[Biblemat] Walking in the Light (10/14/07)

Mon Oct 22 21:00:54 CDT 2007

Walking in the Light

"For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light."
"The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the
simple." 

"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with
one another...."
(Psalm 36:9; 119:130; 1 John 1:7a)

October 14, 2007

www.thetfordcountry.com <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/> 

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INFORMATION: My WEB Site  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/>
www.thetfordcountry.com has just been updated to include the articles and
sermons listed below. All the sermons posted each week to my web site are in
.pdf format.  The PowerPoint charts are also included with ALL the sermons
that are posted to the web site. To access the sermons page, visit the site
and click on "Richard's Page" and then click on "sermons." Please visit the
"Reference Works" links page for updated links to various Bible study
resources. If you are a newcomer to the area or wanting information
concerning the San Juan church of Christ here in Montrose, Colorado, then
click on the San Juan church of Christ Web Site at
<http://www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org/> www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org. Thank
you for visiting my web site and as always, your comments are welcome. 

If you know of someone that would like to receive the "Walking in the Light"
electronic bulletin each week, please send an e-mail message to
<mailto:Richard at Thetfordcountry.com> Richard at Thetfordcountry.com  with their
name and e-mail address and I will add them to the list.

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CONTENTS:

"How Are We Saved By Grace?" (Richard Thetford)

"Some People Who Cannot Be Saved" (L. L. Geiger)

"The Bible: The Only Inspired Creed" (Richard Thetford)

"Distinctive Character" (Selected)

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HOW ARE WE SAVED BY GRACE?

Richard Thetford

All Christians will admit that they are saved by grace, but how? It would do
us good to look at some passages of scripture that shows us that we are
saved by grace as a result of obeying the gospel of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ.

In Acts 20:32 we can see that we are able to be built up by the word of His
grace and in Acts 15:27 we see that the word is the gospel. There it says
"We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same
things by mouth." Here are two individuals that spoke the gospel of Christ
which was delivered by the grace of God.

We are told that "we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand"
(Rom 5:2). In 1 Cor 15:1 Paul says that we stand in the gospel. When we
stand firm in the gospel of our Lord, God's grace will be with us.

In other comparisons we can see that grace appeared to "all men" in Titus
2:11 and that the gospel is to be preached to every creature in Colossians
1:23. Grace came by teaching (Tit 2:11-12) and the gospel came by teaching
(Matt 28:19). We are saved by grace (Eph 2:8) and we're saved by the gospel
(1 Cor 15:2). 

We should be able to see then that as we obey the gospel and with it thereby
saved, we likewise are saved by the grace of God who promises us salvation
IF we do His will (Matt 7:21-23).

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SOME PEOPLE WHO CANNOT BE SAVED

L. L. Geiger

1) THOSE WHO DO NOT DESIRE IT: However wonderful heaven is, if a person does
not want to go there, then neither he nor his loved ones can have any hope
of his going. God does not force one to love Him and to dwell in eternal
happiness. Man was made a free moral agent to choose for himself his eternal
destiny and God respects his choice, whether it be wise or unwise.

2) THOSE WHO REFUSE GOD'S WILL: According to Paul's writing in Romans
10:13-15, people must hear the word and answer the call. The gospel is
preached that men may know what to do and those who refuse to respond cannot
please Him.

3) THOSE WHO HOLD TO THEIR SINS: Iniquity is a cloud that separates the
guilty from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). This must be removed if God would be
approached. The one who will not turn away from evil will not let God save
him (Luke 13:3)

4) THOSE WHO TRUST IN THEIR OWN WORKS: To have confidence in self is fine,
but no man can save himself (Jeremiah 10:23); additional help must be
accepted. A man may decide on what pleases him, but God does not see as do
men, and He is the one to specify the conditions by which the lost may
return to safety. If he is not obedient, man cannot be saved (Matthew 7:21)

5) THOSE WHO HOLD GRUDGES: The Lord said "But if ye forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew
6:15). The one who will not forgive another shows that he has no capacity
for the quality, hence can receive none.

6) THOSE WHO ARE CARELESS: Since men have no lease on life it is exceedingly
unwise to put off serving God. The careless are wasting opportunities,
exhibiting little faith, having the wrong influence, being possessed of a
spirit of lethargy, and are not true to the Lord and cannot be saved.

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THE BIBLE: THE ONLY INSPIRED CREED

Richard Thetford

Many religious denominations use something in addition to the Bible to
authorize the various religious practices that they do. Yet the Bible is the
only inspired creed. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto
all good works" (2 Tim 3:16-17). When man adds or subtracts from God's
inspired word (Rev 22:18-19), religious division occurs - and there is a lot
of that today! The Bible is the only book that meets the needs of the whole
world (Mark 16:15). It is pure (Psa 119:140), perfect (Psa 19:7), enduring
(Luk 21:33; 1 Pet 1:25), and we will be judged by it (John 12:48).
Therefore, since the Bible is the law in which we will be judged by, why
would one want to follow creeds of man? Can man save us? Can man take the
place of Christ and be the propitiation for our sins?  Human creeds are not
inspired, don't meet the needs of the world, are not perfect, and are
constantly being revised. Is the Bible the only creed that rules your life?

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DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER

Selected

Christian character is distinctive; a disciple's life is to be different. A
Christian follows a different standard in an age when standards of any kind
are being challenged. The Christian believes that his or her life is
patterned according to the unchanging moral demands of the Bible.

Moral and righteous behavior is not dependent on subjective sources of man's
ways and thought. It is not a matter of every person doing what is right in
his own eyes, or of believing every preacher that says: "God spoke to my
heart and said for me to tell you..."

God has already spoken! He's spoken in His inerrant word, the inspired
scriptures of the Bible.

When people follow this holy revelation, man's ultimate authority, they
develop distinctive characters. A Christian is convinced that God's love and
wisdom are His standards. A Christian who follows diligently God's word
wants a new life because he knows this is what pleases God. Loving God and
keeping His commandments develops a character that is a blessing to one and
all.

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SERMON

Let Us Examine Ourselves (with PowerPoint Charts)

Sermons can viewed at my web site:  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/>
www.thetfordcountry.com

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Meets at:

1414 Hawk Parkway, Unit C
Montrose, CO   81401
(970) 249-8116

 <http://www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org/> www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org

ASSEMBLY SCHEDULE

SUNDAY
Bible Study....................10:00 A.M.
Worship.........................11:00 A.M.
WEDNESDAY
Bible Study......................6:30 P.M.

Evangelist
Richard Thetford

(970) 626-5558

E-Mail:  <mailto:Richard at Thetfordcountry.com> Richard at Thetfordcountry.com

Web Site:  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com/> www.thetfordcountry.com

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Richard Thetford

E-Mail:  <mailto:Richard at Thetfordcountry.com> Richard at Thetfordcountry.com

1491 Canyon Drive, Ridgway, CO  81432

Home: (970) 626-5558

Please visit my web site:  <http://www.thetfordcountry.com>
www.thetfordcountry.com

Evangelist, San Juan church of Christ

 <http://www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org> www.sanjuanchurchofchrist.org

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