By Edd Sterchi In
Psalm 19:7-11, we can read of some of the incredible aspects of God’s word:
“The law of the Lord is perfect, [a]converting the soul; 1)
It is from the LORD – God has given us His holy word. 2)
It is perfect – there are no errors or flaws in it whatsoever. 3)
It brings the words of salvation – in it we can learn how to be saved. 4)
It is sure – it is fixed and will never change. 5)
It brings wisdom – it helps us to be of sound mind. 6)
It is right – it will never lead us down the wrong path. 7)
It brings joy – it can delight our hearts to the fullest extent. 8)
It is pure – it is unpolluted from the influence of the world. 9)
It brings enlightenment – it puts everything into proper perspective. 10)
It is clean – it is uncontaminated from men’s opinions. 11)
It is eternal – it will never perish or fade away. 12)
It is true – there is not even a hint of falsehood in it. 13)
It is righteous – and it is where we learn how to live righteously. 14)
It is precious – the treasures found in it are priceless. 15)
It is sweet – it tastes wonderful to our soul. 16)
It is instructional – it warns us of the consequence of not obeying it. 17)
It is rewarding – it reveals blessings that come from following it. Maybe we should spend a little (or a lot) more time in it. What do you think? |
- Edd Sterchi preaches for
the Broadway Church of Christ in Campbellsville, KY. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website: http://www.broadwaychurchofchrist.net/  |
Sunday, May 21, 2023
God’s Word is Beyond Wonderful!
Fled For Refuge
By Joe
Slater The God we serve keeps His promises! Due to
His holy nature, it is impossible for Him to lie. Yet, to help us in our
weakness, He not only promised to bless the world through the seed of Abraham,
but swore with an oath that He would keep His promise. Therefore, “We may have
strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before
us” (Hebrews 6:18). These words call to mind at least two Old
Testament practices with which the original readers of Hebrews would have been
familiar. First, fleeing for refuge takes us to Numbers 35 where six cities
were appointed as safe zones where a person who had killed another should flee.
There he would receive a fair trial. If guilty of murder, he would be executed;
but if the killing was justified or accidental, the avenger of blood couldn’t
harm him. Nevertheless, the manslayer would have to remain inside the city of
refuge until the death of the High Priest. Sinners flee to God for refuge through
Christ, and the Lord adds the saved to the church (Acts 2:47). Jesus is our High
Priest forever (Hebrews 6:20). He will never die! Therefore, we must remain
faithful within the body of Christ (the church) as long as we live. “Laying hold” of the hope set before us
reminds us of another practice: laying hold of the horns of the altar. Solomon’s
brother, Adonijah, and later the army captain, Joab, did so as a place of
presumed safety. Unfortunately for them, both were guilty and therefore were
executed. Rather than running to an altar, we lay
hold of the hope we have in Christ. Hebrews 6:19-20 compares this hope to an
anchor firmly secured in the presence of Christ in Heaven itself. Hope keeps us
from being blown off course, as it were, by the trials and temptations we face. |
- Joe Slater serves as
minister of the Church of Christ in Justin, TX. He may be contacted through the
congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com |
Can We Do More?
By
Bill Brandstatter Often Christians feel bad because they are
not able to do more for the church. Certainly, there are times when as
individuals, we need to do more. That may include inviting others, encouraging
others, attending Bible classes and worship, praying more for others. Sometimes
phone calls, visits, or notes are great ways to help others to live better, be
more faithful, and be encouraged. Others sometimes see the church in decline,
or they notice more needs to be done. Sometimes we ask, “Can we do more?” The
answer is YES; but to what extent is this possible? Everybody is not the same. Paul indicates
in Romans 12:4 that every person in the body has a different function. God
expects us to fulfill our function. Paul told Timothy, “Do the work of an evangelist.”
Timothy had work to do. I am not expected by God to do what others are more
capable of doing. God expects me to do what I can with the ability I have (1
Pet. 4:11). Everybody can do something. In Mark chapter
14, a woman with an alabaster box did something. She was criticized for not
doing more. Jesus said, “She has done what she could do.” (vs. 8) Notice Jesus
did not expect her to do what the critics mentioned. Mark records, “They
criticized her sharply” (Mark 14:5). We don't know the reason that she couldn't
do more; but Jesus accepted what she did and praised her for it. Sometimes
people don't do anything because of criticism. Like the woman in our text,
others will look at the work that ought to be done and criticize. Perhaps some think
that their work is to criticize others. Because of criticism, or the
possibility of it, some people won't do what they ought to be doing (John
12:42, 43). Let us not be criticizers, but encouragers and exhorters. Everybody has reasons they can't do more.
Sometimes time constraints prevent a person from doing more. A mother with
children is constrained by time. God expects a mother to take care of the home,
her husband, and her children. If she can do more that is great. Many women do,
but not all are able to do this. When Paul stated that a woman would be saved
in her childbearing, he simply meant that a mother has a place that is
important to God. (1 Tim. 2:15) In our day, there may be times a person
can't do more because of health, transportation, or situations meaning that
person can only do a certain amount. We should not be critical of those who
can't do more, but rather encourage them in whatever area they are serving. Everybody has a responsibility to do
something for the Lord. Perhaps all I can do is make a phone call. Others may
be able to send a card. The Lord only expects me to do what I can. Certainly
not everyone can preach or teach a Bible class. Some can't lead singing. Others
can't teach a children's class. Everybody can do something, however. We need to
find our niche in the local congregation then do it to the best of our ability.
We are not perfect. We will make mistakes. Christianity and service both
involve growth, however. |
- Bill Brandstatter preaches for the Marion Church of Christ in
Marion, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://marionchurchofchrist.com/ |
Understanding How the Church Grows—Emulation
By
Brian Mitchell One of the most important principles for
the modern church to seriously consider is how to most effectively to grow. So,
if the church is not growing as God designed it to do, then we need to ask
ourselves what we are doing to hinder it. Thus, for the last 2 months we have
been trying to identify certain marks of a healthy congregation (what they do,
where is their focus, what are their priorities, etc?). So that we might be
able to determine whether or not we are a healthy congregation and if not what we
can to change that. Thus far we have seen that healthy congregations are
congregations that: understand the need to help build one another up
(edification) and place a high priority on the level of biblical education that
is received by all of the members. They are composed of members who understand
the need to eliminate worldly habits and worldly members from among their midst
(sin in the camp). They consist of those who understand that nothing worth accomplishing
comes easy and thus they understand the value of hard work and effort. And
finally, they have a solid program of encouragement for all members of the
church. Healthy churches have a strong emphasis on
evangelism which we will discuss next week. And our lesson today, they are
composed of members that are devoted to emulating the right examples, the right
individuals, and the right qualities in their lives. To emulate means “to try
to equal or surpass, to imitate a person or thing admired, to rival
successfully.” When it comes to creating a healthy and thus growing church, it
is the middle definition that we are particularly interested in. For churches to be healthy they must of
necessity be composed of members that are healthy and healthy Christians are
those who understand who it is that they are trying to become like. The problem
that many churches are facing is that some Christians don’t know who or what
they are supposed to be like. They are emulating people; their examples, their
character, their dress, their speech etc.; but the problem is that the people
they are emulating are not worthy of Christian emulation. Thus their dress,
speech, character and examples are not worthy of Christian emulation. Who are you trying to imitate? If you are
more worried about what your family, friends, co-workers, fellows students,
friends think about how you look, act, and talk than you are about what God
thinks about how you look, act and talk--You have got a BIG problem in your
life. Most of which is due to the fact you are trying to impress the wrong
people by acting like the wrong people. |
- Brian Mitchell serves as a
minister with the Jackson Church of Christ in Jackson, MO. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website at https://www.jacksonchurchofchrist.net |
Seeking God?
By Ron Bartanen “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with
all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). No one finds God
by accident. They seek in vain who
would seek Him through the words of philosophers, cult leaders or even
preachers that claim to speak for God apart from the word of God. Trusting the various shallow wells of human
wisdom would leave us void of the fountain of life. Only God knows God’s heart and His purpose
and plan for man. The apostle Paul, in
speaking of the “wisdom of men” in
contrast to “the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 2), writes, “For what man
knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man that is in him? even so the
things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:11). In verse ten he made it plain that this
knowledge is not apart from the revelation of truth through Christ’s chosen
apostles, such as himself: “But God hath revealed them unto us by His
Spirit.” While a limited comprehension
of God is through His creation, as Paul asserted in Romans 1:19-20, yet a fuller
and clearer revelation of God’s truth was made in the giving of the Law of God
in written form through Moses and the prophets, the completed body of
knowledge awaited the coming of Christ. Hebrews 1:1-1-2a declared, “God, who at
sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the
prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son….” Through Christ and His inspired apostles the
gospel (good news) of Christ was to be proclaimed to “all the world” (Mark
16:15), resulting in the salvation of baptized believers (v. 16). |
- Ronald Bartanen is a retired minister who for many years served
the Lord's church in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. After
the passing of his beloved wife, Doris, Ron has relocated from Illinois to
Florida where he is near family. He may be contacted at: ron33dor@yahoo.com |
Sunday, May 14, 2023
Making Improvements To The Church
|
For a few weeks now we’ve enjoyed meeting
in our newly renovated facility. Many would say that with new flooring and
cabinets along with ceiling repairs and a fresh coat of paint we’ve made great
improvements to the church. I know what they mean, and I doubt that calling the
meeting house a “church” is as huge a problem as some make it. Nevertheless,
however desirable sprucing up our meeting place might be, we ought to be far
more concerned about improvements to the church. Church properly means assembly. It
includes, but isn’t limited to, the things we do when we’re together. The most
obvious improvement would be for everyone to show up! Hit-and-miss attendance
insults the Lord and drags the church down. When sports and recreation take a
back seat to Jesus, the church will improve. We publish assignments a month in advance
to let worship leaders know what to expect. The church improves when each
leader prepares carefully and prayerfully, well in advance, to fulfill his
role. Our God planned and prepared from eternity to save us. Can we not plan
and prepare to honor Him in worship? The church, Christ’s spiritual body,
improves only as each individual member improves. You are responsible to read
and study God’s word, laying it up in your heart that you might not sin against
Him (Psalm 119:11). You must deny ungodliness and worldly lusts while striving to
live soberly, righteously, and godly (Titus 2:11). You must not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). |
- Joe Slater serves as
minister of the Church of Christ in Justin, TX. He may be contacted through the
congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com |
Walking with Jesus Christ
By Jeff Arnette In today’s article,
we’re going to start a journey that I hope will help each of us develop a
closer walk with Jesus. We will cover topics where we consider our view of God
versus who he really is, the problem of cultural Christianity, our relationship
to Jesus, our motives, surrender, the struggles of life, how to develop our
character, and our relationships with others. The problems facing the
church isn’t culture, an ever increasing hostility toward our faith, or even
the declining numbers in our buildings. The problem facing the church is that
we’re not fully prepared to face the struggles because we are not fully
surrendered to Jesus. James 4:6-8 tells us
that we are to draw near to the Lord and in response he will draw near to us.
But it also tells adds that we need to purify our hearts because our attention
and focus can be divided easily. It’s not that we’re bad people or even bad
Christians but that life is hard. Being fully surrendered to Jesus is not a
destination that we can achieve and never have to travel that path again. Being
fully surrendered to Jesus is something that ebb’s and flows like the tides.
One moment it can be high and within hours it has retreated so far that the
rocks are exposed to the air. This happens throughout a Christians life. As Peter says in 2 Peter
1:12-15, I am not saying that you’re not focused or unfaithful to Jesus. I am
confident you know these things and are established in them. Yet, I also know
how easy it is to forget them. As long as the Lord allows me to be with you and
do my work, I consider it my aim to stir you up by way of reminder of these
powerful truths. So, what does it mean to
be fully surrendered to Jesus? It doesn’t mean that we have to become monks,
hiding from the world and focused entirely on the Word and prayer. Instead of
being a recluse we become family and group focused setting aside our natural
desires to put our survival ahead of everyone else. Instead of being monks who
read nothing but Scripture we learn to filter all of life through the teachings
of Jesus. Christianity at it finest is lived among those who need to the light
of God’s word. Biblical surrender is a
thinking surrender, carefully carved out through thoughtful self-examination
and submission to Jesus. It is to become so completely preoccupied with Jesus
that you hunger and thirst for more of him, to become just like him. Biblical
surrender, simply put, is to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29)
and fully embrace the freedoms Jesus offers. It is uncomfortable and requires a
lot of work, but the reward is basking in the light of the Son and
transformation into the image of Christ through the abiding word implanted in
our hearts and minds (Rom. 12:2; James 1:21-22). |
- Jeff Arnette preaches for
the Central Haywood church of Christ, Clyde, NC. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website: https://centralhaywoodcoc.com/ |
Focus Your Eyes
By David A. Sargent Three boys were playing on the beach. A man came along and said to them,
"Would you like to have a race and the winner receive a prize?" The boys agreed. The man told them that his race was to be different. “I will go a little farther down the beach,”
he said, “and when I give you the signal, you will start to run. The one whose footsteps form the straightest
line in the sand will be the winner.” The race commenced. The first boy kept looking at his feet to
see if his steps were straight. The
second lad kept looking at his companions to see what they were doing. The
third boy just ran on with his eyes steadfastly fixed on the man at the finish
line. Who
won the race? The boy who kept his eyes on the man and
ran toward him made the straightest path in the sand. He was the winner. “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud
of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the
sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that
is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith,
who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has
sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB). The Christian life is likened to a
race. The winner of the race receives
eternal life in heaven. The Good News is
that there isn’t just a single winner.
All of those who run the race faithfully to the end will receive the
prize (2 Timothy 4:6-8). The key to victory is to keep your eyes on
Jesus. The verb means to look away from
all other things and focus on One: Jesus. Look to Jesus, for He is the One who made
our salvation possible. He died on the
cross for our sins so that we can be forgiven and receive the gift of eternal
life (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 2:24). He
“endured the cross, despising the shame” so that we can have an eternal home in
heaven. Look to Jesus as the Supreme Example (1
Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6). Others may lead
us astray, but Jesus won’t. Seek to
follow His steps, and He will lead you in the right direction. Look to Jesus, for He is “the way, the
truth, and the life” and no one goes to the Father except through Him (John
14:6). God will save and give eternal life to
those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their
sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10),
and are baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). This is how we enter the race. Then, we must finish the race
faithfully. As we fix our eyes on Jesus
and walk (or “run”) in the light of His Word, His atoning blood continues to
cleanse us from sin (1 John 1:7-9). Fix your eyes on Jesus and follow Him
through your trusting obedience. He will
lead you to victory. |
- David
A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile,
Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled "Living
Water." To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via
their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org |
Lessons From The Seventy
By
Dan C. Bailey In Luke chapter ten, the Lord appointed
seventy disciples to go out and preach that the kingdom of God was nigh. As he
sent them out he gave them specific instructions. Let us carefully and prayerfully
consider some of the lessons that he taught them as he sent them to preach the
word of God. Jesus taught that "...the harvest
truly is great" (Luke 10:2). Jesus knew that there were many who needed to
hear the word of the coming kingdom. Jesus was not a pessimist. He saw a great
harvest for God. Brethren, the harvest is still there. We can win souls for
Christ if we prayerfully plant the gospel of Christ in the hearts of lost
sinners. Jesus taught that "... the laborers
are few" (Luke 10:2). We need more workers in the kingdom God. There can
be no harvest without workers. Every Christian is commanded to be a soul winner
for the Lord. The great commission which was given to the apostles, must be
preached until the end of the world. "And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world
Amen" (Mathew 28:18-20). Jesus taught that his disciples should pray
that "...the Lord of the harvest would send forth reapers into his
harvest" (Luke 10:2): God will bless us with workers when we pray and
trust absolutely in His word. The great providence of God could bless us with
another man with a heart like Paul, but first he must be converted. We must
work harder in order to reach more of the lost Brethren, let us pray about
these matters. Jesus taught the seventy, "He that
heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that
despiseth me despiseth him that sent me" (Luke 10:16). In principle, when
we teach the true gospel of Christ, we are acting on the commands of our Lord.
If people hear God's faithful servants, then they hear Christ. If they despise
God's servants, then they despise Christ. And if they despise Christ} they
despise God the Father. Those who refuse to obey the Lord will "...be
thrust down to hell" (Luke 10:15). When the seventy returned they rejoiced in
that "...even the devils" were subject unto them through the name of
Jesus (Luke 10:17). Jesus said, "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that
the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are
written in heaven" (Luke 10:20). Brethren, their names were written in
heaven because they were faithful disciples of Christ. That is what we are
whenever we go out and do what the Lord said to do. Let us all work together in
order to help reach the lost. With God's help, we shall have a great harvest.
May God help us to be active in His service! |
- Dan
C. Bailey serves as a minister with the State Street Church of Christ in Bristol,
VA. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at https://www.thelordsway.com/statestreetchurchofchrist/framedindex.asp?Group=Home |
Scarecrows
By Al
Behel “Their
idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field” (Jeremiah 10:5) Those of us who grew up on farms are
familiar with scarecrows. They were made to look like real people, standing in
the fields to scare away the crows and other birds that might destroy the
crops. Jeremiah compared the idols of his day to scarecrows. They were
impotent, yet men bowed before them in fear. Their idols were made by men, cut from
trees, hammered into place, and decorated by the goldsmith. Isaiah added his
commentary, “They lift it upon their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in
its place, and it stands there; it cannot move…” (Isaiah 46:7). It doesn’t
speak or walk. It does no evil or good, because it has no more life than a
scarecrow in a cucumber field. All the idols of men perish. Where are the
gods of the ancient world? Apollo, Jupiter, Neptune, Juno, Nisroch, Chemosh,
Dagon, Zeus, or Tammuz? Although men swarmed their temples and observed their
ceremonies, they are gone forever. But the living God remains. He abides
forever. He has no beginning, or end. He is not a dead block of wood. He is
Creator. We are created in His image. |
- Al Behel served the Great Smoky Mountains Church
of Christ in Pigeon Forge, TN, for many years prior to this death in April
2022. The congregation may be contacted through their website - https://gsmchurchofchrist.com/ |
Sunday, May 7, 2023
The First Marriage (Part One)
By
Clifton Angel They did not have the book His Needs, Her
Needs by Willard F. Harley. They did not have the book The Five Love Languages
by Gary Chapman. They did not have the book You’re Singing My Song by Glenn
& Cindy Colley. They did not have the book Living Together in Knowledge by
Don & Jane McWhorter. They did not have the motivating movie, Fireproof.
But, they had the Word of JEHOVAH. Their names? Adam & Eve. What are some
lessons we can learn about marriage from the first marriage? It was male and female. "So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them"
(Genesis 1:27). Unfortunately, the world says marriage does not have to be male
and female. Such a claim is a departure from God’s wisdom and design. By
inspiration of God, Moses gave record: “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should
be alone; I will make him an help meet for him ... And the LORD God caused a
deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and
closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken
from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam 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” (Genesis 2:18, 21–23). Later
in the record of the Book of Genesis, we read, “This is the book of the
generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God
made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called
their name Adam, in the day when they were created” (Genesis 5:1–2). Fast-forward to the days of Jesus.
Concerning marriage, Jesus asked, “Have ye not read, that he which made them at
the beginning made them male and female” (Matthew 19:4). Mark’s account records
Jesus’ words in the form of a statement: “From the beginning of the creation
God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6). Some, today, claim Jesus did not
explicitly condemn same-sex marriages. First, to heed the words of Jesus, we
must heed the whole of Scripture and, particularly, the whole of Christ’s
doctrine in the New Testament. God’s disdain for homosexuality is seen under every
dispensation: Patriarchy (Genesis 19; cf. Genesis 1:27; 2:21–23), Mosaic
(Leviticus 18:22; 20:13), Christian (Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10;
Galatians 5:19–21; 1 Timothy 1:9–11). Finally, an honest examination of Jesus’
explicit words at Matthew 19:4 and Mark 10:6 reveals that He does condemn
same-sex marriages by authorizing and endorsing marriages between male and
female, only. May these truths bless your marriage and
glorify our God. |
- Clifton Angel preaches for the Coldwater
Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted through that
congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/ |
The First Marriage (Part Two)
By
Clifton Angel What are some lessons we can learn about marriage
from the first marriage? We considered, first, how that it was male and female.
In this portion of our study, let us consider that it was united. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and
his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh”
(Genesis 2:24). The world says marriage does not have to be united. Many times,
he and she have separate bank accounts, separate beds, separate rooms,
sometimes separate churches, and even separate lives. Following the guidelines
of the Manufacturer of marriage, we find unity is vital for a marriage to survive
and be pleasing to God. Jesus said, “Have ye not read, that he
which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this
cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and
they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew
19:4–6). Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “Let the husband render unto the
wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife
hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband
hath not power of his own body, but the wife” (1 Corinthians 7:3–4). To
the church at Ephesus, Paul penned a reciprocal recipe for unity in marriage
and the church: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the
Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of
the church: and he is the Savior of the body Therefore as the church is subject
unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself
for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the
word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot,
or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife
loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and
cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of
his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother,
and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a
great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let
every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife
see that she reverence her husband” (Ephesians 5:22–33). Following
these Divine directions will lead to united marriages which also will avoid the
negative detail we will note in our next section of this study. May these
truths bless your marriage and glorify our God. |
- Clifton Angel preaches
for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted
through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/ |
The First Marriage (Part Three A)
By
Clifton Angel In the history of mankind, the first
marriage was: (1) male and female, (2) united. A third needful detail about
Adam and Eve’s marital bond is that it was not disposable. Jesus said, “What therefore God hath joined
together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6). Sadly, the world says
marriage is disposable, and divorce in our society has become as easy an option
as trading in a used car. Malachi proclaimed God’s message concerning divorce
in this manner: “For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith
that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith
the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not
treacherously” (Malachi 2:16). God hates “putting away” (divorce). Why? It is
not according to His design for marriage. It is rending what He has united. It
means that sin has been committed by at least one spouse —oftentimes, both. He
describes such as covering one’s garment with violence (cf. Malachi 2:16). I
suppose the majority of divorces, especially those that involve children, breed
turmoil and division for both spouses and their families for years to follow.
Divorce is detrimental physically, mentally, emotionally, and most important, spiritually. In two very different contexts, the apostle
Paul penned an everlasting principle which applies to husband and wife. “The
wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth” (1 Corinthians 7:39a).
“The woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as
he liveth” (Romans 7:2a). When might one be released from their spouse and the
law that binds them together? “If her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be
married to whom she will; only in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39b). “If the
husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband” (Romans 7:2b). God
designed marriage to be between one man and one woman for the endurance of
their physical lives. And so, the godly statement found in many marital vows is
fitting: “’Til death do us part.” After divorce, what happens? Most often,
the divorced will seek another partner. Thereby, many enter into relationships
which God calls adultery, and the only way to resolve this sin of adultery is
to dissolve the adulterous relationship. Jesus said, “Whosoever shall put away
his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth
adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery”
(Matthew 19:9). Herein, God grants the remarriage of an innocent spouse that
has divorced one guilty of fornication. Even in such instances, God’s first
desire would be for the guilty spouse to repent, the two spouses to reconcile,
and their marriage only grow stronger for the endurance of their lives. However,
God grants permission to the innocent spouse for this one reason. This is not
easy to accept. Jesus even notes this in the context (cf. Matthew 19:9–12).
However, it is what is right. |
- Clifton Angel preaches
for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted
through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/ |
The First Marriage (Part Three B)
By
Clifton Angel Adam and Eve’s marriage was: (1) male and female,
(2) united, and (3) non-disposable. Before advancing, let us expound on number
three because divorce is prevalent. God’s laws on marriage, divorce, and
remarriage are not to be negated or contradicted (cf. Malachi 2:16; Romans 7:2;
1 Corinthians 7:39; Matthew 19:9). That said, what about circumstances of
domestic violence? What if my spouse is keeping me from being a faithful
Christian? What if I’m already divorced for reasons other than sexual
infidelity (cf. Matthew 19:9)? What if I was the guilty spouse that was put
away because I committed fornication? If divorced for reasons other than your
spouse committing fornication, God does not permit remarriage. The same
principle applies to the one who is put away for the cause of fornication. Jesus
said, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and
shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put
away doth commit adultery.” It is not easy, but it can be done. I know of many
who know these principles, yet refuse to keep them. I also know of several who
seek to be faithful to God, remaining unmarried because they recognize God does
not grant them permission to remarry. What if I am a victim of domestic violence?
Or, what if my spouse is preventing me from being a faithful Christian? A study
of 1 Corinthians 7 is pertinent to such situations. This chapter is a response
to specific things asked of Paul (cf. 7:1). Some of his exhortations of
remaining single pertain to the “present distress” in Corinth (cf. 1
Corinthians 7:26). That said, consider 10 and 11: “Unto the married I command,
yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if
she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let
not the husband put away his wife.” In circumstances of domestic violence, it
may be necessary to “depart” (separate) to protect one’s own life; this does
not grant divorce and remarriage, as Paul clearly states. Furthermore, Paul states, “But if the
unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage
in such cases: but God hath called us to peace” (1 Corinthians 7:15). The
context is marriages of Christians to non-Christians (cf. 7:12–16). A principle
here applies to the question of a spouse trying to prevent one from being a
faithful Christian: “A brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases.”
Paul is NOT saying you are now free to divorce your non-Christian spouse and
remarry. He is saying Christians are not called to leave Christ to follow after
an unbelieving spouse. Don’t leave the Lord to please your unbelieving spouse.
You are not under bondage to leave the Lord, ever. “God hath called us to peace.”
Verses 10 and 11 still apply. Malachi 2:16, Romans 7:2, 1 Corinthians 7:39, and
Matthew 19:9 still apply. May these truths bless your marriage and
glorify our God. |
- Clifton Angel preaches
for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted
through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/ |
The First Marriage (Part Four)
By
Clifton Angel We have learned that Adam and Eve’s
marriage was: (1) male and female, (2) united, and (3) non-disposable. Let us
consider a fourth lesson from the first marriage: It was not perfect. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field
which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye
shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent,
We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the
tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of
it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the
woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat
thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be like God, knowing good
and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it
was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took
of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and
he did eat (Genesis 3:1–6). God
is not at fault, but man and the adversary. They sinned. The wife superseded
her role. The husband receded from his role. The husband is to be the head of
the wife (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:23), not the other way around,
and yet there will still not be perfection because we have our moments of
weakness. This is not a license to sin. However, sin is universal. “For all
have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “If we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John
1:8). Even the FIRST marriage was not perfect, and we need to tell ourselves
the truth in understanding that our marriages will not be perfect, either. Yet,
the world presses into our minds that marriage has to be perfect in order for
it to last. So many today want the "perfect" family. They feel they
are so different from others when their children do not follow in their
footsteps. I wonder how many times Eve cried, "I just wish my family was
normal!" In a decaying, dying world filled with sin, what is
"normal"? There are absolutes, and those belong to God. In a world
where it is inevitable that we age, what is perfection? Let’s stop striving for
physical perfection and strive for spiritual perfection. “But the God of all
grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye
have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.” May these truths bless your marriage and
glorify our God. |
- Clifton Angel preaches
for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted
through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/ |
The First Marriage (Part Five)
By
Clifton Angel Male and female, united, non-disposable,
and not perfect—four lessons taken from the first marriage. A fifth principle
from the holy matrimony of Adam and Eve is this: It was not easy. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow
and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire
shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said,
Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the
tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is
the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy
life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat
the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou
return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and
unto dust shalt thou return (Gen. 3:16–19). The
world teaches us that marriage has to be easy in order for it to be right—any
difficulty may mean the two are “just not meant for each other.” Such is in
direct opposition to God’s divine directives. Consider the difficulty Adam and Eve
experienced according to Genesis 4:1–16. I believe Adam and Eve taught their
children the Word of God. And yet, they lost a son—not by disease, and not by accident,
but by cold-blooded murder at the hands of their other son. Therefore,
essentially, they lost a second son because of Cain's expulsion (like someone’s
son being sent to prison for life today). Even the very first marriage was not
easy. They had already faced temptation (3:6). They had already fallen prey to
the enticement and lies of Satan (3:1–5). They had sinned (3:6–7). They faced
the major/serious consequences of sin: (1) shame (3:7), (2) separation (3:8-15), (3) sorrow and suffering (3:16-19, 22-24), and (4) the need for salvation (3:21, 15). They
lost an amazing son, Abel, to tragedy. Their firstborn, Cain, chose pride, disobedience,
envy, and murder. They likely trained him correctly, which in no way negates
the general truth of Proverbs 22:6 — “Train up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Every parent should live by
this principle; yet, grown children must answer for their own actions, also.
Notice that Adam and Eve did not make excuses for Cain’s actions (Genesis
4:25–26). Later, they were given a third son who would be a godly leader: Seth.
Truly, even the first marriage was not easy. May these truths bless your marriage and
glorify our God. |
- Clifton Angel preaches for the Coldwater Church of Christ in
Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/ |
The First Marriage (Parts Six & Seven)
By
Clifton Angel What guides your
marriage? What directs the decisions you make as husband and wife? What is your
standard for right and wrong, which you can then pass down to your children?
The first marriage was not perfect, nor easy; yet, it was guided by God. Truly,
the guidance of God has been seen in the previous sections of this study;
however, consider how that God guided Adam and Eve by His standard. At Genesis
2:15–17, we read: And the LORD God took the man, and
put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God
commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:
for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. How were these
principles relayed to Eve? Was she present when God gave the initial
instruction to Adam? Did God remind Adam at a later time when she was present,
which would provide the information for her? Did Adam inform her of God’s
guidance, as any godly husband would do for his wife (cf. Ephesians 5:25–27)?
Either way, we do know Eve was guided in the same; for, she later says to the
serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit
of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not
eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die” (Genesis 3:2–3). God’s initial
commandment was simply: “thou shalt not eat of it;” however, Eve had an
additional principle included with her response to the serpent: “God hath said,
Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it” (Genesis 3:3). Was this a
contradiction? In short, No. Reasonable inferences include: (1) Eve revealed further
details that had not been revealed by Moses’ writing of Genesis 2:17; or, (2)
Adam and Eve restricted themselves out of godly wisdom, that they might not be
tempted to eat of the forbidden fruit. Binding on others where God does not
bind can be dangerous and sinful; however, it is not sinful for one to restrict
himself out of godly wisdom to prevent temptation of sin. Many try to get as
close to sin as they can without “technically” sinning, and in so doing, they
may make unwise decisions which eventually lead to sin. We know Adam and
Eve went on to give into temptation and sin, despite knowing better. However,
God did not leave them there. He essentially came and took them by the hand
(3:8–9), guided them with discipline, further informed them of the consequences
of their sins (3:9–13, 16–21), and punitively and mercifully removed them from
the physical tree of life (3:22–24). The first marriage
was guided by God, and it was blessed by God. Let us consider a few of their
abundance of blessings. They were given numerous resources (see
Genesis 2:8–17). They were given responsibility: “And the LORD God took the
man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis
2:15). We could consider also the responsibility that was given to Adam to name
the animals in preparation for the creation of and reception of his bride (see
Genesis 2:19–20). We could consider the responsibility given to Eve to be
Adam’s helper (Genesis 2:18). Furthermore, they were given a relationship,
which has been the foundation of every study concerning the first marriage: And the LORD God said, It is not
good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him ... And
Adam 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. Therefore shall a man leave his
father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one
flesh” (Genesis 2:18, 23–24). A fourth
blessing—which the worldly do not understand—was repercussions. God mandated
consequences for sins (Genesis 2:17; 3:1–24; 4:1–16). Many claim such negates
God’s love, but that is because they do not know God. The closer we get to God
and His Word, the more we understand that being held accountable for our actions
is for our own good. Our final consideration of their blessings will be the
revival given them. We touched on this point when we considered God’s guidance;
however, consider further how that God came “to seek and to save that which was
lost” (Genesis 3:8–9; cf. Luke 19:10). God gave them the scheme of redemption
(Genesis 3:15). He set a precedence for the foreshadowing sacrifices of animals
(Genesis 3:21; cf. Hebrews 10:1–5). Therein, He also provided a sufficient
covering for them. Fast-forward to after they lost Abel, and Cain was
expelled—God revived the first marriage with the blessing of Seth: “And Adam
knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God,
said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew”
(Genesis 4:25). May these truths
bless your marriage and glorify our God. |
- Clifton Angel preaches for the Coldwater Church of Christ in
Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/ |
Friday, May 5, 2023
Understanding How the Church Grows—Elimination
By
Brian Mitchell Understanding how the church grows can be
difficult because sometimes it forces us to face difficult situations.
Sometimes we have to go backwards before we can move forward. Sometimes the
church grows through the subtraction of ungodly and immoral members. God
neither approves of, nor blesses, congregations of His people who wink at or
overlook the glaring existence of sin among the lives of its members--1
Cor.5:9-11. Thus, healthy congregations are those which take seriously God’s
call to practice discipline among its own members (including withdrawal of
fellowship when necessary), however painful it may be. The discipline of disorderly Christians
serves several purposes: it serves as a warning to other Christians living in
sin. It expresses love for the soul of the one disciplined. And it shows a
congregation’s faithfulness to all of God’s Word, not just the parts that are
easy. When done properly—in the right spirit, with the right intentions, and
with great patience—the practice of church discipline will lead the church to
grow in strength, if not in number. Sometimes the church grows through the
subtraction of ungodly and immoral characteristics. The local church will also
experience growth when its members seek to rid themselves of the cumbersome
weight of sin which the Bible says “so easily ensnares or entangles us”
(Heb.12:1). The act of pruning a rose bush is done so that that which is dead
and actually hindering the growth of the roses can be eliminated. That same act is also needed in the
individual lives of Christians. There are personal characteristics and traits
that must be eliminated from the lives of Christians before they will
experience the kind of personal growth that God intended for them to
experience. Thus, we must be ever committed and vigilant in our efforts to cull
out the sins in our lives that are hindering us from growing personally. Sins like what? Immorality and
worldliness, jealousy and envy and doctrinal impurity. As we examine each of
these areas it will become readily apparent why they must be eliminated if we
are to have a healthy growing church full of healthy growing Christians. These
are characteristics which ought to be extinct in God’s church. Thus, again
growth comes by the elimination of worldly members that will not walk in the
light and the elimination of ungodly and immoral characteristics in the lives
of those who belong to the local church. Why must we do this? Part of the mission of
the church is the act of being a positive influence in the world we live in.
This becomes impossible to do when we have lost our flavor and extinguished our
lights by tolerating members who live in sin and by being composed of members
that are no less worldly than those around them. How can worldly Christians
influence others to give up the world? Thus, again we grow in part through our
commitment to actually live the Word of God and taking appropriate measures to
correct the behavior of those who do not. That kind of commitment makes an
impression, not only upon the church, but also upon those in the world. The
remainder of our lesson today will focus on the fact that if this church really
wants to grow then every member must truly be committed. To the other things we
have discussed in this series but also to eliminating those characteristics
which are hindering our ability to personally grow as we should and which are
destroying our ability to positively influence the world. |
- Brian Mitchell serves as a
minister with the Jackson Church of Christ in Jackson, MO. He may be contacted
through the congregation's website at https://www.jacksonchurchofchrist.net |
THE RESURRECTION: The Subject of Old Testament Prophecy
By Ron Bartanen The long-held Jewish
expectation of the coming of the Messiah (Christ, Anointed One) was based upon
the promises given in the Scriptures.
Beginning with the promise of the woman’s “seed” bruising the serpent’s
(Satan’s) head (Genesis 3:15), other promises followed. Of the sons of Adam and Eve, Seth was chosen
of God to begin that lineage (Gen. 4:24-25).
Later, as God sought to bring destruction upon an increasingly wicked
world, one of Seth’s descendants—Noah—“found grace in the eyes of the LORD”
(Gen. 6:8), and was spared, with his family.
God made choice of his sons, choosing Shem to be the seed-bearer.(Gen.
9:26-27). His descendants are identified
as Semites—the Jews and Arabs. From the
lineage of Shem God called faithful Abraham, giving him promise that all
nations would be blessed in him (Gen. 12:3).
Of his sons, one was the son of promise--Isaac (Gen. 17:`19; 26:4). Isaac had twin sons, Jacob and Esau, and God
chose Jacob (later named “Israel”) as the one through whom the seed would come
(Gen. 27:29). Of Jacob’s 12 sons, to be
the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel, Judah was chosen to be ancestor to the
coming lawgiver (Messiah) (Gen. 49:8-10.
Almost 600 years later David was established as king over Israel, and to
his house (descendants) “for ever” (2 Sam. 7:8-16). About 300 years later, and about 700 years
before Jesus Christ was born, the prophet Isaiah was to prophesy of the birth
of a child whose name would be called “Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” who would occupy the throne of
David “even for ever” (Isa. 9:6-7). The
New Testament identifies that promised “seed” of woman, Seth, Shem, Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Judah and David as Jesus Christ. While Jewish Scripture
had been given by inspiration of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17), and so-recognized by the
Jews, yet they failed to see that the Messiah (Christ) they were expecting
must, “according to the Scriptures” , die for our sins, be buried and
resurrected (1 Cor. 15:1-4). The death
of the Christ had been foreseen in the numerous blood sacrifices under the Old
Covenant. A few of the passages
depicting His death are Psa. 22; Isa. 53:1-11; Dan. 9:26a; Zech. 12:10; 13:6-7.
Not anticipating the
Messiah’s death, they also overlooked scriptures that spoke plainly of His
resurrection. David had plainly
indicated this in Psa. 16:10: “Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (hades),
neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption [decay].” Peter was to later quote this passage as he
preached Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 2:4).
Paul did likewise in Acts 13:33-35.
As the earlier verses (vs. 1-18) of Psa. 22 prophesied of the death of
the Messiah, verses 19-21 has the suffering Savior praying for deliverance
“from the lion’s (Satan’s) mouth”, which is then followed in verses 22-24 by a
praise-hymn, thanking God for delivering Him.
The suffering Christ of Isa. 53, after being seen as “cut off” from the
living, has His days prolonged (vs. 8 & 10). In the Old Testament
Scriptures God also used symbols or types to prefigure things to come,
including Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Isaac, as the promised son of Abraham, was typically, though not
literally, offered by Abraham as a burnt offering on a mountain of Moriah, near
Jerusalem, but his life was spared, which is seen as typical of Jesus being
offered on Mt. Calvary in Jerusalem, and His life being spared in the
resurrection. The writer of Hebrews
recognized this symbol, when he wrote that Abraham accounted “that God was able
to raise him [Isaac] up, even from the dead: from whence also he received him
in a figure” (Heb. 11:19). The account
of Jacob’s beloved son, Joseph (Gen.
37-47) may, in many respects, be seen as a type of Christ. Rejected by his brothers, (symbolic of the rejection of Christ by the Jews, he was
put in a pit (symbolic of death) and emerged from the pit (symbolic of
resurrection), and goes into the far country of Egypt where he is enthroned,
second only to the Pharaoh (symbolic of Jesus’ reign at the Father’s right hand
in the far country of heaven). There he
became the savior of his people and others by providing grain for bread
(symbolic of Jesus’ provision of the bread of life in His mediatorial
reign). Jesus made reference to “the
sign of the prophet Jonah” as being typical of His resurrection from the dead,
saying, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so
shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”
(Matt. 12:39-40). While many, including
religionists, minimize the reliability of Scripture, and even treat the
resurrection of Christ as a myth, His resurrection stands as a verification of
Scripture and also of His being the Son of God (Acts 13:33; Rom. 1:3-4). Death,
the enemy feared by all (Heb. 2:15), has been vanquished by Him who has “the
keys of death and of Hades” (Rev. 1:17-18).
Have you been buried and raised with Him? (Rom. 6:3-4) |
- Ronald Bartanen is a
retired minister who for many years served the Lord's church in Illinois,
Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. After the passing of his beloved
wife, Doris, Ron has relocated from Illinois to Florida where he is near
family. He may be contacted at: ron33dor@yahoo.com
|