatible (1 Jno. 2:15) and, "the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever" (1 Jno. 2:17). These lyrics by Albert E. Brumley remind us: This world is not my home, I'm just a passing thru. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond he blue; The angels beckon me from heaven's open door, And I can't feel at home in this world anymore. ------- Jim Deason in Biblical Insights, Vol. 6, No. 11, Nov. 2006. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070504/b4f77df0/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri May 4 05:50:27 2007 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 06:50:27 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) IN WORD OR IN DEED Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Friday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article from my files: IN WORD OR IN DEED "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Col. 3:17). This command covers quite thoroughly the overt behavior and th covert behavior of people. Whatever the law says, it say to those who are under the law (Rom. 3: 19). Since all are amenable to the law of Christ, people are duty-bound to hear and obey His words. "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day," Jesus said in (Jno. 12:48). This statement answers once and for all whether sinners are amendable to the particulars of the law of Christ. Words are the essential vehicles of thought. They are so important that Jesus said, "For by your words you will be just- ified, and by your worlds you will be condemned" (Matt. 12: 37). It is not that words are sufficient in themselves to accom- plish the will of God; for John says, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 Jno. 3:18). Neither was John diminishing the importance of words; for he penned the words of Jesus about speech and its importance, and he, himself, used words effectively to teach truth. Peter understood the importance of truthful words, speaking to Jesus, "Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (Jno. 6:68). John said, "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (Jno. 1:17). Paul's message to Agrippa consisted of "the words of truth and reason" (Acts 26:25). Wrongly used, words stir up anger (Prov. 15:1), incite riots (Acts 19:25-29), seduce to immorality (Prov. 6:23,24), subvert the hearers by false doctrines (Acts 15:24; Ti. 1:10,11). Words properly used exhort (Acts 2:40), comfort according to truth (1 Thes. 4:13-18), teach sound doctrine (2 Tim. 1:13; Ti. 2:7,8), reprove and correct (2 Tim. 3:16,17), and make known the promises of God (2 Pet. 1:2-11; Heb. 13:5,6). Words are used to praise God (Lk. 2:14), and to blaspheme (Mk. 3:28,29). Words express the thoughts and intents of the heart (Matt. 12:34). Deeds are the product of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Matt. 12:35). As by our words, so by our deeds we will be judged (Rom. 2:5,6; Heb. 13:4; Rev. 20:12). All of our deeds are done under the authority of Jesus Christ (Matt. 28: 18). This includes our occupational behavior (Eph. 4:28), our civic behavior (Rom. 13; 1 Pet. 2:13-17), our family behavior (Eph. 5:22-6:4), our primary obedience to the truth for salvat- ion from sins (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38), and our worship and ser- vice as believers in God (Jno. 4:24). We must give preemin- ent time and importance to our duty to God (Matt. 6:33); therefore, we must not allow other responsibilities to preempt our worship and edification according to God's direction. Anything that does not occur within the scope of Christ's aut- hority is outside the behavior given by Christ for His people's manner of life. Our text makes this fact very clear. It is not satisfactory to substitute one part of obedience for another (Matt. 15:3-6), or to justify one act of disobedience by point- ing out that we have obeyed in another instance (Jas. 2:11; 1 Sam. 15:10-26). We must be doers of the word in all of the particulars that God has told us to do (Jas. 1:22-27). We must not become weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not (Gal. 6:1-10). Our words and deeds are ordered of the Lord; therefore, let us be obedient children of God (Jas. 1:13-19). ----------- Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070504/28868929/attachment.html From jssmith at electronicgospel.com Fri May 4 09:02:58 2007 From: jssmith at electronicgospel.com (Jeff S. Smith) Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 09:02:58 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] A> Political Evolution Message-ID: Political Evolution By J.S. Smith The now deceased pope of Rome made waves a few years ago when he confessed that he felt that the popular concept of evolution was ?more than a hypothesis.? Regardless of what he might have meant, many seized upon his comments as evidence that even ?Christians? must eventually accept Darwinian macroevolution as the only logical explanation of an apparently old earth. Of course, many professing Christians have done exactly that ? encouraged by a godless educational system and the relentless drumbeat of media, popular culture and persecution. The first Republican debate of the 2008 election cycle is further proof. Even as they attempt to court the votes of evangelical Christians, most of the candidates were not afraid to choose evolution and to relegate creation either to myth, metaphor or, at best, a partner to evolution. Moderator Christ Matthews asked the panel of 10 candidates to raise their hands if they did not believe in evolution, implying Darwinian macroevolution rather than the microevolution which everyone accepts because it has nothing to do with cross-species mutations. Only Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, fomer Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and Coloroado Congressman Tom Tancredo lifted their hands, while Mitt Romney, Rudy Guiliani and John McCain joined four others in denial. Creation is rapidly becoming a minority conviction despite the fact that there is no supporting fossil record for Darwinism, the missing link remains undiscovered and no one has yet found a natural explanation for the existence of the universe. This statement is categorical. To believe in the Bible is to believe in creation ? the creation account given in Genesis 1 and accepted by the psalmist (19) and the savior (Matthew 19). To believe in the God of the Bible is to believe in an intelligent designer and creator, rather than the incalculably impossible coincidences required to sustain a big bang and Darwinian mutation. Faith is at the heart of this argument. Faith in the Bible as the revealed and reliable word of God is essential to Christianity and scriptural morality. If one cannot rely on the Bible as it regards where we came from, how can we ever trust it to tell us who we are and where we are going? Christians who integrate macroevolution into their faith become servants of doubt and pertinent themes like miracles, resurrection and heaven require the same kind of faith as creation. Faith is at the heart of this argument, for the evolutionist simply evangelizes a different brand. He also walks by faith and not by sight, for he does not observe macroevolution and cannot find a fossil record or missing link to sustain his hypothesis ? but he believes it nonetheless. Bad science makes for really bad faith. JEFF S. SMITH Evangelist for the Woodmont church of Christ Publisher of ElectronicGospel Host of ElectronicGospel Podcast Director of BYA Buddy Ball -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070504/8c4fea4f/attachment-0001.html From seansullivan at charter.net Fri May 4 10:32:20 2007 From: seansullivan at charter.net (T. Sean Sullivan) Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 10:32:20 -0500 Subject: [Biblemat] The Passing of Brother Bob Wylie Message-ID: <001d01c78e61$680999a0$6466a8c0@sean1a4c1f786> To All, Sean Sullivan here,Main Street Church of Christ, Newbern, TN. We are caught between sorrow and joy as we have lived to see the passing of one of our elders Bob Wylie. Bob and his wife Janie have diligently worked in their roles here for many years. They have also been "pillars" in other works especially in Tennesse and Kentucky. Another soldier is gone on to his reward. Please pray for the family and for the work here in Newbern. Cards or letters can be sent to: Janie Wylie P.O. Box 95 Yorkville, TN 38389 Sean +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ T. Sean Sullivan 306 B West Main Street Newbern, Tennessee 38059 My Site: www.sullivandrawing.com The Congregation's Site: www.mainstreetcofc.com "Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:8) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070504/3366ea40/attachment-0001.html From kthomas at ntslink.net Fri May 4 10:51:35 2007 From: kthomas at ntslink.net (kenneth Thomas) Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 10:51:35 -0500 (Central Daylight Time) Subject: [Biblemat] Poem, Mechanical Praise of The Almighty? Message-ID: <463B5687.00000A.01688@KENSCOMPUTER> Mechanical Praise of The Almighty? By Kenneth E. Thomas No! Not under the gospel dispensation! The apostles were guided into "all truth" We can?t just satisfy our own sensations! The New Testament teaches us to "sing" The aim is to praise Him as well as teach Mechanical devices, do the Scriptures breach! He could have said, "make music" right? But that just isn?t what our Lord has said As we use the heart, we do what He plead! We dare not pray with the "prayer wheel" As it is turned about by man or the wind Nor can music praise Him, with devices of men! He said "sing" not "make music" that means The melody is to be made in the human heart When we "play" in worship, the faith we depart! There are two elements to true worship It must be done "in spirit and in truth" Any other method, is just plain uncouth! (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 14:15; Jas. 5:13; Col. 3:17; Rev. 22:18-19; John 4:23-24). Kenneth E. Thomas Pekin church of Christ 1451 Valle Vista Blvd. Pekin, IL 61554 1 (309) 347-3582 - Office 1 (309) 347-5645 - Home -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070504/544c9a5d/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 251 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070504/544c9a5d/attachment-0003.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 289 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070504/544c9a5d/attachment-0004.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 18861 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070504/544c9a5d/attachment-0005.gif From kthomas at ntslink.net Fri May 4 14:07:38 2007 From: kthomas at ntslink.net (kenneth Thomas) Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 14:07:38 -0500 (Central Daylight Time) Subject: [Biblemat] Poem, Your Life's Foundation Rock or Sand? Message-ID: <463B847A.000003.03020@KENSCOMPUTER> Your Life?s Foundation Rock or Sand? By Kenneth E. Thomas The "wise man" builds his house on a rock The "foolish man" builds his on the sand Surely the one building on the rock will do The house built on the sand will not stand! When the storms of life come and they will Only a life built on Christ will pass the test A life that is built on the wisdom of men Knows not the life of a Christian is best! He is adrift without chart or compass Whose god is not the Lord Jesus Christ "For other foundation can no man lay" I said it once let me say it at least twice! When you stand before your Maker Will He say to you "My child well done" Because Christ was your life?s foundation Because you followed the only sinless one? (Matthew 7:24-28; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Acts 4:10-12; Isaiah 28:16; Phil. 2:5-11; John 14:6; Acts 3:22-23; Colossians 3:17) Kenneth E. Thomas Pekin church of Christ 1451 Valle Vista Blvd. Pekin, IL 61554 1 (309) 347-3582 - Office 1 (309) 347-5645 - Home -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 18861 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070504/58fcdb05/attachment-0005.gif From kerux at bellsouth.net Fri May 4 16:50:37 2007 From: kerux at bellsouth.net (kerux) Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 17:50:37 -0400 Subject: [Biblemat] A>They Promised To Put Away Their Wives (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: <001001c78e96$40c5ec60$5401a8c0@kentpc> They Promised To Put Away Their Wives (Kent Heaton) The book of Ezra is a remarkable book of "those whose spirits God had moved" (Ezra 1:5). The city of Jerusalem lay in ruins for seven decades and the house of the Lord was burned. Zerubbabel led the faithful back to Jerusalem and the Temple was rebuilt. The faith of the people was focused upon the protection of Jehovah before they rebuilt the city walls under the leadership of Nehemiah. In the process of this spiritual renewal, the leaders came to Ezra and declared, "The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands . For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons" (Ezra 9:1-2). Ezra was ashamed and humiliated because of this sin. The people also were ashamed and weeping came to Ezra declaring they had trespassed against God by taking pagan wives from the peoples of the land. In a extraordinary act of faith in Jehovah God and the will of "those whose spirits God had moved" with the power of His word - the people declared they would make a "covenant with our God to put away all the women, and such as have been born of them, according to the counsel of the Lord, and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. And let it be done according to the Law" (Ezra 10:3). The tenth chapter of Ezra shows they fulfilled their promise by putting away their pagan wives and even those who had children. One cannot but be touched with the deep fervency of their love for the will of God. They had struggled to return to a city in ruins to rebuild the house of the Lord. Through adversity and opposition to rebuilding the Temple, those of a willing mind completed the work. It was a hard and arduous task to rebuild stone by stone the glory of the Temple. These were extraordinary people of faith. They not only possessed the fortitude to fight for the house of the Lord they also had within their hearts the conviction to mold their lives to God's will - no matter the cost. How high a price to put away a wife that you have no right to be married to? What cost does one pay to serve the kingdom of God in the marital relationship? Where are the willing hearts devoted to the Lord even it means living as a "eunuch for the kingdom of heaven's sake" (Matthew 19:12)? Was God asking something too hard for the people of Ezra's day? Would the brethren cry out, "Unfair, unfair"? Could Ezra change his teaching on the law of God concerning pagan wives? Thomas Carlyle wrote: "Conviction, were it never so excellent, is worthless till it convert itself into conduct" (Sartor Resartus, 1836). Truth is the word of God. Standing upon the foundation of truth with conviction will only be of worth when we turn that belief into action. Those of Ezra's day were passionate for the cause of the Lord and not their own desires. They were willing to take up a cross for the Lord. May we find their spirit today in the people of God to be fully devoted to the will of God - no matter the cost. "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26). Kent Heaton 207 NE Fourth Avenue Trenton, Florida 32693 (Home) 352-463-6916 (Office) 352-463-3793 (Cell) 352-283-3889 kerux at bellsouth.net www.trentonchurchofchrist.com www.northfloridabiblecamp.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070504/4e7b7829/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat May 5 05:36:42 2007 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 5 May 2007 06:36:42 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] A) GOD HAS SPOKEN Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Saturday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours. Here is an article that recently came my way: GOD HAS SPOKEN Christians, are you aware and properly vigilant regarding Satan's devices and the multitude of powerful influences of the world of sin seeking to make us a part of its realm and under its dominion? Does not history teach us that apostasy (departure from God) comes suggesting little, harmless-look- ing steps for us, rather than one mighty, wild leap of aband- on? Read about the Ephesians in Acts 20:16-38 and then their later state in Rev. 2:1-7. Secular history also tells us that the church at Ephesus became a strong influence in the apostasy of the early church. We live in a world dominated by materialism. Wealth is the primary measure of success, and people are constantly encouraged to use their resources for luxury and selfish plea- sure. God's Word is all but forgotten in the pursuit of religio- us philosophies that accentuate human wisdom and gratificat- ion of fleshly appetites. Religious authority is vested in man- kind rather than in Christ. Self-promotion is the pathway to fulfillment, and humility is equated with weakness. This is opposite to God's Truth which declares that "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble" (Jas. 4:6), and that "whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all" (Mk. 10:43,44). Issues concerning divorce and remarriage have multiplied in our generation, as saints have left their sanctification and have become partakers of the sins of society. One cannot take Matt. 5:32 and 19:9 as final authority, but they must be dissected and parsed until their meaning is about as clear as a freshly stirred mudhole. Our generation wants to toy with temptations to lust while refusing to recognize the consequen- ce of its permissiveness. Many have already departed into apostasy and sins of the flesh, and many more will follow them if Christians do not wake up and separate themselves from the ways of the world (Rom. 1; 1 Cor. 1-3; Eph. 5:1-17; Rom. 13:11). Wake up, brethren, wake up! --------- Gilbert Alexander. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070505/5d92c747/attachment-0001.html From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat May 5 05:36:50 2007 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com) Date: Sat, 5 May 2007 06:36:50 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] S) WHERE IS THE BATTLE-LINE? Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my files. Use to the glory of God. HAVE WE FORSAKEN OUR POST OF DUTY? WHERE IS THE BATTLE-LINE? The restoration movement in this country had a spectacul- ar growth, when the lines of communication were very limited. The battle-line was staked out on a "thus saith the Lord," and the forces of sectarianism were openly challenged. This movement caught the attention and captured the interest of a staid religious world. The plea was so different and its adher- ents so dogmatic! Every departure from God and His Will was openly condemned, and peace and harmony was offered only upon the ground of inspiration, with every creed and dog- ma of man surrendered. This plea won acceptance by some, but stern opposition from many more. Yet all thinking people were arrested by the challenge: "Speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where the Bible is silent. Call Bible things by Bible names and do Bible things in Bible ways." Every point of growth met more and more bitter opposition and persecution. Still, there was not one vestige of compromise, and no sacred ground was surrendered. With this spirit, victory was then assured. Preachers of that era were often unschooled in the secular affairs of the world. Without the advantages of higher ecucat- ion, they were often challenged to meet the higher echelons of theological scholarship in debate. But they were not at a disadvantage, for God's Truth was the deciding factor, and that Truth prevailed. Soon the world came to recognize a line of demarcation between the church of the Bible and the relig- ious world of denominations. The Cause faced slander, sneers, ridicule and often far more visible persecution. But it grew in strength and rejoiced daily, "Bringing in the Sheaves" New members, just recently converted, went forth declar- ing, "We call Bible things by Bible names, we do Bible things in Bible ways." They deplored "the language of Ashdod" (Neh. 13:24) and sectarian jargon, believing if a thing was Scriptural, there should also be a Scriptural term to describe it. If these new members didn't have the answer, they sought God's Book for the answer, and then in triumph quoted, "Which things we speak...Comparing spiritual things with spir- itual words" (1 Cor. 2:13). Though the religious world didn't like the sound of the challenge, they soon were forced to res- pect it. Soon the word went forth, "If you want to know what the Bible says, ask one of them Campbellites!" Had those pioneers surrendered a single principle, they would have invited disaster to their cause. Any compromise would have meant the forfeiture of their right to exist, and would have resulted in defeat. Knowing this, they were dog- matic and adamant in the demand: "Let us return to the in- spired ground, rally around the cross of Christ, accept no creed but Christ and no church but His church." Yes, they were denounced as "modern Ishmaelites, whose hand is against every man," but they still walked with respect! Their plea became the rallying point for all who recognized the trag- edy of sectarian strife and denominational confusion. The wrath of religious bigots only intensified zeal of discerning people for pure and unadulterated Christianity. History attests to the success of this movement, and it is easy to analyze the factors which brought that success. This distinctive plea and their close adherence to Bible principles won the battle. They triumphed over all opposition because they clung to the Scriptures and would not be either driven or enticed from them. And as a result of their unflinching de- votion and zealous endeavor, we have received as our herit- age a church which has come to numerical strength, power, prestige, and popular acceptance. But I wonder, have we surrendered the basic ground our forbears have hallowed? Are we still maintaining the same battle-lines? Are we still "set for the defense of the gospel" (Phil. 1:16)? Are new converts being instilled with the same devotion to evangelism as a couple of generations ago? Do members still fly back to the Bible for a "thus saith the Lord" whenever and wherever opposition is encountered? Every achievement to which the church can point today was made possible by the courageous work of those pioneer preachers and early converts who denounced every false way. Their speech may have been rustic and sometimes un- couth, but it effectively defended the principles of the gospel. The didn't present the veneer of culture, but they built with solid oak of Truth. They may have appeared awkward in strid- ing from the corn field or cotton patch to preach, but they had a quality to "grace God's pulpit" on the Lord's day. It was to "preach Christ, and Him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:1,2) that filled their thoughts and sanctified their efforts. Those pioneer preachers of nearly 200 years ago sought not polish of fancy phrases or cultural approach. They knew the tragedy of sin, the horrors of hell and the certainty of God's judgment -- and they were campaigning for the souls of men. If their sermons wer not scholarly, they were Scriptu- ral. They didn't get fat paychecks, but they got results. They were not able to gesture to a heated baptistry, but they led myriads of candidaties into creeks, rivers, ponds and horse- troughs, and there they baptized them into Christ, "For the remission of sins...And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:38,47). They did not ex- pend much effort extolling the glories of "congregational aut- onomy" and "local financial responsibility." But they instruct- ed those new converts with the admonition: "You have a good story to tell. Go, tell it!" God's battle-line has not changed. We may have retreated from it and sacrificed principle it once defended. If so, we have surrendered: but the battle-line remains the same. The world must be constantly reminded: "No book but the Bible. No creed but the Christ. No way but His way. No church but His church." We must accept no authority save that of Christ and must oppose evry human synod, council or conference that would enslave the souls of men in the traditions and teachings of men. We must hold forth the Bible as the all- sufficient guide in all religious matters, and show that any addition, subtraction or alteration is an insult to the God who gave it. Let the whole world know that anyone going beyond "the doctrine of Christ hath not God" (2 Jno. 9-11). We stand self-condemned if we fellowship error in religion (Gal. 2:18). Any "regrouping, restructioning, or modifying of forces due to changing social conditions" is a sinister threat against the church -- whether it is spawned without or within the body of Christ. The original order of things cannot be forsak- en and no compromise can be allowed. If the ancient land- marks are not maintained, we will find tht we have won many members, but have lost the Cause! Let us beware lest that which has been won by distinctive plea and dogmatic adheren- ce to principles be lost by compromise and apostasy. --------- Adapted from an article by Dillard Thurman first written on March 27, 1964 and reprinted in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 56, No. 18, May 4, 2007. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.net/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20070505/9729c358/attachment-0001.html From GLClair at aol.com Sat May 5 17:28:11 2007 From: GLClair at aol.com (GLClair at aol.com) Date: Sat, 5 May 2007 18:28:11 EDT Subject: [Biblemat] Hilliard Bulletin for May 2007 Message-ID: HILLIARD BULLETIN GOSPEL MEETING May 13-18, 2007 Plan to be here if possible. Info. 850-7252 Published by the church of Christ 4840 Cemetery Road ? P.O. Box 96 Hilliard, Ohio, 43026 Phone: (614) 876-4089 Editor: Garreth L. Clair Phone: (614) 850-7252 Email: _glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) ============================================================================== === Volume 9 Number 5 May 2007 ============================================================================== === CONTENTMENT Editor The great malady that affects so many people today is a lack of real contentment. Now, contentment is the quiet acceptance of unchangeable circumstances and conditions of life that we receive naturally and a willingness to change [i.e. use our free-moral-agency] those conditions and circumstance that are themselves under our power to change. The lack of contentment therefore in many cases is caused by our own unwillingness to change that which we are capable of changing. There are many people who could make their lives better by increasing their degree of contentment with life changes and modifications that will not do so. To these people we urgently suggest that they examine the reasons for their unhappiness and discontent and come to a radically new decision ? put forth an all out effort to change the situations that are causing you discontent. The individual who suffers from unhappiness and lacks contentment may be able to become contented with their life through a change in relationship with their Creator [i.e. God]. The concept that a change in man?s relationship with God will give them a sense of contentment is grounded, not only in common sense but also in the teachings of the Bible [i.e. God?s instructions to mankind]. Please observe the following Biblical information in this regard: 1. GOD KNOWS WHAT MAN IS AND WHAT HE NEEDS: God is the Creator, not only of mankind but of man?s environment - Genesis 1:1-3, ?1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water.? God created man, Genesis Gen 2:21-24, ?21 And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof: 22 and the rib, which Jehovah God had taken from the man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And the man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.? ASV 2. GOD PROVIDED EVERYTHING FOR MAN SO THAT MAN MIGHT BE CONTENT: Even though God made man perfect, man was given the ability to choose between good and evil. This human quality was given to man so that man might voluntarily choose to obey God, thus glorifying him. Man has always possessed the ability to choose to serve God or to reject God, this quality is necessary for man?s very survival. Someone may say, ?Why, then did God make us so that we could commit sin?? This is a good question but simple to answer from God?s perspective, if God had created man to automatically [i.e. robot fashion] obey him, what glory would that have been? If man had been made like a robot his responses to God?s instruction would have been automatic ? Since God made man with ?free-will?, man has the ability to individually submit self to the instruction of God thereby glorifying God ? cf. 1 Peter 4:11,?if any man speaketh, (speaking) as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, (ministering) as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ? ASV Indeed, God has provided everything man needs to survive this world and eventually go to heaven if man chooses correctly with his innate ability. Please observe the following Biblical references: 2 Peter 1:3-4, ?3 seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; 4 whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.? ASV 3. MAN IS UNABLE OF HIMSELF TO FORMULATE A PROCESS THAT WILL SAVE HIM FROM HIS SINS: Now, sin is a transgression of Divine Law ? Sin is a failure to comply with Divine instruction ? sin is a missing of the mark [i.e. pattern] set by God, etc. Man may know what God?s instructions for his well being are by seeking His guidance via the Written Word [i.e. the Bible]. Jeremiah 10:23, ?O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.? ASV --- Since man cannot know without God telling him, man must go to God?s Book and seek knowledge and wisdom about surviving happily this life [i.e. until physical death]. Many people today are wandering from place to place, from relationship to relationship, from church to church, seeking peace and security. Only God is able to give this to us, we must seek wisdom from above [i.e. from God?s Book]